Tough Guy
This is a stand-up pack—literally. Thanks in part to its extremely heavy-duty fabric (“Like Carhartts,” said one tester), the 29.5-liter Pit Boss stands up straight, on its own, even when empty. But the truly unique feature is the pack’s three interconnected zippers. Two close the lid over the main pocket, while a third, running down the side, splays the guts wide open. It’s a cool design that works, making the pack a breeze to load and search. The only flaw is having to unclip the snowboard carry straps to use the third zip. But that’s a minor hassle for a $;100 pack that carries both skis and boards and comes with an insulated 100-ounce bladder. 2.8 lbs;
COMFORT: 4.5
EASE OF USE: 4