A new generation of backcountry gear offers the perfect balance of high performance and low, low weight. Your back will be ecstatic. – Dylan Tweney
Big Agnes Seedhouse Superlight 2
It might not be blizzard-worthy, but this sub-3.5-pound, two-person tent is as easy to pitch as it is to haul. And for three-season camping, it will keep you dry and bug-free.
$299 www.bigagnes.com
GoLite Jam Pack
At a mere 1 pound, 5 ounces, the GoLite totes the load without adding to it, yet is capacious enough (2,750 cubic inches) to easily swallow a few days’ worth of gear. (Turn the page for more weekend backpacks.)
$90 www.golite.com
Kelty Light Year 45
This goose-down bag is a joy to carry, at just 1 pound, 15 ounces, and stuffs down supersmall to save space in your pack. Rated to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s great for sleeping outdoors from spring through fall.
$130 www.kelty.com
Our appetite for adventure is as varied as our taste in food. No one wants to eat mac and cheese every night or march down the same trail every Saturday. So gear makers have developed weekend packs versatile enough to handle a full menu of outings – long day hikes, mountain-bike rides, or overnight camping trips. If stuffed judiciously, the lightweight haulers here will hold a couple days’ worth of provisions. Best of all, one of these do-it-all bags can save scratch (and closet space). – Gina DeMillo Wagner
How We Tested
Comfort: We loaded each pack with 20 pounds of gear and wore it for four hours straight.
Fit: Testers of all waistlines and torso lengths evaluated adjustability.
Durability: We bashed stuffed packs against rocks and brambles and soaked them with
a garden hose.
Versatility: We took the packs hiking, biking, and boulder hopping.
What to Look For
Size: Torso length (not a person’s overall height) determines sizing. Always test-drive a loaded pack before you buy.
Suspension system: Well-designed packs focus the load on the hips.
Volume: Weekend trippers should stick to models with capacities under 3,500 cubic inches – extra space encourages overpacking.
Pockets: Compartments for maps and snacks are useful, but too many pockets can be cumbersome and snag on branches.
Osprey Stratos 34
If you’re a high-energy multitasker – hiking one day, pedaling single-track the next – the Stratos is for you. Built around a fiberglass-strut suspension system, this superlight pack hauls 30 pounds of gear with ease, and its egg shape helps distribute weight comfortably across the hips and shoulders. A mesh panel lifts the pack slightly away from your body to funnel breezes down your back, and honeycomb foam in the shoulder straps and hip belt offer additional ventilation. Belt pockets and elastic compartments on the front store a rain jacket, GPS unit, or guidebook.
WIRED: Most versatile weekender tested. Ventilating back panel for cool summer adventures. Excellent water resistance. Featherlight (2 pounds, 10 ounces). Hydration port.
TIRED: 2,100 cubic inches too small for longer trips. Redundant external pockets could be overkill for no-frills fastpackers.
$139 www.ospreypacks.com
Arc’teryx AC2 Acrux 40
WIRED: Waterproof zippers and a roll-top closure help this 2,320-cubic-inch pack withstand a deluge. Welded components contribute to svelte look, though it’s still a touch heavy (3 pounds, 8 ounces). Contoured hip belt moves with your body.
TIRED: Shoulder straps too lightly padded for some testers. One of the priciest packs out there. No exterior side pockets.
$329 www.arcteryx.com
Gregory G Pack
WIRED: Lightweight (2 pounds,
12 ounces) yet generously sized (2,700 cubic inches), the G is big on design and comfort. Clever side-strap setup stabilizes any load. Thermo-molded back panel feels custom-fit. Large mesh pockets. TIRED: Thin nylon not as durable as others we tested. Water leaked through seams.
$149 www.gregorypacks.com
Macpac Weka 30
WIRED: Cotton fibers in scuff-proof AzTec fabric expand when wet to block out moisture. Useful pocket configuration.
TIRED: Heavy (over 3 pounds) for its petite 1,830 cubic inches, and even heavier when soaked. Style won’t wash with fashion plates.
$100 www.macpac.co.nz
Multitools are lighter and more ergonomic than ever, with locking blades, specialty gadgets, and even LEDs. Stash one of these mini MacGyvers in your pocket – you never know when you’ll need to fashion a cell phone from a paper clip, a transistor radio, and an Altoid. – Jason Stevenson
Gerber Suspension
WIRED: Comfortable 3.75-inch grip doesn’t twist in hand while working. All tools open in the same direction, cutting hassle factor. Pliers and fine-edge and serrated saws tackle big tasks. Easy-to-use lock system. Inexpensive.
TIRED: Short 1.75-inch cutting edge on knife. Futuristic Æon Flux styling might put off some traditionalists.
$46 www.gerbergear.com
Leatherman Squirt E4
WIRED: IT geek’s dream: five gauges of wire-stripping goodness and three case-cracking screwdrivers. Spring-loaded wire cutter/mini-pliers for delicate PC surgery. Just over 2 inches folded.
TIRED: No scissors. Tools too tiny for anything but bench work.
$40 www.leatherman.com
Swiss Army Voyager Lite Ruby
WIRED: Compact (3.5-inch) arsenal carves, snips, files, plucks, prods, uncorks, illuminates, writes – and tells you the time.
TIRED: No saw, pliers, or locking blade. You’ll have to tap into your Swiss bank account to afford this multifunctionality.
$110 www.swissarmy.com
SOG PowerLock S60
WIRED: Pliers open wide and clamp down hard. Crimper, three-sided file, and spring-loaded locking system.
TIRED: Toothy hinges catch on clothing. Tool covers hinder access. Full-range sawing blocked by huge (4.5-inch) handle.
$105 www.sogknives.com
When trekking through the wilds, you’ve got more to keep track of than what time it is. These backcountry watches can tell the temperature, forecast the weather, show your direction, and calculate vertical distance from the peak. Onward! – Scott Taves
Casio Pathfinder PAW1200
WIRED: Classy titanium housing is light and strong. Time calibrated to an atomic clock. Full solar charge powers watch for five months.
TIRED: Daunting array of modes and submodes. Massive size overwhelms slight wrists. Digital compass overlay looks cheesy.
$380 www.casio.com
Suunto Vector
WIRED: Gorgeous. All the crucial nav features. Seven color choices, from cotton-candy pink to special-ops black. Bubble level on face assures accurate compass readings. Water-resistant to 30 meters.
TIRED: Complex procedure for calibrating altimeter and barometer. Button labels on body hard to read.
$199 www.suunto.com
Silva Tech4O OC1
WIRED: Clever, versatile design – body pops out of strap and clips onto included lanyard. Compass alerts user to deviations from programmed direction.
TIRED: Water-resistant to only 10 meters. Light weight is nice, but feels cheap. Small screen readout. Confusing barometric data presentation.
$199 www.silvausa.com
Avocet Vertech II Alpin
WIRED: Big rubberized buttons easy to press, even with gloved fingers. Ski mode tracks descents in feet per minute; Hike mode measures climbs in feet per hour.
TIRED: No compass – just barometer and altimeter. Weird design looks like a Transformer. No backlight. Water- resistant to a measly 3 meters.
$160 www.avocet.com
Big Agnes Seedhouse Superlight 2, GoLite Jam Pack and Kelty Light Year 45 Toby Burditt, styled by Shannon Amos/Artist Untied; background: getty
Big Agnes Seedhouse Superlight 2, GoLite Jam Pack and Kelty Light Year 45 Toby Burditt, styled by Shannon Amos/Artist Untied; background: getty
Osprey Stratos 34
Osprey Stratos 34 
Arc'teryx AC2 Acrux 40
Arc'teryx AC2 Acrux 40 
Gregory G Pack
Gregory G Pack 
Macpac Weka 30
Macpac Weka 30 
Gerber Suspension
Gerber Suspension 
Leatherman Squirt E4
Leatherman Squirt E4 
Swiss Army Voyager Lite Ruby
Swiss Army Voyager Lite Ruby 
SOG PowerLock S60
SOG PowerLock S60 
Casio Pathfinder PAW1200
Casio Pathfinder PAW1200 
Suunto Vector
Suunto Vector 
Silva Tech4O OC1
Silva Tech4O OC1 
Avocet Vertech II Alpin Peter Samuels
Avocet Vertech II Alpin Peter SamuelsWired Test:
