Shimano Unzen U2 hydration pack

SO GOOD... There’s impressive attention to detail here. The harness is adjustable to fit your back, there are tabs for goggles and straps for leg armour. The fit is superb and a clever alloy hook makes it easy to get the pack on and off quickly. We liked the inclusion of a detachable waist strap but never needed it. The 2l Hydrapak bladder is easy to clean.

NO GOOD... The Unzen’s Achilles heel is the fact that the main pocket is only accessible from the side. There’s enough room for an emergency layer but add anything else and you’ll have to drag everything out to find it.

Price 75$

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

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KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

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SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

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