Bliss ARG Vertical LD Top

Total coverage (minus a chest pad) doesn’t get much comfier. Large, slim, malleable pads allow unrestricted movement, are less likely to slip upon impact and don't snag your jersey.With no chest pad your core stays cooler and there's one thing less to rub.

The 3/4-length sleeves were tight on our forearms, causing a trace of arm pump on longer runs. The zip irritated our necks slightly too. The backplate is non-removable so things can get warm when riding with a pack.

Price 210$

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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