EVOC Hip Pack Race bumbag

There are plenty of places to stash stuff in this 3l pack – a big rear pocket, two zipped hip pockets and a tool pocket with mesh compartments. The back panel is quite rigid, so the contents stay put even when you’re fully loaded. Widely-spaced pads mean it’s fairly well ventilated too. The best feature is the side straps, which you can cinch down to pull the pack into your lower back and stop it bouncing around.

The valve for the 1.5l Hydrapack reservoir is tricky to close while riding, and the magnetic hose tab isn’t as secure as CamelBak’s clip.

Price $85

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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