Gregory Baltoro 70 Pack
Calling the Baltoro the Cadillac of backpacks was fair. It is a big, generously padded, superbly comfortable carrying pack, and Gregory still makes it, revised many times over.
What it is genuinely best at: carrying heavy loads well. If you are taking 18kg or more, because of a long trip, winter kit, camera gear or someone else's share, the Baltoro's suspension is the reason to accept the weight of the pack itself.
What has changed since 2008, and it matters here more than on most packs: everyone else's gear got lighter, so fewer people need 70 litres. A pack this size will get filled, and a filled 70-litre pack is heavier than most trips require. Current Baltoros are lighter than this one was and there are 65 and 55-litre versions in the same family.
The features worth knowing about: a hip belt and harness that adjust to your body rather than to a size range, which is the thing the brand does better than almost anyone; a proper panel-access zip so you are not living out of the top; and a rain cover in the lid.
Who should not buy this: anyone doing three-night trips in summer. The suspension you are paying for and carrying only earns its keep under a heavy load.
Fit, as ever, is the whole game. Measure your torso, load it, walk in it, and be honest about whether you are buying for the trip you take or the trip you imagine.
Part of the guide to backpacks and daypacks.