The hipbelt has short, ventilated fins and a centre section of webbing. Length adjustment is from the outside inwards. The harness straps are quite wide and have ventilated foam padding. The sternum strap’s height can be adjusted using four different daisy chain loops. This involves unhooking each side and repositioning in an alternative loop, which is less convenient than anchors that slide up and down on rails. The hipbelt is a wide webbing strap with elasticated retainer loops for excess length.

The base of the duffel has another zip opening giving access to a separated compartment that is useful for a pair of shoes or similar. This keeps them apart from the contents of the main area, though it does share the space. The recycled content, PFC-free treatment and expected longevity give the Archeon 45 good marks for green credentials. It benefits from a simple design with a roomy main area, while the front zip opening was very useful for digging out items without having to undo the lid and main drawcord. The Cholatse has a good sized main compartment, accessible from a top opening with conventional drawcord. There’s also a compression strap across the top opening which can be used to secure a rope or other gear. The main compartment contains a hydration bladder pouch with hook-and-loop strip hanger. Drink-tube exit is to the right shoulder. In likeness to many options, various different man-made materials are chosen in the production. These are favoured to perfeclty merge reliability with convenience. The main one here is 600 D RS Esdura (Ripstop Polyester), which has been moulded to tolerate exterior impacts and take care of your stuff for a good 5 years up until it is time to replace it. There's no need to be worried about your belongings getting wet thanks to a large raincover on the top. In terms of straps, these tend to be pleasingly soft and fairly wide to keep things comfortable as you move around. Similar to a hip belt, a hip strap just adds a little further stability. Extra Space

The lid is a floating design, enabling it to be raised a little to allow extra space to be used in the main compartment. There’s also a strap for retaining rope under the lid.

Climbing: The streamlined shape of the Arrow 30 ensures it doesn’t snag on protrusions, and the chest strap keeps it centred even when you’re reaching for that next hold. For those who traverse varied terrain, the walking pole attachments are a godsend. They offer easy storage for your poles when not in use, allowing you to free your hands without missing a step. There is no hipbelt or sternum strap, so all the weight is borne on the shoulders and the straps can slide if you’re moving over anything like technical terrain. There are two movable foam pads on the straps to provide some comfort, but carrying a full load over any long distance without the support of a hipbelt caused some discomfort.

Our organisation

The fabric of the Craghoppers Duffel is robust feeling polyester with a polyurethane coating. It contains recycled materials – the brand says about 14 plastic bottles were reused in its manufacture.