At £90 this looks like excellent value for a 14-litre trail pack, but the Compact Explorer 14 is one of the only packs on test that doesn’t come with a reservoir, so you will need to factor in that extra cost when buying.

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Like most Deuter packs, the Explorer 14 is excellent quality with amazing attention to detail. It also has one of the best back panels out there. This is the company’s AirStripes design, which has a big wide channel down the centre that not only keeps the pack away from your spine, but also allows air to circulate, wicking away moisture.

Like the Scott, the overall shape is a little wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, but the Compact Explorer is super- comfortable. It also has some really good internal storage with a well-organised main compartment that you can zip right open to access tools and spares. On the outside there are a couple of hooks to attach a helmet via its straps and stuffed in the bottom pocket is a fluorescent rain cover and two extra loops to lash on a dirty jacket or set of kneepads.

A reservoir slots into the side of the pack and the routing is ambidextrous, with Velcro tags on either strap for the hose and bite valve. The sternum strap has a good range of adjustment and the waist strap is equally well
designed and easy to pull tight. Our only issue with this pack, apart from the lack of a reservoir, is the styling – it just doesn’t have that trailside cool. Which is a shame because the Compact Explorer 14 is a top-spec trail pack with some really cool features.