Canadian brand Arc’Teryx spare no expense when it comes to making their gear, and it shows – whether its jackets, boots, harnesses or in this case, backpacks, these guys are basically the best in the business.

The new Bora AR 50 backpack takes its name from a model that’s been around for a few years, but it represents a great leap forward in terms of backpack technology. The main feature to shout about here is the innovative ‘RotoGlide’ hip belt.

“Arc’Teryx’s product designer Dan Jackson and his team looked at how backpacks moved when you’re scrambling and came up with the innovative ‘RotoGlide’ hipbelt.”

Arc’Teryx’s product designer Dan Jackson and his team looked at how backpacks moved and realised that your back changes lengths as you’re scrambling over rocks and up steep trails. As well as allowing the hip belt to pivot with your hips as you climb, they mounted the pivot on a joint which slides up and down, allowing the belt to move with your back.

This might sound like a gimmick, but when you’re carrying 50 litres worth of hiking and camping kit on your back, the extra comfort it affords makes a real difference. Our testers spent time clambering over rocks in the French Pyrenees, and were impressed by how well the waist belt helped to keep the weight of the load centralised, making balancing and climbing much easier. But it’s not just that, the way it swivels and slides even makes the simple act of walking easier.