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Our review of The Explorer rucksack from Douchebag tests its claim to be 'as much at home in the streets as the mountains.'

douchebags the explorer black op
Best for...
Fans of the brand
Price
£220
Value
6
Quality
7
Performance
10
Looks
8
Comfort
6
Overall Score
6
+
Modern explorer styling, with rugged construction
Eye-watering price tag
douchebags.com

After being blown away by The Douchebag (the ski carrying luggage from the same brand) I had high hopes for their ski-specific pack which features organisation for avalanche gear plus diagonal ski carry in a subtle, hideaway package, suited to everyday use.

First up, be warned, this is a little on the small side even at the touted 20 litre capacity. Once avalanche gear is loaded up, you may struggle to carry all the other necessities of a ski touring day - but Douchebags do suggest this is more suited to an occasional bootpack rather than being an out-and-out touring essential.

So it's pretty much aimed at resort skiing. Which begs the question as to why the chest and waist straps are adorned with such fiddly fastenings. They're certainly aesthetically pleasing in a back-to-basics, hook-and-eye, old-school explorer way, but when the chairlift is a couple of metres away from smacking you on the calves they are far from 'quick' release.

I must also say, it's not the comfiest pack either. With the shoulder straps cinched up tight, it is fairly stable at speed, but those straps have a tendency to slip, and it ends up hanging loose on one or both sides.

These are all minor gripes in themselves, but the bag costs £220. It has a bomber construction, with hardy materials, a very neat design and some great innovations (such as the tuck-away ski-carry system).

But for the price tag I'd suggest it would be much more at home on certain (fashionable) streets than it is in the mountains.

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