Comfort/Adjustability
Whether carrying heavy or climbing light, I was able to easily set up the Ascensionist to fit my needs. This pack’s ability to switch modes—from comfortably humping good-size overnight loads to smoothly following my scrambling movements—made it the most versatile pack in this season’s tests. Foremost among my favorite things about this pack, the floating pad-pods on the removable hipbelt offered genuinely fully adjustable load transfer to users of all sizes—and gave me the freedom to choose my own comfort-adventure.

Weight 
For a serious technical pack of this size, with an actual frame, 30 ounces is pretty awesome. Even more awesome: without skimping on durability or functionality, Patagonia built a bag that easily matches premium ultra light alpine packs at a fraction of the price.

Capacity
Over-stuffing the Ascensionist was easy to do—its unique double collar configuration didn’t seem to have a ‘max fill’ line. Even with a helmet and last-minute stuffables erupting from the draw-corded opening, I was able to lash a coiled rope over the top and compress the entire bag very effectively. The perimeter-tube frame held loads tight against the back, and definitely aided in carrying obscene amounts of baggage when necessary.

Organization/Access
Though it keeps things ultra-simple with a single zippered pocket and top-only access to the main bag, this pack’s large opening and bright fabric colors helped ensure that I could always locate misplaced keys, sunscreen, and loose candy bars. I added some thin shock-cord to the micro-daisies on the exterior, mostly to keep my crampons away from my puffy, but often used this bit of added capacity as a quick stash-spot for a shell.

Features
I was consistently impressed by the simplicity and utility of the Ascensionist’s design. Fabrics and adjustments were thoughtfully considered throughout, and nearly every feature worked double-duty, helping to lower overall weight and offering numerous carry-configurations. Stripping the pack was amazingly quick and easy, especially for such a light bag.

Value
The big-name product with cutting-edge design and category-topping performance at a reasonable price is a rare beast, indeed, but the Ascensionist pack is certainly of this breed. A remarkable value for those who wish to carry the same pack, car-to-summit.