Our Guide to Backpacks

We've organized the most commonly used items people use to address the Core function below, with example images, characteristics, features, etc.

Name		Regular backpack (for school or work)	Travel backpack (aka rucksack)	Hiking backpack
Example qualities & features	Example images
	Feature examples	laptop sleeve	laptop sleeve wrinkle-free clothing pocket	water bag pocket (hands-free drinking) external loops to strap gear (e.g., trekking poles, sleeping pads)
	Does it have frame to support weight?
	Does it have straps to help weight distribution?	May have sternum or waist strap	Waist strap, sternum strap, load lifters	Waist strap, sternum strap, load lifters
	General level of waterproofing Read our detailed guide for explanation & how we define these terms	Water-resistant	Generally at least water-repellant
Effect on other factors	Price	$20-100	$50-250	$50-400
	Size (Capacity)	10-40 liters	20-70 liters	10-100 liters
	Weight & Size (Compactness)	<3lbs (1.4kg)	<5lbs (2.2kg)	<7lbs (3.2kg)
	Rationale	Less technical, smaller capacity = less materials		More technical, greater capacity = more materials
Why we do/don't carry it = we rent = we sell		Not specific enough for outdoor use		Standard for most outdoor uses

*If you want something that is fully waterproof, there are hybrid backpack-dry-bags. We don't discuss them here, because they're used only in really special circumstances, this is because they don't have frames, and so lack a key feature that helps support heavy loads. (Though at the larger capacities, where they're called dry packs, they do have shoulder straps, waist or hip belt, and sternum straps.)

If you don't go very often, of course you're going to want to spend less money, but this often means real trade-offs in terms of the experience that you will have with the gear. Even if you do go often & are ready to invest in quality gear, having the upfront funds can be hard!

Now, it may seem like this price & quality trade-off is disappearing, because you can find a cheap version of almost anything for tens of dollars that still has good reviews (assuming the reviews are real). So you might be thinking: I'll just buy something cheap, and because the price is so low it doesn't matter if it's less featured or heavier or whatever compared to something higher end. When that breaks, I'll buy something cheap again, and so on. Just remember:

• Many reviews are written after only a trial use or first use: We've seen entire review videos of gear done at home, which is very different than actually being outdoors! And reviews after the first use don't tell you about durability at all
• You're headed outdoors to relax and enjoy life! Saving money only to have a trip ruined due to quality issues will feel terrible. Our program to rent backpacks is designed to help you avoid this trade-off: you get to rent high end, quality backpacks for around the same price as buying cheap ones (sometimes even for less!)

For this item specifically, the price vs. quality trade-off issues center around performance & durability.

• The backpack was bigger or heavier: A 1lb or 2kg difference may not matter on a 3 hour hike, but it might on a 6 hour hike!
• The backpack wasn't very waterproof or durable: Backpacks scrape on all kinds of surfaces and should be super tough. Fabric-wise, lower end items tend to be made with polyester, which is less durable than nylon (more info in our clothing guide, see section on Durability); and of course, if the fabric tears, performance is compromised. Finally lower end items may not have or may have less effective waterproofing

Measured by Liter capacity (you'll see it following the pack name, for example an Osprey Aether 70 means it's a 70 Liter backpack).

How many Liters you want really depends on what you want to bring and your packing styles (e.g., some prefer to strap certain bulky things to the outside to not take up interior room). Renting a backpack for a few trips can help you get a sense of what size works for you! Here are two pointers we've found based on our experience:

• For a larger (10+L) sized bear canister, you generally want a 60+L backpack. Otherwise, a bear canister of this size generally has to be stored vertically, which takes up a lot of space
• For tents larger than 2 persons, you generally want a 60+L backpack

Hiking backpack liter capacity		10-L		20L		30L		40L		50L		60L		70L		80+L
		.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
This hiking backpack may be called...		Hydration pack			Day pack (Daypack)						Backpack
Example use cases		Quick hike or trail running			Day trip						2-4 days		3-7 days			Technical trips (lots of gear)
Effect on other factors	Price Standard**	$50-100								$100-300						$200-350
	Weight Standard**	1-2lbs (0.5-0.9kg)								3-5lbs (1.4-2.3kg)						5-7lbs (2.3-3.2kg)
	Rationale	Less material & features								More material & features
Why we do/don't carry it = we rent = we sell		Doesn't add that much more value (you can use something non-outdoor-specific which would be much more affordable)									Packs in this range are standard for most outdoor uses				Most people would not need something this technical

**For easier comparison, we compared pricing for standard packs, rather than, for example, ultralight packs (which wouldn't be available at all capacities represented here anyway)

If you're thru-hiking 20+ miles (32+km) per day, every advantage counts! In this case, size refers to compactness.

To reduce more weight & increase compactability, manufacturers reduce the amount of material used (e.g., fewer features, thinner fabrics, etc.) and, where possible, use more technical materials to prevent performance loss. For example, ultralight fabric has to still be waterproof. These strategies create 2 general consequences

• Lightweight gear tends to be less durable: Sometimes, light-weight gear is just thinner & so more prone to damage (even a more technical material may not fully offset the loss in durability)
• Lightweight gear tends to be more expensive: While less materials = lower cost, the more dominating effect is often that thinner materials = more technical = greater cost

For these reasons, the lighter the gear, the more you should treat it as an investment! Is the price difference worth the weight or size savings? This depends on you & your trip! Given our mission we're the only shop that rents a backpack that's ultralight, so feel free to try it out, and see how different the weight feels!

Here, we give you a list of questions to start thinking about other features. We hope our approach of savings these features for last gets you to more critically think about what you need & not get caught up in the hype of what's cool and over-spend your budget. Remember, we allow you to hire a backpack so feel free to try out various models with different features.

• Does it have all the pockets desired? Examples:
• Interior water bag pocket with a hole for you to thread through a hydration tube for hands-free drinking while walking
• Hip belt pocket or shoulder strap pocket for small essentials
• Water bottle pockets on the side
• Does it have all the gear loops & straps desired? Examples:
• Side loops for trekking poles or ice axes
• Bottom loops for foam sleeping pads
• Is it top-loading or front-loading? (I.e., how does the zipper open so you can put stuff inside)
• How does it support weight? (E.g., some packs have an 'anti-gravity' type of suspension technology that helps 'float' the weight over your back; some people like it, some people don't)
• Is it convertible to a daypack? (E.g., some packs have a outer pocket or brain that can convert to a smaller pack)
• Is the torso adjustable length or fixed? (Adjustable is better if you anticipate your torso length changing or if you'd want to share with others)

You may not know how well a backpack fits until several hours into your hike, even if it felt fine walking in a circle around a store (unfortunately, it's just as finicky in fit as shoes are!). This is why it's especially beneficial to rent a backpack first on a test hike. Also different people may have different preferences on what feels comfortable, how the pack is loaded, etc. Check out our diagram & specific notes below.

Torso length

This is the primary consideration. Ill-fit torsos are noticeable with issues in how the shoulder straps & load lifters fit, as in the above diagram. This is the length from the bumpy bone at the base of your neck to the top of your hip bones (or your iliac crest).* Adjustable backpacks have some way (usually with velcro) to change the torso length. Women-specific backpacks tend to be shorter in length to accommodate average shorter height. Once you have this length, the backpack manufacturer will tell you what torso size that length corresponds with for their brand (like with clothing, not all brands size the same). For example reference, on Osprey packs: Small = 16-18in (40.5cm-46cm), Medium = 18-20in (46-51cm), Large 20-22in = (51cm-56cm).

*While generally tall people have a longer torso, it's not a direct relationship. If you're curious for a rough benchmark (which may be good enough for an adjustable pack), we took limited data from Internet forums & calculated a linear equation with an R^2 of 0.6 that torso length in inches = 0.4557 * height in inches - 13.495. (A polynomial equation yielded a slightly better R^2, but not substantially, so for simplicity we only show the linear one here. You can download our data & play around with it yourself)

Follow the general guidelines below. Serious backpackers understand that ideal loading varies by type of terrain (including going uphill vs downhill), & that personal preference & comfort as just as important as any guideline!

• Weight: The heaviest items should generally go toward your spine in the center of the pack (not at the top or bottom or too far to the right or left). Semi-heavy large items that you will not need while hiking do well at the bottom (the bottom compartment is very popularly used for sleeping bags)
• Accessibility: Put items that you need to frequently get (e.g., rain gear, snacks, water, first aid, maps) at the top of your pack, in the brain, or hip belt pockets.
• Shape:: For comfort, don't put weirdly shaped objects that may poke out against your back
• Strapping: Make the most of all those straps & gear loops on the outside! They are great for bulky or oddly shaped items. When strapping, take care to balance weight on both sides & ensure the item won't get damaged if it rains & you don't have a cover. Items commonly strapped to the exterior include trekking poles, ice axes, bulky foam sleeping pads

Hiking backpacks are usually at least water repellant, but there are so many holes and openings that it is important to take some precautions to be sure your things don’t get wet. Check out our page on backpack protection for more info.

Some people may experience rubbing from the pack & straps after extended use. For advice on managing chafe, click here.

Just because it fits in-store doesn't mean it'll be comfortable after you've been walking for hours with a lot of weight. To prepare for long trips (e.g., thru-hikes), we strongly recommend doing trial runs with similar weights on long day trips or even weekend backpacking trips. You can pair this with renting backpacks that are different sizes as well. Like with shoes, an ill-fitted backpack can be really bad, but it really comes down to quite a bit of experimentation.

Backpacking doesn't just mean heading out in the backcountry, but also mean an extended period of travel (like, when did "backpacking through Europe" become a phrase?). Understandably, a large backpack to carry your gear can be much more convenient than traditional suitcases. A few things to keep in mind:

• Recall that there are specific travel backpacks vs hiking backpacks (see section above on What to use & how to choose) with feature differences that may be important to you
• Regardless of backpack, double check your airline's specific carry-on regulations to ensure your pack will be allowable. In our general experience, larger backpacks (i.e., not just a school or work bag) are judged by most airline staff on an subjective basis. Meaning sometimes, if it visually looks too large, they won't let you board with it as a carry-on, othertimes you may get away with it
• Rule-of-thumb, a well-packed 50L is probably OK as a carry-on, a very bulky (e.g., things hanging from all exterior straps) 70L is probably not
• If you will be checking-in a backpack, try to tie off exterior straps, or stuff them into zippered pockets, so they don't catch on any moving pieces and get damaged (especially for hiking backpacks, which have more straps than travel backpacks given the functional differences)