How to choose a Hiking Backpack

Being lifelong travelers, we all like our lightweight, multipurpose gear that can withstand the rigors of the road. Gear needs to be dependable, multifunctional, durable and perform beyond expectations. Nothing could be truer in relation to getting a good hiking backpack, especially considering it will likely be your home abroad. Traveling, especially long-term, will literally test the boundaries of one’s bag as well as your body, and thus this decision will not be made impulsively. Buying your backpack shouldn’t be a rushed decision and factors like trip length, capacity, material, functionally and luxury should always be considered. When i got serious about buying a good pack, I was at REI for the good Three hours -I think they did start to suspect I was looking for a career.


If my three hours was any suggestion, getting a good backpack is not always easy. With hundreds of Backpack Manufacturers and designs, it may understandably be overwhelming. Whatever you do, don’t go cheap. You will be doing who you are a disservice and purchase another one anyways. A great backpack can be an investment. Don’t need to spend $500 on a backpack, but be skeptical of cheap, no-frills, mediocre $70 brands, as you’ll regret the structure flaws and shortage of extras. Spend a bit more for the good backpack from a trusted brand, and it’ll be your companion for many trips into the future. The Osprey pack I eventually settled on has traveled with me at night from the U.S on the Middle East for 10 awesome years and I know it has one additional Ten years to go.

Travel Backpack or Hiking Backpack

Before starting looking for the best pack, it’s important to be aware of contrast between travel backpacks and hiking backpacks. A travel backpack is a backpack-suitcase hybrid with a zippered side panel similar to a suitcase. Hiking backpacks will be the typically seen cylindrical top loading packs with straps, clips along with a top lid. Many people provide an opinion that hiking backpacks are merely suited for the backcountry and contains room for the backpacker, I disagree. The things in your case ultimately comes down to personal preference and magnificence of travel. Travel backpacks are ideal for easy, organized access to gear and transporting from hostel to hostel. Additionally they work well for brief walks or even like a daypack.

However, in case you possibly have camping or long treks inside your travel plans, you might like to look at a hiking backpack. Hiking backpacks are prepared for comfort, proper weight distribution, and toughness. Unlike a travel backpack, hiking backpacks can have enhancements like full-sized hip belts, shoulder and back suspension systems together with plenty of load bearing straps to mitigate discomfort. Granted the top down packing seriously isn’t useful to access your gear, but that’s part in parcel to proper weight distribution. A great compromise should be to get yourself a hiking backpack with side load access.

I am generalizing a little since they do have travel backpacks which might be within the upper capacity range with additional advanced suspension systems, but if you will definately get a 70L travel backpack, you may at the same time go with a hiking backpack. Trust me, you will be glad in college for that unexpected 20 mile trek to the next town.

Personal Backpacking Style

Next, determine the style of travel you normally like to undertake. Unless you’re happy to get a different backpack for each trip, figuring out your travel style can save you a lot of money ultimately and provide you some foundation gear that’s ready for almost any trip. For instance, in case you generally embark on week long trips you don’t need to get yourself a high capacity bag and may probably pull off a 35 liter to 50 liter (L) pack, whereas living long-term on the highway may necessitate 65L or greater.

Dimensions are pretty subjective though and shouldn’t be the sole determining factor. Many people can pack very common commercially available, where others require a bit more. Think about these factors:

How much time will be your trip:

With respect to the length of your trip the proportions and overall weight of one’s pack vary. Short trips require less capacity, and long trips typically require more. But be aware that the bigger the pack the heavier it gets. 50lbs may not seem a great deal at first, but 2 months in and it’ll feel as if a huge amount of bricks.

What sort of Activities do you want to do:

Personally, i feel that one bag can rule all of them ever since i generally use my pack for everything. However, this isn’t always true for everyone. Being aware of what sort of activity you will be doing will allow you to zero in on that perfect backpack. If you are not considering carrying it around much, look at a travel backpack or maybe a wheeled backpack, whereas in case you foresee yourself doing long treks then this hiking backpack could possibly be more desirable. I enjoy be equipped for any sort of spontaneous activity, therefore i lean more towards hiking backpacks. Also, hiking backpacks are usually developed a bit tougher, so remember that the more challenging the experience, the higher the force on the bag.

Lightweight or the mess up:

Although I discussed earlier that sizing is not the main determining factor, it is imperative that you consider capacity based on that which you plan to bring. If ultra light will be your goal, avoid high capacity backpacks as you’ll invariably bring a lot of or if you do manage to pack light your backpack won’t distribute the weight properly. Conversely, should your backpack is way too small, you may not be able to fit everything in. Have an idea of the tools you’re bringing and select the capacity of one’s bag accordingly. Feel free to bring your circumstances to the store to view the way corresponds the packs. A reputable retailer, like REI, do not need an issue with this.

Excellent customer service Inside a Hiking Backpack

Backpacks vary in functionality just as much as they certainly in features, with all the higher priced models keeping the most bells and whistles. Much like everything, your choice here’s closely related to what sort of traveling you want to do.

Waterproof

Your pack is typically not destined to be completely waterproof. Meaning, if submerged, or even in a torrential downpour your clothing and equipment will still get wet. Although most backpacks now include a rain cover, you still need it to be generated of a tough, rip proof, and silicone coated nylon or Cordura type material that permits rain or water to bead off and not soak through.
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About the Author: Annette Nardecchia

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