How to Buy a Hiking Backpack

Being lifelong travelers, we all love our lightweight, multipurpose gear that could withstand the trials in the road. Gear ought to be dependable, multifunctional, durable and perform beyond expectations. Nothing might be truer in terms of purchasing a good hiking backpack, especially considering it’s going to your home overseas. Traveling, especially long-term, will literally test the boundaries of the bag as well as your body, and therefore this decision won’t be made impulsively. Buying your backpack should not be any rushed decision and factors such as trip length, capacity, material, functionally luxurious should be considered. When I first got set on buying a good pack, I was at REI for any good Three hours -I think they begun to suspect I was applying for employment.


If my three hours was any indication, purchasing a good backpack just isn’t simple. With a huge selection of Backpack Manufacturers and designs, it may understandably be overwhelming. Whatever you do, don’t go cheap. You’ll be doing your hair a disservice and buy a replacement anyways. A great backpack can be an investment. Don’t need to spend $500 on the backpack, but be wary of cheap, no-frills, run of the mill $70 brands, as you’ll regret the look flaws and lack of extras. Spend a little more for any good backpack from your trusted brand, and it will become your companion for a lot of trips in the future. The Osprey pack I ultimately chose has traveled with me at night from your U.S towards the Middle East for 10 awesome a few years I know it has yet another good Ten years to look.

Travel Backpack or Hiking Backpack

Before you start looking for the proper pack, you need to have in mind the distinction between travel backpacks and hiking backpacks. A travel backpack can be a backpack-suitcase hybrid having a zippered side panel similar to a suitcase. Hiking backpacks would be the more commonly seen cylindrical top loading packs with straps, clips and a top lid. Some individuals come with an opinion that hiking backpacks are merely suited for the backcountry and has no place for the backpacker, I disagree. What works in your case ultimately comes down to personal preference and magnificence of travel. Travel backpacks are good for easy, organized access to gear and transporting from hostel to hostel. Additionally, they work well in short walks or even as being a daypack.

On the other hand, should you possibly have camping or long treks within your departure date, you might want to look at a hiking backpack. Hiking backpacks are prepared for comfort, proper weight distribution, and toughness. Unlike a travel backpack, hiking backpacks will have enhancements like full-sized hip belts, shoulder and back suspension systems as well as plenty of load bearing straps to mitigate discomfort. Granted the most notable down packing isn’t as on the way of access your gear, but that is part in parcel to proper weight distribution. A great compromise is always to have a hiking backpack with side load access.

I’m generalizing a lttle bit because they really have travel backpacks which might be from the upper capacity range with increased advanced suspension systems, however, if you’ll receive a 70L travel backpack, you could possibly as well go with a hiking backpack. Trust me, you’ll be glad in college for that unexpected 20 mile trek to another town.

Personal Backpacking Style

Next, determine design for travel you normally like to undertake. Unless you’re ready to get a different backpack for each trip, working out your travel style could save you a lot of money ultimately and provide you with some foundation gear that’s ready for any trip. For instance, should you generally carry on week long trips you don’t need to have a high capacity bag and might probably get away with a 35 liter to 50 liter (L) pack, whereas living long-term on the road might require 65L or greater.

Sizing is pretty subjective though and shouldn’t be the only determining factor. Some individuals can pack very bare bones, where others need a extra. To understand factors:

The length of time will be your trip:

With respect to the amount of your trip the ability and overall weight of the pack will change. Short trips require less capacity, and long trips typically require more. But remember that the greater the pack the heavier it will become. 50lbs may not seem a good deal to start with, but Two months in and it will feel like a huge amount of bricks.

Which kind of Activities are you going to do:

I believe that one bag can rule every one of them ever since i generally use my pack for everything. However, this may not be true for everyone. Knowing what kind of activity you’ll be doing can help you zero in on that perfect backpack. If you aren’t thinking about carrying it around much, look at a travel backpack or perhaps a wheeled backpack, whereas should you foresee yourself doing long treks a hiking backpack could possibly be more desirable. I love to be equipped for any sort of spontaneous activity, therefore i lean more towards hiking backpacks. Also, hiking backpacks are usually made a bit tougher, so understand that greater challenging the activity, the better the force on the bag.

Lightweight or drain:

Although I discussed earlier that sizing is not the principle determining factor, it is still imperative that you consider capacity according to whatever you plan to bring. If ultra light will be your goal, avoid high capacity backpacks as you’ll invariably bring an excessive amount of or you do be capable of pack light your backpack won’t distribute the body weight properly. Conversely, in case your backpack is too small, you won’t be capable of you must do everything. Know the tools you’re bringing and pick the capacity of the bag accordingly. Please take the items to a store to view the way it fits in the packs. A reputable retailer, like REI, do not possess an issue with this.

What To Look For In the Hiking Backpack

Backpacks vary in functionality as much as they do to look at, using the higher priced models obtaining the most great features. As with everything, your selection here is closely related to what sort of traveling you want to do.

Water repellent

Your pack is probably not going to be completely waterproof. Meaning, if submerged, or even in a torrential downpour your clothing and equipment will get wet. Although most backpacks now include a rain cover, you still want it to be generated of an tough, rip proof, and lightweight silicone coated nylon or Cordura type material that permits rain or water to bead off instead of soak through.
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