The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Pack

Jessica Cockroft
October 17, 2024

Choosing your first backpack can feel a bit like buying your first car. Smaller stakes, maybe… but you have a lot of the same elements.

There’s all these new terms getting tossed around, you don’t know what a good price is, and you probably fall into one of two camps. You’re either the kid that knows exactly what they want, or the one that just wants to get from point A to point B without any problems.

Research is a great place to start in either scenario, so it’s good that you’re here! Let’s walk through some terminology first, then we’ll talk about things you need to consider before making your final purchasing decision.

Understanding Backpack Types

When shopping online or talking with an outfitter, you may run across some simple terms intended to categorize packs. Understanding these is an excellent place to start.

Daypacks

These are backpacks intended for short hikes or day trips. Packs made especially for hiking, even for short trips, are streamlined and have features like internal pockets for water bladders and special pockets for easy-access snacks and first aid. Sure, you can take your laptop out of your office bag and take it on a hike. But it’s not going to be as comfortable, and the material probably won’t be as suited to dirt and sweat. Extreme ultralight hikers may be able to make packs in this category work for overnight travel in good weather.

Weekend Packs

If you’re staying out a night or two, you might want to level up from daypacks. “Weekenders” give you enough room to bring a tent, sleeping bag, and food to refuel after long days. Efficient packers can stretch the capacity of any pack, but the average backpacker will want this pack for a trip lasting one or two nights. Many ultralight packs that thru-hikers carry for hiking thousands of miles are in this category but require careful gear choices for what goes inside.

Multi-Day Packs

The term “multi-day” doesn’t seem very specific, so paying attention to a pack’s capacity when planning for trips lasting three or more days is important. Sizing up from a weekend pack provides space for doubling up on food and packing extra layers for varying temperatures or any water-crossing mishaps.

Technical Packs

For adventures beyond the trail, explore packs designed specifically with your activity in mind. You’ll find skiing backpacks for your cross country trek and climbing backpacks to keep all your ropes and gear organized and accessible, just to name a few.

As always, I come back to this main idea. Choosing the best pack for YOU is going to depend on a lot of different factors. So let’s get into some things to consider as you weigh your options.

Key Features to Consider

Terms like Weekender and Multi-Day are great and all, but they’re just a starting point when it comes to determining how much space you need. THAT really depends on how you like to travel. Ultralight backpackers can rock their 30-liter packs for days, but if you’re the type that prefers cool seasons and likes a little more comfort from their sleeping pad, that might not work for you. That being said, here’s a breakdown of the AVERAGE expectancy in liters.

30 liters – Daypacks
30-50 liters – Weekend Trips
50-70 liters – Multi-Day Packs

Your capacity needs will be determined by your gear kit and how much food you need to be able to carry at one time (distance between resupply points if thru-hiking). Winter gear or adverse weather gear can quickly increase the volume needed.

It’s also important to note that bags of identical capacity are not identical in dimension. Your BearVault will fit nicely at the bottom of a Gregory Facet 45-liter pack, but have to go vertical in the REI Flash, a 55-liter pack. Check out our Ultimate Pack Fit Tool to reference how our two largest vaults fit in a variety of packs.

Fit and Comfort

What’s comfortable for you probably won’t be comfortable for me. Some people still love an external frame and the extra ventilation it provides. However, most find that internal frames provide support and balance they’d rather prioritize. But one universal truth is that you should know your torso length and hip belt measurement before you start shopping.

How to Measure for a Backpack

Step 1 – Use a soft tape to wrap around where your hip bones stick out the most. That’s called the iliac crest, by the way! Round to the nearest number. This is your hip belt measurement.

Step 2 – Find C7, the vertebrae that sticks out when you look down to see how hard that burrito hit your midsection. Use your soft tape to measure from there to the line you created around your waist. Round to the nearest whole again. This is your torso length number.

Manufacturers usually have fit tools on their websites to give you options that will fit your body if you know these two numbers. However a pack is labeled, knowing your hip belt and torso measurements will get you to the right size.

Weight

The weight of your pack can have a decent impact on the overall weight you end up hauling over mountain passes. Whether you intend to go the ultralight route, where packs may weigh less than 3 pounds, or your goal is to do leg-day every day no matter the elevation gain, looking at the specs and comparing weight is a good idea.

Lighter packs often compromise on support structures and need to be paired with lightweight gear. Chances are that 40 pounds of backpacking gear will feel a lot better in a 5lb pack than a 2lb frameless pack.

Matierial and Durability

Backpacks for hiking and camping are made of durable material for obvious reasons. Nylon is most common, with a variety of specifications like using recycled material, ripstop technology, and other industry terms. Your pack manufacturer will provide all the details about what your pack is made of, including whether or not PFAS (Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are a part of the DWR (Durable Water Repellant) treatment.

This article from Pangolins with Packs provides a great overview of fabric choices that will allow you to understand what is behind the marketing names like “Ultra” or “X-Pac”.

Access Points

Another thing to consider is how you like to access your stuff. Packs may utilize the top, panel, side, bottom, or any combination of these for access points. There are obvious advantages to variety, including being able to get to things that are buried without having to rummage or unpack your entire bag.

However, additional access locations can add weight and introduce additional failure points.

Additional Features

There’s an endless list of other optional features you may decide you can’t live without. For instance, this custom backpack is made specifically to allow the preferred bottom-of-the-load spot for your BearVault, but with easy access! Extra external straps for trekking poles, pouches on the hip belt, and other helpful features vary from one pack to the next.

Choosing Pack Accessories

Customization of your pack kit is where it gets fun… and dangerous for your bank account. Just keep in mind that accessories add convenience but also tend to add weight.

Organization

You can keep it simple and just bundle similar things up in plastic bags if that’s your jam. OR, you can go to your favorite outdoor store and browse through various organization systems and packing cubes. Either way, it can make your on-trail life simpler to have like items kept together.

External Add-ons

Manufacturers often have extra pouches, straps, clips, and holsters to increase your pack capacity and enhance your overall experience. You can even get an umbrella holster if you want one! Lumbar support and extra padding for shoulder straps can sometimes be found as well.

Covers

Some packs come with a rain cover, but you can easily find one after-market if it doesn’t. You can also get carrying cases to check your pack during air travel. Some packs have DWR coated or waterproof fabrics that can reduce the need for pack covers. Check out our article on hiking in the rain.

Making the Most of your Budget

A quality pack doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, though it certainly can feel that way. Prices for multi-day packs enter triple digit range, with plenty falling between $150 and $350. But you can almost always hand over your email address in exchange for a discount code, and then you can watch your inbox for sale announcements too.

Buying second hand is also a great option. Some stores have members-only resale events and also feature pre-owned sections online and in-store. Your local resale sites, social media groups, and even word-of-mouth amongst your fellow adventure lovers can turn up treasures.

Don’t forget to check warranty info, wherever you end up finding your pack. Some companies offer full warranties for the entire life of the bag, whether you buy direct or not.

Making the Most of your Budget

There’s a reason big names become big. Brands that show consistency in quality and customer care soar! But Osprey, Deuter, and Gregory packs weren’t always household names like they are now, and there are lots of small companies to consider as well.

This list of cottage backpacking companies includes several backpack designers and small manufacturers that are growing in popularity as the word gets out. If you like supporting the little guy, your dollars would be welcomed there!

While we’re on the topic of fiscal responsibility, let’s talk about taking care of this investment.

Popular Backpack Brands

To prolong the life of your pack, take these steps and any others your specific pack manufacturer recommends.

Empty the pack completely and store empty.
Use soapy water (gently & ph neutral) and a soft brush to wash dirt and debris.
Open all zippers and dry completely out of direct sunlight or heat source.
Lie flat or hang for storage.

Avoid these mistakes that can speed up deterioration of your pack.

Machine washing and drying
Stacking things on top during storage
Using bleach or other harsh cleaners
Storing in a damp environment, like in a plastic tub in an outdoor shed

If you need to make a repair, check with your manufacturer to see if it’s covered. If it’s a small tear, companies like NoSo Patches make saving gear from the landfill easy.

When It’s Time to Say Goodbye – How to Dispose of a Backpacking Backpack

The time will come that you realize your weekender just doesn’t get used anymore or you decide you’re built for the ultralight lifestyle. Don’t toss your backpack! There are gear libraries all over the country that can give it a second life. Organic groups like the Gear Fund Collective work hard to get quality used gear into the hands of people who may have limited access to what they need for the outdoor adventure they want.

You’ve Got this!

As much information as that was to take in, I hope you’re feeling more confidant in your ability to make a smart choice in buying your next pack. You’ve learned about terminology, figured out fit, and estimated your capacity needs… Those three things are the biggest pieces of the puzzle. Everything else is personal preference. Kind of like whether you decided to prioritize higher MPGs or went for horsepower when shopping for cars as a kid.