How to Pick a Backpack!

Features to look for and features to avoid.

We’ve used a LOT of backpacks on a LOT of backcountry trips.

From big and heavy to small and light, we’ve had a chance to try them out in the wilderness. What we’ve learned is that certain features are very useful, while others are little more than gimmicks that do little to enhance a backpacking trip — they’re just designed to get backpacks off of shelves.

Here’s a Youtube Video going into the details of our experience with particular backpacks and particular features, but read-on if you prefer a written version!

The backpacks we explore in the video are a subset of backpacks that we are confident recommending. They are the:

• Zpacks Arc Air 50L DCF Backpack with 2 Belt Pouches, discontinued and replaced by the Zpacks 50L Arc Haul

• Hyperlite Unbound 40

• Six Moon Designs Flight 30

• ULA Ohm

• Osprey Exos 58

The most important factors to consider are:

• Capacity: Choose a backpack with the right capacity for your typical trip (volume and load).

• Weight: All else being equal, lighter is always better.

• Size: Take measurements and/or try on packs to make sure you get one that’s the right size for your body.

• Simplicity: Fewer unnecessary features means fewer potential failure points, and an easier-to-use pack.

  

Features we like include:

• Water Resistance: A pack made out of a water-proof (i.e. water water-resistant) material, such as Dyneema, makes trips more pleasant in inclement weather.

• Side Pockets: Our water bottles live in our side pockets, so the larger these are, the more water-carrying capacity we have.

• Hip-belt pockets: We always put small items, like snacks and phones, in our hip-belt pockets. It is frustrating when manufacturers charge extra for these (we’re looking at you, Zpacks).

• Load Straps: These let you adjust how your load is carried on the fly. In our opinion, all backpacks should have them (we’re looking at you, Hyperlite).

• Top Strap: We keep our sleeping pads buckled to the top of our packs, so we make sure any backpack we use has a strap on top that can be used to hold it on.

Features we don’t like include:

• Extra pockets: Whether it’s a “brain” that goes on top of a pack, or small pockets up and down the sides, these pockets can only fit certain items, and they don’t carry as well as a single large compartment.

• Extra zippers: Many traditional packs have a lower zipper that provides access to a sleeping bag. This is an unnecessary failure point that adds unnecessary weight.

• Excessive padding or loft systems: When padding exceeds the amount that’s essential for comfort, it just adds weight to a pack. We’ve found that if our packs are sized properly and transferring the load to our hips, only minimal padding is necessary.

• Water-bladder pocket: This might be a little controversial, but we don’t like or recommend water bladders, because they make it hard to assess how much you’re drinking.

Final thoughts:

All else being equal, a simpler backpack is better out there. It’ll be lighter, easier to use, and have fewer failure points. Keep this in mind as you shop for a pack, and you’re likely to end up with something you love!

Whatever backpack you choose, have fun out there!

Disclosure: We use affiliate links in this post, which may include Amazon affiliate links and others. We receive a small commission on some of the products you buy. There is no extra cost to you.