How to choose a Backpack

When hiking choosing the is the best backpack is important.  As there’s no right model for everyone, it depends on what you’re doing, when and where you’re going, and how long your trip is. Knowing these things will help you determine how much stuff you need to carry. Additionally, you’ll also need a pack that properly fits and a suspension system that can handle your body and the weight you put on it.

 

 

Minimalist Backpacking

A minimalist, or ultralight, backpacker chooses the lightest, most compact gear, and would rather sacrifice stuff others might regard as necessities than carry a large load on his or her back. For this backpacker, the sleeping bag is likely insulated with the highest-loft goose down, and they’ll typically leave their tent’s stuff sack and stakes at home. And, forget about taking a change of clothing.

Traditional Backpacking

If you’re a typical backpacker (like 90% of us) who takes the normal amount of gear, choose a pack on the bigger end of the scale. For winter, you’ll need a much larger backpack to carry additional clothes, a warmer sleeping bag, and a heavier, sturdier tent. Also, if you’re bringing your kids along, figure on having to carry some of their food and gear.

Length of the Trip

The longer you stay out, the more food and fuel you’ll need. In case you get wet, you also may need a change of clothing. Other than that, you should always bring along a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and stove, regardless of how many nights you’re camping.

Fitting the Pack: Determining Torso

Size

Whichever backpack you choose, it needs to match your torso length. To determine your size, reach behind your neck, bend your head forward, and find the C7 vertebra: It’s the bone that sticks out the most on your upper spine. Next, locate the iliac crest. It’s the top of the hip shelf on the sides of your hips. Finally, have somebody take a cloth measuring tape to take the distance from the C7 vertebra down to the point of your back that’s at the same level as your hips’ iliac crest. This distance is your torso length.

For the pack to fit correctly, the distance from the top of the shoulder strap to the hip belt needs to accommodate your torso length. Keep in mind that torso length is not the same as height. A tall person can have a short torso, while a smaller person can have a relatively long torso. All full-size backpacks should list a torso-length range in inches.

Be aware that some packs have an adjustable torso length, meaning the distance between the shoulder straps and the hip belt can be lengthened or shortened, while others have fixed lengths. Also note that some packs are sold in multiple sizes, so the torso length can vary from size to size.

Selecting the Right Suspension

You’ve determined the proper volume and torso size. The next question is, will you be comfortable carrying the weight? This depends on the pack’s suspension. If you’re carrying 30 pounds with a flimsy hip belt, all the weight will fall onto your shoulders, and after a while, you’ll be in pain. To choose the proper pack suspension, it helps to understand the different components.

Hip Belt

When carrying heavy loads, the majority of the pack’s weight (as much as 80%) should be supported by the hip belt. Large backpacks designed for long-distance thru-hikes will use a heavily padded, relatively rigid hip belt that anatomically wraps around your hips. Smaller packs built for lighter loads have hip belts with less padding. A daypack designed for very light loads may offer only a webbing waist strap with no padding at all. Climbers and skiers may opt for a minimal hip belt to increase their freedom of movement.

Hip Belt Fit

To carry the weight, the hip belt should be centered over the hip bone (not the waist) and needs to be very snug. Once the hip belt is securely tightened, there should be a gap of 3 to 6 inches between the padded portions of the hip belt (over the buckle area). If the gap is too big or too small, you probably need a different pack or hip belt.

 

 

Strap Fit

While wearing the backpack, stand sideways to a mirror. The straps should conform to the top and back of your shoulders, leaving minimal or no air space between the pack and your body. In front, the shoulder strap padding should end about 2 to 3 inches below your arm pits. If the padding ends at or above your armpits, the straps are too short and you’ll need either another pack or different-size shoulder straps.

Load-Lifter Straps

These straps attach the top edge of the backpack to the upper portion of the shoulder straps. Adjusting them allows you to lean the pack toward or away from your upper body while keeping the pack in balance over your hips. Looking sideways, you should see the load straps forming a 45° angle to the top of the pack. If the angle is drastically off, you may need to adjust the torso length or choose a different pack.

Sternum Strap

This adjustable strap is located just over your sternum and connects both shoulder straps together to keep the pack steady.

 

A good backpack can make your trip comfortable and enjoyable by having the essential things you need.