How To Choose a Backpack

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Some people need to get out more. Way out, that is — beyond the limits of a day hike, out to lovely, lonely places where a person has the time and space to absorb the deeper satisfactions of what John Muir described as "vast, calm, measureless mountain days."

It takes a backpack to get you there. Modern backpacks, unlike some of their shoulder-gouging ancestors, feature imaginative design concepts that provide surprising comfort and load-carrying efficiency. Such advancements have made the art of self-propelled adventure much more enjoyable.

Quick Read

1. Internal-frame packs' narrow, body-hugging profiles are well suited to off-trail travel as they allow you to keep your balance.
2. Buy only as much volume as you'll need on your longest trip; packs get heavier as they get bigger!
3. Fit is crucial. Read the fitting tips at the end of this article to make sure your pack will work for you.

This decision has largely become moot in recent years. Internal-frame designs are by far the most popular choice for backpacking. These use a hidden metal or composite frame that supports the packbag and helps focus the weight where your body can most effectively carry it — on your hips. They are ideal for multipurpose use, including mountaineering, skiing, scrambling and hiking in rough terrain.

Internal-Frame Packs

Internals feature a narrow, towerlike profile and integrate their framework inside the pack, behind the shoulder harness. The frame usually consists of "stays," or flat bars, about an inch wide and 1/8-inch thick. Stays are usually aluminum and are configured in a V-shape. Alternative frame materials (such as composites) and stay-alignments (parallel, X-shaped; U-shaped) are sometimes used.

Internals are popular packs with many advantages:

• Flexibility. Stays make internals stiff, but not rigid. This allows the pack to move in harmony with body movements, a big plus for climbers and skiers.
• Balance. Internals hug your body. This holds your equipment closer to your natural center of gravity and helps you keep your balance when it counts — for example, while you're scooting across a log above a stream.
• Stability. Compression straps are everywhere on an internal. You use them to cinch down your load and keep individual items bunched together. This keeps them from shifting and throwing you off balance if you make any abrupt moves.
• Maneuverability. Because internals feature a slimmer shape, it's easier to swing your arms freely — another reason why these packs are popular with climbers and Nordic skiers. This narrow profile also helps hikers whenever they have to squeeze through tight spots or when they're bushwhacking through thick brush.
• Adjustability. Internals use suspension systems (involving the shoulder harness and hipbelt) that can be adjusted more precisely than external-frame systems.

External-Frame Packs

Externals connect a packbag to a rigid frame made of aluminum tubing. Externals ruled the backcountry until internal-frame designs were introduced in the late 1970s. Internals have surged in popularity ever since, and externals today are few and far between. They are best suited for transporting heavy loads along trails.

Pack Categories

• Extended trips. Most of these packs have capacities of 70+ liters (4,270 cubic inches) that can handle loads of more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms). They feature relatively stiff internal frames and plush suspensions. Ideal for backpacking trips of a week or longer, they are also a good choice for shorter spring and fall trips when you need to carry more clothing.
• Multiday. This broad category cover packs ranging from 40 to 70 liters (2,400 to 4,200 cubic inches) and loads between 37 to 57 pounds (16 to 26 kilograms). These are a great choice for 2- to 5-day outings.
• Technical. Designed for trail use, these daypacks are set up to haul climbing tools or snowsports gear.
• Ultralight. Sometimes called "light & fast" packs, they're ideal for minimalists or anyone willing to trade off some durability and gear capacity in order to travel with an exceptionally light load. Your payoff is being able to cover more ground fast, feeling far lighter on your feet and with less impact on your joints. REI's UL series packs follow a "light & comfortable" philosophy: greater comfort and durability for a few extra ounces.
• Women's. These have women-specific hipbelts, and they're built with narrower shoulder straps and shorter torso lengths than standard packs. Women's packs can also be worn by men with narrow body frames.

Hydration

Most new packs offer compatibility with hydration systems, which are usually sold separately. Typically this means they have a pocket dedicated to holding a hydration reservoir (or bladder), plus a slot which smartly routes the sipping tube from the reservoir out of the pack and along a shoulder strap for easy drinking access. Keep in mind that hydration reservoirs typically hold either 1, 2 or 3 liters of water (35 to 100 fluid ounces). There is also a whole category of smaller daypacks which is categorized as hydration packs. These are built to meet the specific needs of hikers and cyclists.

Hipbelt: Padded hipbelts (unlike the thin cloth waistbelts found on really old-school backpacks) represent a major advancement in pack design and greatly enhance your ability to carry tonnage into the backcountry.

Most consist of various grades of foam: open-cell foam for cushioning, closed-cell or molded foam for firmness. The hipbelt should straddle your "iliac crest" — the 2 prominent bones on the front of your hips. This is the area where your pelvic girdle begins to flare out, providing the hipbelt with a stable, fortified foundation.

Some packs offer interchangeable belts, permitting a more customized fit, and even belts where the angle of the fit can be adjusted. The hipbelt's padded ends should not touch; you need some space to be able to cinch the belt securely. On the other hand, don't tighten a belt excessively. Your hips could be irritated if you do.

An increasing number of packs have pockets on the hipbelt for easy access to your energy food, digital camera, GPS or similar items.

Framesheet: Many internal packs place a thin but stiff sheet of plastic between you and the packbag. Often this is a material known as HDPE, or high-density polyethylene. This adds stiffness to the frame without adding much weight. Plus, it prevents objects in your pack from poking you in the back.

Many packs also include some type of mesh or foam panel that rests near the middle of your back. This is an attempt to separate the pack from your back and encourage some air flow between the two. It offers modest help. Here is a trail-tested truth: Count on having a sweaty back if you tote an internal.

Suspension system: This involves the shoulder straps (padded and contoured), load-lifting straps, a sternum strap and belt-stabilizer straps. So-called ladder suspensions typically allow you to reposition the shoulder harness in 1-inch (or, preferably, smaller) increments. The more fine-tuning a pack permits, the better the fit.

Packbag: Common materials are nylon packcloth and Cordura®, a burly nylon fabric with a brushed finish. Both resist abrasion and are coated for water resistance. Cordura is tougher and a bit heavier. Ballistics nylon, a strong, lightweight material, has popped up in newer pack designs and seems to work well. Internals usually offer an "extendable collar" or "spindrift collar" — additional nylon with a drawstring closure that allows the main compartment to stretch higher and hold extra gear.

Top lid: Many internals allow you to detach the "floating lid" pocket from the pack and convert it into a fanny pack or daypack. That's a handy feature when you choose to make day hikes from a backcountry basecamp.

Water-bottle holders/hydration pockets: Most packs include elasticized mesh "holsters" on their sides where you can keep small bottles handy. Hydration systems (water reservoirs, or bladders, connected to a long sipping hose) have boomed in popularity. Many packs now offer such systems.

Extras and attachments: Lash points allow you to attach even more gear to your pack if you feel the need. Climbers and early-season hikers should look for ice-axe loops, daisy chains (a series of small loops where you can dangle gear, such as carabiners) and crampon patches. A so-called shovel pocket holds items tight against the back of your pack; it's a good place to stash wet things. All of these extras, of course, add weight to a pack.

You can also expand the capacity of many packs by adding an accessory pocket, some of which are sized/padded to hold a GPS or camera. Stuff sacks and mesh bags help organize items inside big compartments. Rain covers keep your overall pack dry and help prevent lashed-on gear from snagging on brush or tree limbs.

Loading options: Most packs are "top-loaders," where all gear passes through one big hole at the top of the packbag's main compartment. This requires you to keep quick-access items near the top. Some internals now provide zippered, slit-like openings on the sides of their main compartments. This allows you to stash smaller items (water bottles, for instance) lower in your pack but still have quick access to them.

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