Choosing the Right Backpack
Picking the right backpack is an important part of any trip. Too big, and you’ll have too much extra weight. Too small, and you’ll never fit anything in. Pick the wrong material, and when it rains, your stuff will be soaked. There’s so many options out there that it can be very confusing.
I spent a good hour picking out my first pack, and that was also after hours of online research. So that you don’t do the same, here are a few tips to make your search go quicker:
Three Things to Consider:
Size: Your backpack should be both proportional to your body and comfortable enough to allow you to carry about 20 pounds. If your backpack is too big or too small, the weight won’t be balanced properly and will cause you back pain or maybe even make you topple over. You don’t want a skyscraper rising from your back. Your bag should also be big enough to carry about 20 pounds because, in the end, you’re going to buy stuff and things shift and aren’t always packed well. (But remember — I’m a big proponent of “pack light,” so pack less and you back will thank you.)
Style: Maybe I’m being vain here, but let’s face it — you have to look at this backpack for a long time. Get something that you at least like looking at. Try out as many different styles as you can before you make your decision. But make sure you don’t sacrifice usability for style. Get something you like, but also something useful. It sits in the hostel for most of the time anyway. Don’t get the best-looking but most useless pack.
Material: While it does not need to be 100% waterproof, make sure your bag is made out of a semi-waterproof material so everything doesn’t get wet in a drizzle (many packs come with tarps you can put over them in case of a severe downpour). Moreover, make sure the material won’t stay wet long and thereby get musty. I look for material that is a little thick but somewhat lightweight.
Things your Backpack SHOULD Have:
Front Panel Loading
A lot of backpacks are top-loading (you get in from the top), but when you need something in a hurry, this can be very inconvenient. Front-loading packs are much more convenient, as they zip around the length of the pack. This allows you to get into any part of your bag without having to take out all the stuff you packed if you need something at the bottom. It simply makes everything easier and more convenient to reach. Plus, it makes repacking your bag much quicker. This is not so important if you have a very small pack, however.
Lockable Zippers
Make sure each compartment has two zippers so you can lock them together. If your pack doesn’t have two zippers, you can always get Pacsafe, which wraps a metal mesh around your whole bag. (Though this can be quite heavy to carry around.) While am not really worried about people breaking into my bag and stealing my clothes at my hostel, I like locking up my zippers when I am traveling. When I’m at a hostel, everything is in a locker. When I’m on the road and flying, everything is in that bag and I don’t want people putting stuff in the bag or taking stuff out.
Multiple Compartments
You don’t want to keep all your stuff in one place. Make sure your bag has multiple compartments so you can break up (and hide) your belongings. Moreover, this helps you get to everything easier. All my clothes are in the main compartment of my bag, my shoes are in the front compartment (so they don’t dirty my clothes), and in the top area of my bag are my flip flops, umbrella, and books. It saving me from digging around.
Internal Frame
Who wants big, ugly rods sticking out? Not me! The majority of backpacks today are internal-framed (the rods are built into the bag), but some are still external (the rods are separate from the actual pack). Make sure you buy the internal frame. It not only looks better, but the rods won’t get caught on anything and your bag is also slimmer making moving around easier. Additionally, internal-framed packs tend to be lighter as the frame is composed of a lighter alloy.
Padded Hip Belt
Most of the weight you carry will be on your hips, so you’ll want a padded belt to make supporting the weight more comfortable. It should also be adjustable so you can tighten it for extra support.
Padded Shoulder Straps
These make carrying your load more comfortable, as the weight of your pack will be pushing downward on your shoulders. This helps also take pressure off your lower back.
Chest Strap
This helps move the weight forward a bit and distributes the weight evenly across your upper body, making that walk up the hill to the hostel much, much easier. It also takes a lot of the pressure off your shoulders.
Contoured/Padded Back
A lumbar-shaped pack makes carrying it more comfortable, as it helps distributes weight more evenly.
In the end, you will have to try on a variety of backpacks to see which one is the perfect fit for you and matches the size needs of your trip. The above tips are good but in the end, you just need to go with what feels right. I can simply tell you after trying out a lot of packs and even road testing a few, I found the best backpacks have a lot of the above criteria.
A good place to purchase your backpack, as well as other supplies, is REI. (Eastern Mountain Sports and MEC in Canada are similar companies.) However, I have been using the REI Mars pack. It looks and works just as good as it did when I bought it 6 years ago. Given how well it has lasted, I would recommend REI over the other companies. I know REI makes and sell solid gear. Below are some good backpacks to consider:
Note: By purchasing your backpack through the links below (even if you change you mind and switch to a different pack on the REI website), you can help support this site and keep the free information flowing!
 Gregory Z30 Pack |  Gregory Z35 Pack |  Arc’teryx Miura 30 Pack |
 REI Venus 70 Pack – Women’s |  REI Mars 80 Pack |  Gregory Baltoro 75 Pack |
 REI Flash 65 Pack |  Deuter ACT Lite 60 + 10 SL Pack – Women’s |  Osprey Argon 85 Pack |
 Gregory Z65 Pack |  Osprey Aether 70 Pack |
Last Updated: October 2011
