When you go to buy a rucksack, keep three things in mind: the activity, the terrain you will be walking in and the volume and weight you will be carrying on your back.
This article is built around four questions that will help you find the right pack:
- Which type of pack suits you best?
- What are the differences between designs?
- Is there a difference in quality between trekking packs?
- How is a good trekking pack put together?
Most manufacturers build packs in several versions and sizes, to suit different body types, activities and conditions.
Which type of pack suits you?
Daypacks
All the weight hangs from the shoulder straps. These packs are excellent for short day walks. A hip belt helps keep the load centred while you move, and padded shoulder straps add comfort.
Alpine packs
These packs already have an internal frame that spreads the weight and puts part of the load on your hips. Excellent companions for intense activity such as ski touring or climbing.
Trekking packs
The rigid internal frame gives the whole pack its structure and spreads the weight across your shoulders, hips and back.
These are the packs for multi day trips of three to fourteen days.
Easily reachable pockets and external loops make them that bit more practical.
Expedition packs
These are the big brothers of the trekking pack, and they are enormous.
They are not suited to the occasional camping trip, since the pack itself already weighs around 3.5 kilograms.
They only really make sense when you are crossing wilderness for a month or climbing to the summit of a snow covered mountain with a mountain of essential kit. Our own guides use them when they carry extra equipment for the group.
The different designs
Top loaders
A top loader has a strong design that sits well against your back. The downside is that you have to unload everything when you need something from the bottom. So think ahead about what goes where: whatever you need on the move belongs at the top.
Front loaders
A front loader has plenty of zips and separate compartments. That looks convenient, but it weakens the structure of the pack and those zips are weak points in the design. Choose one with compression straps so the pressure stays off the zips.
Is there a difference in quality?
Yes. In rough terrain your pack scrapes against rock, trees and branches. Brands use different designs, and not every manufacturer uses equally good materials. You need a tough fabric that can take a beating.
- Hard wearing fabrics usually have a ripstop weave. That means a tear will not run further than about a centimetre. If a branch opens up your pack, it is not ruined and you can repair it on the trail with duct tape or a needle and thread.
- Look at the seams. They should be covered with fabric, which supports their strength.
- Check for extra stitching at the points that take the most strain: the shoulder straps, the compression straps and the hip belt. That prevents premature wear.
- A weather resistant finish around the zips keeps snow and sand out. For rain you need a rain cover, which comes as standard with most packs.
- Check the zips. That is where the difference between brands shows most clearly. Zips should be sturdy and double stitched.
How a trekking pack is put together
Larger trekking packs have to spread the weight evenly through a well thought out carrying system.
The shoulder straps carry 30 to 40 percent of the weight. They keep the pack balanced and ensure a good transfer to the hips. The hip support is designed to carry the bulk of the load.
Better brands have separate shoulder strap designs for men and women. Watch for that when you try a pack on.
The sternum strap at the front should slide, so it sits comfortably on any body type. That strap prevents chafing around the armpits and improves your balance.
The hip belt stabilises the pack and holds it in place. It pulls the pack close to your body, which improves your balance on rough ground.
That belt should have thick padding that sits firmly on your hips. You need to be able to adjust it easily while walking, and the buckle has to be solid.
Larger packs have aluminium stays inside that hold the pack in the right shape.
Some brands experiment with the back panel. Look for a design that allows air to circulate, which prevents a sweaty back.
Packs from 35 litres up should have an adjustable carrying system. Everyone has a different body, and this lets you set the height to your own back.
One more tip
Ask the outdoor shop to fill the pack with some gear, so you can feel how it sits when it is heavy and bulky.
Ask them to help you adjust the carrying system, the shoulder straps and the hip belt as well. In good outdoor shops the staff are trained for exactly that.