Backpack Reviews

The Osprey Eja 58 is an ultralight ventilated backpack made for women. Weighing 2 lbs 8 oz, the Eja 58 is a women’s specific version of the Osprey Exos 58, which is the most most popular backpack used by thru-hikers and lightweight backpackers because it combines the organizational layout of …

The Granite Gear Crown2 60 Backpack is one of the lightest weight multi-day backpacks available that is specifically designed for women with gender-specific shoulder straps and a hip belt. It’s one of the main reasons I bought this backpack, in addition to its light weight. I’ve never been impressed with …

The Osprey Renn 50 is a women’s-specific multi-day backpack with an adjustable and ventilated frame. Weighing just 3.31 pounds (53 oz), it’s lightweight, comfortable, and easy-to-use with plenty of pockets to stay organized. Priced at $155, it’s also surprisingly affordable considering how fully featured it is. If you’re on the …

The 2019 Granite Gear Crown2 60 Backpack (which is colored black with red highlights) is available in both the men’s and women’s sizes, with gender-specific shoulder straps and hip belts. Weighing 39.7 oz fully configured, it can be modified in several ways, bringing its weight down to 30.4 oz, depending …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Pocket is the best pocket I’ve found for carrying a smartphone, camera, or a Garmin inReach Explorer+ strapped to my backpack shoulder pads, where I can easily access them during a hike. This accessory pocket is easy to attach to any backpack with a vertical …

The MassDrop x Granite Gear x60 is a roll top backpack with an optional top lid and an adjustable length hip belt. Weighing 23.2 to 40.2 ounces (depending on the configuration), it has a max load of 30-35 pounds. The X60 is a modified version of Granite Gear Crown2 60 …

The Granite Gear Vapor Trail 60 is a remake of a vintage ultralight-style backpack that was retired about ten years ago and is no longer made. At one time, the Vapor Trail  was the most popular backpack used by thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. REI decided to reissue it as …

The Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 is an adjustable-length backpack that’s good for multi-day or extended backpacking trips when you need to carry more gear and supplies. Weighing just 4 lbs 6 oz, its surprisingly lightweight for a pack that can comfortably haul 50 pound loads.  Despite it’s lightweight, the  Aircontact …

The Gregory Zulu 55 (2019 model) is a ventilated, adjustable frame backpack that’s loaded with features but still fairly light, weighing in at 3 lbs 10 oz. While the Zulu and its female sibling, the Gregory Jade 53, have been on the market for many years, the new models have …

The Granite Gear Blaze 60 is a multi-day backpack with an adjustable length torso and hip belt, so you can get a personalized fit. Weighing 3 lbs, the Blaze 60 is optimized for hauling heavy and bulky gear, including the ability to carry a bear canister on top of the …

The REI Flash 55 Backpack is an ultralight, roll-top backpack with an optional top lid pocket. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it has a ventilated back to help keep your shirt dry in warm weather and numerous pockets and straps, called “packmods”, that can be removed or reconfigured to lighten it …

The Deuter Rise Lite 26 SL is a women’s specific winter backpack that’s ideal for winter day trips, such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing and snowshoeing. Being a women’s specific backpack, the torso length and width are designed for a smaller female frame as compared to a men’s pack and …

The Gregory Packs Octal 55 is an ultralight backpack with a ventilated frame that helps evaporate back sweat and keep your shirt dry when hiking. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it’s also one of a very small handful of female specific ultralight backpacks today, with shoulder straps and a specially curved …

The Gossamer Gear Silverback 55 is a refined and highly functional multi-day backpack that can easily configured in different ways for different kinds of trips, from long distance thru-hiking to multi-day backpacks, on and off-trail. This is the second iteration of the Silverback and it’s undergone some major changes, on balance …