Backpack Reviews

The Six Moon Designs Swift X is a 45L liter roll-top backpack with an adjustable torso length that will appeal to any lightweight backpacker or thru-hiker. It carries great and is absolutely loaded with features. It’s also made with XPac (a Liteskin …

The Mystery Ranch Scree is a 3.1 pound daypack with an adjustable length torso that’s designed for carrying heavy loads in rugged terrain. It’s made with burly fabrics to withstand serious abuse, with a unique frame system that won’t buckle if you …

The Waymark Gear Lite 50 is a lightweight internal frame backpack suitable for multi-day backpacking and thru-hiking trips. Weighing two and a half pounds, the Lite 50 has a standard UL rolltop design with a sewn-on hip belt, a front mesh pocket, …

The ZPacks Arc Air 50L ROBIC Backpack is an ultralight pack with a curved carbon fiber frame made with 100d and 210d Robic nylon. The backpack is a roll-top pack with a front mesh pocket, side water bottle pockets, and sleeping pad …

The Osprey Tempest 30 is a super comfortable, women’s specific lightweight pack with an adjustable torso length that is good for a variety of adventures from day hiking to ultralight backpacking trips. It has all of the typical features and useful pockets …

The Osprey Packs Atmos AG 50 might just be the most comfortable backpack you’ll ever wear. Featuring the new Anti-Gravity ventilated suspension system, this backpack wraps around your upper torso, positioning itself properly on your hips for maximum load transfer and comfort. …

The Osprey Kyte 46 is a women’s specific backpack that’s big enough for weekend backpacking trips, but nimble enough for long day hikes and peakbagging adventures. Being a women’s specific backpack, it has shoulder straps that won’t pinch or chafe your chest …

The Osprey Mira 22 is a well-constructed, feature-rich hiking daypack that comes with a hydration system that holds 2.5 liters of liquid. The size works well for shorter hikes and/or hikes in warmer weather conditions that don’t require a lot of gear. …

The Gregory Jade 53 (2019 model) is a ventilated, adjustable-length backpack that weighs 3 lbs 6 oz. While the Jade 53 has been on the market for many years, this latest version has been completely redesigned. The pack frame has an adjustable …

The Outdoor Vitals ShadowLight 60 is a 31.5 oz ultralight-style backpack pack designed for multi-day backpacking and thru-hiking. It’s a rolltop backpack made with Robic nylon ripstop (details below) with an unusual external pocket system and a front zipper so you can …

The Seek Outside Peregrine 3500 (57 L) is an external frame backpack with a breakaway load carrying system that is capable of hauling up to 100 pounds. Designed to meet the needs of backcountry explorers who want an off-trail backpack for day …

The Deuter Aircontact Lite 45 + 10 SL is an adjustable frame backpack with great organizational features designed specifically for women. With a total of 55 liters of capacity, the Aircontact Lite is ideal for lightweight weekend and hut-to-hut backpacking trips where having …

The Kelty Trekker 65 is an external frame backpack with an adjustable torso length and ventilated back. Weighing 5 lbs 2 oz, it’s better for carrying heavier loads, bulky, or awkwardly sized gear than most internal frame backpacks because you can lash …

No doubt many hikers and backpackers who take up backcountry skiing or snowboarding initially make do with packs already on hand. In my case, those were a 30-liter Gregory daypack and a 65-liter Osprey backpack. But size matters, and the Gregory was …