Backpack Reviews

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 a shoulder straps that won’t pinch or chafe your chest or underarms and a hip belt that …

The Vargo ExoTi 50 is an external frame backpack made with an ultralight titanium-alloy frame. Weighing 42 oz (2 lbs 11 oz), it combines the ventilation and load carrying benefits of an external frame with the light weight of a modern, ultralight-style pack bag. While the pack’s titanium external frame …

The North Face Phantom 50 is an ultralight, alpine-style backpack weighing 40 oz (max) that can be configured in different ways for different types of trips ranging from technical day hikes, backpacking, rock-climbing, ski mountaineering, or alpine climbing. For example, you can take off the top lid if you don’t need …

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 gear to the frame instead of having to …

The Gregory Jade 53 is a women’s ventilated backpack that features female friendly shoulder straps and a hip belt. Weighing 3 lbs 9 oz (3 lbs 1 oz minus optional extras) it’s one of the lightest weight but fully featured women’s packs available today and well worth a look if you’re …

The REI Traverse 70 Backpack is a multi-day ventilated backpack with an adjustable-length frame, swappable shoulder straps, and interchangeable hip-belts, so you can get a custom fitting pack that matches your unique size and shape for optimal comfort. Weighing 4 lbs 14 oz, the Traverse 70 is definitely not an …

The North Face Women’s Banchee 50 is an adjustable-torso length backpack specifically designed to fit a female torso with breast-friendly shoulder straps and hip belt padding that adjusts to the curvature of your hips. Loads of pockets make the pack easy to organize, with plenty of straps and loops to …

The Mountainsmith Scream 55 Backpack is a multi-day backpack that’s well-featured, quite durably built, and relatively inexpensive. It’s undergone some design changes this year, including a sturdier frame and a new U-shaped front panel opening that will appeal to overnight and weekend backpackers, as well as travelers. It’s also over …

The Marmot Gravitron 58 is a ventilated, internal frame backpack that weighs 2 lbs 15 ounces. It is a combination top loader and panel loader, good for backpacking, as well as travel, because you can quickly access gear deep in the pack without having to pull everything out. The Gravitron …

The ULA CDT is a frameless backpack designed for ultralight backpacking, day hiking, and travel with a manufacturer maximum recommended load of 18 pounds or less. Weighing 19 to 24 ounces (with optional pockets), it’s a streamlined backpack with limited closed storage (36 liters in the main bag+extension collar/54 liters …

The Six Moon Designs Minimalist is a 48-liter ultralight style backpack that weighs 34 oz. The pack has an adjustable torso length and can be outfitted with a variety of shoulder straps and hip belt lengths so you can get a near-custom fit. It’s also available with vest-style shoulder straps …

The Granite Gear Crown 2 Backpack is a roll-top, multi-day backpack with an optional top lid pocket. An upgrade to the first generation V.C. Crown 60 backpack (See Best Ultralight Backpacks), this new model includes large zippered hip belt pockets, an optional top lid, and adjustable-length hip belt. These are all …

The Katabatic Gear Onni V40 65L is a 34 ounce rolltop backpack that’s designed for challenging multi-day backpacking trips. It’s made with a water-proof laminate called V40 (XPac) which is slightly heavier than cuben fiber but less expensive and more abrasion resistant. Katabatic Gear offers all of their packs in …

The ULA Circuit Backpack is a streamlined lightweight backpack with a surprising amount of flexibility for many types of backcountry adventure. Made with bomber fabrics and feature-rich, the Circuit is tough enough for year-round use in 4 season conditions. Internal Storage and Organization With 68 liters of total capacity, the ULA …