REI Trail 40 Backpack Review

The REI Trail 40 Backpack is a multi-purpose backpack that can be used for long day hikes, peakbagging, travel, or short overnight trips. It’s an internal frame pack with a U-shaped zipper that provides complete access to the main compartment when unzipped, so you never have to search for gear packed inside. Loaded with features, it includes a rain cover, special trekking pole holders, and a daisy chain system so you can easily strap bulky gear to the outside of the pack. It’s a great value if you want one backpack that’s good for travel but still has the technical features to take you outside your comfort zone in style.

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Specs at a Glance

• Volume: 40L
• Weight: 3 lbs
• Type: Internal Frame (Perimeter spring steel)
• Gender: Men’s (Women model available)
• Pockets: 7
• Hip Belt Pockets: Yes
• Rain Cover Included: Yes
• Trekking Pole Holders: Yes
• Torso sizes: M: 17 – 19 inches; L: 18 – 20 inches
• Reservoir Compatible: Yes
• Hipbelt Pockets: 2
• Fits Waist/Hips: M: 28 – 44 inches, L: 30 – 46 inches

There are many different types of daypacks available, so if you’re looking to buy one, it pays to figure out the types of activities you want it for. For example, some backpacks are very sports-specific and optimized for hiking, climbing, or cycling, while others are more multi-functional hybrid backpacks that can be used for travel, commuting, or school, but still have some sports-specific features.

The main differences between these two types of packs are reflected in the organization of their pockets and the ways in which you access those contents, either from the top through a drawstring closure or roll-top as is the case with a sports-specific pack, or via a zippered front panel on a hybrid daypack which is optimized for travel so you can access the contents (often clothing) quickly without having to completely unpack it each time.

The REI Trail falls into this second “multi-purpose hybrid” daypack category because it has U-shaped panel access and internal pockets that make it particularly good for travel or town use while still providing quite strong sports-oriented features for hiking use. This makes it particularly well-suited for active travel-style vacations, hut-to-hut trips, or hostel trips where you need to carry personal effects some of the time, and adventure-specific items during the rest. Having to unpack and then repack a drawstring or roll-top backpack whenever I want to find something really drives me crazy, so I am a big fan of panel-loading backpacks.

For example, there’s also a pocket at the top end of the panel opening that can be accessed from the inside of the pack (in addition to from the outside through an external zipper), a separate bottle holder inside that can hold a thermos, and a large hydration pocket that can double as a laptop sleeve.

But the REI Trail 40 still has a plethora of technical features that you’ll appreciate when hiking. It has a long stretch pocket in front over the panel to stuff frequently used items like a sweater or raincoat, trekking pole holders, daisy chains running along the sides, and mesh side pockets that are sized to carry Nalgene bottles or metal bottles and are reinforced on the bottom to prevent abrasion. It also has large hip belt pockets, one solid and one mesh as well as a push-forward hip belt closure with a big center buckle that’s easy to use.

There are also webbing straps at the top (which is unusual) and base of the pack that can be used to carry bulky gear like a foam sleeping pad or tent body since they don’t fit inside the pack, as well as dual ice axe loops (the shafts can be secured with the trekking pole holders).

The backpack has an internal steel perimeter frame, so you can load it up with up to 30-35 pounds and it still carries comfortably. The shoulder straps are S-shaped so they’re comfortable for men or women and come with a sliding sternum strap for ease of adjustment. The backpanel has padding spaced to facilitate airflow and a comfortable lumbar pad that helps prevent the hipbelt from slipping.

Recommendation

The REI Trail 40 Backpack is loaded with features that facilitate its use for travel, commuting, or day hiking. As a panel loader, it’s easy to find items inside the pack by simply unzipping the front access panel without having to unload everything, like you often have to with a top-loading backpack. While it’s a great pack for travel, it still has plenty of chops for serious day hikes and outdoor excursions with as rich a set of technical features as any other day pack available today. If you’re looking for one backpack that you can used for all of your adventures near and far, the REI Trail 40 should be on your shortlist!

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Disclosure: The author owns this backpack.

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