Hiking backpacks: reviews and buying guide

How to choose a hiking backpack

Two things decide whether a backpack works: its capacity and its fit. Capacity has to match the length of your walks and the kit British weather forces you to carry. Fit is about matching the pack's back system to your body so the weight sits on your hips, not your shoulders.

Everything else, the pockets, the fabric, the rain cover, the hydration sleeve, is secondary. A feature-packed pack that fits badly is worse than a simpler one that fits well. The sections below work through size first, then fit, then the details worth paying for.

What litre size backpack do you need?

Backpack capacity is measured in litres, and it is the first number to get right. Too small and you leave kit behind or strap it to the outside; too large and you carry dead weight and are tempted to overpack. The right size depends almost entirely on how long you are out for.

As a rough rule for UK walking: 20 to 35 litres for day hikes, 40 to 55 litres for a weekend or a light multi-day trip, and 55 to 70 litres for longer or colder expeditions carrying a full sleep system.

Day hikes: 20 to 35 litres

For most UK day walks, 20 to 35 litres is the practical range. Around 20 to 25 litres suits shorter summer days with minimal kit. Step up to 28 to 35 litres for full days in changeable weather, where you need room for waterproofs, an insulating layer, food, a first aid kit and two litres of water.

Go above 35 litres for a day walk only if you are heading into the mountains in winter and carrying extra layers, traction and emergency kit. Otherwise the extra volume just invites overpacking.

Overnight and multi-day: 40 to 70 litres

For a single overnight or a light, warm-weather multi-day trip, 40 to 55 litres is usually enough, especially with modern compact kit. For three-season backpacking carrying a tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove and several days of food, 55 to 65 litres is the sensible band.

Winter and expedition loads, with a heavier sleep system, more layers and more food, push into 65 to 75 litres. Bigger is not automatically better: a larger pack encourages you to fill it, so size to the trip rather than the worst case.

How to fit and adjust a backpack

A backpack should carry roughly 80% of its weight on your hips and only steady itself on your shoulders. Achieving that comes down to fit, and fit is set in a specific order. Load the pack with realistic weight before adjusting, then work through torso length, hip belt, shoulder straps and load lifters in turn.

Measure your torso length first

Torso length, not your height, determines pack size. To measure it, tip your head forward and find the bony bump where your neck meets your shoulders (the C7 vertebra). Then find the top of your hip bones (the iliac crest) and imagine a level line between them. The distance between those two points is your torso length.

Match that measurement to the manufacturer's size chart, or set the adjustable back system to it. This is the single most important fit step, so get it right before touching any strap.

Set the hip belt on your iliac crest

With the pack on, the padded part of the hip belt should wrap the top of your hip bones (the iliac crest), not your waist or your stomach. Roughly the top half of the padding sits above the crest and the bottom half below it.

Do the hip belt up first and cinch it snug. This is where most of the load should lock onto bone. If the belt sits too high on your soft midriff, the weight drops onto your shoulders no matter what else you adjust.

Shoulder straps and load lifters

With the hip belt loaded, pull the shoulder straps until they are firm but not carrying the weight. The anchor point where the strap meets the pack body should sit an inch or two below the top of your shoulders, which is a sign the torso length is correct.

Finally, tension the load-lifter straps that run from the top of the shoulder straps to the pack. They should form roughly a 45-degree angle and pull the top of the pack in towards your body. If the straps pinch your armpits or shoulders, you have over-tightened them; aim for comfortably snug. On longer walks, ease and re-set the hip belt and load lifters as the load settles.

Women's specific and adjustable fit

Women's specific packs are not just smaller or a different colour. They are built around different proportions: shorter torso ranges, shoulder straps that are narrower and set closer together, and hip belts that are shaped and angled to sit comfortably on wider hips. For many walkers with a shorter torso, that adds up to noticeably less shoulder pressure and better stability.

Fit matters more than the label, though. Some women fit unisex packs well, and some men with shorter torsos are better served by a women's or small size. If you are between sizes or unsure, an adjustable back system lets you fine-tune torso length and is the safest choice, particularly for a first serious pack.

Ventilated vs contact back panels

Back systems fall into three broad types. A contact (or close-contact) back has foam padding pressed directly against you. It transfers load best and keeps the weight close to your spine for stability, but it traps heat and you will sweat against it on warm climbs.

A ventilated or tensioned-mesh back (often called a trampoline back) suspends a taut mesh panel a few centimetres off your back, letting air flow through the gap. It is far cooler, which suits summer and high-output walking, but it holds the load slightly further from your body and can feel less stable under heavy weight.

Hybrid systems combine foam channels with 3D mesh to split the difference, and are a sensible default for UK three-season use. As a guide, favour ventilation for lighter day packs in warm weather, and favour a close-contact back for heavier multi-day loads where stability matters most.

How to pack a rucksack for balance

How you load a pack changes how it feels as much as how much you carry. Think in three vertical zones. Light, bulky items such as a sleeping bag go in the bottom. Heavy, dense items such as food, water and a stove go in the middle, packed as close to your spine as possible. Lighter kit and anything you need to hand fills the top.

Keeping the heaviest weight centred and against your back stops the pack pulling you backwards and keeps the load over your hips and legs. Pack rigid items away from your back to avoid pressure points, use side and lid pockets for balance, and stow essentials such as a map, snacks and waterproofs where you can reach them without unpacking. Fill dead space so nothing shifts as you move.

Rain covers, hydration and useful features

In the UK, keeping kit dry is not optional. Pack fabric alone, even water-resistant fabric, will let water in through seams and zips in sustained rain. Either choose a pack with an integrated rain cover stored in a base pocket, or buy a separate cover sized to the pack's volume. Many walkers also line the pack with a dry bag or bin liner as a reliable backup.

Most day packs now take a hydration reservoir, with an internal sleeve and a port for the drinking tube; confirm this if you prefer a bladder to bottles, especially on exposed routes with nowhere to refill. Hip-belt pockets that hold a phone and snacks, external stash pockets for a wet waterproof, and compression straps to stabilise a light load are the features that earn their keep. Ignore anything that adds weight without adding use.

Backpacks and UK conditions

British walking makes specific demands. Coastal routes like the Jurassic Coast and the wider South West Coast Path stack up steep ascents and descents with exposed, windy ridgelines, where a poorly fitted pack quickly becomes tiring and a well-set hip belt makes the difference. Wet weather is a near-certainty at some point, so water protection and quick-drying fabrics matter more here than in drier climates.

For long days and challenge events where a pack is on your back for ten hours or more, comfort and weight distribution become as important as the kit inside it. Brands such as Osprey, Deuter and Gregory are consistently well regarded for back systems and fit at sensible prices, and are a good starting point if you are unsure where to look.