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  • Bivy

    Bivy’s are minimalist shelters which have a footprint no larger than the person they are protecting. They have the advantage of being very quick to set up and have a very low wind profile.

    Full Protection / Waterproof

    In most cases I would not use a waterproof bivy sack. In mild to hot weather they don’t provide enough ventilation for my taste. In winter, moderate to heavy snow fall will compress any insulation inside the bivy and is likely to produce condensation on the inside of the bivy sack.

    In most situations it’s tricky to get in and out of a bivy without letting rain and snow into them.  Of course, there isn’t room inside a bivy to cook, arrange your gear, or do much of anything expect lay there more maybe read. Stand alone bivys tend to weight around 2 lbs. In really harsh weather I would rather carry an extra pound and get a shelter that gives me room to move and a covered access/exit. In more moderate conditions there might be options that are lighter than a bivy, while providing significantly more room and better air flow.

    Personally, I want to be able to sit up fully, lie down fully extended, prop myself up on my elbows and read, and be able set up a bug free space quickly, throw gear in, dive in, and then deploy my pad, unpack my quilt, maybe change clothing and not have to be a contortionist. Bivies just don’t have this sort of room.

    The only situation I think stand-alone bivy sacks shine is in the high alpine (typically climbing) where you need a very small footprint and something that is as low to the ground to minimize the impact of high winds. Maybe I am missing something, since there are people who use bivy as their primary shelter.  You might want to check out The Book of Bivy by Ronald Turnbull for reasons why to use a bivy and the way to make them effective. There is an interesting article about dealing with dealing with condensation in a bivy. Black Diamond, Rab (owns what was Integral Designs), and Outdoor Research seem to make the best regarded bivys. The minimalist MLD FTK Soul Bivy weighting in at 10oz is the lightest fully waterproof bivy I know.

    DWR Bivy

    The classic DWR bivy is often used in conjunction with a down quilt for protection against side winds, spray, and bugs when using a small tarp. . These are often made with a waterproof sil-nylon bottom, and a DWR top such as the Mountain Laurel Design superlight bivy, and Oware Bivy Bag. The down side is that in warm weather they block cooling breezes and don’t provide a lot of room if you want a space protected from flying insects. I use a MLD Superlight Bivy.

    I have really come to like using a DWR bivy combined with a quilt. I am protected from side drafts like a sleep bag and am able to shift the quilt around to let me vent heat. It makes cowboy camping quit easy. I allows me to be in a small footprint space and keeps my quilt from ending up on the ground. When it gets above 60F I prefer some other system because I want more ventilation / air movement so I don’t over heat.

    Bug Shelters

    There are a wide variety of shelters designed to protect against bugs. The lightest weight options are half length, relying on a sleeping bag to protect the lower legs and having something to hang them from. These typically weight around 3-4 ounces such as the simblissity inner peace bug tent. Next up are small, free standing which typically use fiberglass ribs such as the montbell bug sleeping net, the now discontinued A16 bug bivy, and the full size OR Bug Bivy. The freestanding nature makes it easy to use under a tarp, when sleeping under the stars, or in a shelter. I used 1/2 size bivy for a number of years. Generally they worked well. I found three downsides. The first was when it was hot (>70F) my quilt was too warm, but was required to keep the mosquitos off me. I didn’t like to choose between being eaten alive or overheating. I have numerous nights of poor sleep. Second, a few times I picked a slot which was next to an ant hill… and found way too many of the ant marching across my body. One night I ignored them but the other time they drove me crazy and I moved my camp. Finally, when the mosquitos are really out in force I often want to sit down in a bug free space with room to move and maybe feel a breeze.

    Finally there are larger bug shelters, typically designed to fit under a tarp, but can be used stand alone. Most of these shelters are made by the same companies that set flat tarps and shaped tarps. A slight variety of these are tarps which have netting sewn onto the perimeter. This is what I have tended to use.

  • Shelter Fabrics

    Shelters are made from a variety of materials which have a variety of strengths and weaknesses.  One of the important properties of a shelter is being able to keep you dry. Many fabrics, even those that aren’t “waterproof” can keep you drive in moderate conditions. Just think about the materials used in many umbrellas. Storms though can be another story. According to Richard’s post, extreme thunderstorms can generate hydrostatic heads of 12k mm?!, and typhoons can generate 20k mm. Also note that placing weight in a concentrated place (like kneeling) can generate quite a lot of pressure. This is why conventional shelters often had a more waterproof floor than roof.In increasing weight:

    • Dyneema (Cuben): spectra threads embedded between Mylar. Available in 0.36-1.6oz weights. Quite waterproof. Tear strength good (.6) to Excellent (1.6).  Roughly 4x the cost of sil-nylon. Does not stretch when wet.  Not the most abrasive resistant material. Sewing weakens material so best to be taped or glued.
    • Spinnaker: tightly woven polyester which is silicone impregnated. Typically .8-1.1oz weights. Hydrostatic head typically 1400mm (same as sil-nylon). My field experience with spinnaker is that it is better than sil-nylon, and the the spinnaker used by MLD is indeed at least 30% better than any other spinnaker I have encountered.  I have experienced misting through sil-nylon and other companies spinnaker shelters, but I have yet to encourage conditions in the field where rain hits hard enough to mist through MLD spinnaker. In fact, hose with a high speed nozzle didn’t cause misting. Does not stretch when wet.  No abrasive resistant, be careful. Many people find this material noisy when it flaps in the breeze, but I have found that if tautly pitched the noise isn’t an issue.
    • Sil-Nylon: tightly woven nylon which is silicone impregnated. Available in 1.1-2oz weights. High variability is waterproof. Richard suggests that it’s typically 1400mm but heavier weight such as used by GoLite can be close to 3500mm. Will stretch when wet or when the humidity increases so expect to need to retention. Silcone treatment makes the material strong than the nylon left by itself.
    • Sil-Poly: tightly woven polyester which is silicone impregnated. These materials came on the market after a stopped following fabrics closely. Dan Durston explains why he believes Sil-Poly is significantly better than sil-nylon.
    • EPIC: The Black Diamond  Epic tents used the Alpine Summit process fabric. It averages a hydrostatic head of 1,300 mm.
    • Nylon eVENT fabric averages 28,000 mm.
    • Conventional double wall tents typically use 70 denier urethane coated nylon with a 1 oz coating as the fly fabric. It averages a hydrostatic head of 56,275 mm.

  • Winter Shelters

    Actually, this should really be called shelters for extreme conditions with snow since there are many places where “winter” could be handled with a traditional “three season” tent.  When I think “winter shelters” I am thinking something that can survive 50+mph winds, and a foot of snow or more falling overnight.  Things that help make shelter survive in the winter:

    • Strong materials.  Often times mountaineering shelters are made from fabric which is 1.5-2x the thickness and strength of similar shelters designed for three season use. Poles are typically thicker and larger diameter.
    • Supported surface area. Ideally support of the shelters walls is evenly spread, across multiple points so that when the wind is blowing or snow is sticking the room, the pressure is distributed through out the shelter. The larger the area without support, the more likely that the shelter will bow in, and that the pressure will be concentrated on a small area which is more likely to fail. For domes you typically want three poles which cross each other.
    • Steep walls so snow slides off rather than accumulating and weighting down the shelter.
    • Aerodynamic shape so winds don’t knock you down
    • Snow skirt which help keep the shelter stable in wind, and also provide continuous support rather than having the support points being the few places that stakes or snow anchors are attached to a shelter.

    I don’t do a lot of winter / snow trips these days. When I was doing more winter trips I used a MLD Duomid for solo trips, and a GoLite pyramid as my multi-person winter shelter. If I was purchasing a hard-core shelter I would likely look at Hilleberg or Macpac tunnel tent or a large pyramid with a titanium wood stove. There was a good thread on BPL about shelters for winter/snow.

    In the winter / snow I have used  a number of shelters over the years.  In reverse chronological order:

    • MLD Duomid (cuben): 1-2 person pyramid design. Good solo shelter with reinforced pullouts.  Ideal for 1.  Usable but tight for 2.
    • GoLite Hex: Very light for space, especially if you dig out snow. Nice flexibility. Light and cheap compared to most 4-season tents. You can dig out a platform which gives you a huge space. Staking can be a bit temperamental to get set up right. I have used it with a sleeping bag cover and just a ground cloth. In more severe conditions really wished it had snow skirt. Some similar tarps are designed to take a small wood stove like Titanium Goat and Kifaru.  In ancient past shared a large pyramid tarp that did have a snow skirt with a pile of other boys.
    • Integral Designs Mk1 (now made by Rab): Loved it as a solo tent. Reasonable weight. Not cheap. Bombproof. More or less same tent is the Bibler i-tent and the BD Firstlight made using EPIC.
    • Hilleberg Nallo2GT – This tent is not the lightest tent, but has a large vestibule which is handy in nasty weather. Very well made. Popular in Europe.
    • Warmlite 2R – Shed snow well when pitched tight. Good in wind. Middle will sag if not pitched tightly. The 2R is not as tall as I would like if I was going to be spending a lot of time in the tent. The vestibule having a floor was annoying but manageable. They also make tents larger than the 2R. Get a third pole if using size 3.
    • Sierra Designs Stretch Dome… I had the first version. Roomy for 2, usable with three. Mine stood the test of time but was stolen from my car. Not the lightest solution. I continue to be impressed with SD’s commitment to quality and innovation though I haven’t used a modern SD 4-season tent.
    • North Face V24 – Hasn’t been sold for years. Was bombproof and heavy.
    • Sierra Designs 3-Man Tent from the early 1970s… Double walled three person tent which used three strait poles in a tipi like design with a hex floor.  Great size for two in winter, worked for three. Half moon zipper in the floor formed a cookhole for using a stove inside.  Some of my fondest memories are nights I spent in this tent with my dad as storms raged outside.

    I have also used some 3 season tents / tarptents in the winter which worked ok if there was no or small amounts of snow.  When the was enough snow to blow into the shelter through the netting I was unhappy. Anything not protected gets damp.  Those with perimeter netting were a disaster because the netting often frozen into the snow. Not recommended. 

    Whatever you are using a tarp or tent, you need to keep your shelter in place. Typically snow anchors are more effective than stakes for this task. See a nice Snow Anchor Analysis

  • Tents

    Tents are structures made from fabric that provide an enclosed space which protects the occupants from environment conditions. Historically tents were made from canvas, but now are typically made from nylon or polyester with some some of waterproof treatment. Most tents are double walled, though single walled tents are still in use. There are a number of other types of portable shelters.

    In 2025 my recommendation (mostly from other people whom I trust experiences) for 2 person, free standing backpacking tents would be the The Durston Design X-Dome 2. Just 2.7lbs, the space is very usable, easy to pitch, and remarkably weather resistant (especially if you use trekking poles for extra support). The Slingfin Portal-2 is another excellent 2 person which can easily handle 3+ season conditions. For light weight, free standard, 4 seasons, the Slingfin Crossbow 2. Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 Platinum and MSR Hubba Hubba are a bit heavier, not as protective in storms, but can be found in bring-and-mortar stores. A good “budget” tent is the $199 REI Trailmade-2. Generally I recommend tarp-tent shelters. I don’t recommend the Big Agnes Tiger Wall: Yes, it’s just 2 lbs, but it not up to serious weather, and the space is not that usable.

    The rest of this post is fairly out of date, and I have no plans to update it. You would be better to look at other pages.

    Single-wall Tents

    There are two types of single wall tents. The first is made using waterproof (or water resistant) breathable materials. These are typically free standing shelters designed for mountaineering, and have very similar designs such as those from Bibler, Rab, or Black Diamond. I like these sorts of shelters a lot cold, winter conditions, with low humidity. The second type uses waterproof (non-breathable fabrics) and relies on ventilation to keep condensations down. I have yet to find a shelter like this that I like, I think people would often be better served using an ultralight shelter.

    • Integral Designs MK1lite eVENT: 27 sq ft, 3 lb 6oz, $530. A bombproof single-wall mountaineering tent for one (two in an emergency or if you are friendly). Could be event lighter if you use replacement carbon fiber poles (though there have been questions about whether these will stand up to severe wind… I would recommend sticking with the provided poles). I think this is the best solo winter tent ever made. Alas, it was been discontinued (except for industrial purchase) due to concerns of lawsuits since eVENT isn’t fire resistant. Other good alternatives are the slightly less breathable and heavier Integral Designs Mk1 which uses Tegraltex, the Bibler i-tent made with ToddTex, or the BD Firstlight made from EPIC.
    • Black Diamond Superlight Series including a number of models including the nice two person Lighthouse: EPIC canopy/sil nylon floor adaptation of Bibler designs. A bit more breathable than ToddTex and field reports suggest that it is surprisingly water resistant, but it will wet through in an extended storm. I won’t want to use a EPIC tent in a multi-day rain storm.

    MSR and Nemo are making a number of single walled mountaineering tents I have no personal experience with.

    Conventional Double-Walled Tents

    Most people seem to use double-walled tents. Tents give many people a sense of security by providing privacy and a barrier against wind, rain, insects and other small creatures. Having a double wall means that there is a barrier to protect you from brushing against the condensation which will often form on the fly. Double-walled tents that use fabric for the inner body (rather than mesh) are warmer that other shelters because they air between the inner tent and the fly can act as an insulation layer. The downside is most double-walled tents are heavier, can have ventilation problems when the fly is fully shut, and you lose a visual connection to your environment. Most US designed double wall shelters require the inner tent to be set up, and then the fly to be deployed. In a strong rain, this means you can soak your inner tent. Many of the tents from Europe and Australia have a more sensible design that lets you pitch the full structure at once, or pitch the fly and then sent up the inner tent from the inside. See Roger Caffin’s rather harsh, but generally appropriate, Shelter FAQ. While a true tent taxonomy such as found in The Complete Walker IV divides tents into a large number of categories, I will talk about two, very broad categories.

    Free Standing Tents

    The most common double walled tents are free standing wedge and domes. People like these because they tend to be easy to set up, can be moved around, and work well in locations where getting stakes to hold is difficult. The downsides are that they tend to be heavier, don’t ventilate as well, that most of the time you really need to stake down one of these shelter for strength and to prevent the tent from blowing away even if you have gear in them (e.g. freestanding isn’t really true).  There are a lot of other good quality 2 – 4 man free standing tents. I used to consistently prefer Sierra Designs double wall tents to their competitors. For many years, SD really seems to be one of the most innovative main stream companies, makes good trade-offs, and has nice design features. My family has owned several SD tents since the 1970s. We have love each of these tents. These days I think SD still makes good tents, but I don’t immediately assume they will have the best of class. These days Slingfin seems to be making some interesting tents. Popular light weight free standing shelter that I would suggest looking at include:

    • Big Agnes Fly Creek: Would recommend avoiding unless you like cramped space and only encounter moderate weather.
    • Big Agnes  Copper Spur available at a variety of weights / price points. Usable in moderate three season conditions. Light but somewhat fragile.
    • Slingfin Portal: has gotten some excellent reviews as a light weight 2 person, free-standing shelter which can stand up to 3+ season weather.
    • Big Sky Tents: makes some of the lightest, free standing shelters on the market. I would recommend carefully checking what their backlog is before giving these folks business. In the past people have waited months to get their orders delivered.
    • The MSR Hubba (1 person), HubbaHubba (2 person) One of the most popular light weight free standing shelters. More roomy that the Seedhouse, better vestibules than the SD Lightning. Not quite as stable in the wind as the Lightning. I have only check this tent out in stores, I have no field experience. Friends have reported that extra space costs strength in a storm, especially when facing high winds, but they have been happy with this tent. 
    • REI Quarter Dome (T1, T2, T3) seem to be good, light weight, 3 season, free standard shelters. My friends original 2 person quarter dome wasn’t as stable or well made as my Lightning, it was cheaper and had two vestibules.

    Tunnel / Arch Tents

    Tunnel shelters typically have 2 or 3 arches that provide support. These tents need to be staked to the ground, but often you can get away with 4 stakes except in harsh conditions.  Tunnel tents tend to be longer than an equivalent dome, and require a fairly flat space to get adequately taut pitch.  A well pitched tunnel tent can survive very harsh conditions. If similar materials are used, a tunnel tent tends to be light weight than a dome. Tunnel tents tend to be designed with good ventilation options. Higher quality tunnels designed to handle nasty conditions tend to use equally sized arches. I would recommend staying away from any tunnel tent which uses fiberglass poles since both the poles and the tent are most likely not built to handle harsh conditions.

    • Hilleberg – Make a variety of tunnel tents. Most are designed to stand up to Northern Europe’s winters. Very well made.
    • Stephenson’s Warmlite 2RSW (2 man 42sq ft, 3lb 4oz, <$500) has been one of the lightest tents on the market for years. Warm, very stable in high winds, and handles snow well provided pitched tautly. The vestibules having a floor was a bit annoying because when you enter and exit in the rain/snow because some gets in and doesn’t have anywhere to go. Should note that while it has two walls, the inner wall is not breathable which makes it different from nearly everyone else’s double wall. My experience is that condensation on the inner wall was less than other non breathable single wall shelters.

    Other Tent Designs

    There are a number of light weight shelters that use a single hoop, or trekking poles to form a ridge line, much like some of the ultra light shelters listed above. In general these shelters are not up to facing extreme weather conditions, but they can provide light weight shelter for 3 season conditions many places (4 in places where winters aren’t too harsh).

    • Hilleberg Akto is quite light for a solo four season tent, and is designed to put the fly up first followed by the tent body which is really nice if you are setting up in the rain. Huge amount of space under the vestibule. The tent is a little short for my taste because I can’t sit up without bumping by head and doesn’t handle heavy snow loads well. On the other hand, everyone I have talked to who owns this tent loves it.
    • Terra Nova.Laserlite is a 1+ person tent similar in design to the Akto but weights a mere 34oz including poles while providing more headroom.
    • Tarptent Scarp1 1 person, 2.75lb and Scarp2 1 person, 3.25lb double walled, winter shelters which is somewhat similar to the Hilleberg Akto. An extra 12oz for a pair of poles makes it free-standing.
    • Montbell single pole tents… pole runs across the long axis rather than the short favored by most of the other monopoles.

  • Selecting Campsites

    PLACEHOLDER

    • Look for someplace with soft ground. Not only is this more comfortable to sleep on, but if it rains, the water will more quickly soak in.
    • Look for someplace that has good drainage: slightly higher than the near by ground, avoid sleeping in depressions.  
    • Make sure you aren’t in the path of runoff if there was a severe storm.
    • By lakes will have more humidity which is normally not a good thing.
    • Under a tree or  on a hill side will typically be warmer than in a valley or the middle of a meadow.
    • Ridge lines are not a good location because of wind and lightning danger.

    Some brief notes by other sectionhikers campsite selection and a thread about selecting sites in the high sierras.

  • Stakes

    Most shelters need something to keep them from blowing away. Most people carry metal or plastic stakes, though it is often possible to improvise using local material. A decent video of the big/little rock anchor is what I often do above treeline. Ultralight backpackers often use titanium stakes because they are strong and reasonably light.

    There is no one best stake.  There are a number of environmental issues which will suggest what might be the most effective stakes. Things I typical consider is the “holding power” of the stake, how easy the stakes will go into the ground, the weight of the stake, and what sort of environmental impact the stake holes might make.

    Holding Power: The looser the ground, the more surface area you need for an equiv hold. If you use two stakes of identical design, the larger on (more surface area) will hold better if you can get it into the ground.  Wide diameter round stakes can work in many conditions, but if you need a lot of holding power, especially in soft ground (sandy, waterlogged, etc), use Y stakes like MSR groundhogs. Some people use V stakes, but I have found that they have a tendency to bent more than most stakes I have tried. In extremely lose soil some people will double stake. At the extreme (sand / snow) you want to use anchors rather than stakes. 

    Easy to Drive: The harder the ground the more you want a strong, thin stake. Many people use titanium sheppard hooks stakes. The one down side of these stakes is that if the ground is very hard, you can’t pound these stakes in, you can only push with your hands. Some people carry one “nail stake” which can be used to get a hole started for a hook stake. Note: Pushing V and Y stakes in can be hard on the hands, so I carry a small plastic PVC tee joint which weights less than .5oz.and saves my palms.

    Durability: The thinner the stake, the more likely it is to bend. Some stakes have been known to break when put under stress, such as the MSR Needle Stakes. The tops of the Easton stakes sometimes comes off. You can epoxy them back on when you get home.

    Weight: If you are shooting for the absolute lightest, titanium stakes might be right for you, but it really depends on the other factors listed above.

    These days I mostly use 6″ easton stakes on 3 season trip because they have pretty good holding power in soft ground because they are wider than my titanium Sheppard’s hooks, and the have a flat head so I can pound them into harder ground with a rock, and they are reasonably light. The only down side is that the epoxy that glues to top to be body can come undone and in extreme cases, they can be broken.  If I am really concerned about holding power (expecting lose soil) I will switch to 9″ easton stakes, or switch to a Y stake.

    Jerry Goller wrote up a more analytical comparision of stakes which I have stashed on my web page and there is a nice article at BPL about tent stake holding power.

    Snow anchors are a good alternative to stakes in the winter or in deep sand.

  • Backpacking

    The following posts can provide an overview for someone who is thinking and trying backcountry / “wild” backpacking for the first time. I plan to write up something about what changes on hut-2-hut, hostel-2-hostel treks, but haven’t gotten around to that yet. For the time being I have notes I wrote up about walking the Camino de Santiago.

    I generally take an ultralight approach to backpacking. There are people who carry less, and carry a lot more than me, but I think most of this information would be useful for any approach. Paul’s outdoor guidebook is more complete than the notes I have written up.

    I have some older web pages which need to be updated, but might have useful bits

    My personal 3 seasons packing list

  • Backpacking with Kids

    One of the common questions is how young can start taking a kid backpacking.  The answer is, it depends on you, the child, and your expectations. If you are expecting the child carry their own stuff and cover mileage like an experienced thru-hiker, than the answer is likely the late teens. If you have kid appropriate expectations, the answer is whatever you are comfortable taking them on a trip. Just keep in mind that what thrills a child is very different in most cases to what thrills adults. The perfect example of this was a day hike when my daughter was 2 years old. We were in the midst of a majestic redwood forest with almost ethereal lighting due to some light fog.  It was spectacular.  Did she notice?  Nope.  What was interesting to her?  The pebbles under a water fountain. Pick them up, look at them, toss them down, repeat. She would have been happy to do that the whole day.

    Babies (less than 1 year):

    It’s actually not that hard to backpack with babies if you are prepared to carry some extra weight, though I did not go backpacking with my daughter when she was a baby. The biggest issue is making sure you baby doesn’t get too much sun, and that you keep your baby at a comfortable temperature. The primarily limitation is typically mom (or maybe dad’s) protectiveness. There’s a nice write-up of one couples experience backpacking with their baby in the Pyrenees. Over the years I have seen / talked with a number of families that took their baby backpacking. Personally, I think the baby doesn’t really notice the backpacking experience… the trips are more for the parents. In most case, mom carries baby in a sling or front carrier. Typically mom carries baby supplies and her personal gear. Dad plays pack mule and carries everything else.  Sir Joseph showed a “Jacket Expander” at ISPO 2011 which zips into the front out a down jacket providing room for a small one to be snuggled right next to a parent. Looks like a great idea for winter trips, though I have no experience using it.

    Toddler (1-3):

    In this stage of a child’s life they are growing a great deal developmentally. They are developing their walking skills. Many still put anything they can in their month as a way to explore: grass, dirt, small insects, toads, whatever they can catch. They have a very short attention span and get tired quickly. Taking a child this age backpacking requires a real commitment because you will need to be very patient. It’s unlikely that the child will go from one place to another in anything close to a strait line.  It will be from pebble, to leaf, to moss, to stick. If you are luckily it will be mostly forward in direction in a zig-zag pattern. Unless the child is exception, I wouldn’t expect more than a few miles in a day. When they get tired you can put them in a backpack kid’s carrier. Some kids love riding in these carries, but others get restless and want out after just a short bit. Most family I have seen deal with this by the mother carrying the kids pack, and the dad carrying eveything else. This means that the parents (when junior is on board) are carrying 25-50lbs more than they would when backpacking with just the two of them. Personally, this was the age that we went car camping with day hikes because we didn’t see any benefit from backpacking.

    Pre/Young School Age (4-7):

    At this age kids are old enough to know not to eat the poisonous berries, stay away from the poison oak, and to blow on a whistle if they get separated from you.  While most don’t have the greatest attention span or focus, they are able to walk along a path for an hour or so without becoming completely bored. We have found having some sort of supplemental activity really helps kids enjoy the time. Examples of this are: walking on interpretive trails, taking walks led by a naturalist, making it a treasure hunt (e.g. looking for interesting items you know the kids will be able to find), etc. The statement “I am tired” often means “I am bored”.  This becomes clear when you come across something that the child finds interested. The “tired” child will take off at a full run and happily play with energy that will make you feel tired just watching. If in decent physical shape, they are able to walk numerous miles carrying a light load. I would encourage to have children carry as much of there own gear as soon as it is practical. We found our girls wanted to carry a pack just like the parents. Get them used to carrying something as early as possible.  When my daughter was 4 she has a small Eagle Creek backpack which had a built in whistle. My daughter carried her own water, a snack, plastic plant & bird identification cards, a nature notebook & crayons which she draws pictures of interesting discoveries, and a toy (stuffed animal).  By the time she was 7 she was also carrying most of her clothing and a sit/sleep mat. I would recommend keeping their carry weight less than 10% of their body weight. I have also found that while there are some children who really enjoy hiking, most don’t.  There was a good article about backpacking with young children. My daughters answers at that age (5) would have been  almost identical to Chase. At this age I wouldn’t plan  to cover more than 3-4 miles in a day, though there are some exceptional kids that will do more distance than this.

    Late Elementary / Middle School (8-13):

    At this age one of the best things to do is bring a friend or three. Kids at this age really enjoy being with their peers. If they are with friends, a lot less effort has to be put into keeping them entertained. It’s also at this age that some children are able to take a sense of accomplishment from the act of hiking and can really enjoy it. That’s not to say a younger child can’t, just that it’s unusual. At this age I still recommend keeping their load to around 10% of their body weight. With reasonably light weight gear it’s possible for kids to carry all their gear at this age, though it might be necessary for a parent to carry one of the more bulky items (like the sleeping bag) because their pack doesn’t hold enough volume for all their items. While dedicated outdoor parents might take children backpacking before this age, it seems that this is the age that many kids go on their first trip. Unless the child is already an avid hiker, I recommend keeping trips below 4 miles where the destination (and ideally the hike) have kid friendly attractions: beach, lake, stream, horses, rope swings, berry bushes, rocks or trees to climb, etc. There have been exceptional kids that have thru-hiked with their parents, but most are unlikely to do more than 6-8 miles in a day.

    High School and Beyond (14+):

    By the thing a child is in high school, they are able to carry all their own gear.  The amount of shared items I would have them carry would depend on the child: level of physical fitness, if this is the first time they have gone backpacking, the type of backpack they are using, and the degree to which they want to pitch is with the shared items. Distance and difficult are limited by their physical fitness and interest level. Boys tend to eat a lot during high school because they are growing at lot.

    Gear

    It’s a bit harder to find good quality backpacking gear for kids that it is for adults.  The first issue is finding nicely made items. There used to be dedicated kids companies like Mountain Spouts, Mole Hill Mountain, etc but most are no longer in business. Many main line companies have kids lines, which typically parallels the lower end of their adult lines. The next issue is cost: you know that within a year or two the item will likely be outgrown. Ideally you can hook up with someone who has kids a bit older than yours and arrange for hand-me-downs. I would also encourage you to plan to pass on items which are of good quality to someone once your kids have outgrown them. We didn’t have anyone to get hand-me-downs from. Thrift stores and used kid clothing stores are often a good source. In the SF Bay area I typically didn’t find good kid’s outdoor clothing. When we were in Tahoe I found a fair bit, which makes me think that where you are has a strong influence on what may be in the thrift store.

    If you are purchasing new, I would suggest checking out places that specialize in high discounts, or outdoors companies that have regular clearance sales. We found the most of our kids clothing at sierra trading post, patagonia outlets,  campmor or REI clearance sales, and a few items from land’s end.  While it might be surprising, I strongly recommend looking at Patagonia kids clothing. While they are expensive retail, they are almost reasonably priced on sale, at the outlet, or best at an outlet during their memorial day / labor day sales. We have found that Patagonia kids clothing not only to be good quality, but seems to be cut in such a way that it takes longer to outgrow them. In a time that my daughter seemed to outgrow jackets every year or so, her Patagonia jacket lasted 3 years before she outgrew it, and it was still in good enough shape to pass it on to another girl. If there is something you need right now, and can’t find anywhere, I would likely look at REI.

    Rather than trying to find a good deal on an item as it was needed, we would often purchase something in a larger size in advance if we found a great deal and store it for a year or two. Example of this include a kids Marmot DriClim windshirt for $11, and Patagonia Puff Vest for $20, a kid’s size external frame pack for $10.

    A have a page about selecting Backpacks for Kids

    Scouting

    Typically boy scout backpacking is the opposite of ultra-light backpacking. Everything including the kitchen sink (or at least a dutch oven to make cobber) is taken. Gear is typically extremely heavy-duty to survive the riggers of younger boys.  Some good references for scouts include:

    Other resources: 

  • Backpacks for Kids

    I strong encourage keeping kids packs as light as possible. A 60 pound child shouldn’t be carrying more than a 15 pound pack, and I think it would be best if the pack was closer to 6lb. A 100 pound child shouldn’t be carrying more than 25 pound, and I would recommend keeping it below 9lbs or so. Notes about backpacking with kids are on another post.

    Conventional wisdom is that people should carry a backpack that’s <25% of their body weight. This is reasonable for moderate distances but will be fatiguing on a longer hike. There were several experiments evaluating how pack weight impacted soldiers physical performance. A key finding was that on all day exercises, fit/trained soldiers had a measurable increase of fatigue and a drop in agility when they carries more than 10-12% of their lean body weight. This matches my personal experience: I feel no more tired at the end of a 20 miles carrying 17lb as compared to carrying no pack. My one caveat that when over 8 lbs I need to shift some weight to my hips or shoulder pain will be fatiguing through the day. My wife found her sweet spot is <7lb.

    There are a number of factors which effect selection a pack for kids which aren’t a factor for adults:

    • Growth: Kids are going to grow.  If you want the pack to fit for more than a year you need to get a backpack which will adjust to a changing torso length.  This isn’t an issue if the pack is an ultralight shoulder strap only pack. Otherwise you will need a pack with an adjustable frame. External frame packs tend to be highly adjustable.  Deuter, VauDe, Osprey, and Kelty each make at least one kids size internal frame pack with a highly adjustable suspension.
    • Durability: In general, kids are pretty hard on equipment. Most kids are not sufficiently careful to use packs made from materials such as light-weight sil-nylon, so you really want a pack body to be made from a durable material such as Dimension Polyant, Dyneema, or Cordora.
    • Peer Pressure: Some kids like to be trail-blazers / thought leaders. For these sorts of kids, getting a pack which is different and in some way better than the standard is appreciated. Other kids want to have the same pack as everyone else, and will be terribly embarrassed being different, even if different is better.
    • Enforced sharing:  Boy scouts typically share equipment, food, etc. This means that even if all your child’s personal gear is ultra-light, the group might end up bringing 8lb tents, cast iron dutch ovens, etc, and you will need to take your fair share. So unless this is troop which has embraced ultra-light techniques and gear, you kid will most likely want to get a pack designed for mid-weight packing.

    Daypacks:  For very young children, Eagle Creek made a really great daypack, but it has been off the market for awhile.  There are countless day pack / book bags available for kids today. A florescent Barbie or shockingly bright Barney backpack might not blend into the back country, but there isn’t really a need to buy a special pack for hiking… use whatever backpack goes to and from school since they are already use to carrying that pack. In fact, kids might be happier with the bright color backpack, and you might as well since they are easier for you to see. I was very amused early on beause my daughter didn’t care about any of her gear other than it’s color. Originally she really liked “Red”.

    Backpacks: For smaller kids, there are only a few pack which have a torso short enough, a waist strap which can be tightened enough, and has enough volume for all their gear (need at least 1800ci).  For example, 1850ci has just enough room inside it for a North Face Tigger sleeping bag, a Big Agnes Insulated AirCore mummy sleeping pad, a 1L platypus, her clothing  for a three season trip, eating utensils, toiletry kit, flashlight, and her smallest cuddly. Even more volume would be required if the kids is fully self supporting or carrying their fair share of group gear and food. I realize that adult ultralight backpackers can easily get down below this volume, but most kids gear will be higher volume because items like kid size 800 fill down sleeping bags are not a good investment. Most kids will not be as careful as adults, and items have a limited lifetime because the children will grow. It makes sense to purchase less expensive items such as sleeping bags made using synthetic insulation.

    For young kids (say <11y) I would suggest checking out the following packs:

    • Any daypack/book bag: Use whatever backpack is used daily for school books. Fill the day pack with whatever will fit without being too heavy (I would recommend keeping their pack under 10 lbs). Carry the rest of their gear in your pack and have a great time.
    • MLD Prophet: (size XS). Rob used to make a size XS which was great! Seems like he only goes down to size S now which is for people 5’1″ or so. My daughter used one of the rare (and no longer made) MLD kids packs.
    • Deuter Fox 30 (torso 10-17″, 2lb 10oz, 1,850ci, $79): Very comfortable for most kids (though one girl who borrowed it didn’t like it). The torso length is easily adjustable with a pretty wide range as does the hip strap (goes down to 22″). Good size for kids who are carrying their own gear, but adults are carrying food and shared items. Very durable material. Two side pockets and top pocket provide some organizational features. Back pocket and side mesh pockets are close to useless. You can strap a pad on vertically running ties through the retaining straps for the top lid.
    • Kelty Junior Tioga (discontinued now, torso 9-14″, 3 lb 6 oz 2050ci): External frame pack for small kids.
    • Osprey Youth Series: A number of full featured packs that weight ~3-4lbs.
    • Tough Traveler: Makes a number of internal frame packs for kids. I have never seen these packs, but there have been a number of recommendations from people on discussion lists.
    • ULA-Equipment Kids Packs: Excellent packs
    • DIY: Make your own backpack.

    For average size children older than 11 years old  I would also consider any classic ultralight or light weight packs that have short torso models.

  • Backpacks

    Choosing a backpack can be tricky, especially for someone who is just starting out.  You need to know what you are carrying  to choose the right pack, but if you are just starting out you don’t know what you are going to be carrying.  I suggest start with trips you expect to take (duration & conditions), and what backpacking style you will use (ultra-light, light weight, hut2hut / hosteling, medium/heavy weight). I would encourage taking a light to ultralight approach

    [toc]

    Conventional wisdom is that people should carry a backpack that’s <25% of their body weight. This is reasonable for moderate distances but will be fatiguing on a longer hike. There were several experiments evaluating how pack weight impacted soldiers physical performance. A key finding was that on all day exercises, fit/trained soldiers had a measurable increase of fatigue and a drop in agility when they carries more than 10-12% of their lean body weight. This matches my personal experience: I feel no more tired at the end of a 20 miles carrying 17lb as compared to carrying no pack. My one caveat that when over 8 lbs I need to shift some weight to my hips or shoulder pain will be fatiguing through the day. My wife found her sweet spot is <7lb.

    What you are carrying effects how much volume you will need, and how substantial the suspension system needs to be. I typically tell people don’t get a pack that’s larger “just in case you need more room”, this will only encourage you to bring too much stuff, will be heavier, and  more ungainly.  If anything, you want a pack which is slightly smaller than you need.  It is likely that over time you will find the weight and volume of your gear will go down, and the slightly too small pack becomes just right.  In the mean time, use a stuff sack which you attach to the outside of your pack with straps or under the top lid to hold the items that don’t fit inside the pack.  As your food gets consumer, move the items into your pack.

    Beside the backpack being able to hold everything you need it to, the most important thing is to find the pack which is comfortable when holding the load you plan on carrying. The first issue is that the pack needs to fit you well. A great pack which is poorly fit can be more uncomfortable that a cheap pack which fits you. There is a nice video made by REI and ULA about adjusting backpack fit and and an article by hill people which will give you a good idea of what to look for. One caviet, if you are looking at packs without load lifters, or where the load lifted doesn’t attach to the frame, you want the shoulder strap anchors to be slight above the shoulder top rather than slightly below.

    Ideally, you should go to a outdoor outfitter that employs experienced backpackers or climbers who can help you get a good fit.  Note: many of the larger outdoor stores employee people who do not have significant experience backpacking and climbing.

    It’s best to try backpacks before purchasing. You should place weight in the pack to simulate the sort of load you expect to carry and give it a try.  For experienced packers, I would suggest bring all your gear in a duffel bag and try packs using your stuff rather than simulated weights.

    Check with local stores to find out if it is possible to rent the pack you like for a weekend or has a good return policy.  This could save you from buying a pack which seemed good in the showroom but isn’t comfortable after a hard day of use.

    I can’t stress enough how important getting a comfortable backpack can be.  Other than your footwear, no other piece of gear is as likely to ruin a fun trip than a backpack which isn’t comfortable.  My experience is that a well fitting backpack carries 20 lbs so well that I can actually forget that I am carrying a pack, and that I can carry 30 lbs for days without any shoulders or hip soreness or pain.  Do not scrimp on your pack.  Get a pack which is comfortable for you.

    If you are looking for a pack for european backpacking / trekking, where you are going from hut to hut, or hostel to hostel, you might want to look at my notes about packing light for travel. and my list of trekking packs. I also have a separate post about backpacks for kids.

    My Choice

    In 2025 I started using a Zpacks Arc Hauler 50l. I can comfortably carry a bear canister and a total pack weight of 22+lb and my size medium qualifies as a carry-on bag.

    Between 2000-2009 I put at least 150 miles on 15 different packs and tried a number of others as I searched for the perfect pack for me. These packs spanned the range from the 4 oz Gossamer Gear Whisper frameless through 6 lb external frame packs. During this time I experimented with SUL (base weight of ~5lb) but eventually settled into a base of 8-11 lb, carrying between 15-26lbs on most trips. I eventually settled on the Gossamer Gear Gorilla 40L backpack. My first Gorilla was purchased in 2009. I used the original for several years, and then in 2012 switched to the 2nd generation. I believe that the Gorilla currently being sold is the 6th generation… every version has been an improvement.

    Between 2022-2024 I used a Hanchor Tufa which is an ultralight pack with a foam pad which provides some torso stiffness. It’s carry-on friendly, and is as comfortable as most other pack I have used up to 17lbs, and adequately comfortable up to 22lbs. (A few notes from someone who says they are the designer).

    In 2025 I picked up a Durston Gear Wapta 30 give frameless packs one more try. I loved the pack and found it perfect for me with low weight, but when I carried more than 12lbs I would be sore after a hike of more than 6 miles. This isn’t a criticism of the Wapta, it’s actually one of the most comfortable ultralight packs I’ve used, I am just not built for frameless packs. The only frameless packs I’ve been able to comfortably carry my normal load (8lb base, 15-20lb total weight) had closed pad pockets: SMD StarLite and the Hanchor Tufa.

    If I had to purchase a new pack today, I would consider:

    • Zpacks Arc Hauler which is working well for me
    • KS Ultralight with external stays which could be broken down so it could quality as a personal sized item when flying,
    • SWD or Seek Outdoors flight 3 based on several people I trust strong recommendation for their ability to comfortably carry heavier loads.

    Internal -vs- External Frame Packs

    There has been a debate running since at least the 1970s as to whether internal or external frame packs are better.  I doubt this debate will ever end. My observations are as follows:

    Internal Frame Packs

    These days most people seem to use internal frame packs.  An internal frame pack uses foam, plastic, metal, and/or carbon fiber which is  located inside the pack to give the pack structure and effectively transfer weight to the hip strap.  Advantages are that internal frame packs tend to be easier to balance since they are closer to your body and are less likely to get snared on things if you are climbing or going cross country.  The downside is that your back doesn’t get much ventilation.

    External Frame Packs

    External frame packs typically have a ridged  metal or plastic frame which has shoulder and waist straps on one side to allow you to carry the pack, and some sort of bag on the other side to hold your stuff. These packs are good for hauling large amounts of gear.  They also tend to be better in hot weather because they can provide better ventilation for your back, provide lots of pockets to make organizing your gear easier, and allow you to secure gear against the frame to minimize shifting of your heavier gear.  External frame packs also tend to be more adjustable so they are good for people who are growing of as packs which get used by a number of people of variable size.

    Over the years I have had a number of external frame packs including the original Kelty Tioga and a JanSport D2, but I never managed to find one which was really comfortable for more than 10 miles.  On the other hand, there are many people who absolutely love their external frame pack.

    Don’t “upgrade” you old external frame pack if it is working well for you. I have met a number of people who were convinced to get rid of their external frame packs and get a “modern” internal frame pack only to find that they liked their old pack better and then were unable to find a comparable external frame pack on the market.  They ended up hunting on ebay for a pack just like the one they gave away a few months earlier.  Most external frame packs are quite heavy, but there are a few that are quite light.   Some people save weight by replacing the heavy fabric pack bag with light weight stuff sacks. This is described on Brawny’s The Packless Pack System webpage.

    Durability & Materials

    I have seen many people (including myself) obsess on pack durability. We have all heard about, or seen packs fail in the back country and we don’t want this to happen to us. All the catastrophic failures I have seem stem from poorly constructed packs made from mediocre materials. Often these packs came from big box discount stores. Most often, I have seen their seams rip out. For people doing trail hiking, a well constructed pack made from even light weight materials like sil-nylon will be sufficiently durable.  If your pack does run into something, it can typically be repaired with some tape (duct, gorilla, etc). I know several people who have thousands on miles on ultralight sil-nylon backpacks that weight less than 1lb. Light weight packs use mesh pockets which are fairly prone to damage. If you are concerned about long term durability, especially if you go off trail sometimes, I would recommend fabric pockets. Climbers and people who spend the majority of their time bushwacking are justified in concerns about durability. They face a lot more wear and tear than a trail hiker.

    If durability is your top issue, then 100% spectra is likely the way to go, but you pay a 2-3x premium for this. Most of the companies that make 100% spectra packs are oriented to climbers like McHale Packs and WildThings. Ultra 200 is becoming popular, but there have been reports of it delaminating. I am a fan on Dyneema, Robic, etc which mix of nylon and spectra threads which seem to provide a good durability : weight and seems to last for years. Finally there is the old standby Cordora, which tends to be heavier, but also cheaper than the other materials listed here. I recommend avoiding packs made from DCF. While light weight and strong, it’s expen$e and doesn’t stand up to abrasion/cuts. There was a nice post by Montmolar about lessons make fastpacks which drills into fabrics a bit.

    Frameless (Ultralight)

    I would not recommend novice to start out using an ultra-light style unless you are going some place with mild conditions.  There are skills which need to be developed to be safe and it takes some practice to figure out what you should take and what you can leave behind.

    Ultra-light packing is minimizing absolutely everything and relies on effective use of technique to keep you comfortable and safe.  Ultra-light backpacks are frameless rucksacks (think high volume book bag) made out of a light-weight fabric.  The philosophy is that if you aren’t carrying too much weight, you don’t need a frame or super heavy fabric… make the backpack as light as possible and save up to 5 lb as compared to heavy weight backpacks.

    Some people swear frameless backpacks are the most comfortable way to carry <30lb of weight. The general run of thumb is frameless packs are good up to 20lbs, +/-5lb given individual preferences. I personally think the number is more like 15lb +/-5lb. Dan Durston wrote “With a frameless pack I think about it like most people are okay with 10-15 lbs on their shoulders. 10 lbs is nice, 15 lbs should be okay. If you get to 20 lbs that pushing it”, and Ryan Jordan of BPL typically notes that frameless is good up to around 15lb.

    Ultra-light backpacks typically use the combination of a sleeping pad and tight packing to provide a suspension.  Most ultralight packs aren’t able to provide an effective suspension for more than 15lbs. For more information about how this works, check out  Frameless Backpacks Engineering Analysis which looks at how much the pack collapses as weight is added to it.

    Some useful resources

    There are several different approaches to hipbelt on ultralight packs. Many have none and just use shoulder traditional shoulder straps. Some using a “vest” rather than shoulder straps which keeps the pack more stable when you are moving and spreads the weight more than traditional straps. Some have thin webbing hip straps which don’t transfer weight but can help to stabilize the pad. A few ultralight packs have hipbelts which can actually transfer weight provide packing has been done in a way to resist compression.

    Ultralight packers tend to carry packs weighting 10-15 lbs and will likely be ~1800cu/in for weekend trips.  Week long without resupply you want a pack which has ~2600cu/in and can carry 20-25 lbs.  If you are in locations without good water supplies, you will need to carry significantly more weight and volume and should seriously consider a light weight pack. My experience is that ultra-light packs aren’t for everyone.

    For many years frameless packs didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Due to scoliosis I found that if I carry more than 8lbs on my shoulders I would experience pain after just 30 minutes and be really fatigued at the end of a day. Even with a SUL base weight, the combination of food and water would push me over 8lbs for quick weekend trips. My longer trips would often be 7-9 days which exceeded the comfortable of nearly all frameless packs, even those that shifted some of the weight to the hips. As a result I have been focus on packs with light frames discussed below. The most effective packs I have experienced transferring weight to my hips were the Durston Wapta 30, Hanchor Tufa, and the long discontinued Six Moon Designs Starlite.

    There are a number of companies which make high quality ultra light packs. I am generally not going to list any specific models, because most of the frameless packs I have experience will are no longer made and there are a number of new companies. Noteworthy / commonly recommended ultralight packs. Keep in mind that the built to order packs often have a 8-16 week lead time and often are not returnable.

    • Atom Packs (UK): Built to order (semi-custom), multiple size with light frame and belts which can be optionally added.
    • Dandee Packs: custom made: select shoulder straps, materials, torso length, volume, accessories.
    • Durston Gear Wapta: a very well designed ultralight pack using innovative materials and construction. I have found this pack to be more comfortable to carry than any frameless pack I have tried except the long discontinued StarLite pack made by SMD.
    • Gossamer Gear: One of the earliest companies making ultralight gear. Good range of products, several of which can be configured with frames. Factory made and easily ordered. Typically very good performance / cost ratio.
    • Granite Gear: Virga 2 not lightest but durable, reasonably priced and I found it more comfortable than most of the frameless packs I tried in 2010.
    • KS Ultralight Gear: Built to order (semi-custom) with many options. Have a couple of light frame options and an effective hip belt.
    • LifeAF Packs: Built to order (semi-custom)
    • MountainSmith Scream and Zerk: Mass produced (no waiting). Harness style shoulder straps
    • MLD: one of the grandfathers of ultralight packs
    • Palante: Handmade frameless packs with minimal customization
    • Nashville Cutaway Pack: Built to order (semi-custom) with harness style attachment
    • Six Moon Designs: One of the early makers of ultralight packs that can be configured a number of ways. Factory made and easily ordered. Many people love their packs. The discontinued StarLight pack was the most comfortable ultralight packs I used. The last pack I tried didn’t work for me, but I am not sure why.
    • SWD: Built to order (semi-custom)
    • Japanese companies
    • Zimmerbuilt: custom made backpacks

    It’s worth noting that several of the light weight style backpacks have removal stays, and can be configured as frameless, ultralight packs.

    Light Weight Style

    Light weight packers carefully select light weight gear, and don’t take a lot of luxury items… the luxury is carrying a light pack that isn’t fatiguing.  I would recommend anyone starting out to follow a light weight style.  As a light weight packer you optimizes for carry comfort like an ultra-light packer, but you bring a little extra gear to give larger safety margins and more comfort in camp. Weekend pack should carry 15-25 lbs and have ~2600cu/in.  Week long trips without resupply you want a pack which has ~3600cu/in and can carry 25-40 lbs.  Light weight packs are also great for people who are otherwise ultra-light packers who want to have a bit more carry comfort or need to carry a fair amount of food or water in addition to their ultra-light gear (this is me). Light-weight packs typically weight between 1.5-3 lbs.  While somewhat dated, I concur with much of what Ryan wrote in his position paper about Heavy Loads in Light Packs. Packs I would recommend looking at:

    • Decathlon 50l mt900-UL: Haven’t see it, but specs look pretty good. Some ventilation, 50l, less than 2lbs, reasonable frame.
    • Durston Kakwa 40: A good price for a really well designed pack. Shoulder straps are great (big improvement over the DD40). Excellent material and workmanship. Nice design. I found the hipbelt on my Gorilla more comfortable, but many seem to love it. Well worth considering. The pack is 23″ long, some airlines limit carry-on to 22″. Also available in 55L.
    • Elemental Horizons: No personal experience. I have seen a number of reviews such as the search for the perfect pack which leads me to believe it would be worth giving a try.
    • Hyper Mountain Gear: Some people love their packs, but I also see a lot of people who start with this pack who later switch to something more comfortable. I tried the SW2400 for a couple of days. I found it less comfortable than my Gorilla for weights 19-24lb.
    • Gossamer Gear Gorilla: $215, 29oz, 2800ci pack. The pack can be used like a typical frameless pack, but was designed to use the combination of a foam sleep or sit pad attached to the outside of the pack in combination with a removable U shaped aluminum double stay. The stay is easily reshaped for a custom fit which could be an issue with heavier loads, but I didn’t have any problems with the stay deforming with <25lb loads. Old versions of the Gorilla didn’t have the frame seated into the hip strap system which ultimately limits it’s weight carrying capacity. The current version addressed this. The Gorilla has a removable wrap around waist strap and extra wide shoulder straps which I have found quite comfortable. The material is more durable than the typical sil-nylon ultralight pack. The side pockets are easy to reach while wearing the pack with a large mesh pocket on the back of the pack. I found with loads less than 25lb this is one of the more comfortable pack I have used. If you need more volume, there is the Mariposa.
    • Granite Gear makes well designed light weight packs. I am fond of the Crown2 38L which I found to be slightly larger than my GG Gorilla 40L though it weights around 8 ounces more. Overall carry comfort was good, but I was surprised to find the Gorilla hipbelt to be a bit more comfortable. For many years I used the now discounted Granite Gear Vapor Trail which I found more comfortable that the Gorilla for loads up to 25lb. GG Crown2 is one of the best values, especially if you pick up one the the drop.com versions.
    • McHale Packs custom makes some of the best packs. The only packs I hear people rave about in the same way are Seek Outdoors when people are carrying heavy loads, and SWD.
    • NeoTrekk StackPack is an external frame back which uses a number of “barrel” bags to hold your gear. Used to be known as LuxuryLite. Didn’t work for me, but I have yet to find an external frame pack that I have liked using.
    • Osprey Exos/Eja, Levity/Lumina are light weight packs with a mesh back panel for better ventilation. Light weight given their features. I found the first version of the hip belt was not comfortable. The current generation (on the Levity) was good up to around 22lbs at which point I found it to be uncomfortable. A downside for me is that the smaller packs don’t fit a full size bear canister, and the larger models are just too big for me.
    • Outdoor Vitals CS40: Looks promising. 25oz, carbon fiber stays with load lifter
    • Seek Outdoors Flight Series: Light weight but reported by a number of people I trust to be one of the most comfortable packs, especially in the 30-50lb range.
    • Six Moon Designs Swift X: On paper looks like a great pack with all the features I would want. My experience with the super wide shoulder straps on the Gossamer Gear Gorilla and a brief test trail running using the harness on the Six Moon Designs Flight pack years ago made me think this could be a worthy update to my Gorilla. Alas, I just couldn’t get it adjusted to provide me with a comfortable fit.
    • ULA-Equipment: Makes a range of light weight of packs which have been popular with thru-hikers and light weight enthusiasts looking for long lasting packs. There website explains what volume and weight carrying capabilities each of their packs has. Mostly mail order, there are several stores such as Downworks in Santa Cruz which carry them.
    • SWD: No personal experience, but loved by a number of friends.
    • ZPacks Arc line of packs is a modern take on external frame packs. Milyiple yordo sizes with micro adjustment with the specified range. Amazingly light for a pack with a frame and comfortably carries to 25lb. Sometimes reported to have durability and squeaking issues.

    Several the the semi-custom ultralight pack makers do a version of their pack with some sort of frame and a hip belt which is capable of load transfer.

    Mid-weight Style

    Mid-weight packers are the most common / main-stream.  You select standard backpacking equipment and take enough gear to feel that you will be safe in comfortable in a wide range of conditions.  Weekend pack should carry 30-40 lbs and have ~3500 cu/in worth of space.  Week long trips without resupply means that you want a pack which carries holds 40-50 lbs and ~4800cu/in.  Mid-weight packs tend to be 3-5lbs.  Boy Scouts tend to have a mid-weight approach.

    Mid-weight style packers can use light-weight style packs for shorter trips, but if you are going for a week+ a larger and more structurally sound pack should be used.  For 40lb+ plus loads I have tried packs by Granite Gear, Seek Outdoors, Gregory, Osprey and ArcTeryx. I have liked most of the Osprey packs I have tried, Gregory where generally ok, and there is something about most of the ArcTeryx that just doesn’t work for me, though many people see to love them. I know a number of people who really like the external frame packs made by JanSport and Kelty (they also made a number of internal frame packs… none of which stand out as particulary remarkable). I have not looked at this class of pack in great detail in a number of years, though I have tried several packs recently.

    Heavy-weight

    Heavy weight style is when you bring whatever you are going an for an extended period of time without resupply or foraging, or if you are looking for maximum comfort for the camping or activity part of the trip (at the expense of the hiking being comfortable).  Serious camera gear, comfy camp chairs, lots of climbing gear for an extremely technical assault, wine in glass bottles, etc.  For a heavy weight, weekend pack should be able to carry 40-50 lbs and has ~5000cu/in.  Week long without resupply you want a pack which has at least 7000cu/in and can carry 70-80 lbs.  Heavy weight packs often weight more than 6lbs!

    I know a number of people who carry very heavy load who swear by Seek Outside, McHale Packs,  Kuiu (especially Pro Suspension + dry bag),  Dana Design Packs, and Mystery Ranch packs, but I have no personal experience carrying huge weights in any of these packs.  I used to carry these sorts of weights in external frame packs.  I am glad I don’t do this anymore.

    What I Look for In a Backpack

    There is no right or wrong preferences when it comes to selecting a backpack. You will likely prioritize and value things differently than I. I am particuarly sensitive (and difficult to fit properly) because I have a moderately severe case of scoliosis. Here is what I want in a pack (in rough priority order):in a pack, so my recommendations might point you in the wrong direction. Here is what I want in a pack (in my priority order):

    • Appropriate Volume: Overnight I am typically carrying around 2000ci.  Week long three season trips with bear canister I am carrying 2600ci.  Snow trips (which are pretty rare these days) normally run 2800-3200ci. A perfect pack would handle this range of volumes well.
    • Light-weight Frame: I use an air mattress as my sleeping pad, and I normally carry loads which are more than 16lb, but typically less than 25lb, always less than 35lbs. I have found that with this weight, and without the stiffness of a closed cell foam mat, that I need sometime the provides structure in the pack, be it stays or a plastic frame sheet.
    • Curving Back: I have found that I like a pack which “leans” into me. I believe that my thoracic curvature is a bit more aggressive than some people and I have scoliosis. I want a solid connection at my waist, and I want the pack to curve gently to my shoulders.  I have found that packs that are too strait bounce too much or feel like they are pulling away from my body.
    • Well padded, encircling, grippy waist straps. Wing hip belts typically don’t work well for me. My hips aren;t very pronounced which means I am tempted to over tighten the hipbelt to keep it from sliding down. Hipebelts with double buckets which can be independently adjust are often better. 
    • Minimal or no lumbar pad: I seem to have much less sacral and lumbar curvature than some people. As a result most lumbar pads feel like they dig into my back. Because of this, I typically carry my packs slightly lower around my hips than what is considered “correct”.  I have found that when I carry a pack in the “correct” location, I either have to tighten down too much on the waist strap, put more weight on my shoulders which I don’t like, or need to periodically reposition the pack as it slowly inches down my back until it hit the widest section of my hips.
    • Grippy back material: I like the pack to stay fixed on my back. I have found that if the material against my back is somewhat grippy that the pack stays put better. The opposite of this are packs that put sil-nylon against my back. Particularly good have been the the rubberized mesh of the VauDe Seina 45 and the slightly textured foam on the Granite Gear Vapor Trail, and the mesh over foam of the GG Gorilla pack.
    • Load Lifter: With the pack leaning into me I like being able to pull on load lifts to take even more pressure off the tops of my shoulders. Actually, load lifters aren’t an absolute requirement, but the shoulder strap top anchors need to be slightly above the top of my shoulders.
    • Pocket which is reachable while walking: I want a place to store snacks which can be easily reached while wearing the backpack. This could be side pockets which aren’t too tall, maybe even angled forward like the Ospret Aether 60. I have recently discovered I like small pockets on my shoulder straps. I typically don’t like or pockets on the hip belts because when I take my pack off these pockets end up in the dirt.
    • Appropriately Durable Materials:  These days I most hike trails or am in fairly open terrain when going cross country. For me is 210 Denier uncoated nylon (or Sil-Nylon) with Dyneema (UHMWPE) ripstop for trail hiking and light bushwacking. Serious off trail / climbing I would want 100% spectra. My experience is that laminated materials is that delaminate after a hard year of use, say a few thousand miles. PU coated nylon ends up becoming a nasty mess in a few years due to hydrolysis. I am intrigued by the 100D Nylon PC that Hachor is using but not experience with it.
    • Hydration Tube Access: Some convenient way to get a hydration hose a out of the pack, but I don’t require a hydration sleeve.
    • Narrow enough that the pack doesn’t stick out much beyond the sides of my body.  Short enough that I can wear a wide brim hat without the hat rubbing against the pack.
    • Back ventilation:  I loved my VauDe Siena Biking Daypack. The mesh allows my back to breath.  Alas, I have yet to find a pack that has this feature which carries 25lb comfortably and also has enough room for my bear canister while not being too big.

    Other Random Things

    For amusement, you might want to take a look at tje lightningpacks which generates electricity as you hike. One issue that people are divided on is the optimal placement of a hip strap.