A key piece of equipment for a hike is the backpack. Vintage hikers’ choices such as canvas or leather, however beautiful they are, they can’t provide the usability of today’s backpacks.
Modern backpacks are made of durable technical materials, giving them high resistance to the difficult mountain conditions and they are anatomically designed in order to perform a symmetrical load distribution on the hiker’s body.
So if you want to choose your backpack, you need to consider the following factors.
Usage
Depending on the usage, backpacks fall into two general categories. General mountaineering backpacks and summit backpacks. General mountaineering backpacks have a capacity of 60 to 90 lt so they can carry heavy load and are suitable for long hikes and routes. Summit backpacks have a capacity of 30 to 45 lt and are suitable for one or two day routes. For example, we are having two backpacks, one of 75lt for our long routes and one of 30lt for our daily hikes. So use the right size depending on the length of your excursions.
Comfort
In hiking, comfort is essential so that it is not an additional fatigue factor. Your backpack must have a wide waistband, padded with soft materials and wide shoulder adjustable straps in order to fit the body properly. It is advisable to have a sternum strap for more stability. Tip: the sternum strap can be used to mount the action camera (with appropriate adapter – case)
The backpack’s back should be padded with soft material and have a ventilation system so that your back does not sweat during the hike. External pockets are very useful for easy storage of frequently used equipment. Finally, the backpack must have a built-in waterproof cover which is extremely useful in case of a rain, or else you must be prepared to dry your equipment (we have it and we know it)
Durability
Due to the challenging mountain conditions, how durable a backpack can be, is another essential factor. For example if the clip of the waistband breaks, the backpack’s stability changes. Okay this is a minor problem, you will say. But think about the unstitching of the shoulder strap or the tearing the side seam.
So, check the quality of the seams, especially to the points of mechanical stress. Such points are where the shoulder straps are joining the body of the backpack the joining of the waistband and the joining of the secondary straps. Pay attention to the quality of the fasteners on the straps and the waistband. They should be easy to open and fasten without sticking. Also check the zippers in the various pockets. Make sure that they are well-stitched and have free movement.
Finally, to complete the purchase of your backpack, check the above and test it on the store. Fill it with something (for example your jacket), wear it and take several steps with it, to “feel” it. Many times you will find that what you visually like, does not suit you physically.
In general a good backpack should offer comfort, durability, light weight and waterproofing. And remember that an expensive backpack is not always the best one