Find a Pack That Fits Your Body, Your Trip and Your Budget
I read the manufacturer’s specs, the sizing charts and what owners report, then tell you plainly which packs suit you and which to skip.
Start with Fit
Most pack problems, from sore shoulders to a hip belt that slides up, come back to fit. These three guides are where I’d start.
How-To Guides
How to Measure Your Torso for a Hiking Backpack (Step-by-Step Fitting Guide)
Your height won’t tell you your pack size. Find your C7 and iliac crest, measure your torso at home, and match the number to the brand’s size chart.
Backpacks and Daypacks
Best Hiking Backpacks for Back Pain: 3 Packs That Put the Load on Your Hips
If your back aches after a hike, fit is the place to start. These three hiking packs are matched to how much you carry, each in a men’s and a women’s version, with the torso, hip belt and load numbers to check first.
Backpacks and Daypacks
Best Hiking Backpacks Under $100: Budget Picks Worth Carrying
Which pack under $100 fits your trip and your body? I sort five budget picks by job and say plainly what each one gives up.
How I Choose Gear
Founder & Gear Research Editor
Sonia Zannoni
Hi, I’m Sonia. I don’t test gear myself. I read the manufacturer’s specs and sizing charts and look for what owners report again and again. Then I tell you who each pick suits and who should skip it.
About the FounderNew on the site
How-To Guides
How to Adjust Hiking Backpack Straps So the Weight Sits on Your Hips
Set the hip belt, shoulder straps, load lifters and sternum strap in order, with a quick check for each. Then fix what you feel on the trail and learn the signs that it’s the pack’s size, not the straps.
Backpacks and Daypacks
Best Hybrid Daypacks: The City-to-Summit Guide
Looking for the best hybrid backpack for the office and the trail? Which hybrid daypacks suit which commute and hike, and what to check before you buy.
Hiking 101
Hiking Layers Explained for Beginners (Without the Gear Jargon)
Hiking layers explained for beginners: what a base layer, fleece and rain shell each do, why cotton chills you, and the one piece worth buying first.
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