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
Camp Kitchen
Camping Coffee: How to Make a Good Cup at Camp and Keep It Hot
Instant, cowboy coffee, pour-over, a French press or a percolator: how to pick the one your trip can carry, get the water right at camp, and keep the second cup hot on a cold morning.
Trail Gear and Tech
Best Hydration Packs for Hiking, Matched to How Long You’re Out
Work out the water your usual hike needs, then match it to one of three hydration packs by hike length and torso, or to a bladder in the daypack you already own.
Inspiration and Wellness
Benefits of Hiking for Everyday Hikers: What the Research Shows, and What It Can’t Promise
Some benefits of hiking rest on strong evidence and some don’t. Here’s how to tell them apart, and how much hiking a week, even Saturdays only, is enough to count.
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