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
Safety Tips
Hiking Alone as a Woman: A Practical Safety Plan for Your First Solo Hikes
A calm plan for your first solo hike: which trail to start on, who should know where you are and when to call, what to tell strangers, and what to do if you get hurt on your own.
Camp Kitchen
Easy Camping Meals for Your First Nights Out: A One-Pot Plan for One Burner
Two dinners, one burner and one pot: what I would cook on night one, what I would save for night two, and the order that keeps the pot from scorching.
Tent and Sleeping Bag Care
How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag Without Ruining It
Before you put a down bag in the washer, check whether it needs a full wash at all. Then follow the makers’ steps for the machine, the soap, the rinse and the long, low-heat dry that brings the loft back.
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