Gear & Packing
How to pick a first hiking backpack — choosing the right size in liters, getting the torso fit right, and the features that matter versus the ones you can skip.
A backpack is the one piece of gear that touches you the entire time you're out there. Boots matter, a tent matters, but you take the pack off far less often than either, and a bad one makes itself known with every step. Choose well and you'll forget you're wearing it. Choose badly and it becomes the thing you think about instead of the view.
The trouble is that pack walls in shops are overwhelming — dozens of models, capacities, and features, all promising to be the one. Cut through it by focusing on three things in order: fit, size, and a short list of features that actually earn their place. Get those right and the rest is detail.
The most common beginner mistake is buying a pack based on height. Packs aren't sized by how tall you are; they're sized by your torso length — the distance from the bony bump at the base of your neck down to the top of your hip bones. Two people the same height can need different pack sizes because they carry their height in their legs or their back.
Measure your torso, or have a shop do it, and match it to the pack's fit range. Many packs come in small, medium, and large frame sizes, and some have an adjustable back panel that slides to dial in the length. A pack that's too long rides high and pulls back on your shoulders; one that's too short crowds your neck and won't transfer weight to your hips.
The hip belt is the other half of fit. It should wrap the top of your hip bones — not your waist — and cinch snugly there, because your hips are meant to carry most of the load. When you try packs on, do it with weight inside, not empty. A shop that lets you load a pack with sandbags and walk around is doing you a favor.
A pack that fits carries twice the weight for half the effort. Never buy one off the shelf because the color's nice or the reviews are glowing. If it doesn't fit your torso and lock onto your hips, it's the wrong pack, full stop.
Backpack capacity is measured in liters, and the right number depends entirely on what you do. Bigger is not better — a large pack tempts you to fill it, and a full big pack is a heavy pack. Match capacity to the length of your typical outing:
For most beginners, a comfortable day pack around 20–30 liters covers the trips you'll take this year, and you can add a larger one later when overnights become a habit. Buying a huge pack "to grow into" usually backfires: it's heavier empty, it sags when underfilled, and it encourages you to haul things you don't need. A smaller pack you fill sensibly beats a big one rattling half-empty.
That said, size it for your actual sleep system if you're going overnight. A bulky sleeping bag and pad eat capacity fast, so how much room you need is partly a function of what you're carrying — our guide to choosing a sleeping bag and pad explains how compact modern kit can be, which in turn lets you carry a smaller, lighter pack.
Once fit and size are sorted, features are the tiebreaker. Some genuinely help; others just add weight and cost. The ones I'd look for:
Things you can happily ignore at first: a dozen dangling straps you'll never use, a detachable daypack that adds weight, and ultralight materials at a premium price you don't need yet. Ventilated back panels that hold the pack off your sweaty back are a nice comfort in hot climates, though they can push the load slightly away from you — a minor trade-off most people accept gladly in summer.
Buying the pack is only step one; getting the load inside it right is what makes the whole thing carry well. Even a perfectly fitted pack rides badly if the weight is dumped in without thought, so once you've chosen yours, learn how to pack a backpack the right way — heavy items near your spine, sleep gear at the bottom, daily items reachable. The pack and the packing are a team.
Before your first real outing, load the pack at home with roughly the weight you'll carry and wear it around for a while. You'll spot pressure points, learn how to adjust the straps, and confirm the fit under real weight, all somewhere you can fix problems easily rather than three miles from the car.
It's worth thinking about how you'll look after the pack, too, since a well-treated one lasts many seasons. Empty it out after every trip, let any damp dry fully before storing it, and hang it loosely rather than crushing it into a bin. Spot-clean the fabric by hand rather than machine-washing, which can strip the water-resistant coating and wear the seams. A pack is a long-term companion more than a disposable purchase, and a little care keeps it carrying comfortably for years.
The best first backpack isn't the biggest, the priciest, or the one with the most features. It's the one that fits your torso, matches the trips you genuinely take, and rides comfortably when it's loaded. Nail those and you've bought a pack that quietly does its job for years.
Measure your torso, be honest about the outings you'll do this season, insist on a hip belt that carries the weight, and try before you buy with real load inside. Do that and your pack becomes the last thing you worry about out there — which, for the one piece of gear you never take off, is exactly what you want.
Caleb tests gear until it breaks and packs lighter than everyone he hikes with. He writes honest, budget-aware advice on gear and camping.
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