Why You Need to Pick the Best Backpack.
Image by Joshua Woroniecki from Pixabay.
Backpacking Will Become a Way of Life, and So Will the Gear.
After breaking through the tree line, the landscape opens up and the trail brings you to the edge of the mountain's north face. You’ve been on the trail for an hour. It’s still early enough the sun is warming up the earth, leaving the drainage below covered in a blanket of fog breaking at the hillside below you. You’re above the clouds now.
Wheels with motors can’t get you here. Only your trusty footwear and the backpack carrying your gear allowed you this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Backpacking is an odd hobby when you think about it. Put 60 lbs of equipment to live for three or four days on your back and we call that fun. I’m telling you though it is fun. So long as the gear on your back is quality and carried in a quality pack.
It’s easy to look at the prices of high-quality backpacks and run for the discount sites. They even have some pretty cool packs with some handy add-ons. Have you ever heard the expression “buy once cry once”? Backpacks are the prime example.
It’s important to know what you’re going to be doing. To know what kind of pack you’ll need. Many businesses carry the right backpack for you with quality that can keep you from needing a new one every year.
Taken by me nearly 10 years ago, getting outside and on the trail can be inspiring.
What Is the best Backpack to Use?
There’s not any Backpack that fits every need. Most can cover a few different needs. You have to decide what you will be doing, then you can find the right pack. So where are you going?
A three-day trek in the backcountry–You’ll want a good Rucksack with at least a 60-liter main pouch. You’ll want extra pouches for more storage. Some packs will have over a 100-liter pouch to hold all you need.
A one-day hike on a day trail–You’ll want to slim it down with a smaller backpack of around 30-60 liters. It will be sleek and light enough to be comfortable, but you can still have food and an emergency kit, just in case.
Everyday use like, school, shopping, etc–These packs are everywhere and have many functionalities. Fanny packs, backpacks, and even purses can fall into this category. These are versatile and can even move into the one-day hike category.
Each pack can serve in other categories–You can always use your everyday pack for a one-day hike. If your day pack is larger, you can live a few days out of it. A large rucksack can help you carry enough for more than three days if you’re committed. Moving them down the list causes a problem with bulk and weight for simple use.
Do your research, find what fits you best–make sure it's comfortable before you buy it. Social media is the best place to find everything on every pack you find. I’ve not had a pack yet I wasn’t able to find a review of.
Getting on reviews before you find a pack is also a good way to find ideas on packs. I’m not going to get into brands and models of packs in this blog. I’m just covering the importance of picking the right one.
Why is Choosing the Right Backpack so Important?
The world outside your home has a habit of putting you and your gear to the test. You might think that the rain, sleet, and snow are what will destroy your pack. Too many sunny days will be as bad.
Quality will go a long way to prevent you from having to buy quantity. The material, the amount of stitching on each seam, and how the pouches close. There are so many failure points on packs that can come at the worst time. Choosing high-quality packs can make or break your trip.
Many different materials are used for backpacks, some lighter than others. Some materials are better in bad weather and some are heavy, but far more resilient.
Some of the most common materials include:
Nylon
Cordura
Nylon Ripstop (It’s the most popular material for backpacking packs.)
Polyester
Canvas
There’s more but these are the most popular. They can be ultra-light but still very dependable or heavier but very rugged. When choosing the right material you want on your pack know your weight limits and how hard your trips will be on the pack.
I live in the high desert plateau region of the Intermountain West–We have a lot of sun a lot of open space and our mountain ranges can be dry. You will be hot and sweaty one minute and hiking through torrential rainfall the next. Where I live is above 5000 ft so oxygen is already low.
Light materials are best in a hiking backpack but you still need them to be durable. It’s also important to weatherproof your pack, nylons are usually best–the problem with nylons in the Intermountain West is the sun. Be careful to maintain your pack after all treks.
I recently visited the Smokey Mountains–In the Tennessee and North Carolina areas. It’s a big change from what I’m used to. I went on a small day hike, nothing serious, to see a string of waterfalls.
I could tell that I would have more energy and strength if I were packing on the Appalachian Trail–I would have to be ready for a wetter trip than I used to. I prefer a heavy material, reinforced with waterproofing like Cordura and canvas. Humidity is the culprit here make sure to dry your pack after every trek to prevent mold and degradation.
Every Region you go to will have its own range of environmental and physical factors–Research is key to knowing what you will need to plan on. This backpack can be a matter of surviving a backwoods trip.
Comfort is king when you’re packing your home for a few days. Build and ergonomics are as important as the material you choose. Cheap packs can be comfortable for a few trips but they begin to lose structure with continued use.
Padding in the shoulder and waist straps, stitching being at least a double stitch, and a framed or frameless. These are going to make the difference between an enjoyable trek and a miserable painful one.
Photo by Matt Gross on Unsplash
Here’s Some Things to Think About When Choosing the Right Pack.
Remember “Buy once, cry once”. I can’t stress this enough you need to research. YouTube product reviews are a good way to get a visual idea about the different packs you are looking at. You can look up a specific pack you're looking at or you can look up the activity you’re planning for the pack.
It’s important to find independent reviewers who are being honest. Influencers can still do a good job at showing you the quality even if they are working with the brand company. Then go to the store and feel it for yourself.
Check for adjustability and sizing–Modern backpacks have come far from the original designs. Frames are polymer and even internal of the pack. External frames are still a thing and my personal favorite. Backpacks can now adjust the length of the frame, not just the shoulder and waist straps.
Adjustable frames enable you to refine how well the pack fits on your back and improve comfort while on your trek.
Size matters and varies on the usage–You don’t need a rucksack for everyday usage and can’t use your everyday pack on a ruck. You can find packs that will accommodate both sometimes and can work, but not be exceptional. They are a jack of all trades and a master of none, so to speak.
If you love packs like I do you will find that there is a huge market to find one that will master the use you need them for.
A focus on rucking and multiple night treks needs quality–Quality in a pack when you plan on living out of your pack for a few days cannot be overstated. Once you find yourself 8 miles into a trail without motor vehicle access with a broken pack you’ll agree. Do your research find stores and try on different packs. Give yourself every opportunity to succeed on your trip.
A lite pack will be less durable than heavy material but heavy material is just that; heavy! If you are careful a lite pack is the best you get to take more and it will last long enough.
Photo by R+R Medicinals on Unsplash.
Time to Take the Dive Into Buying a Pack.
It is very tempting to run out and find the first pack you see that looks cool when your buddies and you decide to hit the trail. It could be a good idea to find a cheaper pack that can last one weekend in case you find backpacking is not right for you. Borrowing from a friend would be better but if you don’t have that option get one to get by.
You might not like to live out of a pack for a few nights, but make sure you don’t by going on a trip. That first overnighter can tell you all you need to know. You’ll love it, or liked hiking but wished you had far less weight and it ended in a comfortable bed that night. Either way, now you know what pack to buy.
It’s time to do your research. Now that I have given you the road map to what you are looking for when getting your first pack, you can decide what you want to do. Find the right pack, quality first, cool second, and get yourself outside and living better and healthier.
If you have decided you want to get out on the trial but not sure what you should bring with you read my blog, 10 Most Important Items to Take Backpacking. https://www.snowmancopywriter.com/blog/10-most-important-items-to-take-backpacking
Join Me in Bringing More People Outside.
As an outdoorsman, I love to get out and go do the things. As a copywriter and marketing specialist, I love to write about it and help businesses find customers who want to do the same. I want to work with you to help your business. Let’s establish authority, increase reach, and foster relationships with current customers. Set up a 15-minute consultation on my Calendly, https://calendly.com/snowmancopywriter/15-minute-consultation, or email me at glsnow@snowmanagency.com.
If you want to take over the CTA links on this blog for your business you can use the links above to arrange an agreement.