Which hiking backpack should you choose for the length of your trip?
At the start of an October hike, your insulated jacket and waterproof jacket no longer fit in your small summer pack. Choose the volume based on the length of your trip first. For a day trip, 20 litres is enough in summer ; choose 30 litres when you’re carrying warm layers or spending a night in a mountain hut. Two or three nights in huts, or one night in a tent, call for 40 litres. For a self-supported multi-day trip, allow 50 litres or more. On a trekking pack, the second figure, such as the +10 on Deuter’s AIRCONTACT models, shows the extra litres available when you extend the lid.
For a short trip, a small 13- to 18-litre pack, such as the Deuter SPEED LITE or Osprey HIKELITE, weighs less than 700 g. Each volume has its own selection: 20 litres, 30 litres, 40 litres and 50 litres.
Trekking and camping backpacks: 40 to 75 litres for multi-day trips
On a multi-day hike, expect to carry 15 to 20 kg on your back, according to the product details for Deuter’s AIRCONTACT CORE, which has an adjustable back length of 42 to 62 cm. The FUTURA AIR TREK transfers the load to your hips to relieve your shoulders. Osprey’s KESTREL has an integrated rain cover and attachments for ice axes and poles; the KESTREL LT and KYTE LT also have a large zipped side opening.
For longer trips, Osprey’s FARPOINT TREK and FAIRVIEW TREK open like a suitcase. Their cover protects them in the hold and in the rain. Deuter’s VOYAGER SL has separate compartments. See our travel and trekking backpacks.
A comfortable hiking backpack: what to check in the product details
Adjusted to your size, a backpack transfers most of the weight to your hips through the hip belt. Check the product details for:
- Adjustable back length: VariClick on Deuter packs, AirScape on Osprey packs.
- Suspended mesh back (FUTURA, HIKELITE) or close-fitting back (SPEED LITE).
- Recommended load: 6 to 10 kg for the FUTURA PRO, up to 20 kg for the AIRCONTACT CORE.
- Integrated rain cover, or Deuter RAINCOVER sold separately.
- Empty weight: from under 400 g to over 2 kg.
Pack the heaviest items against your back, in the middle of the pack. Our guide choosing a comfortable hiking backpack explains how to adjust it.
Women’s or men’s hiking backpack: choosing the right fit
You can identify Deuter’s women’s fits by the SL in the name: the FUTURA SL has a shorter back length and adjustable shoulder straps, the AIRCONTACT CORE SL is designed for shorter backs. Osprey’s SIRRUS, TEMPEST, KYTE and ARIEL are shaped for women; the STRATOS and KESTREL for men. The HIKELITE and SPEED LITE are unisex. You’ll find every size in our Women's hiking backpacks and our men’s hiking backpacks.
Mountaineering, ski touring, mountain biking and child carriers
In the high mountains, Deuter’s GUIDE carries ice axes and a rope. It takes up to 12 kg: see our mountaineering backpacks. In winter, the FIRN, SOELDEN and FREERIDER have storage for avalanche safety gear, alongside the rest of our ski backpacks. For mountain biking, Osprey’s RAPTOR and RAVEN carry a hydration bladder and a tool pocket. If you’re heading out with a child who can sit upright, the Deuter KID COMFORT child carrier takes up to 18 kg according to its product details: see our hiking child carriers.
