Don’t Wait Until You Are Camping to Get a Backpack That Works Best for You
The best advice you can get for choosing a camping backpack is to choose one ahead of starting out in the great outdoors for your trip. It needs to be the right size, fit and form in order to work the best.
3 Best Camping Backpacks
When choosing a camping backpack you have a ton of things to consider besides the name brand of it. Not all backpacks are made the same and you need something to hold up to scratches and scrapes without dumping your gear all over the ground. Check out some of the best picks.
SKORCH Original Backpack
SKORCH backpacks are the ultimate in camping gear. It is waterproof and considered a dry bag to keep all the contents dry while getting to your campsite. This backpack is the perfect size of 30L to hold all your possessions such as clothes, cameras, phones and camping gear in one area. Both men and women can carry this size and even with heavier gear, you won’t be disappointed as it has wide, padded shoulder straps to be comfortable in carrying for a great distance without back fatigue. It is built tough with UPVC material to hold up to scratches and scrapes along the way and never tear.
Mammut Trion Zip 42
This camping backpack holds 42L for extra room if you need it to get all your supplies to your campsite. It is a top loading pack with great tool attachments to carry them on the outside of the pack. It includes adjustable and removable hook and loop straps on the front to keep the handles secure and has daisy chains on the lid and front to strap on a sit pad or a smaller pouch. The reinforced loops on the side can hold a tent setup. The supportive hip belt adjusts either up or down 2 inches for a custom fit. The V-shape aluminum frame and an aggressively contoured hip belt prevents fatigue over longer distances. It includes a hip belt pocket for a phone and three small zipper pouches inside for smaller items that you want to get to quickly.
Columbia Wildwood
The Columbia Wildwood is a 46L camping backpack, which may be a bit big for some applications. Unless on the flip side you want only one person to carry a large pack and leave another with a small pack. It includes twelve pockets and sleeves to sort your items as well as two hidden zippered security pockets on each side of the back panel. It holds a 5-liter kangaroo pouch on the front to hold a small tent with a hydration sleeve. The 2-inch wide shoulder straps and 5-inch wide hip belt pads help in comfort with such a large backpack. This pack can hold up to 35 pounds of gear easily.
Other Considerations
These are rated as some of the best camping backpacks; however you have many other things to consider in a pack for your gear.
Trip Length and Location
If you are only camping for a day, you can choose a smaller size backpack for your gear, however if you are planning on several days you will need a larger one. Consider the location of your campsite too. If there isn’t much potable water at your campsite or none at all, you will need a larger pack to carry extra water.
Check out the Material
It’s important to choose a backpack that is durable and well made with high quality nylon. Check out the areas that get the most use such as the zippers and pockets to make sure that they are all double stitched for strength. The backpack bottom needs to be a much stronger material than the rest of the pack. It obviously carries the most weight and is usually set down on the ground for a rest while getting to the campsite or at the campsite.
Since camping is usually done in warmer weather, you should choose a backpack with a wicking fabric. This will help when your back is all sweaty from carrying a heavy bag. It will draw the moisture and sweat away from your body and most have grooves to allow maximum airflow on your back.
Measure for the Fit
You’ll need to get your measurements to make sure your camping backpack is a good fit for you. These go by torso measurements. Measure from the most prominent bone in the back of your neck to the small of your back. Here is how the measurements translate to size: 15 inches and less is extra small, 15 to 17 inches is a small, 18 to 19 inches is a regular and 20 inches and more is a tall size.
Hip Belts are Important
Hip belts help to distribute the weight of your backpack so that all of the weight is not on your shoulders and cause injuries. A hip belt should sit right above your hipbones so it can transfer some of the weight to your hips. Your hips should actually be carrying 80 percent of the total weight in your backpack.
The shoulder straps and hip belts should be padded material so that they are smooth and without any seams that can cause painful body blisters and be a trip spoiler.
Take the Backpack for a Test Drive
Try on the backpack while you are in the store and before you buy it. Many camping gear stores have weight bags that you can put inside to give you a better idea of how the bag will work for you. Store associates can also help you to make adjustments so that it fits you correctly. You can also bring your primary camping gear to load the pack up and check it out and move around to give it a test drive.
When you are looking for your camping backpack, pick a quality pack that will work well for you, store all your gear and fit you comfortably. It’s not worth risking injuries or strains from packs that don’t fit you or don’t have padding in all the right places.
