I’ve by no means thought-about myself to be a gearhead. I exploit gear to hike, not the opposite approach round. That mentioned, in case you spend sufficient time backpacking over sufficient years, chances are high you’ll accumulate the kind of tools obligatory to assist preserve you protected and comfy(ish) in a variety of wilderness situations.
Pictured above are the backpacks I’ve used over the previous decade for nearly all my mountaineering excursions. From day journeys to multi-month journeys, they’ve served me effectively in a broad number of environments and circumstances. I can’t say that anyone of them is the “perfect.” Frankly, there isn’t a such factor. However I can say with a level of certainty that they’re all within the dialog for the perfect of their class. With solely just a little extra ado, right here’s a rundown of my backpack quiver as of 2023:
(Be aware: Please excuse the article’s wanky third-person title. I used to be attempting to consider one thing distinctive and semi-catchy that described what you’re about to learn. I thought-about “My Favorite Backpacks” and “Backpacks for All Seasons,” however they each sounded too generic and yawn-inducing. Finally I accepted falling in need of my titular goal and went with wanky).
Day Hikes
Montbell Cross Runner Pack 15 – (Japan On-line Retailer) / (US On-line Retailer)
In case you occur to identify me roaming the ridges, peaks, and valleys of Mexico’s Sierra Madre, chances are high I’ll be sporting the Montbell Cross Runner Pack 15. Certainly, I prefer it a lot, it additionally serves for strolling round city and as a carry-on bag when flying. The Montbell Cross Runner 15 ideas the scales at 10.9 oz (308 gr) and incorporates a torso-hugging shoulder harness, double sternum straps, expandable/simply accessible shoulder pockets (large enough for a water bottle or smartphone), and a secret squirrel interior pocket for a pockets and keys. The pack is hydration appropriate, has a drawcord for compressing/stabilizing your load, and a 3D mesh backpanel to assist preserve issues ethereal when temps begin to rise (Be aware: The Cross Runner additionally is available in a 7L model).
Montbell Cross Runner 15 in Mexico’s Sierra Madre.
I normally fill the shoulder pockets with a smartphone, sunscreen, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and possibly a snack or two.
Gazing out from the sting of Cape Enniberg (754 m/2,474 ft), the world’s highest promontory (Faroe Islands, 2022).
Multi-day Journeys (whole pack weight normally beneath 24 lbs/11 kg)
Mountain Laurel Designs Burn 38 L (frameless)
Since 2009/10, I’ve used three completely different incarnations of the MLD Burn for a complete distance north of 20,000 mi/32,187 km (together with the Calendar Triple Crown/12 Lengthy Walks in 2011/12). Over time, the materials have modified, the amount and weight have elevated, and the straps are wider and extra cushioned, nevertheless it nonetheless sports activities the identical slim profile and comfy match that I’ve all the time loved. Right here’s a evaluation I wrote of the pack from 2016 (Be aware: Over the previous twenty years, MLD has established a well-earned popularity for producing constantly high-quality ultralight gear. That mentioned, sometimes (possibly greater than sometimes), you’ll hear some of us moan and groan concerning the firm’s lead occasions. For my whimsical tackle this and plenty of different quirks of the ultralight backpacking neighborhood, see 50 Indicators You Could Have Taken Ultralight Backpacking Too Far).
One of many greatest hundreds I’ve carried within the Burn was throughout an roughly 240-mile (386 km) stretch between East Glacier and Helena, MT, on the Continental Divide Path in August 2012 (Be aware: The Benchmark Ranch was closed due to fires on the time).
With a Dyneema model of the Burn on Norway’s Lengthy Crossing of the Lofoten Islands (2018) (Be aware: As of 2023, the Burn now is available in both Ecopak UltraWeave or UltraGrid 200d RipStop).
Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 (frameless)
I used to be given this pack by Grant from Gossamer Gear at ALDHA West in 2014. My reminiscence’s a bit hazy, however I feel we might have been having a multi-beer dialog about Willie Nelson and the Austin music scene. Since these nebulous beginnings, I’ve taken the Kumo on the Colorado Path (2015) and plenty of brief journeys within the Sierra Madre. Certainly, to this present day, I carry it each Wednesday to haul my fruit and veggies from the native farmer’s market. After eight years of standard utilization, it nonetheless appears to be like in nice form. If I used to be to pinpoint my favourite options of the Kumo (and Gossamer packs on the whole), the primary issues that come to thoughts are the large shoulder straps, lid system, and total consolation and sturdiness. Retailing for US$170, the Kumo nonetheless charges as among the best value-for-money ultralight packs available on the market.
Rocking the Kumo on the Colorado Path (2015).
Multi-week Journeys (whole pack weight recurrently exceeds 24 lbs/11 kg)
Six Moon Designs Swift X (inner body)
Since March 2020, I’ve logged over 2,000 miles (3,219 km) with the Swift X within the Sierra Madre, Northern Alaska, Greenland, and Lapland. Throughout this era, it’s turn out to be my pack of alternative for long-haul journeys wherein I’m recurrently carrying heavy hundreds between 22 and 44 lbs (10-20 kg). I wrote a detailed evaluation of the pack a few weeks in the past.
The standout characteristic of the Swift X is the vest harness. Previous to utilizing this pack, I hadn’t tried a running-style vest harness on something apart from a daypack. Nonetheless, over the previous few years, I’ve turn out to be a giant fan of the torso-hugging match and weight distribution it helps present when negotiating difficult circumstances (e.g., river fords, snowfields, tussocks, blowdowns, or scree slopes) whereas carrying a heavy load.
Yours really on the Greenland Ice Cap – a not-to-be-missed supplemental part of the Arctic Circle Path (September 2022) (Be aware: The Arctic Circle Path and the Jotunheimen Loop pictured beneath are each featured in my upcoming guide, Wanderlust Nordics, with Gestalten publications).
Crossing the Skautflye plateau throughout a loop hike round Norway’s Jotunheimen Nationwide Park (September 2022).
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest (inner body)
If I take into consideration the HMG 2400 Southwest, the primary phrase that involves thoughts is “bombproof.” In 2016/17, I took this pack on a collection of heavy-carry traverses, together with the Colorado part of the Sangre de Cristo Vary (beginning weight 34 lb/15.4 kg), South Dakota’s Badlands (beginning weight 44 lb/20 kg), Bolivia’s Altiplano (max weight 33 lb/11 kg), and the hardest of all of them, a journey throughout Southwest Tasmania (beginning weight 42 lb/19 kg). The 2400 Southwest held up very effectively all through these difficult hikes, and though I haven’t used it a lot lately, it nonetheless appears to be like in fine condition seven years after I first picked it up.
In addition to its sturdiness, the standout characteristic of the 2400 Southwest is its glorious weight switch functionality from shoulders to hips. Regardless of this, it appears bizarre that HMG has by no means added load lifters; there’s no query that they make a distinction when your pack weight is recurrently north of twenty-two lb/10 kg. Certainly, the shortage of lifters, together with the vest harness and just a little extra inner quantity, have been the explanations I switched from the 2400 Southwest to the Swift X for my large-haul journeys since 2020.
Trekking throughout the Salar de Uyuni throughout the Altiplano Traverse (Bolivia 2017).
The HMG Southwest 2400 throughout a 16 day meals keep on the Southwest Tasmania Traverse (2016).
Comparable Backpacks (Day, Frameless, Inner Body)
The fashions listed beneath are all well-regarded amongst skilled ramblers and are in the identical ballpark as my very own packs in regard to quantity, high quality of supplies, and workmanship. A handful are made by massive firms equivalent to REI and Osprey, however most are produced by smaller, cottage industry-type producers. They aren’t listed in any specific order apart from alphabetically:
5 Comparable Daypacks
5 Comparable Frameless Packs (35-40L)
5 Comparable Inner Framed Packs (50-55L)
The Previous and the New(ish)…………….Macpac Torre (85 L) and MLD Burn (38 L). I carried the load-hauling monster on the correct for a quick interval within the mid/late Nineties. My again and knees harm simply serious about it.
Associated Articles
Disclaimer: All the 5 backpacks featured above have been freebies. They got to me by ultralight/light-weight backpacking gear firms that I’ve partnered with at one time or one other because the 2000s. I used to be below no obligation to put in writing a evaluation for any of the packs, and the opinions expressed are my very own.
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