Do you know what to look for when trying on backpacks?

Backpacks are the most needed piece of camping equipment next to a tent of course. If you've ever looked for them in an effort to buy one then you already know there are all kinds of them out there ranging in size from daytrip to expedition. What you need to do is assess what sort of camping you'll be doing i.e. a weekend trip, a week long? And buy a pack that is appropriate for you. I find for myself that an 80 litre (20 gallon) pack is just about perfect for me to go hit the trail for four or five days.

It's a good idea to be sure there are lots of places to to lash sleeping bags and sleeping pads to as well as having outside pockets to give you quick access to a raincoat or first aid kit if needed. Also look for straps and compression cords and that sort of thing. these features help to tighten up your load so it does not slip and move while you travel. A load that is not tight will cause you to be fighting to regain your balance all the time and generally tire you out prematurely. Some have removable tops that you can wear as a fanny pack to bring lunch or drinks on hiking trips.

Be careful though, you can spend a lot of unnecessary money on backpacks so be sure to shop and compare. These days it's possible to get them with all sorts of features and much less cost than some of the bigger brand name ones.

The most important thing about backpacks in general though is that they fit you properly. Any decent one today will come with adjustable shoulder straps, waist sraps, and will be padded thruout. Their frame will be sewn into the wall of the pack, covered in padding to make things more comfortable for you. The waist strap should really bear most of the weight of the pack and the shoulder straps should really just be there to stabileze the load. They should fit you in a way that they feel as if they are an extension of your body. They should not move around on you too easily when loaded up with camping gear. If you can, when you're shopping for backpacks, try to load it with some sort of weight to give you a better idea how it's going to feel when it's full of the camping gear you plan on taking with you.

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