Whether you’re planning an epic thru-hike or a quick weekend jaunt, keeping pack weight down is key. The entire outdoor industry is going light and there’s a good reason why: Lightweight backpacking is way more comfortable and enjoyable. Your backpack will be one of the four heaviest items on your back backpack so it’s a great place to start reducing overall weight. We’ve researched and tested dozens of lightweight backpacks to narrow this list down to the very best of the best. Whatever your hiking goals are, we hope this post helps you find the perfect pack to keep you comfortable on the trail for many years to come.
One of our big goals here at The Adventure Junkies is to make your life easier when it comes to buying outdoor gear. We’ve already told you how to find the best hiking GPS, a good quality camping hammock and an affordable high end camera for traveling. Now, it’s time to talk about backpacks for hiking. We’ve put together these backpack reviews to help you out with the process. For this article, we stuck to talking about 50-80 liter packs designed for multi-day hiking. We fully understand how tough it is to find trustworthy gear advice, and that’s one of the main reasons we built CleverHiker. We live for outdoor adventure, and we take these guides very seriously. Here are some of the reasons you can trust us:
The Gorilla has a unisex ergonomic hip belt shape, which is comfortable for both men and women and carries weight well on the trail. One of our favorite features of the Gorilla is its removable SitLight pad, which acts as back padding on the trail and a cushy seat around camp. This pack has a simple aluminum stay frame, well-padded shoulder straps, and a removable hip belt. The Gorilla’s top-zip pocket is also a nice touch for storing small items. This pack’s capacity is 40 liters, so it’s a good option for those with their gear dialed in, but if you want more space.
- Made of durable polyester
- Ideal for hiking and camping
- Extensive storage pockets and compartments
- Large sleeping-bag compartment
- Adjustable straps and padded shoulder straps for a comfortable
- Open-cell foam lumbar pad and molded channels for lower-back support and airflow
- Waterproof cover included for heavier rain
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear and Southwest strike an exceptional balance between weight, weather resistance, and durability. These burly ultralight backpacks have a minimal design, but their frames are highly effective and feel sturdier than most lightweight packs. The unique DCF fabric and taped seams on the Southwest make it one of the most weather-resistant and durable packs we’ve ever tested, hands down. If you pair the Southwest with some of HMG’s waterproof, you’ll have an almost completely waterproof system.
The main downside with the Southwest is its higher price point due to the DCF fabric, but this pack will last for many years and thousands of trail miles if treated with care. Most of our backpacking gear is ultralight and compact, so we find the Southwest provides enough space for most of our 3-5 day backpacking trips. If your gear isn’t quite dialed in or you want the ability to carry bulky winter gear, we recommend bumping up to the size, which is pretty much the exact same pack with more space.
Trekking Backpacks 