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Oct 04, 2023

Best Hiking Backpacks

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

Take the load off your back.

Hiking is easily our favorite way to get outdoors. Our bipedalism separated us from the rest of the animal world some millions of years ago, and as the only human species left, it's our duty to keep rocking with bipedalism. You literally just have to walk out of your house and go. Pack a tent and a tarp, leave the fancy grills, fire pits, and camping gadgets at home. Just start walking down a highway or country road, in a state park or across the Appalachians, it's as accessible as the outdoors can be.

But you need a quality pack to lug all your water, food, and essentials. The pack is the foundation of any hiking setup, so we went ahead and tested the most popular models on the market. From daypacks and ultralight models to full on guide-sized internal-frame behemoths, we tried them all. These are the ones that will keep you comfortable while lugging your essentials (sleeping bag and sleeping pad) and your creature comforts (looking at you, camp coffee maker) around.

This is a classic 55L internal frame backpack. The last time you were in scouts, you would have used something like this. So why does the Osprey Aether win our Best Overall category? Well... Nothing has ever really topped it.

From top to bottom, it's everything you need for a long weekend backpacking trip. The floating lid offers extra storage. The main compartment is loaded from the top, but it can be accessed by the back zip. The shoulder straps are comfortable, and the wast strap is sturdy enough to hold your weight. And, the 420HD nylon will hold up for years.

We'd recommend 55L for any casual hikers, as it lowers your weight and keeps you from packing non-essentials. But if you're looking to do any winter hiking, packrafting, or mountaineering, just get this same model in the 65L or 70L sizes.

Those not in the backpacking world might find this strange, given the brand's reputation, but The North Face makes a great budget pack. The Terra line, including this 55-liter pack for $170, is an incredible value.

You get a lot of the same perks that come with that Osprey model—floating lid, clever zipper, good strong shoulder and waist straps. Where it falls short though is in material, an ultimately that's what makes it a budget pack. The Terra only uses 210D nylon on its body. And while denier ratings are not one-to-one, that's half of what you get on the Osprey.

Still, for the price, there's nothing that'll beat this.

Ultralight backpacking is designated as when your entire pack—not including food and water—weighs 10 pounds or less. Once a in interest of a small section of the backpacking community, it sprung a cottage industry of unstructured packs and paper thin tents and tarps. These days, it's fully in the mainstream, mainly because it makes hiking a lot more accessible.

One of the names that's pushed ultralight hiking to the forefront is Hyperlite Mountain Gear. Everything the brand makes uses Dyneema, a freakishly light and seriously durable composite fabric.

While we would typically suggest ultralight gear only to expert hikers who will make use of it, a pack is where we say anyone can go ultralight. This pack weighs a minuscule 1lb 14oz. At 55 liters, it can handle any typical setup. But the great thing about it is the roll top closure, which you can compress down to the high point of your shoulder straps. When fully compressed, this pack is about the same size as a standard 30 liter day pack, so it can really pull double duty as a daypack or overnight pack. If you think of it as doing the job of two packs, it makes the $400 price tag a little more reasonable.

For more simple hiking, the stakes are a lot lower. Your backpack will be around 20-30 liters, so fancy waist straps or weight ranges are all kind of unnecessary. All you need is a solid, durable pack that's reasonably comfortable over an eight-ish hour day.

Osprey's Daylite Plus is a great budget option. Made with 300D polyester, it'll hold up to any abuse you put it through. With that, it's got 20 liters of storage and some cool, comfortable straps. Not too complicated, but it doesn't need to be.

Arc'teryx has been hot in the world of fashion for a while now. The brand's shells have become statement pieces, and the Veilance line has brought tech-wear to the masses.

Typically, Arc'teryx gear is a bit overbuilt for the average outdoors-person. That's not the case with the Mantis daypack though. At $140, it's a great, competitive price, and it's great for any type of day hiker. The straps are comfortable, and the mesh back is cool—great for a casual hiker. But the lid is secure and the build is tough—perfect for the more dedicated hiker hitting 14ers on the weekend. For just about anyone, we'd recommend this pack.

For an "if you know, you know" fashion option, the answer is always And Wander. The Japanese outdoor brand was founded by a pair of Issey Miyake alums, and everything it makes has that high fashion sensibility, with a tech-y attention to detail.

It's most obvious on the X-Pac, the brand's staple daypack. The exterior features plenty of exterior storage options, with a top pouch for anything you want to keep on hand. Along with that, the diagonal zipper is a really clever design feature, as it really helps you get the most out of the pack's space when you're packing it, and makes sure you have easy access to the entirety of what you packed.

The brand is up market and generally capital F, Fashion, but it keeps functionality at the forefront. The X-Pac is a great way to dip your toe into the world of designer outdoor gear.

Luke Guillory is the Associate Commerce Editor at Esquire.

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