Recommended backpack
Osprey Kyte 36
When I started researching backpacks for my Pennine Way trip I was overwhelmed to say the least. Not only are there plenty of great outdoor brands to choose from, but the list of technical features, capacities and colours left me with only one option: start a spreadsheet! This is my go-to when I need to compare products with a decent price tag, so that’s what I did to get started. To keep this fairly brief, I’ll highlight the factors to consider when buying a backpack.
Brand
A pretty easy one! We all have favourite brands, so start by narrowing your search to two or three that you’re either familiar with or know are worth the investment. For me, the ‘All Mighty Guarantee’ offered by Osprey was attractive because it offers peace of mind should I need to repair my pack.
Style
Needless to say I wanted a ‘women’s fit’ backpack but you might find that a unisex or men’s pack fits better. A women’s backpack typically has narrower shoulder straps and shorter torso length and a different waist belt to accommodate our wider hips. Before you buy anything online I’d recommend trying a few different packs in store to see how they fit your body.
Size
This is where the decision starts to get harder. You can literally buy any size/capacity of backpack you like but realistically your decision depends upon how much you want/need to carry. You’ll typically see the capacity in litres in the name of the pack, so it’s really obvious what size you’re looking at. Smarter people than me have suggested that you need 6-25L for a day hike, 25-50L for short-duration backpacking and 50-75L for extended backpacking trips. In reality I was pushing it with 36 litres, however, I knew that there would be a maximum weight I could carry and the bigger the bag, the more stuff I would put in it! So I decided to go on the smaller side and only pack essentials. I also knew that I’d have to carry my tent on the outside of the pack, which was fine (see photo below). In all honesty I wanted a pack that was multi-purpose, so not too big for day hikes as well.
Features
You might want to get your spreadsheet ready for this part! There are so many features available on backpacks these days that if you’re anything like me you’ll probably never know the full power of your pack! Again, this is about deciding (or guessing) which features you’ll need for your trip. The features I found most useful on my pack are:
waist belt pockets - I kept everyday essentials in these that I wanted to access without taking off my pack such as lip balm, hand sanitizer and snacks!
hydration pouch - it shouldn’t be a big deal whether your bladder is in the bag or in a separate pocket but somehow it makes the world of difference.
integrated rain cover - you can obviously buy a rain cover if your pack doesn’t come with one, but it’s so much easier to have it there in it’s own little pocket.
straps and loops - it turns out you can never have too many straps and loops to attach your walking poles, pee cloth, cap and more!
As with every new purchase I’d recommend having a rough budget in mind before you start. You can spend hundreds of pounds on a backpack but I’m not sure you need to. I budgeted £150, which definitely narrowed down my options, but I’m extremely happy with my backpack so far!
Happy walking!
Kate x