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Backpacks

For a day out 15 to 30 litres will do, for a hut trip 30 to 45, with a tent 50 and up.

Guide

Backpacks

A backpack does not have to do everything. It has to fit what you do most often. Volume, carrying system and fit decide whether you are still happy on the trail after six hours.

Backpack types

Daypack (15–30 L)
Light all-rounder for everyday use and short trips.
- Advantage: Light and compact
- Advantage: Suits campus, office and city
- Advantage: Often a laptop sleeve and organiser pockets
- Drawback: Little room for gear
- Drawback: Usually no load-bearing hip belt
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Hiking backpack (30–45 L)
For long day hikes and hut-to-hut tours.
- Advantage: Balances volume and carrying comfort
- Advantage: Usually a sleeve for a hydration bladder
- Advantage: Often with rain cover and pole holder
- Drawback: Often too big for everyday use and travel
- Drawback: Too small for multi-day trips with a tent
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Trekking backpack (45–70 L)
Lots of volume and a stable frame for multi-day trips.
- Advantage: Carries heavy loads on a stable frame
- Advantage: Several ways into the main compartment
- Advantage: Room for tent, sleeping bag and stove
- Drawback: Comparatively heavy and bulky
- Drawback: Needs careful packing to stay manageable
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Day hike (15–30 L)
Daypack
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Light, with a ventilated back and pockets for a bottle and a rain jacket. Enough room for food, an extra layer and a first-aid kit.
Hut-to-hut (30–45 L)
Hiking pack
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A padded hip belt and a stable back panel spread the weight. Space for a sleeping bag liner, spare clothes and food for two to four days.
Multi-day with tent (45–70 L)
Trekking pack
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Adjustable back length, a bottom compartment and attachment points for a sleeping mat and poles. Built for loads from about 12 kg.
Climbing, running, cycling
Specialists
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Slim and close to the body. Climbing packs keep your arms free, running packs fit like a vest, bike packs stay put in a forward-leaning position.

Buying advice

Two hikers with daypacks standing on a rock above the clouds — 20 to 30 litres are usually enough for a day hike.

Three questions narrow things down quickly:

How long are you out? 15 to 30 litres cover a day, 30 to 45 litres a hut tour. With a tent and a stove you end up at 50 litres or more.
How heavy is your kit? From about 8 kg the hip belt should carry most of the load. The shoulder straps then only keep the pack against your back.
How long is your back? Back length matters, not body height. Many models come in several lengths or with an adjustable carrying system, some with a women's fit.

Buying bigger "just in case" rarely pays off. A half-empty 60-litre pack carries worse than a well-filled 40-litre one.

Hiker with a dark red trekking backpack holding the shoulder straps, hip belt and chest strap closed, a mountain lake behind her — Hip belt first, then the shoulder straps: that way the weight stays on your hips.

How to adjust your backpack

Hip belt. Put the pack on with some weight in it, centre the hip belt on your hip bones and tighten it.
Shoulder straps. Tighten until they sit flush. The weight stays on your hips.
Load lifters. The straps above your shoulders pull the load towards your back. A little tighter on steep ground, looser downhill.
Chest strap. Close it last. It keeps the shoulder straps in place and must not restrict your breathing.

Packing it right

Hiker on the shore of a mountain lake pulling a yellow rain cover over her backpack — In steady rain a rain cover helps, and sensitive items go into dry bags as well.

The order inside your pack

Heavy items close to your back, roughly at shoulder-blade height.
Light and bulky items like the sleeping bag at the bottom.
Rain jacket, snacks and map within reach in the lid pocket.
Carry the fully loaded pack once before the trip.

Hiking backpacks

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You'll find prices and availability directly in the shop.

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Key points at a glance

Day hike 15–30 L, hut tour 30–45 L, with a tent 50 L or more.
From about 8 kg the hip belt carries most of the load.
Back length matters, not body height.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the right back length?

Measure from the seventh cervical vertebra, the bony bump at the base of your neck, to the top of your hip bones. Compare the result with the manufacturer's size chart. Many carrying systems can be adjusted by a few centimetres as well.

How heavy can my backpack be?

As a rule of thumb, 20 to 25 percent of your body weight is the upper limit for multi-day trips. On day hikes you carry far less. More important than the number: the load sits on your hips.

Do I need a rain cover?

Most backpacks are water-repellent but not waterproof. A rain cover helps in steady rain, and sensitive items go into dry bags as well. Some models come with a cover in the bottom compartment.

Does a hiking backpack count as hand luggage?

Up to about 40 litres it works with many airlines, as long as the pack is not stuffed to the brim. Permitted dimensions differ by airline, so check the conditions before you fly.