Backpacks

Backpacks are an important part of your hiking gear - whether you're heading out for the day with your family, or trekking into the backcountry for a week.

The weight of your backpack should be one of your main considerations. Whether you are purchasing a new backpack or using your current one, consider some of these helpful hints to lighten your load.

• Weigh your current backpack on a scale. You can then compare that weight to a lighter model - reputable stores will list the weight of the pack on their label. Even two pounds can make a huge difference on your back at the end of a long hike.

• Look for stripped-down packs with full-on suspension. It should not have too many 'bells and whistles', but does need harnesses and hipbelts that can handle a big load.

• A 5,000-cubic-inch pack used to be the standard for a week's hike. Because, in general, all gear is getting smaller, this is now too big. The new standard backpack is about 4,000-cubic-inches.

• Down sleeping bags often weigh less than their synthetic counterparts, but lose their insulating ability when wet. This is something to seriously consider if you will be spending the night.

• For a sleeping pad, use the thin, self-inflating kind (they are more comfortable than they look!) or a very light closed-cell foam pad.

• Please, think twice about bringing your MP3 player... wearing headphones blunts your awareness of your surroundings. In many places, mountain bikers, horseback riders and even bears all share the same trails - and you need to hear them coming. Besides, aren't you there to enjoy nature's music? Listen to all those amazing sounds: the ripple of the creek, the chatter of the chipmunks and squirrels, the twittering birds and the sound of the wind whispering through the trees.

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Go to Types of Backpacks

Go to How to Fit a Backpack

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