50-60 litre packs
NOTE: The volume-to-weight ratio is the volume in litres per 500 grams of weight. The higher the number, the lighter the pack for the capacity.
A 50 - 60 LITRE PACK is ideal for most backpacking and multi-day walking. It should have room for all your gear, plus a few days’ supplies. The number of litres should only be taken as a guide though – some companies’ litres are bigger than others! Also, some companies include pocket capacity, others just the main body of the pack.
When choosing a pack, think about how your gear will fit inside. If you’ll be going out with bulkier winter gear or many days’ food a pack around 60 litres is preferable to a 50 litre one.
How much weight a pack can handle comfortably depends on the back system, regardless of volume. I think a 50-60 litre pack should be fine with at least 15kg. Some companies give a suggested maximum load, but many don’t.
For heavier loads, certainly those above 10kg, the back system should have a frame to give stiffness and help transmit the load to the hipbelt. The latter is key to comfort and should be thick enough, stiff enough and wide enough to support most of the weight. The frame needs to be the right length for your back, and some packs come in several lengths for this. Adjustable backs with shoulder straps that slide up and down are good for fine-tuning the fit, but the frame still seems to be roughly the right length. It’s always best to try on loaded packs to check the fit.
Looking at the ten packs reviewed it’s noticeable that seven of them have the same basic design – a lid with pockets, a front pouch, and stretch side pockets. This style was developed for lightweight and ultralight packs but is now mainstream. It’s ironic then that only one of the packs reviewed is what I would call ‘lightweight’ – the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor, which is the Best Buy – and it doesn’t have this
