Best of Backpacks 2021

A pack can make or break your time outside whether you are living out of it for days on end in the backcountry, counting on it to perform during a trail race, or just asking it to haul what you need for a few hours on the trail. Whatever your intended use, have a look at our top backpack picks for Spring/Summer 2021:

Osprey Aether 65 & Ariel 65 Women’s

If there were any complaints about the Osprey Aether and Ariel, and there weren’t many, it was that they could have greater torso adjustability. Cue these new updates which maintain the heavy load hauling capability and…

Granite Gear Perimeter 50

We are always excited to see what Granite Gear has cooked up next and the Perimeter 50 certainly smells like another winner! The roughly 3000 cubic inch pack weighs right around 3 pounds but comfortably carries…

Ultimate Direction Men’s Fastpack 30 & Women’s FastpackHER 30

Nailing down exactly what fastpacking “is” can be a little tricky, since it is almost as much a state of mind as a defined activity, but the premise is to cover sizeable distances at a faster…

Salomon Active Skin 4 Set

Salomon certainly has a knack for unveiling premium pack designs that cater to the wants and needs of their incredible collection of hard-charging endurance athletes and it is awesome that they also make those packs available…

Osprey Talon Pro 20 & Tempest Pro 18 Women’s

Talon and Tempest packs have been in the Osprey assortment for many years, but the addition of “pro” models means even lighter weight performance for hiking, climbing, cycling, or just about any aerobic outdoor pursuit. Nanofly…

Mystery Ranch Gallagator

There it is, that unmistakably Mystery Ranch 3-zip access. That stand-out feature resides on many of the brand’s huge workhorse packs, but the smaller, sleeker Gallagator puts it to equally good use on day hikes or…

Kelty Asher 55

The late Dick Kelty is affectionately considered the “father of the frame pack”. He was responsible for numerous innovations during his decades of backpack design, but he also never lost his “everyman” perspective and always made…

Gregory Katmai 55 and Kalmia 50 Women’s

In a world of backpacks that seems inhabited with heavy, unwieldy load haulers on one end and ultra-lightweight packs short on features at the other, the new Katmai and Kalmia live comfortably in the space between…

Fjallraven Raven 28

There is just no mistaking the sophisticated, utilitarian aesthetics of a Fjallraven pack and the Raven 28 sticks to that signature style with its G-1000 HeavyDuty Eco fabric exterior. The polyester/cotton blend is highly durable and,…

Deuter Futura Air Trek 50+10
& Futura Air Trek 45+10 SL Women’s

There is a long list of things to love about the new Futura Air Trek packs. For starters, they use the cooling trampoline-style suspension system for which Deuter is renowned, but also incorporate a lightweight, load-supportive…

Black Diamond Distance 15

This tough little pack has the feel of a purpose-built tool as much as it does a backpack. It is constructed of the same tough-as-nails fabric that Black Diamond uses in some of its classic climbing…

UltrAspire Plexus

We’re pretty picky when it comes to running waist packs. If you are out for a day hike or sightseeing, that’s one thing, but when you are really moving, a bounce-free ride and the ability to…