Best of Backpacks

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 2023:

Hiking with backpack outdoors

Salomon XT 15 2L

The XT 15 2L hydration pack clearly borrows from Salomon’s athletic heritage but detunes things a bit to better suit the needs of day hikers rather than just catering to runners. It fits closer to the…

Woman walking outdoors with backpack

Mystery Ranch Coulee 20

The Coulee 20 features one of our favorite Mystery Ranch designs, a 3-zip entry that really lets you crack the pack open wide to get hands on whatever you need. Another signature Mystery Ranch feature is…

Hiker with lumbar pack

Mountainsmith Tour

The iconic Tour lumbar pack refuses to go out of style. In fact, we don’t think it could care less about style one way or the other. It’s been going about its business of providing a…

Two hikers outdoors

Gregory Miko 25 and Maya 25 Women’s

The Miko and the women’s specific Maya are size-right daypacks that offer versatility for any variety of technical or laid-back adventures. We love the BioSync suspension system which allows the packs to hug your body instead…

Man carrying travel pack

Eagle Creek Tour Travel Pack 55L

The folks at Eagle Creek are committed to helping folks “find your unknown” so it’s hardly a surprise that the Tour Travel Pack 55L has every little design touch and special feature you’d want for hosteling,…

man outdoors with backpack

Deuter Vertrail 16

For every alpinist, hiker, and trail runner who starts heading for home when weather takes a turn for the worse, there are others who relish the opportunity to test themselves in the elements or at least…