Fully equipped camping - How to choose a hiking backpack and travel comfortably?

When going to the mountains, camping by a lake or hiking in the surrounding areas, everyone takes a lot of equipment with them. Depending on the weather, the length of the trip or the terrain, the necessary accessories will differ slightly, but one thing remains the same - a good tourist backpack is the basis of every camper's equipment. The most popular outdoor brands offer a large variety of sizes, designs and resistance to specific conditions. How to choose the right backpack and travel comfortably?

A solid frame is the basis

The vast majority of tourist backpacks dedicated to longer trips and camping have some form of a frame that stiffens the backpack and allows the weight of the equipment to be evenly distributed over the entire back. In the case of people who, apart from basic food and spare clothing, take a tent, sleeping bag, tourist kitchen and additional equipment on the road, carrying everything without the help of a rack would be extremely inconvenient, and even impossible during a longer journey. One of the most important advantages of backpacks with a frame is also a large variety of available sizes - usually a backpack with a frame will be roomy and equipped with smart compartments and pockets that facilitate packing the necessary equipment.

When is it possible to resign from the frame in the tourist backpack?

If you are going on a short route interspersed with visits to shelters and dormitories, and you limit your luggage to clothes, the most necessary gadgets and small camping equipment, a slightly smaller trekking backpack may be a good solution. Jack Wolfskin has a well-built range of this type of backpacks. Solid backpacks equipped with dedicated holders for attaching trekking poles, divided into practical chambers and much lighter than backpacks with a frame, can be irreplaceable during shorter trips.

Backpack capacity and the length of the trip

Although backpacks with a frame are associated rather with a large structure and capacity that allows you to easily pack a tent or sleeping bag, outdoor brands are also good at creating smaller variants combining the advantages of lighter backpacks and a comfortable frame. The very capacity of the backpack needed for a given trip is usually adjusted to the length of the trip - the most frequently suggested proportions are backpacks with a capacity of 15-30 liters for one-day trips, 30-45 liters for trips with an overnight stay and over 50 liters for longer trips with tents and in changing weather conditions .

How to adjust the backpack to your needs?

Not every backpack built on a frame can be properly adjusted, so when buying a new backpack, you should always check not only its capacity, but also its size. A properly fitted hiking backpack should fit the length of the torso (distance from the top of the shoulder strap to the hip belt), and ideally be able to adjust the torso length using the sliding panel on the back of the backpack. Why is it so important? The fitted hiking backpack is comfortable to wear, and with a heavy load and a long hike, every detail matters.

A noteworthy element of every good tourist backpack will be the hip belt , thanks to which up to 80% of the backpack's weight will be based on much stronger hips, not shoulders and the entire spine. People who prefer long hiking trips are well aware of the consequences of excessive strain on the shoulders caused by a heavy backpack and the discomfort that occurs not only during the trip, but also long after it. Most large backpacks designed for long distances have a relatively stiff and solidly sponge-filled waist belt that fits around the hips and can be adjusted to suit the freedom of movement required for the trip. It will also be complemented by a chest strap that will improve the distribution of the backpack along the spine and remove the additional burden from the shoulders.

Does the brand of the backpack matter?

The outdoor industry relies on basic brands such as the already mentioned Jack Wolfskin, but also Thule or Tatonka, but when buying a new travel backpack before a planned trip, it is always worth following the above-mentioned guidelines first. A well-known brand guarantees, above all, the quality, solid construction and durability of the backpack in various weather conditions, thanks to which the backpacks of the above-mentioned manufacturers are more trusted than less known products available on the market. By investing in a proven product, you can be sure that the backpack will not let you down during a trip or expedition and that you will not come back with a completely wet equipment.