Choose Your Backpack Carefully for Your Forthcoming Trekking Tour. Checkout the Top Trekking Backpacks and Things to Consider Before Buying One (2020)

Planning a trip to the hills, mountains, or another trek? You must carry the right gear with you. The time when you travel out of your city and visit some mountains or woods is a crucial one. While trekking helps in resetting mental and physical batteries and connecting you with nature, selecting the wrong backpack can do the opposite, because trekking is not an easy task. And, the myriad of trekking backpack options available in the market makes choosing the right one difficult. This article will help you find the best trekking backpack for you with tips to choose the right backpack for hiking adventures and some great choices.

While selecting a trekking backpack, comfort is an important factor. Choose the backpack that makes you feel comfortable carrying a weight on your back while climbing. For instance, when you pack heavy things in your bag, you will definitely need a hip belt. This helps divide the weight across your hips instead of putting all of it on the back and the shoulders. Other features like padding, design and back belt further add to the ease of carrying heavy weights. Before buying, look for a backpack having a ventilated back, comfortable and thick hip-belt, and the provision to adjust belts.

For trekking, you should understand that you will have to face various things such as varying terrains and environmental conditions. Rain, snow, and heat can come and go at unpredictable times while you are in the wilderness. Hence, the selection of suitable material plays an important role if you want to buy the best backpack for trekking. Resistant and light-in-weight materials such as Dyneema are perfect for a trek. Though these may be expensive as compared to other fabrics such as nylon they are worth it. Additionally, they are also water-resistant among other benefits.

Always check the durability of a backpack for hiking and choose the one that is tough and does not get damaged after taking a beating. Also, find a backpack that is water-resistant so that your stuff doesn’t get soaked in the case of a thunderstorm. It does not matter if your bag is very tough, it will still be damaged with continuous usage. Thus, select a backpack that comes with a lifetime warranty.

The weight of the backpack is another major factor that matters, especially for trekking. Choose the one that is light in weight while still being durable and tough. And, it’s not a big deal finding the best trekking backpack that meets both the conditions. But if you aren’t able to find a lightweight bag easily, you can go for a day-pack for hiking.

Here's the list of 10 best trekking backpacks for you to choose when you are going for a trek or a mountain hike.

One of the best trekking bags in India, this one from AmazonBasics is available in various sizes. With a wide range of 55 L, 65 L and 75 L capacity variants, you can select a bag according to your comfort level, budget, stay duration and other requirements. Besides, you get different colour options as well, including black and green.

The AmazonBasics backpack is made of durable polyester material along with compression straps in multiple directions. It fits the body seamlessly while ignoring the type of the body which makes it perfect for the outdoor journey. And, this one is suitable for men and women, short, medium and tall persons, and for activities like hiking, backpacking, or camping. Padded shoulder straps, adjustable straps, and a large compartment for a sleeping bag add more to the comfort while hiking. You can buy this backpack for ₹ 3,199.00 from Amazon with a 1-year warranty.

The Inlander Decamp backpack comes up with a capacity of 70 L. This backpack is made of polyester and has two padded adjustable straps so that you can adjust them as per your requirement. The type is universal that means the backpack can be used by males as well as females. The bag has multiple compartments and pockets along with the zip closures, making the bag spacious as well as sturdy. The Inlander Decamp 1009 is perfect for an adventure like hiking or camping. The backpack is available on Flipkart for ₹ 1,439.00. Different colour options available for the bag include black and grey.

The Mufubu Rucksack comes with a spacious capacity of 55 L. Its adjustable and broad straps distribute the entire weight across your shoulders allowing for a comfortable hiking experience. A cap closure is provided that helps maintain belongings in the bag secure and safe while on the move. The rucksack also contains a big shoe compartment so that you can easily carry your footwear and access them without any hassle. The fabric of the backpack is water-resistant polyester that protects your items even during bad weather conditions while hiking or trekking. And, a distinct mesh pocket allows you to store your water bottle as well. The rucksack is a perfect one for biking, camping, climbing and hiking. You can purchase the Mufubu Rucksack from Amazon for ₹ 829.00.

This one from Wildcraft is a lightweight, simple and comfortable option suitable for both women and men. The bag comes with a capacity of 45 L that is sufficient to carry all the required items. Its advanced lightweight feature makes it a good choice for trekking because you don’t need to carry extra load on your shoulders.

The bag is made of polyester waterproof fabric on the inner side and nylon on the outer. It also has a strengthened haul loop that makes it easier to carry a heavy load. The waterproof property protects your accessories in bad weather conditions like a thunderstorm, rain, etc. The Wildcraft Rucksack is available on the Amazon in grey and orange colour for ₹ 1,513.00 with a 5-year warranty.

The Attache Rucksack comes with 75 L capacity and a weight of 1.2 kg. It has double internal pockets and mesh packets with detachable shoe pockets where you can store your accessories and shoes. Further, internal and external zipped pockets in the hood make it an easily usable area. And, the lightweight and sleek design of the backpack eases the process of carrying things during a trek.

This bag is suitable for both men and women and comes with back and waist padded shoulders. It is made of nylon fabric that makes it waterproof. The closure laced bag comes with a rain cover and padded cushions provide comfort to the traveller's back during multiple environmental conditions and terrains. Special features provided with the bag include padded handles, expandable, chest strap, back padding and adjustable strap. You can buy this rucksack on Amazon for ₹ 1,499.00.

The Impulse Rucksack comes with a capacity of 65 L and is made of very tough polyester fabric. It has multiple pockets so that all your accessories are organised smartly. The backpack comes with 2 mesh pockets and zip pockets allowing you to organise all your gear and personal effects in a convenient way. The s-shaped shoulder straps are designed with soft and padded support across the edges.

The mesh used in the bag creates effective ventilation between the traveller’s back and the backpack for proper moisture dispersion. Its special features include shoulder straps, padded handles, bottle holders and zipper compartments that give you relaxation while meeting regular needs during a trek. The buckle inner pockets let your accessories stay secure, well-organized and safe from inside. And, the auxiliary system adds more convenience.

Its double side compression strap makes the bag compact and the hip belt transfers the weight to the hips making the carrying easier. A dedicated mobile pocket lets you go hands-free wherein you can keep your mobile phone. The bag can also be used for daily travel or school and doesn’t look oversized. The Impulse Rucksack is available in blue colour with a 3-month warranty from Amazon for ₹ 1,399.00.

This one’s a reliable rucksack from Easies with a capacity of 60 L and is made of nylon fabric. It has various pockets, compartments and side pockets. The side pockets provided in the waist belt let you keep your stuff safely at an easily accessible spot. The rucksack’s main compartment has a 3-way access through zippers, one at the top, other at the bottom, and the third in the middle. Hence, there is no need to extract all your accessories to remove and store anything.

This backpack is popular among hikers, mountain climbers and backpackers. The trekking backpack provides a comfortable fit that allows for equal distribution of weight. And, after usage, you can easily fold this bag. Firm padding is provided at the back, shoulder straps and the waist belt so that you don’t feel burdened on your back even when carrying a heavy load. Buy this rucksack from Amazon for ₹ 2,800.00 and get a 2-year warranty.

While the capacity of a backpack depends on the number of days you are going to spend outside, the Skybags Nylon 55 L rucksack is ideal for a week-long trip. The nylon material adds the feature of durability as well as water-resistance, making the stylish backpack a great fit. It has a rain cover that protects your stored items. The bag also features air passage and lumbar padding for proper support at the back, along with the waist belt and padded shoulder straps. The side mesh pockets are available for storing soiled bottles and clothes. A sleeping holder is also available. You can buy Skybags Nylon Rucksack for ₹ 3,200.00 from Amazon with a 3-year warranty.

The Novicz Trawoc backpack has a capacity of 55 L and is synthetic on the outside with nylon on the inside. The spacious main compartment is accompanied by side mesh pockets and it easily distributes the load across the hips. It features padded shoulder straps that are adjustable and offers a huge load capacity. The well-organised pockets help you find things quite easily while you are hiking or trekking. A mesh on the back encourages air circulation and makes it breathable letting you move comfortably even during hot days. Further, the availability of large and small pockets provides a good space to hold travel and hiking essentials. Other features of the backpack include a back strap, back padding, water bottle, chest strap, laptop compartment and umbrella pouch. The Novicz Trawoc Backpack is available in English blue colour at ₹ 999.00 on Amazon. You also get a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer.

The Aristocrat Rucksack comes up with a capacity of 45 L and a durable coated polyester. The sleek and light-weight bag is a perfect choice for daily travel or school as well. In addition to durability and its stylish appearance, the bag also features multiple compartments that you can use to organise your accessories easily.

The backpack features padded straps, a rectangular shape, big mesh pockets, waist straps, secret pockets, and compression straps. It has 3 compartments that are used to hold a laptop up to a size of 17 inches. The fabric is not damaged easily even when you use it daily, and water-resistance prevents it from shrinking and wrinkling. Further, the shoe compartment and spacious pockets help you to organise things without any difficulty. You can purchase the Aristocrat Hiking Rucksack from Amazon at a price of ₹ 1,421.00 with a 1-year warranty.

Packing and carrying your backpack the right way will go a long way in reducing fatigue. For this, you need to ensure that the centre of gravity stays as close as possible to your hips and the bag snugs on the back with ease. To ensure correct packing, you can break down the backpack into multiple zones.

Keep the bulky items that you will need only after making the camp in the bottom zone. Place the denser, heavier gear that isn’t required during the hike in the centre zone. Pack all the bulky essentials required during the trail at the top zone. While this fills the main compartment, accessory pockets are best used for smaller essentials like a compass, GPS, map, water bottle, cash stash and rain cover among others. Last but not the least, lash-on points and tool loops are perfect for carrying tent poles, ice axe, trekking poles, climbing rope, camp stool and others similar gear.