How to pack a hiking backpack

You may be planning a week-long hiking holiday with your family, or perhaps the month-long hiking trip of your life, travelling around different countries, hiking out in the countryside and climbing mountains. Either way, the last thing you'll likely want is to arrive somewhere remote and realise that you are missing some of your most essential items, especially if you're travelling with family members you're responsible for.

As well as wanting to make sure you pack everything you're going to need, it's also vital to ensure you have the space in your backpack for all your possessions. Depending on what you need to take with you, you might wish to consider a bag with large main compartments and several side pockets, especially for quick, easy access to items such as a water bottle so you can keep hydrated whilst walking.

In this article, we take a look at the best backpacks for your next backpacking adventure, what to pack in yours, and the best way to organise everything you need to take.

Packing your hiking backpack 

The first rule of packing any backpack is to pack your heavier items at the bottom and lighter items at the top. This way, your more fragile belongings avoid being crushed or damaged. It also makes sense to pack the things that you're going to need straight away upon arrival at the top of your bag so that you can get to them quickly and easily. Packing your hiking backpack appropriately can also help you maintain your balance if hiking over uneven terrain - aim to keep heavier items close to your back so that your bag is well-balanced, not top-heavy, and won't cause you to topple over.

To help keep fragile items from getting damaged, you may also wish to consider wrapping them in your clothes. This will add an extra layer of protection should they get jostled about on your travels. If packing items in this way, placing these cushioned items along the back wall of your backpack will also mean that the contents coming into closest contact with your back will be comfortable to carry in this way.

Depending on the weather and conditions where you're going, if you're camping out in the great outdoors, you will likely want to invest in a waterproof backpack that will help protect your gear and keep it dry and safe from the elements. If you're travelling with a laptop computer or other electrical technology, this may be one non-negotiable element that you need to look for when selecting your backpack. You could consider a backpack with a rain cover or a backpack that benefits from a durable water repellent finish, providing protection from light moisture and fabric saturation, such as the Terra 55-litre Hiking Backpack.

Men's hiking backpacks 

The Banchee 65 Backpack is ideal for multi-day backpacking trips across challenging terrain, thanks to its massive 65-litre capacity, which provides space for all your gear, a reflective blue colour, which helps ensure you are easy to spot even in low light, and sternum strap with a whistle buckle allowing for you to easily call for help should the need arise. In place of compression straps, this backpack's Dyno Lite System™ allows you to easily adjust the fit of your bag even while you're wearing it.

A smaller option for when you don't need to carry heavy loads, the Active Trail Backpack is especially popular with day hikers because of its well-padded, protective laptop compartment and water bottle pocket, giving easy access to your drink whilst you're on the go.

When choosing your hiking backpack, it's important to consider what kind of straps you would like. Shoulder straps on heavy bags are one of the most important elements, as they will take most of the strain for you. The shoulder straps on the Hydra 38-litre hiking backpack are a great example of comfortable shoulder straps, as well as cross-body straps that help distribute the weight across your torso and keep the bag's back panel close to your back.

Women's hiking backpacks

If you're looking for a hiking backpack that is not only practical and designed for your body shape but also fashionable and well suited to your style, you may be interested in a hiking backpack that has been purposely designed to suit women. 

The Women's Terra 55-Litre Hiking Backpack comes in Goblin Blue, is water repellent and benefits from several features, including the OPTIFIT™ suspension system and Dyno Lift System™, which both works to give you the most comfortable and, therefore enjoyable, long-distance hiking experience without having to compromise on the belongings you want to take with you.

This high-quality backpack is also compatible with hydration systems and boasts a built-in hip belt to help absorb the pressure from your shoulders with self-equalising shoulder straps to help evenly distribute the load across your body. Hipbelt pockets make the ideal stowage for essentials you might need on the go, such as lip balm or tissues, and the zip wrapped around the main compartment means that no matter how well-packed your bag is, you don't need to rely on the top lid to access your belongings.

If you're looking for a slightly smaller alternative, the Women's Chimera 24 Backpack may be for you. This bag is available in tandori-spice red, is water repellent, and offers 24 litres of storage, ideal for a day out hiking or a short backpacking trip.

Best way to pack a hiking backpack

The best way to pack any modern hiking backpack is to make full use of the different compartments and pockets they come with. Keep items you might need on the top, such as a lightweight rain jacket, and make use of roll-top bags for carrying your sleeping bag when off on a camping trip.

As you will likely need to carry your items with you for a prolonged amount of time when out hiking, it's also important to pack light. Start your packing process by putting everything together that you'd think you'd like to take, then whittling down any non-essential items. Before throwing your full-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner in, think about whether there's any way you can downsize these or even forgo one of them and invest in a 2-in-1 product instead. When it comes to clothing, you will want to be prepared for all weathers, but that's not to say that you'll need to pack every jumper you own. Work out how many days you'll need to go without access to facilities where you can wash your clothes, and aim to have an outfit for each of these days. Taking lots of layers is a great way to keep warm and cool off as needed without having to pack lots of different bulky items.

How to pack a rucksack

Rucksacks are usually smaller than hiking backpacks and can be a happy alternative for anyone looking to head out for a short trip or maybe just for the day. As with packing a hiking backpack, you may wish to pack your heavier items at the bottom to help keep your centre of balance and smaller items in the exterior pockets where you can access them easily should you need them throughout the day.