The 14 Best Hiking Backpacks for Any Kind of Hiker

• Volume: 22 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Number of Pockets: 10

The Talon was a solid hiking pack before Osprey's recent update, and the new features make it even better. Chief among them is a new back panel that we've found to be breathable on strenuous hikes even though it's still pretty minimal. It's also quite comfy and integrates well with the hipbelt.

The Talon 22 also has pretty much every feature you could want on a hiking pack. It has stretchy side pockets for water bottles, a spacious main compartment with an internal mesh pocket for small items, another small exterior pocket, trekking pole and ice axe attachments, a spot for a hydration bladder and small mesh pockets on the shoulder straps that are handy for stashing a phone or snack. We also like the big exterior sleeve for stuffing layers on the fly.

There's also an exterior plastic piece that holds a bike helmet. This feature highlights the primary reason why this bag is our top pick — it's perfect for hiking but ideal for around-town use too. The Talon comes in larger and smaller volumes but features vary between them.

• Volume: 28 liters
• Weight: 1 pound, 8 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 4

Matador took its well-loved Beast28 pack and gave it the limited-edition treatment, complete with a new flexible frame suspension system and updated fabric.

The Beast28 Helium is built with 70D Robic nylon UHMWPE (Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) reinforced ripstop nylon — say that three times fast, if you can. The lightweight pack weighs in at one pound six ounces, and is waterproof, tear-proof and stowable: you can fold it up and pack it away without damaging the flexible frame that moves with your body. Overall, this is one of the most comfortable and functional daypacks on this list, and we've taken it on 10+ mile hikes as well as short jaunts down our favorite local trail.

• Volume: 25 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Number of Pockets: 6

Saving cash on a hiking pack typically involves sacrificing features — adequate support and long-day comfort, primarily, but also things like hydration compatibility, external pockets, and even weatherproofing and durability. You don't give any of these up in REI's Trail 25, though. The main thing this backpack lacks compared to our other top picks is a sturdy hipbelt; instead, it has a narrower strap that provides stability but not support.

All of the bag's other features are commendable. It's adjustable, has exterior pockets for small items, trekking poles and water bottles, and its main compartment is spacious and opens wide for easy access. It even comes with a rain cover.

• Volume: 19.5 liters
• Weight: 1 pound 11 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 4

The North Face Advant 20 is crafted to appeal to the urban hiker: someone who fits in a trek after days at the office and needs a pack that can exist in both worlds.

The Advant 20's most obvious appeal is its minimalist style, but it packs quite the list of features, including a water-repellent finish, padded shoulder straps and back panel, a water bladder pocket that doubles as a laptop sleeve and two external, concealed water bottle pockets. Weatherproof zippers round out the performance features.

• Volume: 24 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds 6 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 8

The Stratos is outfitted with all the pockets, compression straps and access points you’d expect from a backpack company — especially one with a golden reputation among long-distance thru-hikers — but the standout feature is its mesh back panel. It’s raised and tensioned away from the pack’s main vestibule, which provides a comfy trampoline-like feel and allows lots of air to flow between your back and the bag, which minimizes the sweaty back issue that often seems unavoidable. The mesh also integrates into the hipbelt, wrapping its arms around your lower torso for a fit that’s more comfortable than most other backpacks.

• Volume: 30 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Number of Pockets: 11

Thirty liters of pack space is ideal for really big days on the trail or short overnight trips. It's especially true of the Aerios, which Arc'teryx bestowed enough features upon that it feels like a larger backpack than that, even at under two pounds. An intricate system of bungees zig-zags up and down and inside and out of the pack, making its exterior pockets and sleeves finely adjustable. (Even the chest strap and shoulder adjustments are bungees.)

Our favorite feature on this bag is its two oversized lateral sleeves, which can fit everything from a water bottle to a jacket and remain secure with the bungee system. Another callout goes to its shoulder straps, which bring to mind running vests with mesh pockets that are large enough for hydration flasks, though we just used them for a phone and empty snack wrappers.

• Volume: 17 liters
• Weight: 1 pound 3 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 5

Mike St. Pierre founded his ultralight equipment company, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, on the sheer potential of Dyneema, a fabric that by weight is 15 times stronger than steel. That’s the main ingredient in the Daybreak, a pack created for day-long excursions. Most Hyperlite bags are spartan (it’s an ultralight thing), but the Daybreak includes features like multiple external sleeve pockets, a bungee-style lashing and a stow-away hipbelt. The whole thing weighs just a bit over a pound.

• Volume: 22 liters
• Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 7

Patagonia designed the Altvia 22 simply with the essentials in mind: the pack has one spacious main compartment that's accessed through an angled zipper, allowing efficient access to what's inside, but also has a second pocket that's deeper than you think (we could stuff a puffy or rain jacket inside no problem) and an even smaller one that's good for keys, wallet or phone. Patagonia also gave it a raised-mesh back panel and the hipbelt is quite comfy, albeit fairly thin.

We noticed the lack of shoulder adjusting straps on this bag, but the Altvia isn't entirely devoid of extras, though. there are expandable stash pockets on the sides that are angled so you can access water bottles while on the move, zippered pockets on the hipbelt, a hydration sleeve with a port for the hose, and a bungee for securing more stuff to the bag's exterior. Lastly, there's an included rain cover tucked into its base.

• Volume: 18 liters
• Weight: 1 pound 5 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 6

Drawstring gym bags should never be used for hiking — we're adamant about this. If you're looking for a lightweight, collapsible and highly portable bag that you can stuff into a suitcase, get Matador's Beast18. Unlike most collapsible backpacks, the Beast retains an internal frame that gives it structure and support when you're wearing it. That frame is flexible, though, allowing you to twist and fold the bag on itself to make a packable disc. Collapsed, it's still a little bit larger than other bags like this, but the additional features are worth the space.

Those features include side water bottle pockets, an internal sleeve for a hydration bladder, a zippered main compartment that opens wide, a second compartment with a smaller internal pocket for little items, loops for trekking poles, an ice axe loop, daisy chain attachment points and a removable hip belt. The fabric is also waterproof, and the fit is far more comfortable than other bags in this packable category.

The Beast also comes in a larger 28-liter size.

• Volume: 30 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 5

The Mountain Pack has been a recurring staple in the Topo Designs stable of retro-looking backpacks. Versatility is where this bag shines — it has a breathable mesh back panel and all the daisy chains and gear loops needed for mountain exploits, but it also features a laptop sleeve and smaller organizing pockets for life around town. It's definitely not as technical as some of the others on this list, but looks are important too.

• Volume: 18 liters
• Weight: 1 pound 22 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 5 (including hydration sleeve)

The Inertia H20 is the pack you'll want to reach for if hydration is the name of your game. Gregory crafted a pack that is comfortable and low-profile, while checking all the boxes when it comes to storage and functionality. The included 3D Hydro reservoir, dedicated hydration pocket and perforated 3D foam back panel provide support and hydration, while the quick-disconnect coupling on the hose allows for easy refills. Continuing the functionality trend, the hip belt is removable, and there are multiple points of entry around the pack.

A word to the wise: The fit is intended for men, so keep that in mind while shopping.

• Volume: 16 liters
• Weight: 9 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 2

If you seek a super-streamlined sack to carry swiftly to the next wall you plan to scale, the Trail Blitz is your bag. It features Black Diamond’s trademark easy-access opening, plus a pocket for headlamp storage, one for securing your wallet and keys and sleeves on the sides for stashing your trekking poles when it’s time to climb. There are also four little loops on the back panel that allow you to connect this pack to a larger one, converting it into a quick-detachable side-quest pod. Oh, and it weighs just over half a pound.

• Volume: 21, 31 or 41 liters
• Weight: 2 pounds 12.8 ounces (21 liters)
• Number of Pockets: 8

Bringing camera gear on a hike presents a whole new set of considerations when shopping for a backpack. An easy solution is to buy a modular camera cube that you can insert into any bag. But if you want a dedicated option with more organizational features, WANDRD's PRVKE is an ideal choice. The major thing that this pack lacks is a supportive and breathable back panel and hipbelt combo, but it makes up for that with pockets and sleeves for your entire photo kit, plus extra gear, depending on the size (a roll-top construction allows you to max it out in a pinch). The pack's exterior is waterproof, too, so don't worry about a bit of rain.

• Volume: 3.5 liters
• Weight: 15 ounces
• Number of Pockets: 4

Thanks to rising popularity among mountain bikers, many brands have recently considered (or reconsidered) the hip pack format. That includes Evergoods, which put versatility and comfort first in making a low-volume bag that's perfect for short hikes and travel. The Mountain Hip Pack has two compartments — a larger one with a built-in zip pocket and a smaller one with sleeves and a key clip for essentials — but there's a semi-secret third place to carry things thanks to an exterior pass-through. We've found this to be the perfect place to keep a water bottle (there are straps you can tighten for security) or an extra wind or rain shell. As a bonus, this bag is also quite comfy as a sling, and not all hip packs can say the same.