How to choose a suitable backpack?

Choosing the right backpack for your adventures is just as important as choosing the right shoes. You should avoid any movement pain while walking. The pain exhausts the entire organism and after X kilometers it can spread to the entire musculoskeletal system. The more pain, the less experience, as you focus more on the pain.
We may have scared you a little at the beginning and convinced you of the importance of this topic

Choose a backpack purely online? Nonsense!

The backpack is a must try! And ideally with weights. It is possible to have a selected brand that has a high probability of fitting you. For example, HUSKY has a diverse collection of models for various occasions, here you will find backpacks for demanding expeditions , but also backpacks suitable for classic tourism . However, we all have a slightly different figure, attitude, even the spine itself, so what applies to most people may not apply to you. Therefore, trying a backpack with weights can definitely be recommended in any case.

Of course, looks and practicality are also very important today, but none of that is more important than how you wear that backpack . Honestly, if it hurts your back or makes you uncomfortable to wear it, you won't wear it anyway. And it doesn't matter how beautiful the colors are, and that everything fits into it.

Basic backpack elements

When choosing a backpack that fits well, it is good to focus primarily on weight distribution. This is mainly helped by waist belts , which should be a basic part of the backpack for longer hikes. We evaluate waist belts according to their stiffness, size, padding, buckle quality and, if applicable, whether they have pockets. The bigger the backpack, the more everything - stiffer, more padded, larger padded part (the more space for larger pockets), the more important is a quality buckle that holds well, but at the same time can be quickly unfastened if necessary.

For the chest strap, also check that it can fit around your chest, that it does not loosen, and that you can move it vertically on the shoulder straps. Its function is to ensure better body tracking with the shoulder straps . They are of course the main part of the backpack and what makes the backpack more than just a kind of cloth bag. Even in their case, we focus on the padding, the stiffness of the buckles and possible gadgets such as various loops or pockets.

Of course, the material is also VERY IMPORTANT , not everyone likes fishnets, many people rub, and cotton and woolen clothes get pilled under them. However, their advantage is good sweat removal and better ventilation.

Small, medium, huge, running, avalanche, cycling, climbing, parachuting, boating, photography, school, magic... So which one?

There are about as many types of backpacks as there are common animals. To list all the possible features and tips for choosing each type of backpack would be enough for an entire book.

So let's at least assume that you are going on a trek and the main thing you have to deal with is the volume of your backpack. And this is where the dilemma for many of us appears.

More comfort in the backpack and less comfort for the back, OR less comfort in the backpack and more comfort for the back?

Everyone has to answer for themselves. It will probably depend on the length and profile of the route, needs, climate, season, environment, and last but not least, money, and possibly gender.

You can pack for a week-long trek in the mountains in a 30-liter backpack and eat only protein bars, Adventure menu , unsaturated fats in the form of nuts from the World of Fruits , or similar space-saving and nutritious foods, pull up roots, fish, sleep only in a sleeping bag and an earthworm , and enjoy freedom of movement at the same time as greater discomfort, as far as diet and sleep are concerned. It is also possible to spend a long weekend with a 70l backpack packed with delicious food, a stove, a frying pan, decorative lights, a tent, a grill and 3l of wine, but you probably won't enjoy the movement itself very much.

This is for each of us to consider. We all have different preferences, and also every trip is specific and unique at every single moment (also thanks to the weather), we have different financial options when buying ultralight equipment and this must be taken into account.

When you manage to solve this dilemma, you will also find the answer to the question: "How big a backpack do I need?"

(SOLUTION): In any case, the most universal size for me is the 40-50l size with straps from below for any extra attachment of the tent.

Main practical gadgets

Raincoat for a backpack - nowadays a fairly standard part of a backpack, but you can still find exceptions.
Division of the backpack compartment - For larger backpacks, there is a partition in the main compartment that creates two compartments. The lower one is mainly used for the sleeping bag, so that you don't have to dig it from the top from the bottom. The entrance to the lower compartment is from the front of the backpack. Its size is usually just enough for you to cram the sleeping bag in there even without the packaging. If you have a lighter (smaller) sleeping bag, an inflatable mattress can also fit in there.
Side straps - these should be two on each side and long enough to be able to roll up and pile the whole classic mat (or exercise mat?!) under them.
POCKETS POCKETS POCKETS - never enough.

At least one on each side in the upper hatch
Side pockets at the bottom
Large laptop pocket in the back
Elastic pocket on the front of the backpack
Small pockets on the shoulder straps are also a great gadget.
External side pocket specifically for a drinking bottle - The classic side pockets have the same purpose, but if they are just sewn onto the main part of the backpack, we can definitely agree that you feel like a tyrannosaurus Rex when you take out a bottle without removing a single strap. For example, the Deuter Aircontact Pro 60+15 has a clever side pocket - it is not part of the main part of the backpack, but of the waist carrier.

A variety of rubber bands and pullers , which you can use to attach sticks, for example, to your backpack. When using them, be careful that nothing "flips" on your backpack. NOTHING MUST BE HANGING OR DANGLING on the backpack! And for one simple reason: the body consumes a relatively large amount of energy to compensate for these small movements on the back.
Entry - can help you find things in the bottom of the backpack, plus if you have longer dinosaur hands, you might be able to pull something out here and there without taking the backpack off your back.
Another and very important element is the main entrance to the chamber. The days when there was only entry from above are long gone. It is far more practical to enter from the front, when you can actually unfasten the entire front, like for example the trunk lid. Thanks to this, you always have access to all corners of your magical luggage room. The disadvantage is that you won't be able to compress your clothes very much so that you can fit as much as possible in there (well, at least compared to the variant of entry from above).

The most practical option is to enter from the back , for the reason that the zippers hold tighter in this part, and in addition, when you lay it down on the wet ground, you will get the front part of the backpack wet, which will not make you cold on the back.

Of course, there are far more gadgets today, from whistles to localization systems, to built-in solar panels and power banks.

Don't climb without money for a backpack

Of course, you usually pay for a high-quality backpack, but it's an investment in comfort, practicality, future, and health, and it's damn worth it. Last but not least, pay attention to the materials, seams and finally the color when choosing.