How to choose a hiking backpack

3 février 2016

A backpack is very useful when you hike a lotWhether you’re setting off for a week of just a few hours from home, nothing beats a well prepared packing experience in order to fully enjoy your mountain hike. Here are a few tips to help you fill and pack your rucksack – especially if you don’t want to feel it in your back too soon…

The basis

In addition to your backpack, which you have previously selected, you must bring some essential items that will inevitably contribute to optimize your trek. Our suggestions for you: extra clothing (raincoat, socks and t-shirt), water bottle and snacks (fruit, nuts and cereal bars), tissues… You know; all these convenient articles that will surely extend and enhance your outdoor activity!

Equal weight

It’s important to pack your things in a way that weight will be distributed evenly inside your backpack. It’s a crucial issue if you’re planning to be away for several days. However, you should always try to put light items at the bottom, heavy items closest to your back and foods, as well as your first-aid kit, on top of the bag. We try to put supplies, water bottles and keys, for instance, on the outside.

Organization

In fact, the overall idea is to keep the articles that are often used within easy reach to maximize the backpack efficiency – therefore you have to think about functionality and frequency of use. It’s also better to avoid hanging things to the bag, just as it’s suggested to use your compression straps to keep everything in place.

Osprey backpack from La Cordée
Women's hiking backpack
Jack Wolfskin backpack also from La Cordée
Men's backpack for hiking

Some bags will also enable you to carry your poles and your snowshoes, for example. Actually, it really depends on the main purpose of your backpack. After that, you only have to adjust yourself - and your bag – throughout your hiking trips… Enjoy!

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