Picking your first pack is harder than it should be. The marketing makes every pack sound like the pack. Here's the framework we use.
Step 1: trip length
Overnight: 35 to 50 liters. A weekend with shared group gear: 50 to 60. Three to five days self-supported: 60 to 70. Anything over 70 is a thru-hiking pack, and unless you're going on the AT, you don't need it.
Most new backpackers over-pack volume and then fill it. If you buy a 70L pack for a weekend, you will bring 70 liters of stuff. Buy the pack that fits the trips you actually do.
Step 2: torso fit
This matters more than brand. Come to the store, let us measure. Torso length varies across people who are the same height, and a pack that's an inch too long rides wrong and cooks your shoulders.
Most adult men land in a medium torso. Most adult women land in a small or short. But "most" isn't you, so measure.
Step 3: hip belt
The pack should sit on your hips, not hang off your shoulders. When loaded, 70 to 80 percent of the weight should rest on the belt. If your shoulders are taking most of the load, the pack doesn't fit or the belt isn't tight enough.
Osprey, Gregory, and Deuter all do great hip belts. Try all three. One will feel obviously better than the others on your body.
Step 4: features you actually use
Pockets everywhere sounds good in the store and becomes clutter on the trail. I'd rather have two big hip belt pockets and one top lid than eight tiny mesh ones that hold nothing securely.
A good ventilation channel (mesh back panel) is nice in the South. Convertible top lids are nice for dropping daypack weight at camp. External water bottle pockets that you can actually reach without taking the pack off: yes, always.
What I don't care about
Color. Brand prestige. Whether the ultralight crowd on Instagram uses it. Fit and feature count are what matter. Everything else is noise.
