With multiple capacities available from 38l to 68l, the superb Osprey Kestrel (for men) and Kyte (for women) let hikers choose which size they want based on the length of their expedition. We tried the 58l Kestrel on a four-day hiking and camping trip and were thoroughly impressed by its overall comfort and impressive range of technical features. The shoulder straps are engineered to take the heavy weight that comes with plenty of space, whether it’s school books, tech, sports kit, or all the aforementioned, and the chest strap will help with posture too. The external fabrics are some of the most durable we’ve seen—it even held up when we dragged it behind a car Better Fit(Especially on Smaller People): Since they don’t have a front access panel top loaders are usually thinner(width and depth) and more flexible. This makes them way easier on difficult terrain and while navigating through crowds. They just feel way more comfortable on extended trips.

Principally designed for commuting but capable of taking a lot more than the urban hustle in its stride, the Osprey Nebula is among the best bags of its type. It’s stuffed with padded slots and pouches for all your laptop, tablet and smartphone storage needs, yet capacious enough to hold up to 34l of gear for a day out on the trails. Plenty of PALS webbing, so it’s easy to add modular MOLLE attachments to customize your organization Combined with the simple fact that it’s more comfortable, lighter and easier to stuff, campers are better off with a top loader. Just keep it light and simple on the trail; there’s no reason to overcomplicate matters. Sometimes You Need to Dig in a Top Loader