Dual side zips provide easy access to gear stored in the main compartment without having to remove the top lid.

Harness: The shoulder straps, hip belt and chest strap form the harness, which is key to carrying comfort and load stability. Look for padded, contoured straps and a supportive hip belt. Your hips should take most of the weight. Many harnesses also feature perforated foam or mesh to improve ventilation.

Best Value

If you are carrying days worth of food, camping gear, tent, clothing, water, gas, and a few gadgets, you want to ensure that the load you are bearing is as comfortable and well-supported as possible. While you might be wondering why the answer is quite simple: the carbon footprint is 90% lower than its aluminum counterpart. Yet, it with the help of laboratory testing and comprehensive field testing, it still retains the strength you’d expect to handle harsh climates and conditions.

Rich Weight, Scott Orr, and Tracey Bernstein enjoy a good laugh at being able to fire off the Alpride E1 anytime (seen here in an Osprey Soelden Pro 32) as it only requires 40 minutes and a pair of double AA batteries to recharge.

Backpacking Packs

THERMAREST & MSR: Sale! 30% Off all MSR Tents and Thermarest Sleeping Bags including the award-winning Parsec 0! BA TigerWall UL2 Tent (poles, stakes and footprint in separate bags…poles are vertical down one corner) What we like: Excellent mix of carrying comfort, ventilation, and build quality at a reasonable weight.

liters is roughly about 2500cubic inches which is roughly about 1.5 cubic feet or about 9 US gallons using very approximate conversions. What we like: A thru-hiker favorite with functional organization, good comfort, and decent durability.A majority of the weight tied up in theXenith 75 is in its internal frame (made of light wire materials) and its overall bulk/size. Grocery bags actually vary quite a lot it seems but the ones I have and think are typical are about 1200 cui which is about 20 liters or 5 US gallons.