Choosing the Best Backpack | Buyer’s Guide

Whether you’re hitting the trail or hitting the road, you want a good backpack to accompany you on every adventure. For years, Arc’teryx has made high-quality, performance-driven backpacks for day hikers, alpinists, and travelers alike. Innovation at Arc’teryx starts with design. We test, tweak, and obsess until our packs perform at the highest level without sacrificing comfort. When balanced load distribution and efficient organization meet durability, you can handle whatever the day throws at you.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through key considerations when choosing a backpack, like how you’ll use it, how much space you need, and the features you need to stay organized.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Backpack

Whether you’re trad climbing, hiking your favourite mountain, or sending backcountry ice in the winter, you need a pack that’s durable, functional, and made for your specific sport. Climbers and hikers alike know the importance of a quality backpack, but they might need different things when it comes to storage, comfort, and organization. Ask yourself these questions to hone in on what you’re looking for.

1. Intended Use: What Will You Use Your Backpack For?

Different backpacks serve different purposes, so it makes sense to first narrow down your search based on your primary activity and how you’ll use it. Climbers will want something more purpose-built in an outdoor backpack, with durable fabrics and streamlined, weatherproof features (we love the Alpha FL family for this). Hikers, on the other hand, need packs that keep you balanced, organized, and safe on the trail with enough room for your layers, gear, and fuel. Features like waist belts, chest straps, and strategic padding help with weight distribution, and different pocket options keep your essential items both secure and accessible while you’re on the go. Daypacks that do double duty on day hikes or travel days—like the feature-forward styles in our Mantis family or the more streamlined bags in our Granville family—blend form and function to deliver a high-performing and comfortable bag you’ll reach for on every mission.

In addition to your intended use, you also want to consider what you need in terms of weather resistance. If you will be exposed to the elements, you might need your pack to be fully waterproof, while others may be okay with weather-resistant materials.

2. Backpack Size and Capacity: How Much Space Do You Need?

Backpack sizing is measured in litres, ranging from small 10L options to 45L+. Packs in the 10-20L size range are ideal as compact daypacks to hold your essentials, like your wallet, phone, keys, and water bottle. A mid-size pack in the 21-30L range is built for day hikes, light travel, and commuting, while 31-75L backpacks can hold more gear for multi-day treks. If you’re worried about your backpack getting too bulky, many packs have compression straps for adaptable storage, allowing you to cinch everything down and keep things more compact.

3. Comfort and Fit: What Straps and Support Do You Need?

We’ve all experienced aching shoulders and lower back pain after wearing a heavy backpack for too long, which is why we design all of our packs for maximum efficiency and comfort.

Adjustable shoulder straps are crucial to fit your backpack to your body, with sternum clips and waist belts all enhancing comfort. Added hipbelt support and compression straps are especially important when you’re carrying more, since they distribute weight strategically by keeping some of it in your hips, literally taking a load off your shoulders.

Ergonomic design also enhances comfort, with back panel ventilation becoming especially important for long days of continuous wear. Arc’teryx uses technologies like thermomoulded frame sheets and ultralight aluminum structural elements to provide essential support and reinforcement to packs without adding unnecessary weight. Along with frame elements that have an impressive strength-to-weight ratio, fit systems are a critical component of multi-day packs that can go the distance.

To determine the best fit for you and your needs, head down to your local Arc’teryx store or gear shop to try on different backpacks in person. You can test the fit in-store with help from our product guides, and once you load it up with all your snacks and supplies at home, you can make adjustments as needed.

4. Maximizing Efficiency: What Organizational Features Are Important to You?

Depending on how you’re using your pack, you will likely have different organizational priorities. For alpine climbing, secure yet simple storage is crucial for easy access to gear and tools while swapping leads on the wall. Consider whether you want a front-loading compartment or a roll-top closure for quick accessibility and sizing flexibility. While climbers may want a more streamlined backpack to avoid snags, hikers may want more exterior pocket storage and multiple compartments to organize different essentials. Zippered, external pockets and water bottle pockets are also great for travelers. For travel or commuter packs, dedicated compartments for laptops, tablets, and other technology are helpful.

Best Arc’teryx Backpacks Based on Activity

To make your search a little easier, here are a few of our favourite Arc’teryx backpacks.

Best Multi-Sport Daypack: Mantis 26

Lightweight and durable, the Mantis 26 pack is exceptionally comfortable for every adventure. A drawbridge opening gives you easy access to the main compartment, and features like the internal sleeve for your laptop or water reservoir, variety of pockets, and breathable back panel make it the ideal pack for day hikes and commutes alike.

Best Climbing Backpack: Alpha FL 30

If you want to go fast and light, the Alpha FL 30 pack is perfect for your needs. This minimalist pack is built for the alpine with highly durable, abrasion-resistant, and ultra-light Hadron™ fabric that’s also exceptionally weatherproof. Its streamlined profile means it won’t get caught, and the pull drawcord system gives you easy access to your gear. Compression straps help centralize the weight while sternum straps offer extra support. It’s a favourite among climbers and alpinists who need a weatherproof, high-performance pack with a streamlined design for long days out.

Best Travel Backpack: Granville 25

Get ready for takeoff with the streamlined, durable Granville 25 pack. In addition to its performance design, the Granville is weather-resistant for travel in all climates and sized to work as a compact carry-on. Inside, it features a quick-access laptop compartment, internal dividers, and a zippered pocket to stash small essentials. Each shoulder strap is padded and breathable, as is the back panel.

Best Multi-Day Hiking Backpack: Bora 75

For big expeditions, you need a big enough backpack to comfortably carry all your gear. Our largest volume multi-day backpack, the Bora line, is designed to maximize storage while still prioritizing comfort and stability. Designed to comfortably fit different body types, we offer the Bora 75 for men and the Bora 70 for women. The RotoGlide™ hipbelt uses a swivel joint to attach to the pack, keeping the weight centralized as you move and locking out for when you need added stability. The adjustable GridLock™ harness ensures a customized fit to maximize comfort, and the highly durable Cordura® fabric is weather-resistant in case you get caught in a storm. While the main compartment is easy to access, the plethora of external pockets offers functional and easily accessible storage for smaller items and on-the-go essentials.

Where to Buy Your Arc’teryx Backpack

From alpine ascents to airplane touchdowns, your backpack goes with you. The best backpack is the one that fits your lifestyle and is built specifically for your activity, comfort, and organizational priorities. If you can, test different packs to determine your ideal fit and functionality before you purchase one. The product guides at your local Arc’teryx store can help get you fitted and make tailored recommendations.