How big of a Hiking Backpack will I need?
March 8th, 2010 | by admin |I am going backpacking for 2-3 days. How big of a backpack will I need to get for just a weekend backpacking trip? btw I see alot of backpacks that says something like 10L & 6400 CI. Could someone explain what does the L and CI stands for (are they the same?)
This is the one I am looking into getting:
http://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Cubic-Internal-Hiking-Backpack/dp/B000B9RM8S/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1245419497&sr=1-22
7,000 cubic inches! I would have to hire a porter if I filled that thing up.
That is a huge bag for an internal frame pack. I have my doubts that the internal frame and the suspension system will do the job if the bag is fully loaded.
1 liter = 61.0237441 cubic inches, so that bag is close to 115 liters.
For weekend outings, something in the 65 to 70 liter range is what we carry if using an internal frame pack. Remember, all your stuff needs to go inside this pack. Items like tents and sleeping pads don’t ride very well attached to the outside.
If you go with an external frame pack, look for a pack in the range of about 4,000 cubic inches. This is big enough to still store your sleeping bag inside the pack. Attach your tent and pads to the frame.
Most importantly, get a pack that fits you. The pack you are looking at evidently comes in one size with some unspecified adjustments.
Measure your torso and shop for packs within your torso range. For more explanation of this see the site below.
7 Responses to “How big of a Hiking Backpack will I need?”
By Guy on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
L stands for liters and CI stands for cubic inch. I bought a 4800ci from sports authority for a hiking trip to mount marcy last year and it was just enough for 3 days. But I packed my sleeping bag inside it instead of just tying it on top, so you can make a lot room that way if you need to. If youre looking at a 6400ci bag then youll have more than enough room. Hope that helps.
References :
I just saw the bag your looking at and thats huge! You dont need anything that big and trust me, you wont want to haul that thing around if your doing any hiking.
By Blue Moon on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
7,000 cubic inches! I would have to hire a porter if I filled that thing up.
That is a huge bag for an internal frame pack. I have my doubts that the internal frame and the suspension system will do the job if the bag is fully loaded.
1 liter = 61.0237441 cubic inches, so that bag is close to 115 liters.
For weekend outings, something in the 65 to 70 liter range is what we carry if using an internal frame pack. Remember, all your stuff needs to go inside this pack. Items like tents and sleeping pads don’t ride very well attached to the outside.
If you go with an external frame pack, look for a pack in the range of about 4,000 cubic inches. This is big enough to still store your sleeping bag inside the pack. Attach your tent and pads to the frame.
Most importantly, get a pack that fits you. The pack you are looking at evidently comes in one size with some unspecified adjustments.
Measure your torso and shop for packs within your torso range. For more explanation of this see the site below.
References :
http://www.campsite190.com/backpack
By David on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
I use a 4500 in³ internal frame pack for my backpacking. The reason? that way I don’t overload myself. I would be tempted to put too much stuff in a pack that big and end up maxing out on weight! Of course I really have to pack in tightly what I need for a week long trip in the Sierras, (By the time my tent, sleeping bag and bear can are in there, there’s not much more room) it’s perfect for a 2 day trip.
References :
By DocBCXXVIII on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
Keep it light. For 2-3 days, something a little bigger than a day pack should be fine. Guage it by how much water you will need to carry. Water is heavy and volumous. If you can find and filter water along the route, then do that and take a small pack with lightweight food. You will probably want shelter and a sleeping bag. That stuff has weight.
Go by weight and not size. Carrying anything over 30lb for 3 days really sucks.
References :
By Jim on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
I would start by researching the pros and cons of internal vs external frame packs. If you’re a trail hiker, you may be better off going external. After you’ve made that decision, then look for a pack size that fits your body, even if it has more room than you may need for 2 or 3 days, what about if you decide to go for a week next year? There is not much weight difference if you size up just a bit.
That pack sale looks like they are trying to off their extra large packs that aren’t selling. That’s way too cheap for a good internal frame pack.
References :
By BeachBum818 on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
Thats a monster pack! 7,000CI is more than enough for a 7 day hike. If you fill that bad boy up for 2-3 day trip you`ll have a lot of unnecessary gear/clothes/weight. Not only that but its not a quality name brand, I`m not saying it wont get the job done but It may no tlast a long time and hwo knows about their customer service/return policy if something were to go wrong. $50 for a 7000 CI pack is unheard of, if its too good to be true it may not be the best of quality. With a name brand pack you know you are getting a quality pack with a warranty/guarantee that will back it up. The following link has a bunch of "weekend" packs (3000-4500CI).Now some of them are really expensive but you`ll be get an awesome pack. Now you dont need the most expensive gear out there to have a good time. There are also really reasonable prices on here, this site has the best prices around, usually, and they have a no questions asked return policy with no time limit so 1 day or 5 years you can return it whenever you want.
http://www.backcountry.com/store/group/42/Weekend-Packs-3000-4500-cu-in.html#app=price%7E+group%7E42+brand%7E+sortby%7E+cat%7E+subcat%7E8+offset%7E-1+on_sale%7E+page_name%7EWeekend-Packs-3000-4500-cu-in
I also prefer internal frame packs, you dont get hung up on overgrown trails and they are usually a lot lighter than the external frames
References :
Eagle Scout
NY Backpacking Guide
By st33lcas3 on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
I’ve always used the "1000 cubic inches per day" gauge. It works for me. Instead of a monster 7000 c.i. backpack, go with a smaller 3000-3500 c.i. pack. That should be plenty large enough for three days worth of food, clothes and supplies. A 7000 c.i. pack would be used for hikes of a week or more.
Also with packs, you get what you pay for. A cheap pack will not hold up to the abuse it’ll encounter over the trip.
Do not buy a pack online either. You’ll want to go to a good store and try different packs on. They all fit differently and you will want one that is comfortable otherwise your three day journey will feel like a week long hell journey. Some places will even load them up with weight so you can get a better idea of how they feel. Check the link below for advice.
References :
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/gear/features/backpack.htm