5 Best Trekking Backpacks for Your Walking Adventures
Not all trekking backpacks are created equal. Discover our top 5 picks, expertly chosen for the Camino de Santiago, long-distance treks, and expeditions around the world.
A Piedi Per Il Mondo
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How many times have you wondered whether that old trekking backpack you put away years ago might be right for your next adventure? Or found yourself standing confused in front of a wall of backpacks in a shop, thinking – Where do I even start?
A quality trekking backpack needs to possess certain features that go far beyond material quality and aesthetics. What truly matters is the fit, capacity, comfort, and most importantly, the ability to adjust it perfectly to suit your body and specific needs. If you'd like a deeper dive into backpack selection, I recommend reading How to Choose the Right Backpack for Your Walking Journey, Trek or Adventure.
This article, however, takes a different approach. Rather than explaining what makes a good backpack – we've already covered that – here we reveal our Top 5: the five trekking backpacks we at A piedi per il mondo believe are perfect for any walking journey.
A quick note: Over the past several years, manufacturers have developed models specifically designed for women's bodies, featuring different back panels, shoulder straps, and hip belts compared to men's versions. For each backpack on this list, both men's and women's options are available.
Choosing the right model for you – one that matches your load capacity needs and total weight requirements – makes all the difference and significantly impacts the success of your next walking adventure.
Here are five trekking backpack models that could be perfect for you.
The Osprey Stratos 50 is my go-to trekking backpack for everything from multi-day treks to the Camino de Santiago. It's lightweight and highly manoeuvrable, ideal for any walking adventure.
This pack truly shines with its back panel – both ergonomic and exceptionally breathable, yet impressively durable.
The lower pocket allows easy access to the sleeping bag/spare shoes compartment, which remains completely separate from the main pack. Adjustments are infinite and intuitive – a simple tug adjusts any lace, or you can modify the back panel height with ease. You can fine-tune everything: the back panel, shoulder straps, load lifters, and harness height.
The hip belt is snug and effortless to tighten or loosen. Two side attachment loops specifically designed for trekking poles let you secure them while walking – when you need them again, simply reach over and unhook them without removing the pack.
Another brilliant feature is the water bottle pocket with an opening at the base, allowing you to grab your bottle with an easy reach and replace it just as conveniently.
Weight of the Osprey Stratos 50L: 1.67kg.
This model comes in multiple capacities for both men's and women's versions.
The Osprey Stratos (men's) is available in 24L – 26L – 34L – 36L – 50L capacities.
The Osprey Sirrus (women's) comes in 24L – 26L – 36L – 50L capacities.
For multi-day journeys, the 50-litre version is outstanding! This exceptional pack can carry you on foot around the world through all your walking adventures.
The Finisterre is Ferrino's most popular pack on the Camino de Santiago, and we highly recommend it to everyone walking the various pilgrimage routes. With excellent value for money, it deserves a place in our top 5 trekking backpacks.
It comes in both a unisex version with three capacities – 28L, 38L, 48L – and a women's "Lady" version available in 30L and 40L.
Features include a breathable back panel, a spacious hip belt, comfortable shoulder strap adjustments, trekking pole attachment straps, a lower pocket separated from the main compartment, a hydration pocket – essentially every important comfort feature and practical detail you'd want.
If we had to point out a weakness, it would be slightly thin shoulder straps and the weight – the 48L comes in at 1.8kg – but otherwise this is a trekking backpack that adapts perfectly to any need.
Deuter, a German manufacturer, is another excellent brand in trekking backpack production, offering hikers – especially those from Northern Europe – a wide range of high-quality options.
We recommend the Aircontact Lite 40 + 10: The base capacity is 40L, but the generous top opening allows you to expand by approximately 10L more, giving you an effective 50L pack.
More than most competitors, Deuter designs backpacks that build significant height, which means taller hikers especially get excellent balance and stability while walking.
It has all the hallmarks of quality: durable, water-resistant fabric (you'll still want a rain cover in heavy downpours), adjustments throughout, a separate lower compartment, multiple pockets, and a well-designed hip belt. The weight is impressive too at just 1.4kg – the lightest in its category.
The main drawback might be the padded back panel, which while offering some back contact points, provides less ventilation than some competitors.
It's nonetheless an excellent pack, available in women's SL version as well, with various capacities: men's versions come in 40 + 10L, 50 + 10L, 65 + 10L; women's versions in 35 + 10L, 45 + 10L, 60 + 10L.
The wolf's paw is Jack Wolfskin's highly recognisable logo – another German company producing excellent quality trekking backpacks.
This model features an exceptional ergonomic back panel and, like Deuter, builds considerable height. It includes a lower pocket, front pocket, and a full-length side zip along the main body, which is particularly useful as it lets you access contents without unloading everything from the top opening.
It's built for long-distance walking journeys, and at 36L capacity, it's perfect for summer hiking adventures. For winter trekking plans, larger capacities are available: 42L, 48L, 50L, and 60L.
A women's version is also available, with 34L and 45L capacities.
The main drawback is the weight – perhaps a bit heavy for the capacity: 36L at 1.59kg.
If you need a significantly larger pack – though remember, bigger capacity means heavier loads for whatever extra gear you bring – check out the trekking backpack below.
This is the pack we used for our 6-month #WalkingEurope journey.
We were also Osprey Brand Ambassadors during that period.
It's the most comfortable backpack we've ever used – snug hip belt and impressive load-bearing capacity.
It sits quite large on the shoulders, though this varies depending on your frame size. Still, it's the backpack we absolutely recommend for anyone planning a long-distance walking journey and carrying over 10kg of gear including camping equipment and food.
If you need a spacious, durable pack that will support your long walking journeys around the world – whether multi-day treks, the Camino de Santiago, or backpacking adventures – the Osprey Atmos or Aura is your perfect trekking backpack!
You can also read the complete review of the Osprey Atmos 65 Litres
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