Backpack Size

Hi,

I'm planning out a 2 weeks trip around wilderness and I need to pack tent, mat, sleeping bag, clothes, towels, etc. However, i'm not sure if a 60L backpack is the right choice. Do you think I would need a bigger backpack? I'm 6'3 220 lbs, so my main concern is that my stuff (sleeping bags, jackets, shoes and hiking boots), requires a lot of space. Would you recommend a right size for me? I have measured my torso and I need a Large backpack.

Thanks for your help.

One of the best pieces of advice I've seen here (of many very good ones!) is to get your gear together, then get your pack to fit your gear. The synthetic winter sleeping bags I used years ago wouldn't even fit in my pack now! If you had a more specific gear list and trip plan you may get some suggestions. It would also depend on whether you would resupply yourself in those 2 weeks, or carry all your food for that time. That's a fair amount of space for someone as large as yourself who needs some calories to maintain. Where and when you plan to go also brings in variables. Cold or wet is going to require more clothes and gear. I personally use a 60 liter pack the majority of the time, but my trips seldom exceed 5 days. Unless your gear list includes a UL tent and a down bag and jacket, you may find 60 is a little small. More info is good for the knowledgeable folks here to really help.

Take all your gear and find a box that fits it tightly, then with this you can calculate the volume in inches cubed. Just remember less is better, pack wisely and try not to bring to many redundant items. And lastly, have a blast!

The best advice has always been: get all your stuff together first, then get a pack it all fits into. You can tell if it all fits because you put it into the pack, either at the store or at home (and you return the pack unused, if it is too small to hold your stuff).

If you are going to carry all your food from the get-go, be sure to leave room for it, too. Two weeks' worth can take up a fair bit of space. Also, be sure to wear your loaded pack for a while, to figure out if it has issues around fit, such as chafing or sagging onto your shoulders. Pack fitting can be as individual as shoes.

Towels?

I think you are not sure what you need. Why would your shoes/hiking boots need to go inside the pack?

First look at the gear lists in the column of the main page of this website - backpacking.net.

Second, compare it to your stuff. Think about why towels and other things you have aren't on the list. Take your stuff backpacking in a borrowed or rented backpack, just for one night, and when you get home, take the things you did not use out of the gear list. You won't use that on a longer trip either.

You should be doing short trips before you ever think about a two week trip, if you really want to enjoy the two week trip.

Third, use the revised gear list to figure out how much pack you really need - because the size of the pack depends on your actual gear and food you will be taking, not on some estimate or guess.

Oh come on Lori I know you bring a full sized terry cloth robe to lounge in the mornings!;)

You may need a large pack, but they have differing volumes depending on the model from the different manufacturers.
Duane

... at the hostel.

Lounging on the trail is always done upright, with fishing pole in hand.

First of all, go the Lite Gear Talk Forum and read the very first post, which I wrote, then follow the directions and ask your question again.

Second, since you didn't tell us where you are going or when, or what gear and clothes you plan on taking, I have no idea what size pack you need. That is why you need to read my post and follow the directions. I hiked all over New Zealand with a medium sized pack full of gear and clothes for that particular trip, but that pack would be too small for a winter trip, so the only answer to your question is "it depends."

For a 10 day trip, my 40 liter pack was ample. I didn't use the expansion area at all.

Have you looked at the gear lists and other articles on the home page of this site, left hand column? It sounds as though

In addition to your gear, you need to include the equivalent in weight and volume of the food and fuel for the amount of time you'll be out. All that's going into the pack. Also your water (which will vary according to the frequency of water sources).

Two weeks without resupply is more than most backpackers want to do because the first few days will be really heavy. If there's no way to resupply mid-trip, then plan short days for the first few because your load will be considerable!

And please do follow the advice already given and get all your other gear before shopping for a pack. The most important things about a pack are fit, fit, and fit. The pack needs to fit you, fit your gear and fit you comfortably with your gear inside.

Your question can not be answered by any one packer. I personally am packing for a 2 nighter with a buddy and I feel my 85 liter is too small for all the stuff I want to have with me. I stuffed my tent all the way to the bottom and then packed around it and I ran out of space fast once my sleeping bag, bag liner, inflatable pillow, one change of clothes, and a couple small items were in there. I haven't even squeezed my sneakers, dry box, water, or food in there. I will be repacking before I leave because I am certain I am wasting space in there somewhere but I am not sure where!

I don't know, sounds like your taking way too much. I couldn't fill my 58 lt pack with all my stuff my sons stuff and a weeks worth of food for 2. Post a entire list of what you carry, every last item. I also love the advice given here about putting a small piece of tape on each item, the as you use your items remove the tape. When you get home anything with tape still on it stays home next time.

At the risk of sounding condescending: are you using the whole pack? I've seen new backpackers who didn't realize that their 60 or 70 liter pack has a divider about a third of the way up from the bottom, which separates the pack into a compartment for the sleeping bag (accessed by a zipper at the bottom of the pack) and a main compartment (usually loaded from the top.) They also don't realize that this divider can usually be zipped open or unbuckled, to open the pack into a single large compartment.

Not realizing this, they've tried to stuff everything into the main compartment, and put nothing in below, effectively turning a 70 liter pack into a 50 liter pack.

Yeah, I dropped the divider out. The biggest problem for me is the tent I am taking is large. Its a "3 man" and not especially well designed for space or weight efficiency but its what I currently have. I packed the clothes in a compression bag and freed up some room but no drastic volume...

Also admittedly some of my gear is regular Joe stuff and nothing special. I also decided to take a full change of clothes.. top to bottom inside and out. I felt that it would serve as insurance in the event we got caught in the rain.. a wet hike is not as much fun in the bitter cold...

Most people I know carry the tent either in the outside side pocket of the pack or on top of the pack, under the lid if there is one. That way you can get the tent out and set it up without exposing the pack contents to rain. Ditto when you're taking it down in the rain. You really don't want a wet tent inside the pack shedding water on your dry stuff! And that also means your tent isn't taking up room inside.

Same here, I like mine in the outer mesh pocket so any rain I failed to shake off can evaporate as I hike.