Multiday (3-5 nights; 50-80 liters)These are the most popular backpacking packs sold at REI and they're an excellent choice for warm-weather trips lasting 3 or more days.
People Also Ask
For a multi-day, or weekend hike, a 45L to 55L backpack offers enough volume for the average backpacker. The extra capacity allows for carrying more food, water, fuel, and some comfort items you might leave behind for a single night trip.
A 30L – 50L backpack will be just the ticket. It will be able to hold all your sleeping, cooking, and camping gear you need for trips up to 5 or 6 days.
Trips of 5 days or more usually call for packs of 70 liters or more. These are also usually the preferred choice for winter treks lasting more than 1 night. (Larger packs can more comfortably accommodate extra clothing, a warmer sleeping bag and a 4-season tent, which typically includes extra poles.)
Size Matters (but Bigger Isn't Better)Like a few other things in life, size matters when it comes to choosing a backpack — but not in the way you might think. Based on many years of dragging excessively large backpacks around the world, I have to say bigger is not better. You do not need an 80 or 90 litre pack.
A 40L backpack sits in the sweet spot between lightweight daysacks and heavy-duty 80L rucksacks. They're extremely flexible – working for average day hikes and overnight wilderness camping. They also give you the extra room needed for climbing gear or winter hikes.
Lightweight backpack for outdoor, Ultralight, only 2.1 pounds for 60L large capacity,reducing the backpack loading weight so that you can carry more other items. The maximum loading bearing is 33lb.
2-3 Day Packs: 35-50 litersA weekend backpack like a standard 40L backpack is big enough to carry a backpacking sleeping bag, small tent, and pad, as well as extra clothing and layers.
What size backpack do I need for 2 or 3-days (weekend hike)? For a multi-day, or weekend hike, a 45L to 55L backpack offers enough volume for the average backpacker. The extra capacity allows for carrying more food, water, fuel, and some comfort items you might leave behind for a single night trip.
A medium sized backpack, would be ideal for those thinking of an overnight trip. If you pack light, a 40 or 50 litre pack would also be sufficient to hold your clothing, tent and sleeping bag for a 3 day hike.
I recommend a backpack around 40L-50L. Personally, I wouldn't go over 65L, but some people like a bigger bag. You can always go smaller, but I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than 35L — unless you're into minimalist travel.
Multiday Packs: 50-75 litersA light packer will have ample room for five nights or more with a multiday backpack, which is typically a 50L backpack or larger. These are designed to carry more food and cooking fuel than a weekend pack, as well as extra clothes and layers.
If you buy a 55 liter to 65 liter back from a backpack manufacturer than only counts their closed storage in their volume spec, there's a pretty good chance you can carry all of your backpacking essentials inside your backpack, including a bulkier synthetic insulated sleeping bag and a two-person tent.