40-50 Liters (The Ultralight Thru-Hiker)A pack this size can be used for multi-day backpacking trips and even Continental Trail thru-hikes provided you keep a lightweight and minimalist philosophy.
People Also Ask
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 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.
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.
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.
Is 45 liters too big for a day hiking pack? Yes, 45 liters is more space than most people will need in a day hiking pack. The sweet spot for day packs is more like 15 – 30 liters, which is enough space for a day's worth of food and water, warm layers or rain gear, safety essentials, and other small items.
Even if you're a heavy packer, you should be able to take a 45L pack away for a weekend. A light packer could easily do with a bag like this for a week. With that in mind, here's a packing list for what you can fit in a 40+ backpack.
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.
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.
Pack three outfits, three pairs of underwear (an extra pair or two never hurts), one set of pajamas and three pairs of socks. If you're planning on going out to dinner at least once on your trip, consider bringing an additional outfit that is better suited for a restaurant than your typical comfortable clothes.
Larger than the 30L Travel Bag, the 40L Travel Bag is designed for longer excursions. Some might say a week, but we think you don't need much more for a month than you do for a week, so we'd definitely take this on a multi-month backpacking trip around Europe or South America (or wherever).