Subbing in a small hiking daypack in place of a bigger rucksack is liberating. Capacious enough for snacks, spare layers and essentials only, you feel so speedy and agile wearing a smaller daypack, as ...

Editor’s Note: We updated our Ultralight Backpacks guide on March 17, 2025, to add the Durston Kakwa 55 as our best overall pick in ultralight packs, the Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 as the best budget ...

Choosing an ultralight pack is one of the trickiest gear decisions to make—you aren’t just considering the weight and features of the pack, you also have to account for how much the rest of ...

If you spend enough time backpacking, you'll want to streamline your gear. This list of the best ultralight backpacks includes brands like Outdoor Vitals, Exped and more.

We’ve put backpacking backpacks from top brands like REI, Gregory, Osprey, and more to the test on backpacking trips across ...

Our go-to for a long weekend excursion, The Granite Gear Crown3 is a great all-around overnight pack that features amenities you’d expect from a beefier pack.

In general, though, the harness concept works best with packs of 45 liters or smaller, and loads of 25 pounds or less (any heavier, and most hikers will prefer the load transfer abilities of a ...

Lightweight backpacks are designed to keep the wearer comfortable and provide well-organized space for everything you need while you’re out on the trails.