Choose Your Backpacking Gear

The 10 Essentials: It’s a time-tested assortment of wilderness travel gear that ensures you have the basics for safety and comfort and equips you to handle emergencies. You may never refer to your compass or use firestarter—two of the Essentials—but it’s good to carry them, just in case.

Consult a checklist. REI’s Backpacking Checklist includes more items than you’ll ever carry on a single trip, but we made it that way so you don't forget anything important.

Not really roughing it. Many comforts of home also come in impressively lightweight backpacking forms: stoves, cushy sleeping pads, camp pillows.

Think light. It's easy to over-pack. Yes, bring a camera, toilet paper, headlamp and sunscreen. But maybe skip the lantern, the paperback and that third water bottle (bring a water filter instead and resupply as you go). Aim for a pack weight that’s manageable. Say, around 30 pounds.

Borrow or rent. Try out big-ticket items (bags, tents) before making a purchase so you better understand your preferences.

How to Choose and Pack a Backpack

For in-depth details on choosing the right pack, see our article on how to choose a backpack.

Here are some brief guidelines:

Capacity. The number in pack names refers to the pack’s volume in liters. A common size for weekend trips (1–3 nights) is 35–50 liters. Multiday trips (3–5 nights) require packs of 50–80 liters. For longer trips, or if you’re toting a lot of winter or kids’ gear, choose 70 and higher.

Size: Backpacks are sized according to torso length, not a person’s height. The best way to get the right-sized pack is to visit an REI store and get expert help. If that’s not practical, you can get a friend to measure your torso length, determined by measuring the distance between the top of your hips to your C7 vertebrae—that bony protrusion near the base of your neck.

Loading and adjusting a pack. A backpack is designed to carry most of the load on your hips while your shoulders carry less. Keep heavy gear close to your back and near your shoulders. See our articles about how to pack a backpack and pack-adjusting tips for details.