Yahoo Finance 9 best travel backpacks for every adventure, from relaxed city breaks to testing treks
There’s something romantic about carrying your life on your back and hitting the road. That’s why every traveller needs a good, reliable bag. Whether it’s just a weekend away, a hiking trip or a longer adventure, a backpack can be a much more convenient way to carry your belongings than a suitcase.
But not all backpacks are made equal. Some have highly technical specifications that are perfect for outdoor adventurers, while others are simple but effective, helping travellers explore the world, hands-free.
If you’re hiking or climbing, you’ll want a waterproof backpack with plenty of loops for your trekking poles and straps to attach roll mats and such. For hand luggage-only travellers, you’ll need a water bottle pocket and a zip pocket for your travel documents.
One of the most important features of any backpack, though, is the way it opens. Front or side opening zippers are almost essential, as having to unpack everything to get to those socks at the bottom is just impractical. Adjustable backs and straps are also essential for those carrying heavier packs, as everyone’s body is different, and it’s key to be able to change the back according to your own height.
Finally, every backpack needs to be waterproof or at least have a rain cover – you never know when you’re going to get stuck in a downpour. Any model with these three features is likely to be a trusty travel companion for many years.
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How we tested
We’ve sourced and tested nine of the best backpacks you can buy right now. Our writer used each model on research trips for her latest guidebook project and on dog walks – none of the following will let you down.
The best travel backpacks for 2022 are:
Best for business travel –Stubble & Co the adventure bag: £185, Stubbleandco.com
Best overall – Salkan the backpacker: £275, Discoversalkan.com
Best for technical outdoor adventures – HellyHansen resistor: £200, Hellyhansen.com
Best for hand luggage only trips – Osprey daylite carry-on backpack: £89.95, Absolute-snow.co.uk
Best for long-distance trekking and camping – Osprey ariel 65l rucksack: £198, Gooutdoors.co.uk
Best for backpacking adventures – Vango wrath 60:70: £145, Vango.co.uk
Best for adventures on the water – Columbia outdry ex 80l duffel: £110, Columbiasportswear.co.uk
Best for short trekking trips – Montane women's sirenik 65l backpack: £160, Montane.com
Best for backpackers on a budget – Mountain Warehouse carrion 65l rucksack: £59.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
Stubble & Co the adventure bag
Best: Overall
Pros: Opens like a suitcase; waist straps and lots of pockets; shoe and credit card compartments
Cons: No quick top access
This has been our go-to travel backpack for over a year now, and it’s still in great shape. Whether it’s a weekend away or a month-long trip, this is a fantastic option for every kind of traveller – we managed to do three weeks in Scotland with it alone.
It’s a bit of a tardis: it looks small, but it has 42l of space inside, which is enough for a long weekend or even a week away. It’s the perfect travel backpack for business trips or city breaks, as it’s small enough to go in the overhead lockers in the cabin of a plane.
Beyond its handy size, the backpack has plenty of excellent features – best of all is its opening mechanism. Instead of being a top-, front- or side-access backpack, it opens like a suitcase to reveal two sections, separated by zipper-fastened mesh. This means you get easy access to all your belongings all at once, like you would with a suitcase. The bag has a card pocket on its straps so you can grab your plastic as and when you need it, while there’s also a shoe compartment in the bottom and a padded laptop pocket. You can fit a 750ml vessel in its bottle pocket, and if you want to use it alongside a suitcase, there’s a trolley sleeve for wheeling around the airport.
Buy now £185.00, Stubbleandco.com
Salkan the backpacker
Best: Stylish backpack
Rating: 8/10
Pros: Top and front access; internal side pockets; comes with detachable daypack; weighs just 3.4kg
Cons: Non-stretch, non-flexible material; could damage/stain easily in transit; daypack quite small
Salkan’s backpacker model is a clever and stylish piece of kit. The bag looks great, with its on-trend grey (it also comes in green and charcoal) polyester outer fabric and straps that come in all sorts of colours and patterns. But it gets serious kudos for its functionality, too. The highlight is its opening mechanism: the entire front panel zips off so you can see everything in the bag all at once. This saves so much time every time you want to get one small thing out.
Another important feature is the adjustable strap section, which means regardless of how tall you are, the pack can be fitted to your size for maximum comfort. Waist and chest straps keep it secure and look after your back muscles at the same time. There’s also excellent inside pocket game, with compartments for underwear or valuables and small items, and a handy raincover in case you get caught in a downpour or you want to protect the bag in transit. A neat little accessory is the roll-top laundry bag, and the daypack which attaches to the front of the pack, or it can be hooked to the straps so it sits at your front. It’s currently available for pre-order and is shipping around the end of March.
Buy now £275.00, Discoversalkan.com
HellyHansen resistor
Best: For technical outdoors adventures
Rating: 10/10
Pros: Fastenings for trekking poles, ice picks and climbing rope; in-built safety whistle; hydration compatibility; weighs 1.5kg
Cons: Straps might get caught during transit
This backpack is for the serious adventurer. Whether it’s long-distance trekking, mountaineering, climbing, abseiling or even ice climbing, this is an excellent backpack with plenty of technical features. We love the in-built whistle for safety and the hydration section where you can put a CamelBak or similar. There are loops for hiking poles or ice picks, a security pocket with a key clip and padded straps with a chest buckle and waist support.
The backpack holds 45l and has a vast top pocket in the lid, while the pockets on the waist straps are a handy little addition for snacks and other essentials like pocket knives, torches or sunscreen. The backpack comes in two colours – midnight green and alert red – and it weighs just 1.5kg.
Buy now £200.00, Hellyhansen.com
Osprey daylite carry-on backpack
Best: For hand luggage-only trips
Rating: 8/10
Pros: 4l of space; 55cm x 35cm x 23cm size; laptop sleeve
Cons: No waist straps for extra support
If you’re just after a simple carry-on backpack that’ll fit enough for a weekend away, the Osprey daylite is a great travel companion. It has grab handles on more than one side for easy transportation when it’s not on your back, and plenty of external pockets for essentials like headphones and your passport. It has a water bottle pocket, compression straps and a supportive waist strap, and the entire front panel zips away so you can access all your belongings easily.
The inside straps keep your clothes from falling to the bottom and getting too crinkled, while the shoulder straps themselves pack away neatly, should you need to check the backpack into the hold. Overall, this is a very clever little weekender backpack that’s perfect for short-haul.
Buy now £89.95, Absolute-snow.co.uk
Osprey ariel 65l rucksack
Best: For long-distance trekking and camping
Rating: 9/10
Pros: Top and front opening; strong technical fabric; chest and waist straps; weighs just 2.2kg
Cons: Lots of dangling straps; noisy fabric
This is the ultimate hiker’s backpack. Lightweight but sturdy with fully adjustable straps and handy pockets on the waist strap, you’ll be hard-pressed to find fault with it. It opens at the top like a traditional backpack as well as offering front access via a zippable panel and a base compartment for your sleeping bag or mucky trainers.
Cleverly, it comes designed for men (the aether, £198, Gooutdoors.co.uk) or women (ariel), meaning the fit is tailored to your body type. Both backpacks have clever built-in features like hydration pockets and even an emergency whistle on the chest strap. This backpack will be comfy enough to wear for long hikes, and is ideal for packing your camping gear ahead of an outdoors adventure.
Buy now £198.00, Gooutdoors.co.uk
Vango wrath 60:70
Best: For backpacking adventures
Rating: 9/10
Pros: Weighs just 2.1kg; lid converts into waist pack; chest and waist straps; top grab handle
Cons: No side grab handle; lots of dangling straps
Gap year students and backpackers, this one’s for you. The wrath is an affordable but sturdy backpack that could well see you through six months adventuring in Australia and New Zealand, or help you cart your things about while you hop on and off buses in South America.
It has top and front access thanks to a panel that opens from the bottom, and handy mesh pockets on its sides for water bottles or snacks. The adjustable back system can be altered while you’re wearing the pack, so if it starts to feel uncomfortable you can fix it without having to stop and take it off. Plus, a breathable mesh back panel means you won’t overheat or suffer from chafing as you walk.
Buy now £145.00, Vango.co.uk
Columbia OutDry Ex 80L duffel
Best: For adventures on the water
Rating: 8/10
Pros: Doubles as duffel and backpack; waterproof technical fabric; packs away for easy storage
Cons: No back support; few pockets
Whether it’s sailing in the Med or boating on the Norfolk Broads, this duffel-come-backpack is the perfect solution for watery adventures – and there’s no need to worry about accidentally sending it overboard. The Columbia bag is made from technical, leathery fabric that keeps water out, and its zippers and seams are sealed to ensure not a drop can creep in.
Without proper back support, this isn’t a backpack you’ll want to carry around for extensive periods of time, but using it as a backpack for short stints is easy and comfortable enough. We love that it packs away into a little pouch when you’re not using it, too. Its vast, 80l compartment also means you can fit plenty of clothes and shoes inside, so it’s great for long trips.
Buy now £110.00, Columbiasportswear.co.uk
Montane women's sirenik 65l backpack
Best: For short trekking trips
Rating: 9/0
Pros: Very light at 1.5kg; sturdy technical fabric; chest and waist straps; lifetime guarantee
Cons: No front access; few pockets
This is a great, reasonably priced backpack for short hiking trips or backpacking adventures. With its curved aluminium frame tailored for women (the men’s version is the yupik, £160, Montane.com), it’s comfortable on the back and super lightweight at 1.5kg. With 65l capacity, there’s plenty of space for clothing and shoes, and there’s a sleeping bag compartment at the bottom, too.
There’s a removable lid, a waterproof cover and a pair of pockets on the waist strap for snacks and money. You can attach walking poles to the back, insert a water bag to the H2O pocket, and the chest strap is an elasticated, one-handed clip for easy adjustment. Overall, this is a solid travel and hiking backpack that’s ideal for short walking holidays or backpacking trips.
Buy now £160.00, Montane.com
Mountain Warehouse carrion 65l rucksack
Best: For backpackers on a budget
Rating: 9/10
Pros: Detachable day bag; 65l capacity; adjustable back system; straps hide away for transit
Cons: Single access point; few pockets; no lid
This is by far the best-value backpack on the market right now. Ideal for backpackers who are likely to be on and off planes and other public transport, the backpack is large, comfortable and versatile. The technical fabric is strong and shower-proof (there’s a full waterproof rain cover inside) and all the zips are lockable, meaning you can safely store it on racks on trains or on buses without worrying about someone getting inside.
It has an adjustable back so you can fit it to your body, and, best of all, it can be converted from a backpack into a duffel bag with a spare strap. Grab handles on the top and side make it easy to load on and off vehicles or luggage belts, and the back cover hides away all the straps – ideal for when it’s in transit and you want to avoid the queues at the pesky oversized luggage counter. The detachable day bag is a useful little addition, too.
Buy now £59.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
Travel backpack FAQs
What to consider when buying a travel backpack
Weight
The equipment you carry in your travel backpack is likely to be weighty, so it’s important that your backpack is light so it doesn’t add much extra heft to the load you are carrying.
Comfort
Having waist and shoulder straps, as well as a back panel and padding, will make your travel backpack more comfortable to carry, which is particularly important on long jaunts.
Multiple compartments
A backpack with multiple compartments is useful if you want to keep your belongings organised, particularly if you want to separate clean clothes from dirty, or put your liquids in a dedicated pocket so they don’t leak all over your clothes.
Detachable daypack
A detachable day bag is beneficial if your travels involve exploring your surroundings while leaving your main bag in a hotel or hostel.
Weather resistance and durability
The material your travel backpack is made from will make a big difference to whether it stands the test of time. Weather resistance is also key to protecting the contents of your bag if you get caught in a downpour.
Suitable as carry-on luggage
If you’re looking for a fairly small and compact bag, it’s worth bearing in mind carry-on dimensions for airlines you are likely to use, so that if you’re travelling further afield, you’ll be able to take it on the plane without having to pay extra to check in your bag.
What size backpack is best for travelling?
15l-30l
If you’re only on the road for a day or so, a 15-30l bag will do you well.
30l-40l
A mid-sized bag of 30l-40l is best suited for a long weekend away.
50l or more
For those longer trips where you might need to pack some extra gear, a larger option of 50l or more is the way to go.
Is a 45l backpack carry-on size?
The short answer is yes. That said, you ought to check its dimensions, as most airlines will only allow carry-on bags up to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm.
The verdict: Travel backpacks
The Stubble&Co adventure bag is the best backpack for travel, with its clever opening system and various in-built pockets and sections for storing laptops, bottles and shoes. For £185, we think this it’s a great deal. The Osprey ariel 65l rucksack also deserves a nod for its highly technical specification and excellent comfort – we took this one on a long dog walk and it felt like it was hardly there.
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For more outdoor gear, check out our selection of the best walking trousers to take on your trip
