Top Backpacking Backpack Brands for 2024

Top Backpacking Backpack Brands

It can be incredibly overwhelming to dig through the heaps of backpacks available online when shopping for a new backpacking pack. Even with a rough idea of what you’re looking for in a backpack, you might get lost trying to compare the many different options.  A great way to narrow down your search is to find a brand that you trust, then choose from one of their options. 

If you’re new to backpacking, you might not have a lot of experience with the many brands out there to have a favorite. Fortunately, we do! If you are looking for a new pack and want to find a brand you can trust, keep reading. We’re going to cover our top backpacking backpack brands and the reasons we love to buy from them!

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Osprey

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $200-300
• Product Focus: Backpacks
• Brand is known for: Long lasting backpacks
• Founded: 1974

Osprey is a well-loved brand in the backpacking community. It is a brand that focuses solely on backpacks, not on other gear, so all their efforts go into making the highest quality packs you can find.

Osprey backpacks are considered one of the top backpacking backpack brands because they are built to last. Unlike some brands that want you to keeping coming back to buy replacement gear, Osprey wants you to buy fewer backpacks.

Why? Because they stand by the idea that long lasting gear means a lower environmental impact.

Being environmentally friendly is a key value of Osprey. They use high-quality recycled, renewable, and non-toxic materials for their products and even submit them to 3^rd party labs for testing. In addition, they limit the packaging of their products to further reduce waste.

Finding the right backpack with Osprey is easy, they have a wide variety of different packs in different sizes. Their site even features a “packfinder” guide to point you to the right pack for you. Many packs include handy features such as a hydration sleeve or a Stow-On-The-Go trekking pole attachment.

What we love most about Osprey : Their “All Mighty Guarantee”. They will repair damaged or defective backpacks for no fee no matter how old they are!

Our Favorite Osprey Backpack

Osprey Atmos AG

Find it here!

Gregory

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $250-350
• Product Focus: Backpacks
• Brand is known for: Comfortable, ergonomic backpacks
• Founded: 1977

Another easy pick for one of the top backpacking backpack brands is Gregory. Like Osprey, Gregory specializes in backpacks for a variety of activities. That product focus allowed them to perfect their pack design.

Gregory is known for developing some of the most comfortable backpacks with an ergonomic fit that provides superior support and distributes weight evenly. They have a heavy focus on innovation and design to continuously improve the way their packs feel. In fact, they were the first to bring the pivoting hip belt to the market. This feature allows the hip belt to adjust to fit different hip angles.

They are meticulous with their new innovations, too. Every single product is tested before it can be deemed good enough to hit the market. Fortunately, they have plenty of trails to test their designs out on near their headquarters in Salt Lake City.

While their lifetime warranty doesn’t cover normal wear and tear, they do offer repairs to any damages your pack might endure for a reasonable fee.

What we love most about Gregory: All of their products are 40-50% recycled material that is durable and incredibly long lasting.

Our Favorite Gregory Backpack

Gregory Mountain Products Baltoro 65

Arc’teryx

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $300+
• Product Focus: Rock climbing gear
• Brand is known for: Innovative mountaineering and climbing packs
• Founded: 1991

This brand has a long-standing popularity among rock climbers, but recently gained the attention of backpacking enthusiasts as well. It started as a climbing brand, but over the years it branched out into backpacking and mountaineering supplies.

Since hiking isn’t the brand’s primary focus, there is a smaller variety of backpacking-specific packs. However, the packs they offer are of incredible quality.  

Arc’teryx uses top-quality materials in the construction of their backpacks. From the durable and water-resistant fabrics to the sturdy zippers and buckles, every aspect of the backpack is built to last.

With backpackers, mountaineers, and climbers in mind, they assure their packs are built to withstand the rigors of the outdoors. They are tested in a variety of conditions to ensure that they can handle whatever you throw at them.

Since their backpacks are so long-lasting, many people will trade in their used gear because it often outlasts their need for it. Through Arc’teryx’s ReGEAR program, people often give their gear back. It is then cleaned, repaired, then resold at a lower price. Keeping an eye on their ReGEAR stock is a great way to find a top shelf backpack at a lower price. This program also reduces the amount of waste!

What we love most about Arc’teryx: Their ReGEAR program allows you to buy their high quality products for half the price, which is great for the backpacker on a budget!

Kelty

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $150-250
• Product Focus: Camping and Backpacking gear
• Brand is known for: The originator of the aluminum frame backpack
• Founded: 1952

Another well-respected outdoor brand among backpackers and campers is Kelty. Their long history of producing high-quality, durable products is what earned them a spot on our top backpacking backpack brands list. From their tents to their sleeping bags to their backpacks, Kelty’s products are designed to withstand the rigors of the great outdoors.

What we love about their backpacks is the focus on comfort and functionality in their design. Their packs include features such as well-padded shoulder straps, unique hip belt designs, and a wide range of adjustment points that help you create a customized fit. Kelty backpacks also tend to offer plenty of convenient pockets to keep you organized when packing.

Not to mention they are one of the only brands still offering external frame backpacks.

Their commitment to sustainability is another quality of the brand that outdoor adventurists love. Many of their backpacks are made with recycled materials and all products are PFC free. PFC (perfluorinated compounds) are man-made chemicals used in waterproofing treatments for outdoor products. These can be harmful to the environment.

What we love most about Kelty: In addition to environmentally friendly products, Kelty is also one of the founding members of the Conservation Alliance, along with REI, Patagonia, and The North Face. This alliance has contributed $23 million to conservation groups throughout North America.

Our Favorite Kelty Backpack

Kelty Coyote 60-105 Liter

Deuter

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $230-300
• Product Focus: Backpacks and bags for travel and outdoor sports
• Brand is known for: High quality and original design in bags, backpacks, and luggage
• Founded: 1898

Dueter has a long standing history of producing high-quality products that can hold up in any tough outdoor conditions. They were founded in the 19^th century, originally to design small carrying packs. Over time, they perfected their craft and are now known as one of the top backpacking backpack brands out there.

One thing that makes Dueter stand out is their focus on durability. Their backpacks are built to last, and Dueter has so much trust in their quality that they offer a lifetime warranty on all their products. They will repair any pack for free, no matter the product’s age or cause for damage. If the backpack becomes unusable, they will replace it. How many brands do you know that have that much faith in their product?

This repair program is also part of their efforts to be environmentally friendly. They have a commitment to reducing waste and using recycled materials whenever possible.

Deuter packs are most known for their simplicity, functionality, and fit. These backpacks are designed to include necessary features that improve the wearer’s experience, and exclude any unnecessary frills that get in the way. Deuter is constantly working on improving these features, developing patented innovative technologies to make their packs some of the best out there. There is no wonder the brand has developed a cult-like following!

What we love most about Deuter: Deuter has some great kid carrier backpacks that take many of the great features of their backpacks and put it into a child carrier! Outdoor lovers can help their kids explore and appreciate the great outdoors at an early age.

Our Favorite Deuter Backpack

Deuter Aircontact Core

Hyperlite Mountain Gear

• Average Multi-Day Pack Price Range: $350+
• Product Focus: Ultralight backpacking gear
• Brand is known for: Innovative ultralight hiking products
• Founded: 2010

A relatively young backpack brand, but one that is making big waves in the ultralight world is Hyperlite Mountain Gear. This brand has the goal of making outdoor gear that is both high-performing and lightweight.

One thing that makes Hyperlite Mountain Gear backpacks so special is the high quality and innovative materials they use for them. Their products use Dyneema Composite Fabric, which is an ultra-strong and incredibly light fabric that is resistant to tears and abrasions.

In fact, Hyperlite Mountain Gear partners with DSM, the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema. Together, they focus on innovation in the ultralight space and work to improve and develop ultralight materials. In fact, they recently developed a bio-based fiber that is just as strong as Dyneema, but with a smaller carbon footprint.

The focus on design doesn’t just stop at making the toughest and lightest packs on the market. There is also a continued focus on making their products both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. They have a team of experienced product designers dedicated to perfecting the design of their packs, who are responsible for the unique style of the brand.

What we love most about Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Hyperlite Mountain Gear also offers a variety of “backpack accessories”, which are smaller pieces and features you can buy separately and add on to your pack. This allows for customization in your backpack to get the extra pockets and pouches you need.

_{Cover photo by Dmitrii Vaccinium on Unsplash}