Parts of the Backpack

CEBU, Philippines - The styles, shapes, and sizes of backpacks are virtually limitless, not to mention overwhelming. You can find a pack specific to just about every outdoor activity and in just about any capacity. So how do you narrow this impossibly broad field to the exact one that will suit you?

Our first tip: Don’t start with a pack and try to fit your gear into it. Start with the pile of gear that you need to carry, and select the appropriate model to carry that gear. So, if you will be traveling with skateboard, for example, look for one with a skateboard carry. Just make sure it can attach to the outside of your pack with ease. And if you plan to carry your pack on a long distance hike, make sure the weight, suspension, and capacity is suited to what you need to bring with you.

Most people dedicated to the outdoors own more than one pack, especially if they participate in different sports. Most commonly, people own three different capacities that cover a full range of load carrying: a 60+ liter pack for multi-day trips in the countryside, a 35- to 40-liter pack for most gear intensive in-a-day missions, and a 20-liter or less pack for half-day adventures, side hikes, or carrying on routes.

Most basic to know is the anatomy of a backpack.  Knowing your way around your pack and its various features and adjustments may not affect your decision when purchasing a pack, but it does improve your life with your pack and allows you to use it comfortably and efficiently with different weight loads.

Knowing how to quickly strap your detachable daypack onto your travel bag, lash your other gears to the side, or appropriately adjust the load lifters will make a huge difference in your everyday life with your new pack. It helps a lot, therefore, to be familiar with the parts of a pack.

Load Lifter Straps: These straps connect the top of the shoulder straps to the top of the pack, and when tightened correctly, they prevent the pack from leaning away from your back. Ideally they should be positioned at a 45 degree angle.

Sternum Strap: The sternum strap clips over the chest, connecting both shoulder straps in the front. This enhances stability. Some packs allow for this strap’s height to be adjusted so that it sits comfortably on your chest. 

Compression Straps: These tighten along the sides of a pack. They should be extended when a pack is very full and cinched down when a pack is almost empty. These allow for the wearer to achieve a balanced pack even if it is not completely loaded down. These are one of the main features that make a pack versatile enough for a day hike or a multi-day trip. 

Hipbelt Stabilizer: This strap can be tightened around the hipbelt, improving balance and comfort. 

The last important parts of a pack are the load bearing parts. These days external frame packs are no longer popular, and all modern packs have internal frames, which carry closer to the body. Internal frames provide support in a couple different ways: 

Aluminum Stays: These are thin support rods that run the length of the pack to give it shape and stiffness.

Framesheets: This is a thin, semi-rigid piece of material that lines the back of a pack, keeping the pack’s shape and preventing objects from jabbing the wearer through the fabric. Some packs have removable framesheets, while others have this piece built in. Often packs will use both a framesheet and aluminum stays to provide support.

Perimeter Frame: These packs have a thin amount of aluminum tubing contouring around the outside of the pack on the backside. This can also help achieve an airflow design that sits the pack off of the back to prevent sweat from building up on the back. McKenzie Long and Ian Nicholson (FREEMAN) (www.outdoorgearlab.com)