When you think about heading out into the bush for an overnight or multi-night hike, usually two items will come to mind as essential – your shoes and your backpack. Your backpack is the one thing that allows you to carry pretty much everything else you may need for your journey.
Now not all backpacks are equal and they come in different sizes and uses, with many features designed for the trail.
In this review, we will be looking at the best backpacks you can buy in Australia designed for hiking specifically – whether that is a nice afternoon stroll or a week-long slog up a mountain and back.
| Macpac Torlesse 35L Hiking Backpack | BlackWolf Tempo 30L Backpack | Caribee Pulse Trekking Pack 65L | BlackWolf B-Lite 55L Backpack | Outrak Ravine Trekking Pack 40L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best day pack  | best overnighter  |  | best for treks  |  | |
35L | 30L | 65L | 55L | 40L | |
28W x 55H x 28D cm | 30W x 52H x 22D cm | 32W x 70H x 24D cm | 67H x 35W x 25D cm | ?? | |
100% Nylon Ripstop | 100D ULTRA Ripstop PU | Heavy-duty Nylon and Polyester | 100D ULTRA Ripstop PU | Ripstop polyester fabric | |
Air Flo | Air Light | Vantage system | Air Light | ?? | |
Removable | Removable | Concealable | Built-in | Removable | |
1.27 kg | 1.00 kg | 1.80 kg | 1.30 kg | ?? | |
?? | Lifetime | ?? | Lifetime | ?? |
Best Hiking Backpacks Australia
Macpac Torlesse 35L Hiking Backpack
Best For Day Hiking
Macpac is a local brand that has been turning out quality camping and hiking gear since the early '70s and has shops around Australia (and New Zealand) stocked with gear. It’s no surprise that they would feature on this list.
The Torless hiking backpack is a nice compact and very comfortable pack capable of holding 35L volume along with a few pockets for some bits and pieces and a couple of attachments for your hiking poles and like most packs, comes with a rain cover to keep your valuables dry when the water hits.
Customer reviews are mostly positive as it’s a comfortable pack that is perfect for a day hike, an overnight hike or even as a carry-on for a flight.
Its well-made construction makes it durable and it will last you for years out in the bush. The only negatives are it's too small for some people and that some more external attachments would allow you to add tents or sleeping mats easier. Overall this is a quality backpack that does what is designed to do and does it well.
Louis' Opinion
For day hikes, I find that it’s critical to size your backpack right. This one is great as it has the capacity to take all the food, drink and first aid gear that you’ll need, without being too bulky. Personally, I find that having your backpack get stuck or snagged on tree branches or ferns as you walk past is a real pain, so I recommend this backpack with its streamlined design if you like to keep a good pace while walking through thicker bush.
BlackWolf Tempo 30L Backpack
Best For Overnight Hiking
Another quality brand of bags and backpacks, BlackWolf offers thoughtful and durable designs with pockets and spaces for everything you would want to take with you from keys to water to music. This compact backpack has a well-organized internal space so you can easily find your phone in a hurry.
This small backpack is designed for day or overnight backpacking and is perfect for what it does as it's extremely comfortable and supportive and can take a surprisingly heavy load with external attachments and expanding water bottle pockets.
Reviews are up there with the best hiking backpacks for short durations and the only negatives we could find was from runners who said it was a little loose on their backs when running. Given its size, ability to keep everything organized and its flexibility and durability – the BlackWolf Temp 30L is perfect for short trips.
Louis' Opinion
In my experience, a backpack that can be used for hiking just as easily as general travelling is invaluable. With this backpack, you can fit your laptop in the back section along with some clothes, while the front sections hold the rest of your gear like phone charges, toiletries etc. If, like me, you travel a lot for work, this backpack can be a great buy.
Caribee Pulse Trekking Pack 65L
Best Large Pack
When we want to hike for a few days or more, we generally have to leave the smaller day packs behind and upgrade to something in the 50-70 L range to carry our extra gear and the Caribee Pulse Trekking Pack 65L comes right in that range.
A pack like this can carry extra shoes, extra clothes and food that you will need on a long journey, but still manages to keep everything compact and easy to find. For most people, this is reasonably priced and a good size backpack for general hiking needs.
There are some complaints that when it's really loaded up internally and extra weight on its many external attachments – that it can be a little uncomfortable. The materials are not as durable and some have had issues with tree thorns ripping the pack open. That being said – this pack is a capable workhorse that can carry all you will need on a long hike and that majority of owners are very happy with.
Louis' Opinion
This is one of the packs I tested when we were researching this article and, to be honest, it's not bad but not great either. I feel like this might fit better on a taller person as it felt a little top-heavy and it hurt my shoulders when we loaded it up with weight. Still, it is a good buy and I can certainly see that if it fits you correctly you would love this backpack.
BlackWolf B-Lite 55L Backpack
Best For Multi-Day Hikes
BlackWolf has another quality entrant to our list of the best hiking backpacks with their 55L B-Lite that sits right between a large day pack and a small overnight pack. While not featuring some of the internal organizational aspects of their smaller Tempo backpack – the B Lite is designed for you to load up your clothes, food, water, supplies and even a tent for your hike.
With a very comfortable harness system, that stays comfortable when loaded up with weight, along with an adjustable lid with a pocket and bungee system on top and attachments on the back and sides - make this pack very flexible in its uses.
Customer reviews are all very positive, with some negative remarks about very large water bottles not fitting adequately on the side pockets.
But we have firsthand experience with this pack on some mountain hikes and it performed exceedingly well in carrying everything comfortably and securely while keeping everything in the right place. Given the current price of only about $100, this is the medium-sized pack that will not disappoint you.
Louis' Opinion
I actually pre-owned one of these packs so I could review this with firsthand experience. This is a great pack, fits my body well and most importantly – when I am hiking fast, this pack stays where it should and doesn't move around. For a single night to a week living out of a pack, this BlackWolf is a great buy.
Outrak Ravine Trekking Pack 40L
Honourable Mention
Wedged between a nice compact day pack and a dual compartment overnight pack comes this 40L Outrak Ravine Trekking pack that is not sure what it wants to be. While having the bells and whistles that all packs have these days (like a hydration port) – this pack does not offer too much else.
Considering that there is no side access to the main pack, bar a small zippered pocket that is hard to access if the main compartment is full, this style of pack is better if you don’t need access to your pack too much between campsites.
As a day pack, it performs well enough, just a little bit large for what’s really needed, unless you have a lot to carry.
As an overnight pack, it's a little small and there is no way you will fit a tent and sleeping bag inside it, but if you are in a group that is cross loading equipment, it could be OK. Overall, this backpack feels more like the one you would take on a holiday for wandering around some villages or markets as opposed to hitting a serious trail.
What To Look For When Buying Hiking Backpacks
With such a huge range of suitcases, travel bags, wheelie backpacks, day packs, overnight packs and expedition packs – it comes as no surprise that people can be overwhelmed when it comes to buying a suitable bag or pack for your needs.
But with our guide, we have made it simple for you as long as you consider a few key considerations.
Backpack Capacity
The size of the pack generally indicates how much it can carry internally. Everyone is different when it comes to their packing needs but as a general rule of thumb:
- 30-50L backpacks are designed for a day hike or a night or two out on the trail. If you are hiking to a shelter or village you can eat and stay in, you won’t need to carry a tent for example. The first two packs on our list are designed for this lighter weight shorter duration hiking with the BlackWolf Tempo being the one of choice.
- 50-80L backpacks are for multi-night hiking or camping where you can carry more including spare clothes, food, stoves, hiking pans, sleeping bags etc. These packs tend to have a better harness system to cater for heavier weights too as a smaller bag overloaded may become uncomfortable.
- 70L or larger are backpacks designed for an expedition or for a very long journey where you need to be pretty much self-sustained for the entire trip and they can carry everything you need including hiking tents, first aid kits, PLBs, sleeping mats or extra gear if you have children with you.
Backpack Features
Packs these days all come with a few things standard like a port for a hydration pack, rain cover or an internal pocket for your phone, but beyond that, there are plenty of other features that you should consider:
- Frames types - there are external (big loads), internal (smaller loads) and frameless (small loads).
- Ventilation – mesh and ventilation channels in some packs allow for the wearer to stay cooler than a pack hugging your back.
- Pack access - there are top, side, front or multiple access packs depending on how often you need to grab things can determine which style you choose.
- Pockets – internal, external, expandable, elasticized all serve functions such as keeping valuables safe or loading up extra water. Pockets are useful and usually the more the better.
- Harness padding, removable daypacks, sleeping bag compartments and attachment points are other considerations too.
Backpack fit
The length of your torso or upper body is the factor here, not your overall height. Most packs come with an adjustable frame to cater to different body sizes, but often the smaller sub 30L ones do not so it's important to get the right-sized pack for your body.
Hiking Backpacks FAQ
Are expensive hiking backpacks worth it?
If you can afford it and you are buying something very durable that will last a long time, then yes they are worth it. If you casually hike every few months, then it may be worth finding a cheaper option.
What material is best for hiking backpacks?
Most packs are lightweight and durable polyester or nylon. Military-style packs that are made to last are also made of these materials, just a little more heavy-duty. Provided they are not made cheaply and are resistant to tearing, the nylon/polyester combo is generally recommended and the most common.
Tortuga Backpacks has a good writeup on polyester vs nylon for backpacks.
How big should a hiking pack be?
We touched on this above with sizes and while the small packs are very appealing, having a medium-sized pack with a solid frame can often be better. It also has the advantage of being able to load it up when you need to for multi-day treks.
Final Thoughts
A comfortable, capable and durable backpack is an essential part of heading out on the trail.
Smaller packs like the Macpac Torless are great little all-rounders, great on planes and for city exploring, but a larger and more capable mid-sized pack like the BlackWolf B-Light that can be used for day or multi-day adventures anywhere may fit the bill depending on your needs.
Still have questions or aren’t sure about something? Let me know in the comments below!
This article may contain affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you choose to purchase a product or service after clicking on my link. This helps pay for the cost of running the website. You will not be disadvantaged in any way by using my links.
Note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page, there may sometimes be errors. Check all specifications with the manufacturer before purchasing any product.
you might like to consider women-specific packs in your reviews. you mention many good points but a unisex pack on narrower shoulders can be really uncomfortable.