Hiking backpacks are just one of many different pieces of outdoor gear that is designed slightly differently, depending on whether it is intended for men or women. Hiking backpacks for men tend to be larger than backpack for women, for a couple reasons. One is that men are bigger, generally, and so the backpack needs to be bigger, to fit that bigger torso. Another reason is that a good rule of thumb is to carry a certain percentage of your body weight, for comfort's sake, and so for a bigger, heavier man, 30% of body weight will be a bigger number than it is for a smaller woman, and that extra weight means extra room in the backpack.
Hiking Backpacks for Men
What to look for when you are buying a men's hiking backpack.- Lightweight - If you're going to be carrying a backpack, there's no reason to find a lightweight backpack, so that you don't end up carrying too much weight. Some backpacks can be quite heavy all by themselves, and that's before you put anything in them, so do yourself a favor and find a lightweight hiking backpack. Your legs and back will thank you.
- Features - Hiking backpacks can come with all sorts of different features, depending on what your needs are. Frames, for example, are great for carrying heavy loads, but are unnecessary weight for lighter loads. Think about what features you will need from your backpack, and then look for backpacks that fit the description.
Best Hiking Backpacks for Men
A few of the very best hiking backpacks for men.- GoLite Jam Backpack - The Jam is on the smaller side, with just 50 liters of storage capacity, but for many hikers and backpackers that plan right, that is all that's needed. The small size comes with a small weight, however, at just 1.8 pounds, or 840 grams. Part of why it's so lightweight is that it has no frame, which may appeal to lightweight backpackers, but perhaps not to those who don't mind extra weight, and need that frame. Besides that it's a fairly basic backpack, with no sleeping bag compartment, water bottle pockets on the side and a few convenient pockets on the hip belt for easy access to a few small essentials.
- Granite Gear Blaze A.C. 60 Pack - A slightly bigger backpack, at 60 liters, the Blaze won the 2011 Backpacker Magazine Editor's Choice award. Like the Jam it has a simplified design, with no sleeping bag compartment and just a roll top and drawstring closure. It does have a frame, unlike the Jam, and makes up for a lack of features with a relatively low weight of 2.8 pounds, or 1.3 kilograms.
- ULA Equipment Circuit Backpack - ULA Equipment is likely well known to lightweight backpackers, but probably not to everyone else. They make fantastic products right in the USA, however, and the Circuit is the perfect example of that. It's big, at 68 liters, but also very light, at 2.25 pounds, or 1.02 kilograms. It also has some great features for such a low weight such as a frame, hip belt pockets and a mesh exterior pocket, which is a useful place to put wet clothes to dry as you walk. In all, a fantastic blend of lightweight materials and good design.
