Camping Rucksack Buying Guide

Camping Rucksuck - Your Buying Guide To Finding The Perfect One

There's a lot more to CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMPING RUCKSACK than finding a bag that matches the colour of your camping gear. If you're intending to go hiking across miles of wild terrain, your camping rucksack will be strapped to your back for around 70% of the time. Your camping rucksack must, therefore, be the right one for you.

Strapping System

• The strapping system on the back of any camping rucksack is probably the MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE you need to look for. When carrying a certain amount of weight, you need to make sure you're not going to cause any injury to your back. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a bad back is not the recipe for a good hiking holiday.

 

The strapping system on a good quality camping rucksack is designed to ELIMINATE STRESS AND PRESSURE. It should SUPPORT YOUR BACK whilst you carry it as opposed to slowing you down.

Shoulder Straps

• The first thing to look at is the shoulder straps. Are they PADDED FOR COMFORT whilst carrying? Do they SIT COMFORTABLY on your shoulders, even when the bag is packed? If they don't, then by the time you fill your rucksack, it can hurt your shoulders and be uncomfortable. Padded straps relieve the pressure for you.

 

Lumbar Support

• A lumbar support is a padded section at the base of the bag that SUPPORTS YOUR LOWER BACK whilst hiking. It reduces the risk of strain and injury, and with the use of a hip belt and a strap that fastens the base of the bag to your body, the lumbar support will be a crucial element.

Sternum Strap

• The sternum strap is a strap that goes from one shoulder strap to the other, pulling them together across the chest. This relieves the PRESSURE AND STRAIN ON THE SHOULDERS where most of the weight is usually carried.

 

Adjustable Harness

• Everybody is different. No one has the same height or same body structure. Therefore, your camping rucksack must be able to CATER FOR ALL SIZES. Whether you're short, tall, or round, your rucksack must fit you comfortably and provide you with proper support. The easiest way for one rucksack to achieve this is by having an ADJUSTABLE HARNESS SYSTEM. This allows the rucksack to be adjusted in height to fit perfectly on any body.

 

If you're short, by adjusting the position of the bag on your back, you may find that the actual rucksack rises higher above your head. There should also be adjustable height straps that pull this closer to the body to prevent you from over balancing, toppling over, and causing strain.

Size

• Camping rucksacks can come in a range of sizes. This is usually measured in LITRES, and can range from 65L to 95L, depending what you're looking for. By knowing how much luggage you need to take with you can determines the size of bag you need.

 

Material

• Check the material of your intended rucksack. It should be WATER RESISTANT and be able to PROTECT YOUR LUGGAGE should you get caught in the rain. A denier rating is based on the density of the weave in a specific area. The standard rating is 600 denier.

 

Extra Compartments and Attachments

• Camping rucksacks should also offer you a range of DIFFERENT COMPARTMENTS on the outside. This allows you to carry anything small that might get lost in the main compartment, or items that you need to keep handy. Also look out for a zipped section at the bottom of the rucksack that allows you access to items that are stored at the bottom, instead of making you rummage through your belongings to find it.

 

Some rucksacks even have LOOPS that allow you to attach extra luggage that you can't fit in the rucksack, or items that you would prefer to keep separate, like boots.

Health and Safety

• If you've booked a hiking or camping trip, you intend to ENJOY YOURSELF. But this enjoyment can easily be RUINED BY THE WRONG EQUIPMENT. Your back isn't as strong as you think, and if you're carrying a heavy rucksack that hasn't been designed to support your back as you hike, then you can do yourself some serious damage. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere, unable to move because of a strain or injury caused by carrying your rucksack the wrong way, isn't anyone's idea of fun. And if the elements are against you, your predicament could take a dangerous turn for the worse.

 

• It's imperative that your equipment isn't going to let you down when you go hiking, and with camping rucksacks from brands such as Redstone Outdoors and Gelert, you can be confident that you can reach your end goal with comfort and ease.