Most of my time outdoors is going hard on day trips with my two border collies聽by my side. As a farmer, I have a difficult聽time leaving for a few nights of backpacking, so I pack as much as I can into day hiking in upstate New York, where I live.聽I like going hard聽up a summit聽and, when I reach the view, stopping to make hot tea and read a chapter of a book before I hike out. It鈥檚 wonderful, but it means carrying more weight than the average trail runner or view seeker. I need a pack that can accommodate my plan for聽hot beverages, stories, photographs, and all the supplies for me and at least one canine. These four packs had the chops to get the job done from summit to social life聽and served as my everyday carry as a feral woman.
To help describe聽their best features,聽I assigned a dog breed to each model, because some adventures are all about speed and versatility, while others are built for聽hauling lots of gear across the wilderness. Whether your hike requires a sheepdog or sled dog, I鈥檝e聽found the perfect pack for you.
The Test
I took each of these packs out several times on summer and fall summit hikes. I loaded them up with the same weight (15 pounds) to really push their limits聽and provide me with a full day of snacks, water, and other gear. When the trail part of the day was over, these packs came with me to town to visit聽friends or my local brewery. These were my favorites, each suited to a specific single serving of daylight outdoors.
Osprey Tempest 20
Border Collie: Light, smart, adaptable
Volume: 20 liters
奥别颈驳丑迟:听1 pound, 10 ounces
Rain cover: Not included
Some would say the 聽is overdesigned, with its bevy of stitched-on loops, hooks, bevels, and toggles. But they would be wrong. I took this pack out for four different daylong trips and ended up using every single feature, from the comfy sheath on the left arm strap to the helmet toggle (which held both a cowboy hat and a riding helmet). My favorite feature is the oversized聽mesh waist belt with big pockets. It perfectly fit my hips (and I have hips) without sliding or chafing even on the hottest, sweatiest聽hikes. It comfortably holds a 300-milliliter hydration bladder in its own chamber outside the main compartment and away from your gear, which I really appreciated. This is the border collie of the lot: light and quick, adaptable, and smart鈥攔eady for a trail run, bike ride, or any activity that demands constant movement and quick access to snacks.
REI Co-op Trail 40 Pack
Siberian Husky: Strong, comfortable, workhorse
痴辞濒耻尘别:听40 liters
奥别颈驳丑迟:听2 pounds, 13 ounces
Rain cover: Included
Hands down the 聽in the group. The overstuffed shoulder straps, waist belt, and padded back are聽so cushy that this pack聽feels like strapping into a nap, even when loaded for an overnight trip鈥攚hich is exactly what it was.聽Because this was the聽volume leader of the group, I decided to take it camping. I threw in a tent, inflatable sleeping pad, stove, change of clothes, first aid, food, water, and cookware. (I had to strap the sleeping bag on the outside鈥攊t isn鈥檛 magic.)聽It still felt well distributed and meant for harder work. And the best feature鈥攖his pack is聽panel loading instead of top loading鈥攎eans you don鈥檛 need to聽take聽everything out to find聽something vital stashed deep inside. This is the Siberian husky of the lot: willing to haul more and聽go a little farther, but way comfier to snuggle with than seems reasonable.
Deuter Speed Lite 24 SL
Golden Retriever: Dependable, versatile, handsome
痴辞濒耻尘别:听24 liters
奥别颈驳丑迟:听1 pound, 12 ounces
Rain cover: Not included
聽would聽be my go-to for a hike I鈥檝e never done before, because it can handle any situation or season. It鈥檚 extremely light and ready for afternoon treks around a pond loop, or it聽can be loaded up for an overnight shelter-to-shelter hike. It has聽straps and a daisy chain for extra gear if you鈥檙e out of room聽or need a place to stash trekking poles, and it was the second most comfortable under a heavy load, which is amazing considering its base weight. This was the only pack in the group that people stopped me on the trail to look at, mostly because it comes standard with a fake flower I pretended not to like. As the golden retriever of the lot, the Deuter Speed Lite is handsome, dependable, and ready to get up and go at a moment鈥檚 notice.
Fj盲llr盲ven High Coast Trail 26
Weimaraner: Inconspicuous, sleek, surprisingly tough
痴辞濒耻尘别:听26 liters
奥别颈驳丑迟:听2 pounds, 8 ounces
Rain cover:听滨苍肠濒耻诲别诲
聽is technically a unisex pack, but I鈥檓 including it because it鈥檚 the most stealth outdoor product I鈥檝e ever used. Anyone looking at it would see something not far from a regular school pack, yet it鈥檚聽designed for the trail. Its frame is fixed and light and hugged my聽back without any seams, bumps, or irritation. You can slide in a full three-liter hydration pack, no problem. The waist belt may be its weakest feature, being thin and not well padded, but it was comfortable even with a full load, and the chest straps made the High Coast聽feel like I was wearing it, not carrying聽it. The fabric is an eco-material called G-1000, coated with a natural wax that sheds water and handles abrasions but feels like space suede. It even packs its own small rain cover for when it pours. For what it鈥檚 worth, this pack聽felt the easiest to bring into town with me, being so minimalist in appearance. Sleek,聽European, and ready for a waterfall day hike or a night in a hotel, the High Coast is the Weimaraner of my picks.