subject: Trekking With A Daypack - Is It Good? [print this page] When people go on trekking trips and carry all their personal gear in a backpack, they usually go to great lengths to minimize the weight. They call it lightweight backpacking or ultra-light backpacking. To minimize weight you might also be tempted to go with a small-size backpack or even a daypack. Daypacks are smaller and less heavy, so why not?
Yes, you can do a trek with a daypack! It has the obvious advantages of being smaller and lighter. In fact, a good daypack can weigh as little as 1 kg. And if you travel light, with just 5-6 kg of gear, it's a good option. Especially if your trek isn't too long. A weekend trek for instance. But if you plan to do a little longer trek, walking for 3-4 days or more, and carrying 7-8 kg of gear, even if you can fit it into a daypack, I will actually recommend that you consider going with a proper backpack in stead.
Why choose a backpack that's more heavy?
In some cases a heavier backpack will simply feel lighter, since it does a better job of transferring the weight to your hips rather than slouching it onto your shoulders!
Daypacks are generally frameless so even though some of them have a good waist belt, they'll still hook a substantial part of the load on to your shoulders. Putting the weight down on your hips, on the other hand, will ease the overall burden on your body, especially on your back. And with the weight on your hips it will be easier for you to turn around and admire the landscape!
If you're trekking in a big wilderness, the Outback or the Himalayas for instance, you'll usually be gone for at least a week. Even though you're doing lightweight trekking, like on a lodge-to-lodge trek, the clothes for different altitudes and weather, drinking water, your thermo bottle, snacks, perhaps spare trekking shoes, camera gear, torch, guide book etc. quickly adds up to more than 5 kg. So although you might be able to fit it into your lightweight daypack, a framed backpack is probably still the better option for you.
Framed backpacks come in two varieties. Internally and externally framed. The internal framed backpacks have become very popular, effectively "hugging" your body while still allowing you to move around easily and with good balance. In places like the Himalayas, trails are often quite rugged, so proper balance is a key factor. The internal frame backpacks are generally considered to give the best balance for medium loads, while the externally framed backpacks are considered better for heavy loads where you really need the weight off your shoulders.
If you do decide to go with a larger backpack in order to get the best weight transfer, just don't fill up the extra space you have with useless stuff! Leave it empty and use the "clinch straps" to secure the load tightly in your backpack.
Leave the daypack for what it is good for: One- or two-day treks. You'll be better off.
