Whether you're heading up a mountain or setting off on a gap year, a high quality backpacker's rucksack is essential. Gap year specialists from Real Gap and Quest Overseas give some sound advice to guide you before your life-changing excursion. 1. "Personalise your bag. Tie on a ribbon to one of the straps and it’ll catch your eye when you’re travelling in-country." 2. "Go into a store to buy your bag to make sure the straps adjust to your height/stature. It’s surprising how many don’t fit certain body shapes." "A few things to remember when buying your large backpack:" 1. "When you try it on in the shop, ask them to fill it up with some kit, you won’t know how it really feels if it’s empty. Also don’t get a backpack which is too big for your height, a 70lt pack would normally be right for someone around 5’ 10”, as a point of reference." 2. "There are usually men’s and women’s versions of trekking backpacks, with different shapes. Find the one that’s right for you."

1. Kathmandu Entrada Pack v2 – 65L +15, £170, amazon Top-loading bags aren’t for everyone and this is another one with a side opening so you can easily access gear on the go. The detachable day pack will work as hand luggage, you can zip up the straps on flights and our tester liked the internal pockets for valuables. 2. Vango Contour 60+10, £65, amazon Recommended by the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, this is a no-nonsense, durable backpack that won’t break the bank. It has a solid, comfortable back system and plenty of pockets and compartments - a great first trekking bag. 3. Berghaus Motive 65+15 Travel Bag, £130, amazon Doing the odd bit of trekking but mainly need a travel bag? Then this may be the one for you. There’s a zip-around opening so there’s easy access to all your kit and you can padlock the zips together for extra safety. It also comes with a handy detachable 15-litre day sack for those long flights or bus journeys. 4. Vango Sherpa 65L, £155, amazon

If you’re planning on heading to your destination during rainy season, check your backpack comes with suitable protection. This one has a rain cover and will do you proud on long treks, plus there are loads of zips so you don’t have to root around for valuables.ful venue laptop backpack 5. Lowe Alpine Alpamayo ND 55:75, £144, amazonbackpack 4x40e77324 The proportions of the back panel, hip belt and harness on this bag are optimised for women, so it’ll stay comfy while you’re lugging kit around. redmax 8500 backpack blowerThe 20 litre day pack is bigger than most removable bags, so plenty of room for all your gear on excursions. 6. Karrimor Global Venture 55L +15, £80, amazon If you’re looking for something a little lighter for your adventure then this compact bag by Karrimor is ideal.

There’s a removable daypack and you can zip up the back straps to keep them protected when you’re swapping the road for a flight. 7. The North Face Base Camp Duffle 70l, £68, amazon If you’re not planning on doing any hiking with your big pack, a duffle bag might be more suitable. This one is pretty much bombproof, comes in a variety of sizes (although 70 litres will probably do the job) and also has a decent set of shoulder straps for carrying it short distances. 8. Berghaus Torridon 65L, £80, amazon If you’re super-organised, look out for a backpack with lots of pockets. Getting everything from your passport to a padlock out of your bag can be a pain when there’s nowhere to store smaller items, but this top-loading bag has loads of little compartments. Also comes in a women's 60-litre model. 9. Karrimor Munro 65L, £41, amazon Our gap year traveller found this bag ideal for keeping gear organised; there are two compartments inside to keep clean and dirty kit separate, a bottom compartment ideal for footwear and side and front pockets ideal for the likes of a travel towel.

10. Haglofs OXO 70lt Expedition Rucksack, £230, Cotswold Outdoor This one will put a bit more of a hole in the bank balance but if you’re looking at doing a lot of multi-day treks, you may want to treat yourself with something which gives a lot more comfort. A simple design but with all the bells and whistles you could want. If you're after a simple all-weather rucksack with easy-to-access compartments and isn't heavy on the wallet, go for the Vango Sherpa 65L. At the other end of the price scale is the Haglofs OXO 70lt Expedition Rucksack, which will withstand relentless multi-day treks and provide endless comfort through the Instant Adjustable System, allowing the bag to be tailored to the wearer. Read More10 best first aid kits10 best bags for commuters IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing

3M CamoCamo TarpBruks AxeGränsfors BruksArmy SleepingSleeping BagsTarp HammockHammocksInflatable ThermalForwardBushcraft and Bushcraft Kit... 45l Karrimor Rucksack with 15l X 2 side pockets. includes: Bushcraft Knife and Sheath with firesteel and DC3 whetstone pockets. Bahco Folding Laplander Saw. 3m X 3m Camo Tarp, Hammock with mosquito net, 3/4 lengh inflatable thermal bed rest, thermal reflector shield, thermal under blanket. Gränsfors Bruks axe sharpening stone. British Army Sleeping Bag...Rucksacks are load carriers, so must be selected based on the weight and volume of said load. Lightweight loads can be accommodated in a simple frameless rucksack – perhaps with a stiffened backpad and simple hipbelt – but once weight reaches about 10kg some kind of frame will be appreciated. This frame should transfer the weight of the load from the weak muscles in the shoulders to the waist to take advantage of those large leg muscles which are also closer to an adult’s centre of gravity.

External frames have been largely superseded by internal frames, usually of flat aluminium bar but occasionally a curved plastic sheet or semi-rigid nylon rod.  Exercise caution when buying a rucksack with a frame – sizing of both the back length and hipbelt are critical for comfort, and packs are often sold with a level of adjustment to accommodate a range of body sizes. If in doubt, fill up a rucksack with an appropriate load (best to ask the staff first) and do a few laps of the shop. A frame adds weight, complexity and cost and can affect the natural movement of the body, but when carrying a fully-loaded rucksack at the beginning of a multi-day wild camping expedition most would consider it a price worth paying. In this review I’ll be looking at a selection of rucksacks that are ideal for such a trip. The original military ‘bergen’ was made by, you guessed it, Bergans of Norway, so there’s no doubt that they know a thing or two about load carrying. It seems they have also applied the same squaddie-proofing to the Birkebeiner, which feels practically bulletproof.

The adjustable back system has thick padding at the waist and upper back and thick aluminium stays transfer load effectively to the large hipbelt. It’s extremely comfortable and even when fully loaded remains stable when crossing rough ground. I like the bellows pockets on either side which retain the low-profile appearance of the pack when not in use, but can expand to accommodate large objects, aided by stretchy panels. The zipped bottom compartment may be useful for keeping wet kit separate from the main body of the pack but releasing a drawcord forms one large compartment. The small lashing loops are discrete and well positioned to allow spiky or bulky items to be attached to the outside of the pack with ease. The comfort and robustness comes at a price, and the Birkebeiner had the lowest volume to weight ratio in the review as well as the joint highest RRP, though the weight can be quickly and easily reduced by removing the included raincover from a zipped pocket under the lid.

Capacity: 65 litres Weight: 2.1kg Volume to weight ratio: 12.4l per 500g With a classic shape and stripped-down design the Act Lite 50+10 is a firm favourite. The ripstop body fabric is lightweight yet durable with reinforced panels at areas subject to increased wear. The 50 litre main body is divided into two sections with a removable panel allowing for a degree of load organisation, but I’d prefer this feature was dispensed with to save weight and remove the possibility of the external zip failing. The +10 litre capacity is achieved by a floating lid and extension collar which allows the pack to be loaded beyond the ‘normal’ pack closure – ideal for the first few days of a long trip without resupply. The back length is easily adjustable via a Velcro and webbing loop system, though there is only one hipbelt size available and trimming of excess strap length may be required. I like the X-shaped frame which offers a little movement whilst still transferring weight to the good hipbelt fins.

A channel between the back padding encourages an airflow to reduce the chance of a sweaty back. I’m a big fan of large, stretchy mesh front pockets to accommodate wet equipment and whilst I’d prefer it to be full-length the Act Lite 50+10 obliges. Capacity: 60 litres Weight: 1.58kg Volume to weight ratio: 18.9l per 500g For such a low volume to weight ratio the Exos 58 offers a lot of features, which will appeal to many users but also means a lot of straps whipping around in the wind if you’re not careful to trim or secure them. The back system is the star here – consisting of fabric stretched tightly over a tubular aluminium frame with a trampoline-like mesh panel forming an air gap against the back for ventilation. It works very well. The shoulder straps and hipbelt wings are thin high density foam with slots that offer some ‘give’ as well as ventilation, but start to become uncomfortable under very heavy loads. As well as a single main compartment there are two large zipped side pockets which are only of limited use when the main compartment is packed tightly, but the stretch mesh front pouch is excellent for storing wet items.

The side compression straps and buckles are thin to save weight but remain effective. Mesh pockets on the hipbelt fins are useful for the storage of quick-access items, but I’ve not managed to find a use for the small pocket on the shoulder strap yet. An excellent lightweight pack, particularly after the judicious application of a pair of scissors… Capacity: 58 litres (size M)  Weight: 1.14kg (size M) Volume to weight ratio: 25.4l per 500g The Z55 has a lot going for it – a choice of back lengths to avoid the complexity and weight of adjustable back systems, a single main compartment and full length front pocket with mesh drains. This all makes me happy, but the stiff curved back panel – designed to hold the pack away from the back to allow air flow – makes packing more awkward and contributes to the overall high weight. The long side zip offers direct access to the main compartment and help to counteract this problem a little. Despite my dislike of the curved panel it does perform its primary function of weight transfer very well, and the high density foam used throughout the suspension system is  comfortable without introducing bulk.  

The front pouch pocket is cavernous thanks to the adjustable webbing compression straps with snap buckles that allow a wet tent to be carried with ease, and also includes a further vertical zipped pocket to secure smaller items. A floating lid permits a degree of ‘overloading’ or it can be removed altogether to really save some weight. Capacity: 61 litres (size L) Weight: 1.9kg (size L) Volume to weight ratio: 16.0l per 500g Swedish brand Fjällräven have some terrifyingly heavy rucksacks in their range, but the Friluft 55 isn’t one of them, offering one of the best volume to weight ratios in this review. Again, a curved sprung frame makes packing more complicated but achievable thanks to wide, squat dimensions rather than a tall and thin alpine shape. Weight is saved by the use of thin rigid aluminium rods in the suspension system and minimalist padding at the hips and shoulder straps – this makes particularly heavy loads uncomfortable, but sensible backpackers shouldn’t have a problem.

The body of the pack has a large mesh front pocket and deep stretch wand pockets with a V-configuration compression strap, plus volume-reducing straps on the base which could also be used to lash on a sleeping mat or similar. The 95g rain cover housed in a pocket in the base can (an probably should) be removed if not required. Capacity: 55 litres  Weight: 1.42kg (excl. raincover)  Volume to weight ratio: 19.3l per 500g This is a very traditional rucksack – tall, narrow with a fixed hood and a profusion of loops and straps for external lashing. The side pockets are accessed by vertical zips beneath a series of bellows which offer room to store large items without affecting the shape of the pack when not in use – a nice system. Karrimor’s famous SA adjustable back system is very easy to use thanks to unobtrusive ladderlock buckles, and the substantial aluminium stays transfer weight effectively to the large padded hipbelt. As the shoulder straps are free to slide down the stays (but not up) there is increased freedom of movement when traversing rough ground.

The main compartment is split into two giving a separate base compartment if desired, but the divider can be unzipped if not required. Two side compression straps and mesh wand pockets are useful for securing long items (aided by the low profile  side pockets) and there is the usual ice axe/walking pole loop and bungee located centrally. A nice, basic pack, but it’s certainly not lightweight. Capacity: 65 litres  Weight: 1.8kg Volume to weight ratio: 18.0l per 500g There’s very little to distinguish this pack from those costing twice as much – all stitching is neat and whilst the fabrics are chunky they should offer excellent durability. There is no adjustable back system and no choice of sizes – though Vango claim the Explorer has a ‘Size Tolerant Back’. Twin aluminium struts transfer weight to the thickly padded hipbelt and can be easily removed if desired. The usual adjustment straps are present, including load lifters, sternum strap with whistle and twin compressions traps over bellows side pockets.