GREGORY Miwok 18 Daypack Free shipping on orders $49 or more!During my run back home today, I saw a lady running with a fully loaded Osprey Stratos 34 (2,000 cubic inches – 34 litres) on her back. Osprey makes amazing backpacks, but that particular one on this lady’s back – whom was no more than 125 pounds after a good meal (50 kg), was just too big, to a point where her running stride was clearly impeded by it as the weight of the pack was constantly shifting from one side to the other. Choosing a backpack to run commute is not just like choosing any pack back. First, you want it as light as possible, even when packed. And, not only does it have to be well-adjusted, but it has to stay well-adjusted WHILE RUNNING. Finally, it must also be slim enough on your back as to not impede your running action, particularly your arm movements. This normally translates into packs that are between 500 and 1,200 cubic inches (10 to 20 litres), depending on your body type and size. This is well below the traditional day hike back pack size, which is around 1,350 cubic inches (22 litres).

In summary, good run commuting back packs are: Over the years, companies have built more and more packs that fit these requirements. My personal choice: the Deuter Race X. At 5’10” and 160 pounds (1,78 m, 73 kg), the Deuter Race X (730 cubic inches – 12 litres) is the perfect run-commuting backpack for me. backpack isomatteThis bag is light (1.5 pounds – 600 g), and it fits well between my shoulder blades. targus corporate traveler 16 laptop backpackEven if I load it to its fullest, it rarely weighs more than 10 pounds (4 kg). zxr backpackThe shoulder straps are thin but comfortable and well adjusted, and the waiste and chest straps help keeping it snug against my back. ogio renegade rss backpack for sale

Its compact size does not affect my running stride, and my arms can move as freely as if I had nothing on.  In winter, it fits just as nicely over all the layers required to run through any kind of nasty weather (see Running Gear Fit to Face A Canadian Winter for more information on these layers).backpack ashburton The Deuter Race X fits me like a glove, but it has other very interesting characteristics. swissgear scansmart laptop backpack redFirst, it is extremely durable – I have used it constantly, through all kinds of weather, for the past five years, over 6,000 kilometres (4,000 miles). supreme backpack 35thThe only thing that let go was the top pocket zipper, which I had fixed by a shoe maker. The Deuter Race X has another interesting quality…it is very affordable (64$ Cdn at MEC; oddly, it appears to be more expensive in the US, at a cost of around 80$ US).

Osprey (Raptor), Gregory (Miwok) and many other companies have bags just as good as this one, but none cheaper (at least in Canada).  This bag also comes with an integrated rain cover and is pre-fitted for an hydration pocket (sold separately). In conclusion, the Deuter Race X is the right size, the right fit and at the right price for most run commuters. I mentioned above that I had my pack repaired by a shoe maker after the top pocket zipper gave up on me. I actually get lots of modifications or repairs done on my kit. I am a creature of habit, and I don’t like to change gear that much. If anything breaks or annoys me, I always look for a way to fix it before thinking about getting newer equipment. There are all kinds of good reasons for doing it, but I mainly do it because I don’t like changing things too much!  Many years ago, on a long hike, I grabbed the wrong backpack and threw it on. Despite the fact that it was the exact same pack, I knew right away it was not mine, and I did not like that feeling.

I then found my pack and put it on; the feeling was amazing, a bit like meeting an old friend you had not seen for a long time. All that to say that I like my gear and that I take super special care of it! To get modifications or repairs done, I used to go to a normal shoe maker, but lately, I found a shoe maker that specializes in outdoor gear. The cool thing about that, is not only does the kit gets fixed, but it comes back just as good as new. Since gear can become expensive, I strongly encourage you to look for that kind of shop in your area. Summer Buyer’s Guide: The Best Gear of 2014 Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Best PacksThis year's top haulers got the Six Million Dollar Man treatment—they're better, stronger, and faster than ever before
. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Granite Gear Nimbus Trace Access 70We tested lighter and sexier packs, but none of them did everything as well as this big-trip hauler ($350). Even when we overstuffed it with 65 pounds of gear, it felt balanced and easy on our backs.

It could be the wood. The composite-plastic framesheet features a maple core, which gives it a sturdy but pliant backbone (think wood-core skis). On the outside, dobby-weave Cordura endured tight squeezes through sharp granite and fended off light rain (we loved the drybag-style roll-top closure), while a special coating on the rugged zippers kept dirt and grime from getting lodged in the teeth. Put it all together and you have a pack that will outlast a lifetime of adventures. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Eddie Bauer First Ascent SorcererBEST FOR: Doing it all. THE TEST: They should have named this pack the Shapeshifter. It quickly expands from 40 to 55 liters without adding top-heavy bulk. Or you can pull out the back support—a foam insert that also serves as a minimalist sleeping pad or emergency splint—and it lightens up to a scant two pounds ten ounces. >>Read the full review Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Hyperlite Mountain Gear 4400 WindriderBEST FOR: Serious minimalists.

THE TEST: By employing Cuben fiber, a bantam-weight fabric that's waterproof and nearly impossible to rip, Maine-based Hyperlite achieves an impressive weight-to-carry-capacity ratio: the Windrider ($345) offers up to 70 liters of space but weighs just over two pounds. Even more impressive: it's not (completely) stripped down. Three big mesh pockets swallow layers, hip pockets hold snacks, and the roll-top closure is simple to batten down. It's also comfier than we expected. "The well-cushioned shoulder straps and hipbelt kept me free from bruises, even after 40-mile days," said one tester. "I fell in love with this pack." THE VERDICT: A dream pack for ounce shavers and a great option for the rest of us. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Black Diamond Element 60BEST FOR: Weekend backpacking. THE TEST: Light, simple, and comfortable, this top-loader rated high with testers heading into the mountains to fish, tag summits, or just get away. It's lighter than the typical multi-day hauler and uses a nifty suspension system that Black Diamond originally created for smaller packs.

Thanks to a system of nearly frictionless cable wires in the shoulder straps and a floating hipbelt, the Element ($220) has lots of play in the torso and moves with your body. "I crammed it full, but it didn't feel top-heavy when I was scrambling up a rocky ridge off-trail," affirmed one tester. Nice touch: the removable top lid doubles as a lumbar pack for quick missions. THE VERDICT: Feels nimble even with a big load. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Deuter AirComfort Aera 30BEST FOR: That fine line between minimal overnighter and oversize daypack. THE TEST: It's rare for a pack to impress both the fast-and-light crowd and the bring-it-all overstuffers. The former will find that the Aera 30 ($119) has just enough room for overnight essentials, as one tester did on a trip to the top of Yosemite Valley. The latter will insist the pack isn't overkill on a big day hike—if you want to hump in a bottle of wine, a picnic blanket, and a grocery bag full of chow for the kids.

And everyone will appreciate the plush suspension system, which utilizes a steel frame, mesh to move air, and the best shoulder-strap padding we've ever seen. Deuter also did a nice job on the extras, including a built-in rain fly, roomy mesh side pockets, and trekking-pole loops. THE VERDICT: As small as you can go for an overnight adventure. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Arc'teryx Alpha FL 45BEST FOR: Alpine minimalists. THE TEST: Crafted for climbing, ice climbing, and ski mountaineering, the 45-liter Alpha FL ($239) (the letters stand for fast and light) is little more than a tube with shoulder straps and a webbing belt. Start using it, however, and the subtle design details, like the unique ice-tool hooks, quickly prove themselves. One pro climber raved about the ability to segment the pack into two chambers by securing the roll-top closure of the inner bag. "I could separate my wet layers from my dry stuff," he explained. The suspension, though sparse, wasn't harsh, and the ripstop nylon, while not waterproof, shrugged off a freak spring snow-and-rain storm in the Cascades and showed zero wear after being dragged over cliff edges on a Utah canyoneering trip.

THE VERDICT: It's not quite as simple as it looks—but it's close. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Osprey Exos 38BEST FOR: Lightning-fast backpacking. THE TEST: The reboot of Osprey's popular Exos series has larger versions (48 and 58 liters), but this top-loading hauler ($160) became the bag of choice for testers who carry only the barest of essentials. The standout design feature was the suspension—a mesh back panel and foam hipbelt that offered ventilation while dispersing weight. "I normally don't like ventilating systems, but this one let in air without making the pack feel top-heavy," reported one tester. The ample stuff-it pockets in the back and sides swallowed up the items we wanted handy, and the accessory straps secured trekking poles and a sleeping pad. Going super, super light? Remove the top compartment; an alternate lid flap covers the main body of the pack. THE VERDICT: If you like spartan camping, this is your bag. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014Bergans of Norway Rondane 6LBEST FOR: Tough hikes, rides, and trail runs.

THE TEST: Hold on loosely but don't let go? More like hold on tightly and go forever. Four sets of straps in the suspension system combine to eliminate bounce when you're bounding down the trail. In addition to a waist strap, there are two chest straps and another pair that route from the shoulder pads under the armpits to the sides. Even with the two-liter hydration bladder topped off, the pack ($99) didn't throw us off our rhythm when we were sprinting up steep, rocky scrambles. At just six liters, it's smaller in volume than most fanny packs, but it's still big enough to contain a beefy rain shell, a first-aid kit, and lunch. (A bungee net on the back can accommodate a layer and other small items, if you must.) THE VERDICT: A snug hydration pack for training sessions. Photo: Inga HendricksonThe Best Packs of 2014CamelBak Pursuit 24LRBEST FOR: Peak bagging. THE TEST: We've tested lumbar hydration reservoirs in bike packs, but this was our first chance to check out how a water reservoir would feel pressed against our lower backs in a hiking pack ($150).

Our conclusion: Why has no one done this before? Moving the water weight down not only eliminated the annoying slosh of a three-quarters-empty bladder, but it also added to the balance of the pack. Plus, it was easier to refill, because we could access it through the back panel, dispensing with the nearly impossible task of stuffing a full bladder into a crammed main compartment. The big mesh and foam suspension was overkill for short outings but much appreciated on longer missions. THE VERDICT: A serious, well-balanced pack for ambitious single-day adventures. Photo: Inga HendricksonNext Up:The Best Packs of 2014Gregory Miwok 18BEST FOR: Everyday hikes and scrambles. THE TEST: The Miwok ($99) proved tough, dependable, and highly functional, whether we were jamming up local high points in fall, exploring a side canyon in the midst of a river trip, or mountain-biking Sedona desert trails in spring. At 18 liters, it carried the perfect amount of water and gear. "There was almost as much room in the front pocket as in the main pack, and it was ideal for stuffing layers and maps on the fly," noted one tester.