Frame pack

Overview

A frame pack is a backpack which is designed for carrying days, even weeks, of supplies for fully self-contained backcountry travel. They are much larger than day packs, and can accomodate tents, sleeping bags, and other backcountry camping gear. If you are backpacking, hiking with backcountry camping, you will need a frame pack to carry all your gear.

Frame packs consist of the following main components:

Frame: This is the skeleton of the frame pack. A semi-rigid frame, made of aluminum, plastic, or other materials, to which all the other components are attached.
Shoulder straps: Shoulder straps attach from near the top of the frame and connect either near the bottom of the frame, or possibly to the waist band, near the frame.
Waist strap: Frame packs have wide, padded waist straps. The waist strap, combined with the shoulder straps, hold all the weight of the pack.
Cross-chest strap: Connecting the two shoulder straps together, a cross-chest strap prevents the shoulder straps from slipping off your shoulders. It allows for a much more stable load.
Pack bag: This is most of why you carry the frame pack in the first place. Consisting of one or more compartments, the pack bag is usually made of a durable, water resistant or waterproof nylon.
Attaching points: Frame packs have many attaching points, on the frame and pack bag, used to attach tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, trekking poles, etc.

External frame (aka "frame pack"): This is the standard, and most common, type of frame pack.
Internal frame pack: Less common, with the frame mostly inside the nylon pack bag. Although somewhat less versatile than external frame packs, internal frame packs can be more comfortable and more quiet than external frame packs.

Different packs have different features. Some are necessary. Some are luxuries. More information on pack features here

Packs need to be big enough for everything, but not much bigger. Click here for more info on pack sizing.

Every pack is comfortable... in the store

If a pack doesn't fit, wearing it will be miserable. Click here for information on finding a pack that fits.