How to Choose a Rucksack for Hillwalking

A good rucksack is one you stop noticing — it carries a full day's kit close and comfortable and lets you forget it's there. A bad one digs, sways, soaks your gear and sours the whole day. For Munro bagging, getting the size and fit right matters far more than the brand on the label. Here's how to choose.

What size for a Munro day?

For a standard day on the hill, a 28–35 litre pack is the sweet spot for most walkers. It's big enough to swallow waterproofs, spare warm layers, food and water, a first-aid kit, a group shelter, map and the rest of the essentials — with a little room to spare — without tempting you to lug more than you need. Sizing up:

• 20–30L: summer day walks and fast-and-light days.
• 30–40L: the versatile all-round choice — full winter day kit or a big summer day.
• 45–65L+: multi-day trips, wild camping and bothy expeditions.

Winter needs more volume than summer for the extra layers, and to strap on an ice axe and crampons.

Fit is everything

A rucksack carries well only if it fits your back length — which is not the same as your height. Many packs come in different back sizes or have an adjustable back system; get this right and the weight sits on your hips, not your shoulders. A proper padded hipbelt should carry most of the load on your hips, with the shoulder straps just stabilising it. Try packs on with weight in them in the shop, and walk around — an empty pack tells you nothing about how it carries loaded.

Features worth having

• Ice axe and pole attachments for winter and steep days.
• A comfortable, ventilated back system — Scotland is wet, but a sweaty back is still unpleasant.
• Hipbelt pockets for snacks, phone and compass you want to reach without stopping.
• A rain cover or, better, a dry liner. No rucksack is truly waterproof under sustained Scottish rain — line it with a dry bag or rucksack liner to guarantee dry spare layers. This is the cheap trick that saves you.
• Compression straps to stabilise a light load and lash on extra kit.

Keep it simple

Resist the lure of packs bristling with gadgets and pockets — simple, well-fitting and robust beats complicated every time. Buy for the days you actually do, not the expedition you imagine. Whatever you choose, packing it well matters as much as the pack itself: see our complete packing list for what goes inside.

Related guides

• The complete Munro bagging packing list
• The hillwalking layering system
• Winter Munro bagging guide — why winter needs a bigger pack
• Munros tracking app — plan your day and pack for the right conditions