What size backpack is too big?
Backpacks over 40L
This is because backpacks over 40 liters are usually too large to comfortably use as a daily backpack for school, work or commuting. Backpacks over 40 liters are best reserved for travel, hiking or backpacking where loading multiple days worth of gear is necessary.
Use both shoulder straps. Bags that are slung over the shoulder or across the chest, or that only have one strap, may strain muscles. Tighten the straps enough for the backpack to fit closely to the body. The pack should rest evenly in the middle of the back and not sag down to the butt.
The pack should not extend past your waist—it should ride an inch or more above your hips. Readjust the straps when you are wearing different thicknesses of clothing so they are not too tight nor too loose. Your backpack should not sway from side to side as you walk.
If your carry-on is too big, you will either have to pay penalty fees or check your luggage. Checking your luggage means that your carry-on won't be traveling with you but will instead be sent to the airplane cargo, and you will be able to claim it once the plane lands.
Approved personal items include a purse, briefcase, small backpack, camera bag, diaper bag, laptop bag or other similarly sized item. The combined length, width and height of carry-on baggage should be less than 45 inches. Individual items must be less than 22 by 14 by 9 inches.
Pull the straps forward away from your body and then down toward your hips to get a natural fit. Be careful not to overtighten here, as the straps can dig into your shoulders. When fitted correctly, they should hug your shoulders from front to back without any gaps between the shoulder strap and your back.
Understanding Backpack Sizes
As a rule of thumb, 25-30 liter backpacks are best for shorter weekend trips, while 30-45 liter backpacks are best for longer trips or long-term travel.
Bigger backpacks give you more space. Even the same backpack in small, medium and large will give you more litres of space as you move up in size. There isn't much leeway for which size you choose though since it's dependent on your height. What you can choose is how many litres you go with.
If your backpack is hurting you, pulling in a weird direction, or just generally uncomfortable, you'll want to ensure the pack you have on you is properly fitted to your body type and size. Even if you've been backpacking before, there's a chance you're not aware that some backpacks come in different sizes.
Doctors recommend that backpack weight should be between 10-15 percent of a person's total body weight. If a 90-pound sixth grader carried 15 percent of their weight, the backpack should be no more than 13 pounds. An average for a 135-pound adult would be about 20 pounds.
Does size of a backpack matter?
A too large backpack will ensure that you can not pack your luggage in the best possible way, so that the stability of your body during hiking could be compromised. In addition, it can also be ergonomically less favorable, which in the long term can cause nasty injuries.
21–35 liters: This is the sweet spot for most hiking and travel daypacks. There's enough capacity to hold food, clothing and some extras, like a camera and a book. 36–50 liters: These larger packs are ideal for trips that require additional clothing and gear, such as climbing, mountaineering or non-summer hiking.
Medium: 21 to 30 liters
A school backpack of 21 to 30 liters is suitable for this. This is the most common size for backpacks. The bags have enough space, but are not larger than necessary. Most school backpacks have several small pockets.
Carry-on bags shouldn't be larger than 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high including handles and wheels. Dimensions of personal items should not exceed 18 inches long, 14 inches wide and 8 inches high. There are no weight restrictions for carry-on luggage.
Bags larger than 62 linear inches can still fly, but they may be subject to additional fees. Usually with large bags, weight when packed is the bigger issue. Calculate the size of your check-in luggage the same way you did your carry-on, and then add the numbers together to arrive at the dimension.
Due to limited overhead and under seat space, larger items will be tagged with a pink Gate Claim/Planeside tag and loaded in the cargo bin. These bags will be returned to the passenger upon deplaning. All carry-on items must meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and may not exceed 22" x 14" x 9".
Most airlines will base their size limits on the total size of your bag, not just the weight in pounds like checked bags. Some airlines only give a guidance on “linear inches,” i.e. the sum of the length + width + depth of your bag. A limit of 40 linear inches could also be expressed as 18 x 14 x 8 inches.
18 x 14 x 8 inches with no weight limit.
Besides, there are ways to make the most of this space if you have a bag that allows you to maximise it. And nobody knows exactly how strict they are going to be on the day you travel!
Pack Weight for Backpacking and Hiking
A loaded day hiking pack should not weigh more than about 10 percent of your body weight. (If you weigh 150 pounds, your pack should not exceed 15 pounds for hiking.)
Turns out rucking is no joke. According to researchers at the University of South Carolina, rucking can burn somewhere between two and three times the calories of walking and delivers cardio benefits equal to jogging. It's easy to see why.
Why does my backpacking pack hurt my hips?
If you routinely experience back pain, shoulder pain, or hip pain when you carry a backpack, there's a good chance that your backpack doesn't fit you or that you're not wearing it properly. This is surprisingly common among backpackers, and one of the main reasons why people don't go hiking more often.
Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can cause a person to lean to one side to compensate for the uneven weight. This can curve the spine. Over time, this can cause lower and upper back pain, strained shoulders and neck, and even functional scoliosis (curvature of the spine).
Large Backpacks: 40+ Liters
Large backpacks have a capacity of 40 liters or more, which is plenty of space for all your travel gear, even on longer journeys. If you're planning a backpacking trip for seven to ten days (or longer if you're travel-savvy and can pack light), this is the size you'll want.
These days, they are back in style, and you can find numerous brands producing them with different features. From zipped pockets to internal compartments and waterproof materials, mini backpacks are perfect for everything from brunch to traveling.
It Can Impede Your Movement
Wearing your backpack on your front can impede your movement, which can be a disadvantage if you need to be agile. It can also make it more difficult to balance, which can be a problem if you are walking on uneven surfaces or in bad weather.
If backpacks are too heavy and/or are worn for prolonged periods, compression can develop on nerves or arteries that pass from the lower neck to the armpit, causing pain and other problems. Symptoms of nerve compression may include pain, weakness, and/or numbness and tingling down the arm.
Wear and tighten both straps of the backpack to distribute weight evenly. Use a waist or chest strap if your backpack has one. Pack heavier items closer to the center of the back. Use digital textbooks if your school has them.
Using both shoulder straps is essential to prevent back pain. Ensure that they are tightened so that the backpack is close to the body and sits 2 inches above the waist. If your child's backpack has one, using the chest strap will also ensure that the pack is close to the body.
Backpacks Can = Bad Backs
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons states that backpacks worn incorrectly or packed too heavily can cause injuries to the neck, back and shoulders. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that nearly 28,000 backpack-related injuries were treated in 2010!
The weight of the average high school backpack has been estimated to be between 12 and 20 pounds.
Is 40 pounds heavy for backpacking?
Regular backpackers have packs that weigh about 30 lbs. They're generally newcomers to the hiking hobby, and they have a tendency to overpack. If you're a newcomer going backpacking for the first time, it's a good idea to never exceed 40 lbs and go with an experienced friend or a group of hikers.
For maximum stability, load your backpack so the heaviest equipment is next to your back and centered in the pack. Medium-weight gear should be carried toward the top and outside portion of the pack and lightweight gear, like your sleeping bag, should be packed in the bottom.
| Size | Capacity | Suggested Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Mini and Small Backpacks | 6 -10 Liters | Days Out / Kids Bags / Sports |
| Daypacks | 10 - 30 Liters | Commuting / Hiking / Day Walks |
| Medium Backpacks | 30 - 50 Liters | Overnight Trips / Camping / Hiking |
| Large Rucksacks | 50 Liters + | Travelling / Backpacking / Expeditions |
2-3 Day Packs: 35-50 liters
A weekend backpack like a standard 40L backpack is big enough to carry a backpacking sleeping bag, small tent, and pad, as well as extra clothing and layers.
Most people will plan to hike 3-10 miles per day, depending on what shape you're in and how much elevation gain there is.
An overweight backpack causes the body to compensate for the extra weight. If you lean forward to compensate, it reduces your balance making it easier to fall. The extra weight can distort the natural curve of the middle and lower back, causing muscle strain.
Trips of 5 days or more usually call for packs of 70 liters or more. These are also usually the preferred choice for winter treks lasting more than 1 night. (Larger packs can more comfortably accommodate extra clothing, a warmer sleeping bag and a 4-season tent, which typically includes extra poles.)
Use the bathroom scale to check that a pack isn't over 10% to 20% of your child's body weight. For example, a child who weighs 80 pounds shouldn't carry a backpack that weighs more than 8 to 16 pounds.
Backpack capacity is almost always measured in liters - a universally accepted standard unit - which makes it much easier to compare backpack sizes across brands. As a rule of thumb, 25-30 liter backpacks are best for shorter weekend trips, while 30-45 liter backpacks are best for longer trips or long-term travel.
Medium: 21 to 30 liters
This is the most common size for backpacks. The bags have enough space, but are not larger than necessary.
Is a 28 inch bag too big?
A 28” suitcase is still big enough to get you through a 20-day trip, but it's significantly lighter and easier to maneuver than a 32” one. Also, the bigger and heavier your luggage is, the more likely you are to go over the weight limit for checked bags and incur a penalty fee.
21–35 liters: This is the sweet spot for most hiking and travel daypacks. There's enough capacity to hold food, clothing and some extras, like a camera and a book. 36–50 liters: These larger packs are ideal for trips that require additional clothing and gear, such as climbing, mountaineering or non-summer hiking.
2-3 Day Packs: 35-50 liters
A weekend backpack like a standard 40L backpack is big enough to carry a backpacking sleeping bag, small tent, and pad, as well as extra clothing and layers.
The main thing to keep in mind is that the bag is going to need to be big enough to carry big textbooks and other supplies. You'll want a backpack that's at least 13 inches, otherwise it's going to be way too small. It's important that the bag is durable, so look for water-proof material that's nylon or polyester.
It's not just about finding a bag that will fit all of your stuff; you want a bag that will fit you, too. When it comes to backpacks, finding the right size bag is all about your torso length. You don't want one that falls below your hips, where a waistband (on larger packs) is designed to help distribute the weight.
You can check in any size luggage, but the most common checked bags are larger than typical 22” x 14” carry-on bags. The most popular size check-in luggage is 25- to 29-inches tall and various widths. Medium-sized check-in luggage measures 25-26” tall and around 18” wide.
Can a 24 inch luggage be a carry on? Unfortunately no, the standard carry-on size is typically 22” x 14” x 9”, so a 24 inch bag is too large to bring on board of most economy standard airlines. 2. Is there a size limit for carry on bags?
A lot of manufacturers advertise their 28-32 inch suitcases as checked luggage. However, technically, that's false advertising. The truth is that a large portion of 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32-inch suitcases are over the size limits for checked bags, so they can't be used as checked bags.
A loaded backpacking pack should not weigh more than about 20 percent of your body weight. (If you weigh 150 pounds, your pack should not exceed 30 pounds for backpacking.) A loaded day hiking pack should not weigh more than about 10 percent of your body weight.
How big should a backpack be for a week?
If your trip will be for one week or more, a 70 or 80 litre backpack is highly recommended.
