Hiking backpacks

A history of the frame

Two pioneers shaped the modern backpack. Haglöfs was born in 1914 in Sweden when a 27-year-old carpenter, Wiktor Haglöf, made his first bag for the schoolchildren in his area, before it was adopted by foresters and hikers. In 1967, in the United States, Greg Lowe, co-founder of Lowe Alpine, designed one of the first internal frame bags, with integrated aluminium stays that pressed the load against the back. This principle, which brings the centre of gravity closer to the body, now equips most hiking bags.

The volume for the trip

The Élémenterre Talca range illustrates the volume scale: 20 litres for a light day trip, 30 litres for a full day with warm layers and meals, 40 litres for a weekend in a refuge, and 50 litres for a longer trek. The Regatta Survivor, around thirty litres, and the Cotopaxi Luzon, smaller, cover day trips. A bag that is too large encourages you to take too much: you choose the volume after preparing your gear.

Ventilated back, waist belt and specialist bags

The AirZone back from Lowe Alpine has a mesh panel between the bag and the back, allowing air to circulate and limiting sweating in hot weather. The foam-backed bags carry the load closer to the body, making them more stable on technical terrain. Beyond 30 litres, a padded belt becomes essential: when tightly fastened on the hips, it carries the majority of the weight.

Specialist bags cater to different uses. The ski bag, like the Élémenterre Norsnow, adds straps for carrying skis and a pocket for safety gear. Tactical bags, like the Elitex Training, feature modular straps from military bags that allow for attaching additional pockets. Ultralight bags, like the Granite Gear Blaze, minimise the frame to the bare minimum for fast hiking.

Baggage

Hiking baggage extends to:

• Hydration packs, vests and water pouch bags.
• Waist packs, for keeping the essentials close at hand.
• Travel bags, for journeys.

Everything is brought together on the baggage page.

Good deals and new arrivals

The new arrivals feature the latest collections, the promotions show discounted items, and the clearance highlights end-of-line stock. Items shipped in 24 hours are prepared and sent out within a day. Black Friday, the end of year holidays, winter sales, and French Days mark the year.

Frequently asked questions

Bag of 20, 30 or 40 litres: which one should I take for hiking?

The Élémenterre Talca illustrates the scale: 20 litres for a light day, 30 litres for a full day with warm layers and meals, 40 litres for a weekend in a refuge, and 50 litres for a longer trek. You choose the volume after preparing your gear.

From what volume is a padded belt necessary?

Beyond 30 litres, a padded belt becomes essential: when tightly fastened on the hips, it carries the majority of the weight, with the shoulders only stabilising. On a small day pack, a simple strap is enough.

Where does the internal frame backpack come from?

In 1967, in the United States, Greg Lowe, co-founder of Lowe Alpine, designed one of the first internal frame bags, with aluminium stays that pressed the load against the back. This principle, which brings the centre of gravity closer to the body, now equips most bags.

Ventilated back or padded back: which one to choose?

The ventilated back, like the AirZone from Lowe Alpine, has a mesh panel between the bag and the back and limits sweating in hot weather. The padded foam back carries the load closer to the body, offering more stability on technical terrain.

What is a tactical backpack?

A bag that features modular straps from military packs, onto which you can attach additional pockets, like the Elitex Training. In contrast, ultralight bags, like the Granite Gear Blaze, minimise the frame to the bare minimum for fast hiking.