Choosing the right rucksack size depends on the type and duration of your adventure and the gear you’ll need. You should also select a backpack with a capacity that matches your height or back length.
At Tatonka, we distinguish between backpacks for outdoor activities, travel backpacks, and daypacks for everyday use. Trekking or touring backpacks can also be used as travel backpacks. While the recommended backpack size can vary greatly depending on the outdoor activity or the duration of the trip, when choosing a daypack for everyday use, you should primarily select one based on whether you like it—the size differences here aren’t very significant.
| Intended use | Backpack capacity | Backpack category |
| Day hike | 15 – 25 liters | Hiking backpack |
| Weekend hike, possibly a hut-to-hut hike | 25 – 32 liters | Hiking backpack |
| Hut-to-hut hike | 40 – 45 Liter | Touring rucksack |
| Multi-day hike including tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, stove, and provisions | 50 – 60 Liter | Trekking rucksack |
| Winter trekking, expeditions with heavy luggage | 70 – 90 liters | Trekking rucksack |
| Reisedauer | Rucksack-Volumen | Rucksack-Kategorie |
| 1 – 3 days | 30 – 40 liters | Travel backpack (carry-on size) |
| Approx. 1 week | 40 – 45 liters | Touring rucksack |
| Approx. 1–2 weeks; backpacking (trekking rucksack only) | 50 liters | Travel rucksack, trekking/backpacking rucksack |
| 2–3 weeks; backpacking (trekking rucksack only) | 60 – 80 liters | Trekking / backpacking rucksack, travel backpack |
Day trips, mountain hikes, hut-to-hut tours, wilderness treks—there’s a suitable outdoor backpack for every type of hike. As a general rule, no matter what you’re planning: Pack only the gear you really need. Then you can focus on what matters most—your outdoor activity and enjoying nature.
The recommendations for the right backpack size are approximate guidelines based on experience. Body height, build, and fitness level are always important factors to consider, especially for multi-day hikes and trekking.
For day hikes, a hiking backpack with a volume of 15 to 25 liters is a good choice. In the summer or on a half-day tour, a 10-liter backpack might even suffice. However, a 25-liter backpack is certainly more versatile, as you can also use it during the colder months when you need more gear (e.g., extra clothing).
If you’re a parent and need to carry gear for one or two children, a larger hiking backpack is recommended.
For multi-day hikes and hut-to-hut tours in the mountains with fixed overnight stays, large hiking backpacks with a volume of approximately 30 liters are suitable when you choose your gear wisely and pack efficiently. A touring backpack with a 40–50-liter capacity offers more storage space and, thanks to a carrying system adjustable to your back length with a padded hip belt, ensures good weight distribution and high comfort.
For long-distance hiking with a full set of gear, you need a trekking rucksack with a volume of at least 50 liters. It can be adjusted to your back length, and the ergonomically padded carrying system transfers part of the load to your pelvis via the hip belt. But with a trekking rucksack, the rule applies more than ever: Pack only as much as necessary, because you’ll be carrying every kilogram of weight over long distances.
For long-distance winter hikes, you’ll need to pack a lot of gear into your backpack. A large trekking rucksack with a capacity of about 80 liters is the right choice here.
In the table below, you can see which Tatonka hiking and trekking backpacks we recommend for which activities.
| Recommended for: | Expeditions / Winter trekking |
Trekking tours | Hut-to-hut hikes | Backpacking / Long-distance travel / Work & Travel |
City trips / Interrail |
Bushcraft |
| Yukon X1 85+10 | ||||||
| Yukon X1 75+10 | ||||||
| Yukon X1 65+10 Women | ||||||
| Lastenkraxe | ||||||
| Packsack 2 Lastenkr. | ||||||
| Yukon 50+10 | ||||||
| Yukon 60+10 | ||||||
| Yukon 70+10 | ||||||
| Yukon 50+10 Women | ||||||
| Yukon 60+10 Women | ||||||
| Noras 65+10 | ||||||
| Noras 55+10 Women | ||||||
| Pyrox 45+10 | ||||||
| Pyrox 40+10 Women | ||||||
| Pyrox 45+10 BC | ||||||
| Pyrox 40+10 Women BC | ||||||
| Norix 48+10 | ||||||
| Norix 44+10 Women | ||||||
| Akela 45 | ||||||
| Akela 35 |
The size of the travel rucksack you need naturally depends on the length of your trip. The more luggage you need to pack, the larger the backpack you’ll need to bring.
A travel backpack with a volume of 30–40 liters is suitable for a short trip or a weekend getaway. It often meets carry-on size requirements, so you can check in quickly when flying.
For trips lasting one to two weeks, a rucksack with a capacity of about 50 liters is the right choice. There are specialized travel rucksacks in this size with useful features. However, a hiking or trekking rucksack in this size is also a good choice.
For trips lasting several weeks, a large travel backpack with a volume of 60–80 liters or a trekking backpack of the corresponding size is recommended. Exception: backpacking tours. If you’re a backpacker who sometimes covers long distances on foot, your backpack shouldn’t be larger than 60 liters, because a fully packed large rucksack isn’t something you can just “carry around casually.” You should also choose a trekking rucksack with a particularly high-performance carrying system.
This varies greatly from person to person and depends largely on height and back length. Generally speaking, women should choose a backpack that feels comfortable and fits them well. That’s why there are special women’s backpacks in various categories that are designed to fit the female body.
Capacities ranging from 10 to 30 liters are available and depend on the planned activities.
They shouldn’t exceed 60 liters. Petite women should opt for 40–50 liters. With hiking and trekking rucksacks, it’s crucial that the carrying system fits the body well and that the hip belt sits in the right place. That’s why women should generally choose a women’s backpack.
This depends largely on the child’s age and, of course, changes as the child grows. As a general rule, a younger child should only carry a backpack if they want to. We explain how to find the right size in our separate guide: Children’s backpacks – How to find the Right size.
This question primarily applies to hiking and trekking backpacks, which are quite heavy when fully packed and therefore need to fit properly. To be precise, when choosing the right backpack, it’s not your height but your back length that’s the decisive factor: The rucksack’s carrying system must be adjusted properly to ensure good weight distribution to the hip area.
If you want to buy a large backpack, it’s best to measure your back length first. We show you how to do this in the section “How do I determine my back length?” in our backpack tips. There you’ll also find a table where you can check which Tatonka backpacks are best suited for your back length. Please note that these values are intended as approximate guidelines.
