>>2521579>Best 40 litre backpack for a 2-3 night camp?A few tips: Oftentimes, you can slip your mat and/or sleeping bag beneath a pack's compression straps and carry one or both of them that way. The bag may also have attachment points for lashing/rigging or bungee cords, which traditionally are slotted leather or rubber triangles or squares. They may have MOLLE webbing (or one of the several other types of webbing standards) that can be used to attach additional gear via webbing, finally, even if all that fails, you may be able to jury-rig it up with paracord, bungee cords, cam straps, or other, similar rigging gear/cordage.
Also, 40L means very different things depending on the brand/design. With some packs, almost the entire 40L will be in the core compartment of the pack, whereas others will reach their 40L mark with a lot of additional exterior zipper pouches, open mesh pouches, etc.
Personally, I like the 40L size for warm weekend excursions if packing light, but otherwise I now prefer 55L so I can carry Boomer levels of gear and accessories.
Like me, you may have had the same packs for years and forgotten anything you might once have known about "hiking pack facts/stats." After a solid month of research early last year, I chose a Mystery Ranch Bridger 55 and haven't regretted a penny spent on it.
If you're not hiking far, a cheap Kelty external frame will allow you to carry a ton of shit adequately, and strap on whatever you want. I still have mine from the 1990s and it's an eternal workhorse.
