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Buying Guide

To the uninitiated, a rucksack is just a rucksack. But that could leave you easily tricked by cheap knock-offs or overwhelmed by the choice out there. In the section below, we’re going to go through all the features that we look for when buying a military backpack. They’re the things that come up most in reviews and the areas that you’re most likely to find a fault – if there is one. To help you find the best military backpack for you, we’ve listed some of the main features you’ll probably want to consider:


Quality

The quality of a backpack can be determined by many things. It’s the overall soundness of make, that’ll be the difference between a backpack that lasts for a few days and the backpack that lasts a lifetime. The best way to try to judge this is by looking at things like the seams and zips. Are the seams double stitched? Does the stitching look good, or like you’ve let a four year old loose with a sewing machine? Are the straps finished nicely? Do the buckles look flimsy? Is the zip cheap? All these questions will help you assess the bag. If you’ve got a bad feeling about any of them, then you might regret a purchase later.

Material

Most of the bags in our top five tactical backpack review section are made of polyester. However, you can also get bags in nylon, ballistic nylon or fabric.


Waterproof?

Complete waterproofing is very difficult in backpacks. Anything with a hole (think zips, openings) will let water through eventually – unless you spend an awful lot of money on it. So your best compromise would be to get something that’s mostly water resistant and wrap any electricals in something definitely waterproof (like a plastic bag). Another issue with waterproofing is there’s always a play-off between waterproofing and breathability. You can’t have both at a reasonable price.


Size and Volume

We talked in the review section about what different size bags are best suited for. If you’re going for a 3 day bug out, you don’t want to be taking a tiny sling bag only. At the same time, if you show up for a day hike with an enormous camping bag, you’ll probably get laughed at. At a rule     of thumb, anything less than fifteen to twenty litres in capacity is good for short trips. Anything from twenty to thirty-five litres is good for a day hike or a trip without camping. Anything around the forty, fifty or sixty litre mark is great for camping, long trips and expeditions.

Weight

Weight of the rucksack is a factor that’s often forgotten. Think about it. If you’re filling your pack with a load of heavy kit, you want the bag to be as light as possible to start with. Of course, if it’s super-light, it probably won’t be as durable and might break under the weight of the kit you’re putting in it. But, any unnecessary weight you can shed off the rucksack to start with is a bonus for you. On the other hand, how heavy a little day bag is probably doesn’t matter as much. You won’t be carrying it for as long – although a tiny backpack that weighs a tonne won’t be too much fun either.

Adjustable Fit

People may say the bag’s a great fit for them, but everyone comes in different shapes and sizes. If you can’t adjust the bag to fit you the most comfortably, then there’s no way you’ll want to wear it. As someone who’s had lots of pretty ill-fitting rucksacks, let me tell you: when your bag starts rubbing on you shoulders after two hours you are not in for a good day. Things that should be adjustable are the should straps, waist strap (if applicable) and chest strap. All of these help re-distribute the weight of the bag around your body for the best fit and comfort. Again, this is much more important in large bags where you’ll be carrying more weight for longer.

 MOLLE Systems

One of the big factors on a military backpack for those of you who like space. Adding MOLLE means that you can add extra pouches and gear – transforming a small sack into a day bag and beyond. But, if the bag you buy doesn’t have the right webbing or fittings for a MOLLE system then you’ve got no chance. Think about if it’s something you’ll want to use before you buy.


Comfort

This is linked up with the adjustable fittings. Do your straps have padded mesh on them to cushion you against the weight of the bag? The difference between a padded waist strap and a thing tape one is enormous on a long hike. Seriously, raw hips and chafing is not cool. It’s also worth taking a look at the back of the rucksack – the bit that’ll be going up against your back when you wear it. Is it padded? Is it breathable? If you’re going somewhere hot, you don’t want your t-shirt stuck to your rucksack all day.


Pockets and Compartments

For the organised amongst us. Are you the kind of person who just wants a bag to be like a hole to throw your gear in, or do you want separate compartments for each bit? Both have their pros and cons – so it’s really personal preference. Do you like having a separate laptop sleeve, or hip belt pouches or just a large pocket divided into three? Or would you rather have one huge compartment and decide how you fill it yourself?



Hydration Pack Compatible

Not a biggy if you don’t use a hydration pack – although you might want to in the future. Having a separate pocket for your water bladder and a little hole to get the hose out makes a massive difference to easy of use. Having to stop to pull the hydration pack back up again every hour defeats the point of owning one in the first place!

Colour

Again, probably not a big deal. Most tactical backpacks come in camouflage, jungle or desert colours, but there’s something really satisfying about a bag that blends in with your surroundings. Black is just too mainstream for some people. Look at the colour options available before you make your final decision. Remember you do have to actually wear this bag, so it’s got to fit your personality too!