Philip Werner's Backpack Reviews 2008-2024 (2024)

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Philip Werner October 17, 2024 Blog

Philip Werner's Backpack Reviews 2008-2024 (1)

SectionHiker.com (Philip Werner is the founder and chief reviewer) is well known for its in-depth backpack reviews. This past week, I’ve been organizing my photo library, which has over 50,000 images, including pictures from all the backpacks I’ve personally reviewed. There are a lot – like over 200 – so I figured I’d list them all chronologically (as best I could) from the first to the present day. Note: In the past two years, I’ve removed many of the old reviews from the website since the products are no longer available or they’ve been replaced by more recent models.

What could possibly possess one person to review so many backpacks? Well, it means I’ve had to do a lot of hiking and backpacking, like more than 10,000 miles worth, to test them under real-world conditions. Since I like hiking a lot, that’s been an easy cross to bear. The deeper reason is that I like to understand the product development process that goes into designing and manufacturing new backpacks, from ideation through production to retail. In my former life, I was a very skilled and successful product manager responsible for creating new products and getting them to market – so I have a lot of insight into the tradeoffs and compromises that occur during product development.

All those backpack reviews have also put me in a position to help people choose a new backpack that meet their needs. Over the years, I’ve been contacted by countless people for advice to help them select a new backpack. This is an activity I relish since I always learn something new in the process. If you want to read the current list of backpack reviews on the SectionHiker.com website, click on the backpack reviews post category.

Philip Werner’s Backpack Reviews

  1. Six Moon Designs Starlite Backpack
  2. Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus
  3. Zpacks Arc Blast 32
  4. Golite Trek
  5. Golite Jam
  6. Golite Pinnacle
  7. Deuter Spectro AC 38
  8. Osprey Kestrel 28
  9. ULA Catalyst
  10. Mountainsmith Haze LTR 50
  11. Deuter Guide 45+
  12. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter
  13. Mountain Hardware Direttissima
  14. Kelty Spectra Cloud
  15. Osprey Variant 52
  16. Osprey Kestrel 58
  17. Katabatic Gear Helios
  18. Ultimate Direction Fastpack 20
  19. Montane Grand Tour 55
  20. Mountainsmith Mayhem 35
  21. Paradox Packs Unaweep 3900
  22. Elemental Horizons Kalais XT
  23. KS Ultralight Gear KS-50
  24. Mountainsmith Apex 80
  25. Granite Gear Nimbus Trace 70L
  26. Bergans of Norway Helium 55
  27. The Jensen Backpack
  28. Granite Gear Blaze A.C. 60
  29. REI Flash 45
  30. REI Flash 62
  31. Boreas Gear Buttermilk 55
  32. Gossamer Gear Gorilla
  33. Gossamer Gear Murmur
  34. Osprey Mutant 52
  35. Granite Gear Crown2 38
  36. Osprey Exos 58
  37. Deuter Speedlite 30
  38. Exped Traverse 40
  39. Gregory Optic 58
  40. Gregory Paragon 48
  41. Osprey Levity 60
  42. Osprey Levity 45
  43. Exped Lightning 60
  44. Exped Thunder 70
  45. Gossamer Gear Murmur
  46. My Trail Company UL 50
  47. Katabatic Gear Onni V40 65L
  48. Gregory Baltoro 65
  49. Six Moon Designs Minimalist
  50. Mountainsmith Scream
  51. REI Traverse 70
  52. Granite Gear Crown VC 60
  53. Osprey Atmos AG 50
  54. Zpacks Arc Blast 60
  55. Mountain Hardware Kanza 55
  56. Granite Gear Leopard 58
  57. Osprey Volt 75
  58. Gossamer Gear Mariposa
  59. Gossamer Gear Kumo
  60. Granite Gear Virga2
  61. ULA Circuit
  62. Klymit Motion 60
  63. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 (40L)
  64. Seek Outside Divide
  65. Gossamer Gear Mariposa
  66. Six Moon Designs Fusion 50
  67. Kelty Redwing 50
  68. Thule Versant 50
  69. Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 50
  70. Boreas Gear Lost Coast 60
  71. Granite Gear Lutsen 55
  72. Montane Hyper Tour 38
  73. Gossamer Gear Silverback
  74. ULA Ohm 2.0
  75. ULA CDT
  76. Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor
  77. ULA Catalyst
  78. Marmot Gravitron 58
  79. Camelbak Fourteener 24
  80. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daylite 19
  81. Zpacks Nero 38
  82. Cold Cold World Chaos
  83. Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus
  84. The North Face Cobra 60
  85. Kelty Trekker 65
  86. The North Face Phantom 50
  87. Deuter Futura Vario 50+10
  88. Vargo Exoti 50
  89. Vargo Exoti Ar2
  90. Osprey Kestrel 48
  91. Seek Outside Unaweep 4800
  92. Osprey Mutant 52
  93. Seek Outside Gila
  94. Mystery Ranch Terraframe 50
  95. Gregory Zulu 55
  96. Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
  97. REI Flash 60
  98. Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 Backpack Review
  99. Gossamer Gear Silverback 55
  100. Granite Gear Blaze 60
  101. Granite Gear Vapor Trail
  102. Granite Gear X MassDrop Crown2 60
  103. Granite Gear Crown2 60
  104. Gossamer Gear Mariposa
  105. Gossamer Gear Lone Star 30
  106. Gossamer Gear Ranger 35
  107. Deuter Trail Pro 36
  108. Northern Lite Sundown 46
  109. One Tigris Black Orca UL 55 + 5
  110. Osprey Stratos 36
  111. Seek Outside Flight One
  112. Zpacks Arc Haul 60
  113. Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60
  114. Gregory Alpinisto 50
  115. Gregory Paragon 58
  116. Amazon Basics 65
  117. Granite Gear Dagger
  118. REI Trailbreak 60
  119. Gossamer Gear G4-20
  120. Seek Outside Flight Two
  121. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 3400 (55L
  122. Six Moon Design Swift X
  123. Kelty Redwing 50
  124. Osprey Talon 33
  125. Osprey Aether 65
  126. Fjallraven Bertagen 38
  127. Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
  128. Deuter Guide Lite 24
  129. Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight 60
  130. Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
  131. Granite Grear Perimeter 50
  132. Gregory Katmai 65
  133. Gregory Arrio 24
  134. Deuter Futura Air Trek 45+10
  135. Deuter Guide Lite 24
  136. Montane Yupik 50
  137. Zpacks Arc Air 50 Robic
  138. Waymark Gear Lite 50
  139. Cold Cold World Valdez
  140. Mystery Ranch Scree 32
  141. Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
  142. Waymark Gear Lite 50 (2nd version)
  143. Gregory Baltoro 65
  144. Gregory Focal 58
  145. Osprey Exos 58
  146. Deuter AC Lite 24
  147. Granite Gear Crown3 60
  148. Bonfus Framus 48
  149. Osprey Atmos AG 65
  150. ULA Photon
  151. ULA Ohm
  152. ULA Ultra Circuit
  153. ULA Catalyst
  154. Hyperlite Mountain Gear North Rim
  155. Superior Wilderness Designs Rugged Long Haul 50
  156. Atomic Packs The Mo 50
  157. Osprey Stratos 36
  158. Osprey Kestrel 38
  159. Osprey Mutant 38
  160. Osprey Mutant 52
  161. REI Flash 55
  162. Osprey Exos Pro 55
  163. Mystery Ranch Blitz 30
  164. Granite Gear Virga 3 26
  165. Granite Gear Virga 3 55
  166. Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault
  167. Durston Kakwa 55
  168. Zpacks Bagger UL 40
  169. Chicken Tramper 45
  170. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 40
  171. Mystery Ranch Coulee 40
  172. ULA Circuit
  173. Nashville Packs Cutaway
  174. Mountainsmith Zerk 40
  175. Deuter AirContact Ultra 50+5
  176. Gregory Zulu 55
  177. Six Moon Designs Wyeast
  178. Camelbak 14er
  179. REI Trailmade 60
  180. REI Trail 40
  181. Osprey Talon 44
  182. Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60
  183. Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60
  184. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35
  185. Outdoor Vitals CS40
  186. Mammut Norwand 38
  187. Nashville Packs Cutaway (v2)
  188. REI Flash Air 50
  189. Osprey Talon Velocity 30
  190. Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
  191. Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
  192. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Elevate 22
  193. Hyperlite Contour 35
  194. Black Diamond Beta Lite 45
  195. Outdoor Vitals Skyline 30
  196. Chicken Tramper 50
  197. NEMO Resolve 35
  198. Gregory Zulu 24 LT
  199. Osprey Rook 50
  200. Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo
  201. Deuter Speed Lite 30
  202. Gossamer Gear Loris 25
  203. Deuter Speed Lite 21
  204. REI Flash 22
  205. REI Traverse 32
  206. Mountainsmith Zerk 25
  207. Granite Gear Crown3 40
  208. Zpacks Super Nero 50

If you go through the list, you’ll see that several packs have been reviewed multiple times. That’s because the companies that make them update them frequently and send me new versions for review. That’s a two-way street since I also provide valuable feedback to companies about how I think they could improve their products, both for my needs and the needs of my readers.

Philip Werner's Backpack Reviews 2008-2024 (2)

My All Time Favorite Backpacks

So, which have been my favorite backpacks after all these years?

  1. Six Moon Designs Starlite 60 (no longer made)
  2. Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
  3. Cold Cold World Chaos 66
  4. Osprey Variant 52 (no longer made)
  5. Gossamer Gear Kumo 36
  6. Granite Gear Crown2 38 (no longer made)
  7. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 40L
  8. ULA Ohm
  9. Mountansmith Zerk 40
  10. Zpacks Arc Haul 60 Ultra

Of these, the only ones I still use for personal (non-review) trips are Zpacks Arc Haul 60 Ultra and the Granite Gear Crown2 38. But I’m always on the lookout for a new favorite.

SectionHiker is reader-supported. We only make money if you purchase a product through our affiliate links. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, beginner FAQs, and free hiking guides.

Philip Werner's Backpack Reviews 2008-2024 (2024)
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