Alex's quick reference guide

Note that the following observations are generalities, and for models specifically intended for hiking and backpacking. There will always be outliers in each manufacturer’s lineup, and their design teams may change their approach over time.

Osprey is renowned for comfort and has a world-class reputation. They generally fit slim, muscular, and athletic bodies with low body fat percentage the best. The more your body looks like it belongs on the cover of Backpacker magazine, the more likely it is that Osprey will work for you. Marked sizes tend to run small compared to their equivalent clothing sizes. Visual design is Apple-like in having universal appeal. However, unlike Apple, they still generously provide a headphone jack (the rain cover) in even some of their budget models like the Hikelite series, and the extremely popular Atmos/Aura AG and Aether/Ariel series. Osprey also has PDF manuals available for many of their products. If my own tutorials on backpack fitting aren’t working for you, consider following their manual instead.

Gregory also has a very solid reputation, but a smaller marketing budget than Osprey. If Osprey is the Apple, then Gregory must certainly be the Samsung. They generally fit a very wide range of body types comfortably. If Osprey doesn’t work for you, Gregory probably will. However, Gregory models are often less consistent than Osprey, and sometimes they don’t feel like they fit as perfectly as the equivalent Osprey model. Marked sizes tend to run large compared to their equivalent clothing sizes, though their “extra small” size still works great for very small women. Aesthetically, they appear more rugged and utilitarian than Osprey.

Deuter is a venerable manufacturer that continues to have a distinguished brand recognition. Rather than having multiple sizes, most Deuter models have a one-size-fits-all approach with universal torso height adjustment and a very large range of hipbelt adjustment. Like most German-designed products, they tend to be expensive, heavy, and over-engineered (though, these issues are being resolved with each new design generation). Yet, because of their luxurious padding, and a kind of je ne sais quoi factor of refinement and character, people coming back to them (Nearly every time I have owned a Deuter pack and resold or gifted it away, I have come to regret it). Unlike Osprey and Gregory, they don’t have different model names for unisex/men’s fit and women’s fit models. Instead, if a women’s fit model exists, it is denoted with “SL” appended to the model name. For very tall men, extra tall torso models are available (appended with “EL”).

Fjallraven is another legendary European manufacturer. They fit Swedish bodies the best (i.e. taller people with long torsos). Gender-specific fit is represented by their two marked sizes: Small/Medium is intended for women, and Medium/Large for men. Due to the strong influence of their traditionalist design philosophy, their backpacks tend to be quite old-fashioned, retaining heritage features like the inclusion of a free rain cover, raised scapula and lumbar pad ventilation system, and beefy expedition-ready frames. Unfortunately, that also makes them very, very heavy by modern design standards, and they are not as comfortable as Deuter or US manufacturers for many people.

MEC is beloved amongst Canadians. There is no apparent design bias or trend towards favouring a particular body type. In the current generation, the Vista 65 is truly exceptional in the sheer quality of the materials, the number of included features, all packed into an affordable and lightweight package. The main thing preventing an unqualified recommendation is that the “unisex” sizing is not great for smaller women or very short men. They often won’t fit well, even when the torso length is retracted to its minimum limit.

The MEC Zephyr 65 does come in a women-specific fit (there is no change in the model name other than that it is specified as “women’s fit”), a superbly designed trampoline-style model. It is an extremely compelling budget alternative to the classic Osprey Atmos/Aura series. When it’s on sale, it’s a no-brainer. However, both the men’s and the women’s Zephyr 65 have the some of same fit issues as the unisex Vista, with Short/Standard working well for average and taller people, and Standard/Long working best for a small subset of customers with very long torsos. There is no documentation, so I would estimate that Standard/Long works best for men with torso heights above 51cm / 20” and women with torso heights above 46cm / 18”.

I have less direct experience with REI, but I am under the impression that they’re like MEC in most respects. REI products have a good reputation, and I’m sure this applies to their backpacks too.

Various ultralight manufacturers have less predictable design characteristics. The Utah-based ULA Equipment will offer an incredible range of customizable parts to fine-tune the fit, while many others have no women’s specific fit, or not even different sizes or torso height adjustment capability. Since you usually cannot refund a backpack ordered from one of these companies, make use of their customer support, which is better than most traditional brick-and-mortar outdoor retailers. If you’re interested, Gossamer Gear, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, and the Canada-based Dan Durston and Northern Ultralight have designed some outstanding backpacks worth consideration. The MEC Charlie 32 UL is a new and very intriguing competitor in this space, with a Dyneema-like Challenge TX70 Ultra construction and a low price ($299.95 (CAD) before tax at the time of writing).