• Optimum load transfer — carrying heavier loads in comfort
• Easy-to-adjust back system
   

When you’re hiking, it’s your backpack that sticks with you, through thick and thin, mile after mile. Our sophisticated deuter Aircontact back system ensures the weight of your backpacking pack is evenly spread between your hips and shoulders. And while the back padding sits snug and firmly in place on your back, the breathable material quickly transports perspiration and heat away from your body. Our trekking experts also designed padded shoulder straps and hip fins that wrap around your body for a comfortable carry and evenly distributed weight.

Backpack features and carrying systems, for superior comfort:

• ActiveFit shoulder straps: Pivoting shoulder straps follow your every move.
• VariFlex hip fins: Flexible, mobile hip pads help counterbalance your movements when walking.
• Large front opening with zipper for ease of packing

 
Backpacking packs with deuter Aircontact back system:

• Aircontact Ultra: Ultra lightweight among our backpacking packs, made with bluesign® certified materials that are manufactured more sustainably and fairly.
• Aircontact Core: Well-organized backpack made from 100 percent recycled materials and with large 3-liter hip fin pockets that are detachable.
• Aircontact X: made from ultra-tough, ripstop materials, with a built-in day pack.

• Minimal weight combined with maximum comfort
• For thru-hiking and ambitious long-distance treks

Carrying 22 lbs (10 kg) + in comfort. When you’re hiking long distances, day after day, you’ll only be carrying what you need, and nothing more. Our backpacking packs lighten the load for you. At deuter, we’re constantly working on paring down the amount and weight of the materials we use, to create the lightest possible hiking buddies for you. The use of special airy mesh and reduced back padding, plus our lightweight carrying systems make it possible to have lightweight backpacking packs that weight as little as 2.65 lbs (1,200 g).

The professional mountain athletes we work with to develop our range of backpacking packs, keep inspiring us to strike the perfect balance between reduced weight and maximum comfort. Choose one of these backpacking packs that best suits your own needs. Our trekking backpacks can be used for camping as well as for backpacking, thru-hiking, long-distance hiking trails or pilgrimage tours, or even for traveling the world.

Got the wanderlust bug? In our blog you’ll find some practical advice and packing lists for distance hiking or details about the most beautiful treks in the World. 

Thru-hiking, hiking from hut to hut, on a pilgrim trail, or backcountry expedition. There’s a deuter backpack to suit all of these different trekking activities, with all the right qualities. Featuring our deuter Aircomfort or Aircontact back system, these trekking backpacks come in a range of sizes, and with a host different of features and functionality. Each one tailored to the specific purpose it’s designed for.

There are lots of things to consider when selecting the right backpack for your next hiking or trekking adventure. Once you’ve decided between the two different back systems that deuter uses for its backpacking packs, you then need to think about size and what kind of features you want. Our top tips for buying a backpacking backpack:

• How do I choose the right size of backpack?
• How to measure back length?
• How do I adjust the harness or carrying system of the backpack?
• What functions and features should a trekking backpack have?

• Backpacking backpacks from 30 to 39 liters: Medium-sized trekking backpacks are good for hiking trips over the weekend or a trek with up to 3 overnight stays, without a tent or carrying your own food.
  Typical hike / trek for this size: a couple of stages of the Ruta de Pedra en Sec, GR221 in Mallorca

• Backpacking backpacks from 40 to 60 liters: Longer multi-day thru-hikes and treks through challenging terrain require you to carry more gear with you. Large trekking rucksacks offer space for clothes, a sleeping bag, maps, food and maybe even a tent. 
  Typical hike / trek for this size: the 5 stages of the Laugavegur in Iceland or hiking in Scotland

• Backpacking backpacks from 60 to 75 liters: Very big touring backpacks are good for long journeys, if you’re wild camping self-supported, or heading on a hiking trip with multiple stopovers in dorm-style accommodation. If you don’t plan on washing clothes, then clothing will take up the bulk of the space in your pack. Backpackers like to use trekking backpacks because of their compact shape and ease of carrying.
  Typical hike / trek for this size: The Manaslu trek in Nepal

 
Our top tip: Make sure your backpack doesn’t weigh more than a quarter of your bodyweight; ideally it should be 20% or less. Test out how it feels to carry your actual pack and planned contents by going on a shorter hike with it beforehand. This will also help with deciding what you can leave at home. Our packing list for a multi-day hike is a useful guide to ensure you don’t leave anything out

Choosing the right backpack isn’t just about capacity. Striking the perfect balance between back length and the fit of the back system, will mean the S-shaped shoulder straps neatly wrap around the shoulders. This means it will be more comfortable to carry and offer unrestricted movement. This is why back length is so important when choosing a backpack. This is how you measure your back length:

With loads of 22 lb+ (10 kg+) or when walking longer distances, ensuring the back system is correctly adjusted to your size is critical to carrying comfort. That’s why we equip all 35 liters+ backpack models with a back length adjustment system. On smaller packs, doing away with adjustable back lengths keeps the overall weight down. For our backpacking backpacks you can choose between three types of back system adjustment:

The answer to this question depends on your own fitness condition, as well as your backpack’s load category. When it comes to load categories, we are not talking about the maximum load a backpack can take. They can hold significantly more weight than you’ll ever want to carry. They are intended more as a guideline. It’s all about carrying comfort. Load categories are decided based on a combination of the following: 

• Construction & durability of the back system
• Expected carrying duration, for example a trekking backpack compared to a travel backpack
• Personal requirements from your backpack: Thru-hikers tend to want a backpack that’s ultralight, where backpackers might look for more comfort.
• Fitness levels: There will be higher expectations from an expedition member than from a regular long-distance hiker, say.
• Finally, they are also based on the usual or appropriate equipment that is required for that activity. Our recommended load figures are to give you an idea of roughly how much weight you can comfortably carry in your backpack for several hours at a time.

The deuter load categories are only intended as a guide to help find the right backpacking backpack.

What’s the difference between a backpacking backpack and a hiking backpack, or even a normal rucksack? Compared to a simple hiking backpack, a backpacking pack is designed for covering greater distances over several days and hiking through challenging terrain. This means it is usually bigger and offers more space, despite being a lightweight product. It means you can pack everything you need for a longer hike into the main compartment, lid compartment and bottom compartment. And there’s easy access to a water bottle, trekking poles and your cell phone etc. thanks to side pockets and clever attachment straps. Useful accessories like a rain cover allow you to keep moving through wind and rain.
 

Typical features of a trekking backpack include: 

• Tall, narrow shape
• Adjustable carrying straps
• Large volume, up to 130 liters
• Padded shoulder straps, waist belt or hip fins, and padded back area
• Multiple compartments and pockets: Main & bottom compartment, lid pocket, side pockets and internal compartments