The best pilgrim backpack

If you do not yet own a hiking rucksack and do not want to buy one directly, you should first ask around in your circle of friends – the probability that someone there has one should be quite high.

Or you can borrow one from an online service, here are a few examples for shops in Germany:

here: https://www.outdoorverleih.com/Rucksack-mieten

here: https://rausleihen.de/rucksack-mieten or

here: https://www.vaude.com/de-DE/Wo-kaufen/Mietprodukte/

(All rental services are untested by me)

If you can believe the salesmen in the specialist shop, then a hiking rucksack is something very individual, which is not easy to transfer.

A good fit is undoubtedly important, after all, you carry the rucksack on your back all day long, but many rucksacks have a lot of adjustment possibilities and can be adapted to the different carriers.

I have also lent my backpack twice and the straps were as happy with it as I am.

What is important to note here?

First of all, the backpack should of course fit your own stature. As adjustable as many models are, it is unlikely that the same backpack will fit the 52kg heavy and 1.58m high Marie as well as the 120kg heavy and 1.98m high Karsten.

In this case you are well advised to consult a salesperson in a specialist shop, especially if you are physically out of your usual size. Especially if you are more obese, you have to be careful: the hip belts are too short in many models to close despite the wealthy tummy.

(An article on hiking equipment for overweight people is in progress).

The second most important factor in my opinion is the weight. You will carry the rucksack on your back all day long and be happy if it is as light as possible.

This depends of course on personal needs. Those who use the backpack exclusively for hiking and pilgrimage with hotel accommodation can fall back on a smaller model, because there are no sleeping mats, sleeping bags and towels in the luggage.

On the other hand, if you have a child or dog with you on the pilgrimage, you will need more storage space.

I cannot give a real recommendation. My rucksack holds 40l and is always full, but everything fits in. But it would be the same with 35l and with 50l.

The backpack should either be impregnated or have a rain cover.

That backpacks are not waterproof by themselves I had to learn painfully on the way.

If you don’t have your own rain cover, you should definitely consider this topic – with a rain cover, a cape which also covers the backpack or an impregnation.

As mentioned above, there is no such thing as the perfect backpack for everyone.

However, I am extremely satisfied with my model: it has many adjustment possibilities (incl. back length), the hip belt is long enough, I get along well with the 40l, it has a rain cover with it and it weighs less than 1kg when empty.

link: Amazon