Best 50L Backpacks (for travel, hiking and trekking)

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A backpack is one of the most important, yet overlooked item you’ll purchase ahead of any trip.

Knowing what to look for in a backpack isn’t always obvious and will vary depending upon how you plan to use it. That’s why I’ve put together a series of guides to help you find the right features whether you’re travelling abroad, hiking up a hill or trekking through the countryside.

I trawled through all of the best branded and budget 50L backpacks to find the below recommendations that I’m sure you’ll love.

Quick Summary

Image Overview  
Best for Travel: Osprey Farpoint Trek 55
• Trampoline mesh back panel helps stay cool and ventilated
• Front loading and spacious
Best for Hiking: Osprey Europe Atmos AG 50
• Anti gravity suspension system
• Thick 630D Nylon material
• Most featureful hiking backpack on the market
Great Value Hiking Backpack: North Face Terra 55L
• Air column for good ventilation
• Hydration bladder sleeve, adjustable sternum, hip belt with pockets
Best Under £100: Kelty Redwing 50
• Lots of organisational pockets including the signature side pockets
• Very good price for the quality

Is a 50L Backpack Right for You?

50 Litre is a popular backpack for both travel and outdoor use. Here are the best use cases but this will vary by person:

Travel: Unfortunately 50 litres doesn’t officially fit as carry on luggage, however many travellers, myself included, will manage to get it into the cabin with no fuss. If you’re travelling to a warm climate, this will be plenty of room for your belongings, if you’re visiting a cooler climate then you’ll have to be a light packer to fit everything in.

Hiking and Trekking: If you’re heading on multi-day hiking, trekking  or backpacking trips of around 3 days then a 50 litres will be adequate. It should hold all of your clothing, camping gear and food for the trail.

I put together this infographic to help you choose the right size:


Best 50 Litre Backpacks

Here are my recommended 50L backpacks: (with Amazon links)

Below are full reviews and information about all of the backpacks I’ve listed, plus more.

Osprey Farpoint Trek 55

If you need a backpack in the 50 to 55L capacity range for travel then this should be the go-to choice

See Fairview Trek 50 for Women’s fit

Price: ££

Trampoline mesh back panel helps stay cool and ventilated

Usual durability and high quality you’d expect from Osprey

Front loading and spacious

No protected laptop sleeve

I was never a fan of Osprey’s 55L Farpoint backpack which was essentially a 40L backpack with a 15L daypack strapped to it so I was relieved when they launched the 55L Farpoint Trek as an alternative and it’s been a real hit with me.

For starters, it’s front loading which is an essential feature of a good travel backpack. The only downside is the lack of a padded laptop compartment which is another essential for me.

The main compartment offers a spacious interior for packing in the extra items you’ll need for visiting cooler climates and it has plenty of organisational compartments on the exterior, including side pockets that can conveniently be accessed from both the side and top.

It does feature a bladder sleeve if you really need to use it for trekking or hiking but I wouldn’t recommend buying it especially for this purpose as there are better hiking backpacks in this guide.

It has the durability expected from Osprey and all the typical features:

  • strong zips
  • large grab handles
  • compression straps
  • integrated rain cover in lid

It’s also very comfortable to carry with a mesh ventilated back panel, an improvement on the Farpoint 40 which I rated as in my review of 40L packs.


Best Duffel Backpack

Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 55L

An excellent duffel bag and backpack combo made from sustainable materials.

Price: ££

Made with heavy duty, recycled material

Huge interior

Back panel isn’t particularly strong or well ventilated when used as a backpack

As you can tell, I’m more of a backpack fan than a duffel bag fan so it’s not surprising that my favourite 50L duffel bag is one that also functions well as a backpack.

The Patagonia Blackhole range features backpack straps that can be quickly and easily added for airline travel, and are reasonably comfortable due to the level of padding on them.

The heavy-duty 900D recycled ripstop polyester material is extremely durable and gives the bag a good form, for even more weather resistance it’s finished with a TPU water-resistant film.

As well as the large main compartment, it has a flat mesh pocket under the lid as well as a smaller pocket on the outside for quick access items. If that still isn’t enough there are plenty of places to hook extra items on the outside.

The only downside is the lack of any ventilation or padding against your back when using it as a backpack but this is more of a general duffel-backpack combo issue than specific to this bag.


Best Backpack with Wheels

Kathmandu Hybrid Trolley 50L

If you need a travel backpack that works like a suitcase then this is the best one going in 50L.

Price: ££

Stands up well even when fully packed

Retractable handle to seamlessly turn it from a backpack to a wheeled suitcase

Front loading

Limited organisational compartments inside

New Zealand has given the world many great things, and one of those is excellent bag. The Kathmandu Hybrid Trolley functions as both a wheeled suitcase and a backpack, doing a great job of both.

As a suitcase, the wheels look flimsy but they are actually very rugged and do well on most terrains. The outside is sturdy and it’s front-loading so perfect for the job.

As a backpack it has a comfortable mesh back panel with good ventilation as well as compression straps and a hip belt. The wheels and handle both tuck away nicely so it’s easy to carry.

The internal compartment is huge although it could do with additional storage options to keep things organised, you’ll probably want to use packing cubes with his.

As you often find with Kanthmandu backpacks, it integrates really nicely with one of their smaller day packs, this one can attach to the Gluon day pack (sold separately) if 50L isn’t enough.


Best Hiking Backpack

Osprey Atmos 50L

Overall best backpack for hiking, trekking and backpacking with anti-gravity back system.

Price: £££

Anti gravity suspension system

Most featureful hiking backpack on the market

Thick 630D Nylon material

Hip belt pockets are awkwardly placed

Expensive

Osprey seem to be doing a lot of things right which is why I’ve also given them the title of the best 50L hiking and trekking backpack.

The highlight is undoubtedly the anit gravity technology, officially this ‘combines 3D support and a tensioned lumbar support’ which basically means it hugs your body so you feel less weight from the pack.

But the features don’t stop there, it also has:

  • Front zip access to the main compartment
  • A removable lid which can reduce the volume to about 45L
  • Stretchy side pockets with front access
  • Hydration bladder
  • Quick access trekking pole holders

There are almost too many features to mention. It also has the great quality of an Osprey pack with huge durable zips and it’s made from 630D Nylon which is the toughest on this list, this does add to the weight but the anti-gravity system means you won’t feel this.

The only real downside I could find was the placement of the hip pockets which make it awkward to use the zips when you’re wearing it.

With all the positives comes a hefty price tag which can be difficult to swallow. But once you pay it, the durability and repairability of the bag will make sure you get the use out of it. The Osprey Stratos range has been released more recently as a good competitor, although this is around 15% cheaper it doesn’t feature the anti-gravity system so you are losing the best feature.


Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10

Excellent runner up in 50L hiking backpacks and slightly cheaper than the Osprey.

Price: ££

Comfortable Aircontact Lite back panel with air channel

Ergonomic hip fins

Packed with storage pockets

Doesn’t come with a rain cover so you’ll need to buy this separately

I feel guilty putting this excellent backpack as a runner up but if it wasn’t for the outstanding anti-gravity system on the Osprey, this would be a contender for number one.

The X-frame design helps transfer the pack’s weight to the hip belt to spread the load. It’s very comfortable to wear thanks to the extra thick padding and open-cell foam on the shoulders and back.

It also has an air channel down the back to allow circulation and prevent you from sweating too much. The torso is adjustable with their specially designed system and the ergonomic hip belt helps reduce the pressure.

The SL version for women has same feature set but fit for women with more conical shape fins and narrower shoulder straps with more distinct s-shape.

The +10 refers to the lid which can be lifted higher to allow more volume in the pack or removed if not needed.

The backpack seems to have storage compartments hidden all over it with hip belt pockets, side pockets, lid pockets, front pockets and if that wasn’t enough there are loops for trekking poles and hanging other items from.


Best Under £100

Kelty Redwing 50

A great all-round 50L backpack that comes in under £100 for those on a tighter budget.

Price: £

Well ventilated back panel that sits comfortably against the spine and shoulders

Lots of organisational pockets including the signature side pockets

Very good price for the quality

Only in one size (although it is adjustable)

No laptop sleeve or lockable zips

The Redwing 50 has long been a great backpack but they continue to improve it with new upgrades, most recently the back panel which sits well in the curve of your back with great ventilation.

It has the huge side pockets that are found on all sizes of the Kelty Redwing backpacks that help keep belongings separate and have pass throughs for tent or trekking poles. It also has mesh pockets for quick access and a hydration bladder sleeve.

The opening can function as both a top loader or a front panel by unclipping the compression straps making it a good all rounder suitable for both travel and the outdoors, although there is no laptop sleeve and the zips are not lockable.

It does only come in the one size but the adjustable torso and sternum will help suit it to your body.


North Face Terra 55L

A suitable hiking backpack for those on a budget without compromising on essentials.

Price: £

Very durable 420D ripstop Nylon material

Air column for good ventilation

Very affordable

Strange layout of front pockets

Torso not adjustable

If you’re looking for a cheaper hiking backpack under £100 then the North Face Terra 55L has the features you need.

The material is very durable, a 420D ripstop nylon that will prevent any tears, although it doesn’t appear to have a coating so has limited weather resistance.

The front pockets have an odd layout with one on each side although the interiors overlap so you can only really use one at a time. The rest of the bag makes up for this with plenty of storage including a large main compartment, brain pocket in the lid, sleeping bag pouch at the bottom and trekking pole mounts.

The sleeping bag pocket is well designed with access from the bottom and the option to remove the separator if not required.

Other features that make it suitable for hiking include:

  • Hydration bladder sleeve
  • Lots of loops to clip things on
  • Adjustable sternum
  • Hip belt with pockets

The Torso isn’t adjustable although there are plenty of sizes to choose from, just make sure you get the right fit to start with and it should be long lasting.


Best Waterproof Backpack

Earth Pak 55L

100% Waterproof make this an ideal backpack for water sports

Price: £

100% Waterproof

Strong 500D PVC material

Not the most comfortable to wear for long periods of time

Many of the backpacks I’ve shared above have been water resistant, but if you’re doing water sports such as sailing, water skiing or kayaking and require a large backpack, then the Earthpak 50 is just what you need.

This is a 100% waterproof backpack that’s built to last, with thick 500D PVC material and a roll top with durable clip, water isn’t going to penetrate it anytime soon

Of course it’s never going to be as featureful as a standard backpack, but that hasn’t stopped the creators from trying. It has a waist strap and sternum to spread the weight and external pockets  for quick access (although these have zips so they aren’t water tight). It also has reflectors which come in handy at night.

That’s all from me, I hope this has been a useful guide and met your requirements.


View more backpack guides:

FAQs

How Big is a 50L Backpack?


A 50 litre backpack will fit enough items to last 1-2 weeks in cooler climates or 2-3 weeks in warmer climates. Of course, if you’re able to wash your items, then this can keep you going for months.

When it comes to outdoor activities, 50L will be fine for multi-day hiking and camping trips up to 3 days with all of your kit.

When Should I use a 50L Backpack?


A 50L backpack is ideal for the following situations:

Travel: If you’re visiting cooler climates and need to pack warmer layers of clothes, a 50L backpack is the minimum size you’ll need and should give you enough room for 1 week’s worth of items.

Hiking and Trekking: If you’re heading on multi-day hiking, trekking or backpacking trips up to 3 days then a 50L backpack will be ideal. It should hold all of your clothing, camping gear and food for the trail.

When is a 50L Backpack not suitable?

If you’re only visiting warm climates and are a light packer, I would recommend a 40L as being more suitable and will fit as hand luggage. If you’re going on a hike or trek for one day or less, then a smaller 30L might be more suitable. If you’re heading out for much longer than 3 days, then a 60-70L would be better.

Will a 50L Backpack Fit in carrying On?


No, of all the 50L backpacks reviewed here, none of them have been suitable for carry-on luggage. The biggest bag I have come across that would fit in carry-on luggage is the Peak Design 45L although you’ll need to check airline requirements as some budget airlines are more stringent.


Price key: £=under £100, ££=£100-150, £££=£150-200, ££££=£200+

Kieren

Kieren is the avid traveller behind the blog. His adventures have included Interrailing through Europe, road tripping the US and backpacking SE Asia.