Top 7 Women's Backpacks to Discover in 2026 in Canada

• “There's a lot to love about this daypack that packs a punch. The Osprey Tempest 20 is comfortable to wear and has some great, easy-to-use features. It's on the smaller end of packs, but we think its design ingenuity makes up for that.”

• “Osprey’s Talon and Tempest hit a sweet spot for features, comfort, organization, and low weight that ranks them among the most versatile, multi-sport daypacks on the market today—at a competitive price for this level of quality.”

• “Best Hiking Pack Under $100”

• “The Osprey Tempest 20 women’s hiking backpack is an incredible hiking backpack that our readers adore. This backpack is functional, versatile, and adventure-ready. I also used it on a two-week camping and hiking trip through Utah’s national parks!”

• “The Osprey Tempest 20 has captured the attention of outdoor enthusiasts seeking a durable pack with features designed for versatility. This hiking backpack is a testament to Osprey’s commitment to crafting top-notch gear for adventurers.”

• “What felt like days of research, I finally came across the Osprey Hiking Packs. At first, I was unsure whether they’d be suitable for everyday use (I use my rucksack for literally anything) but upon reading their reviews, I found many women who were praising them for...”

• “The shoulder straps are attached to the back of the pack with velcro. To adjust the torso length, you “unstick” them to raise (lengthen) or lower (shorten) the torso length. Once “restuck”, they’ll be locked in place and won’t budge, no matter how much you pack in the backpack.”

• “Lots of pockets to keep your gear organized”

• “It’s lightweight, has a supportive internal frame, offers multiple external attachment options, and can hold up to 3 liters of water in an external bladder sleeve.”

Loved14

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  It also features two hip belt pockets and a great commuter feature: the helmet LidLock. This is our favorite feature on this pack, as it's a quick and easy way to secure a bike helmet without having it bang all over the place.

  — GearLab
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  The Tempest is packed with many features that are all surprisingly easy to use. The main compartment zipper has the ability to zip quite far down the sides, making it easy to pack full and find what you need without pulling everything out.

  — GearLab
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  This pack earned a great score for construction quality. We didn't experience any issues with this pack during our field testing and couldn't find any durability complaints in online user reviews.

  — GearLab
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  Updated for 2021, the men’s Talon and women’s Tempest suspension is constructed around a flexible, lightweight, plastic framesheet.

  — The Big Outside
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  The Air — Scape back panel and perforated foam padding in the hipbelt and shoulder straps create excellent ventilation, which kept my back cool in the smothering heat and humidity of Costa Rica.

  — The Big Outside
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  An external sleeve for the hydration bladder—slotted between the framesheet and main compartment—adds the convenience of not having to empty the pack to refill water.

  — The Big Outside
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  A small, stretch-mesh pocket on the left shoulder strap holds a couple gel packets, and there are attachments on the front for a bike helmet and a light and an emergency whistle in the sternum strap.

  — The Big Outside
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  More comfortable for shorter people than the Talon 22

  — Mountain IQ
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  Lightweight compared to competitors

  — Mountain IQ
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  Hipbelt has two pockets (perfectly sized to carry a smartphone, a small camera or a GPS device)

  — Mountain IQ
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  Comes with Osprey’s lifetime warranty

  — Expert World Travel
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  Versatile for daily use and hiking

  — Expert World Travel
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  Super adjustable for a comfy fit

  — Expert World Travel
• +

  Good external attachment points

  — Expert World Travel

Criticised5

• −

  The last main downside to this pack is its capacity. This isn't the pack for you if you plan to go on winter adventures where you might bring a ton of extra layers and food. That said, our testers think that 20L is still a very solid size daypack for the needs of most day hikers.

  — GearLab
• −

  One feature we wish was better is the front expandable pocket. It's narrow compared to other daypacks, and we prefer a little extra room to jam a whole puffy and snacks in there if we want.

  — GearLab
• −

  Won’t fit every woman or smaller person well

  — Mountain IQ
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  20L is a bit small for some full day activities

  — Mountain IQ
• −

  Not the most breathable design

  — Mountain IQ

Buyer voices1

• “I found the hip belt comfortable. The belt is wide, lightly padded, and covered with a single piece of mesh. Attached to the backpack and mesh on the back of your pack, the belt wraps around your hips and holds the pack firmly in place with the oversized buckle on the front...”

  averagehiker— Average Hiker

• “The Gregory Jade 38 is all about keeping you comfortable on the trail. Its secret weapon? The FreeFloat suspension system. Imagine a breathable mesh back panel that keeps your back cool and dry. Now add a comfy hip belt that moves naturally with your body as you hike.”

• “4 – This bag offers a great combination of features.There are both top and front loading options for travel, a comfortable hip belt with pockets, two side pockets, two lid pockets, a stuffable front pocket similar to that on the Osprey packs, a pocket for a hydration bladder...”

• “This is a gender specific series for women; they build a separate series for men under the name Zulu packs. It implies a 3D comfort cradle hip belt with a 3D construction for hotspot free, body-hugging comfort, and a women’s specific die-cut shoulder harness.”

• “Some view this as a dedicated space for stashing essentials like a first-aid kit, flashlight, or map. As it offers external access, this can be incredibly handy, particularly when you need quick access to these items in emergency situations or simply when setting up camp in...”

Criticised1

• −

  However, the biggest downside in the design is that it gets narrow towards the bottom, To give your lower back some airflow, the bag reduced the capacity on the lower part of the bag so it slims towards the bottom. This means that the bulk of your items will be on the upper half.

  — Half Digital Nomad

Buyer voices1

• “The main compartment held the gear I used for an over niter — Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 tent, Nemo sleeping pad, cooking kit and stove, bags of extra clothes, first aid pack, bag of selected emergency gear, food, emergency bivy, rain pants and jacket, Montbell UL Tech jacket,...”

  Reviewed by smartydog904 +69 December 29, 2011— trailspace.com

• “Advantages Easy to load Good adjustment options Price / performance Good storage options Useful details Good carry system Comfortable to carry Good ventilation Lightweight”

• “Observe also the ventilating channel between the two massive lumbar pads, here you have a three-dimensional modeling that follows the shape of the hips. The hip belt fins are quite short now, but the padding is excellent, so I do not see any issue with this for such a small pack.”

Loved10

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  Good carry system (8)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Comfortable to carry (8)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Good adjustment options (7)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Easy to load (5)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Good storage options (4)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Price / performance (4)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Good adjustment options Good carry system Easy to load Comfortable to carry

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Good adjustment options Useful details Price / performance Lightweight Comfortable to carry Good ventilation Good carry system Good storage options Easy to load

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Lightweight Comfortable to carry Good carry system Good storage options Useful details Good adjustment options Price / performance Good ventilation

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Lightweight Useful details Good storage options Good carry system Good adjustment options Comfortable to carry Easy to load

  — bergfreunde.eu

Buyer voices2

• “3. Did not understand how to make a pocket in the lumbar belt, so small that not for smartphone or camera. Certainly I did not find this useful, beyond saving gum or tissues . For the rest I was fine.”

  Reviewed by ssanabria +3 January 14, 2015— trailspace.com

• “From a comfort and fit standpoint though this backpack is great. Fits really well and has plenty of room for adjustment. Lots of extras too — plenty of pockets. Plus I adore the built-in compartment for my Camelbak. Makes it really easy.”

  Reviewed by glorysgirl +7 January 9, 2013— trailspace.com

• “Even in the context of how much continued, impressive innovation has occurred in the category of hiking daypacks in recent years, the Arc’teryx Aerios 30 raises the bar for versatility and sheer ingenuity.”

• “On either side of the main cargo compartment are external pouch-style pockets that are most useful when storing small items that need to be within reach, but could also be expanded to accommodate larger gear like a water bottle or even a Jetboil stove.”

• “Arc’Teryx is known for producing high-quality outdoor gear, and their backpacks are no exception. Their high quality materials, all-condition versatility, and innovative design choices have won them accolades and best of list appearances across the industry- including ours.”

• “Multiple pockets? Check. Easy accessibility? Double-check. From stretch-mesh pockets for your odds and ends, side access zippered pockets for precious items, to a dedicated front pocket for quick grabs, and even an internal security pocket with a key clip, this pack's got...”

Loved5

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  Like a running vest, the Aerios’s shoulder straps sport two stretchy sternum cords (rather than one non-dynamic sternum strap) that can be repositioned through any of five small loops. Each sternum cord hooks into one of five loops on the opposite strap.

  — The Big Outside
• +

  The highly breathable, mesh-covered Aeroform back panel, with a slightly concave shape, allows good air flow to prevent a sweaty back and moves moisture off your back when it does build up—without pushing the pack’s weight so far off your spine that it feels like it hangs...

  — The Big Outside
• +

  A deep clamshell zipper provides easy and convenient access to the voluminous main compartment, which has abundant space for all the water, food, clothing, and gear you could need on long days in the backcountry in any weather—or even extremely ultralight overnight trips;...

  — The Big Outside
• +

  The front bungee cord is adjusted from inside the large, zippered front pocket, and when tightened, it compresses the pack body significantly, reducing volume to keep it from shifting when underfilled. The bungee and two ice-axe loops facilitate attaching gear to the outside.

  — The Big Outside
• +

  While many daypacks sport materials vulnerable to tearing, like stretch-mesh pockets, the Aerios’s exterior consists entirely of very durable, 210-denier and 100-denier, high-tenacity fabric with a liquid crystal polymer ripstop grid that appears impervious to the hardest abuse.

  — The Big Outside

Criticised2

• −

  It’s important to note that the Aerios 30 is focused on non-technical and mostly gearless adventures. The most you should expect to tote along with you in this regard is a helmet and an ice axe- otherwise you’ll quickly exceed what it’s capable of comfortably carrying.

  — Outoria
• −

  In view of its volume, this is a day pack, and it is a panel-loading type with a top zipper. It is hydration compatible and this means you have an inner hydration attachment loop, the picture below, and dual ports on the top so you can pass the pipe over any of the shoulder...

  — mountainsforeverybody.com

Buyer voices1

• “Purchase AdviceAny experience with Arc'teryx Aerios packs? (self.Ultralight)”

  wild-lands— reddit

• “This fully waterproof mountain pack combines comfort with simple dependability, says John McKenna, making it a great option for year-round use and challenging weather.”

• “With its superb back system, running vest-inspired pockets, and durable materials, this large walking day pack is a cut above the average. We liked the look of it so much that we've road tested it with two different reviewers; Rob Greenwood and Toby Archer...”

• “Ladies, gone are the days of ill-fitting rucksacks and the backache that comes with them. It’s time to enter a new era of hiking packs that fit like a glove and perform just as well as the male alternative. Here’s our full review of the Lowe Alpine AirZone Trail ND28.”

• “Advantages Comfortable to carry Lightweight Easy to load Good adjustment options Good ventilation Price / performance Good carry system Good storage options”

Loved9

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  Good storage options (3)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Good adjustment options (3)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Good carry system (3)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Comfortable to carry (3)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Price / performance (1)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Easy to load (1)

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Good storage options Good adjustment options Good carry system Comfortable to carry

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Lightweight Good adjustment options Comfortable to carry Good carry system

  — bergfreunde.eu
• +

  Advantages Good ventilation Good storage options Lightweight

  — bergfreunde.eu

• “If you’re looking for a good women’s pack that is versatile and comfortable, the North Face Terra 40 is where its at. There’s a reason this is such a popular pack, besides its quality craftsmanship, it also sports a pretty price tag.”

Buyer voices2

• “Overall a great bag but seriously -how much thought was put into tent attachment? I guess perhaps they think the pack is a one day item that would not be suitable for a 1 or 3 night camp but i disagree (though it is snug for a 2 night).”

  Reviewed by Ed June 12, 2010— trailspace.com

• “Just before my wife stopped working at Sports Authority, she bought me The North Face Terra 40 for a great price. My friend owns the Terra 30, and gave us a heads up that some times he wishes he had a little bit more space in the pack, which is why we got the Terra 40.”

  Reviewed by mackaym +341 May 1, 2013 (original Oct 26, 2010)— trailspace.com