Can I take a hiking backpack as a carry on?

Can I take a hiking backpack as a carry on?

Yes, you can take a hiking backpack as a carry on for your flight. However, it is restricted to the same size and weight rules as any other bag on for your airline. Typically, a 40L backpack will meet the requirements to be carry-on luggage for most airlines worldwide.

Carry On Size Limit

For most airlines, the carry-on size limit is around 55cm x 35cm x 22cm or 22” x 14” x 9” inches, give or take a few increments depending on the airline.

Since bags are more malleable than a hard structured suitcase, you can generally bring a 40-50 liter backpack and pack a little less if you are worried about being checked for bag size.

For a hiking trip, 40 liters may not be enough space depending on what you need to bring, and in this case, a much larger bag will need to be checked-in. For those taking a hiking backpack for urban travel through towns and cities, a 40L bag will be plenty, and should be the goal.

Carry On Size and Weight by Airline

Here is a table with the maximum carry on size and weight limits for many popular airlines. For most full-service airlines, they may be a little more lenient on the size requirement.

If airline staff eyeball your bag and it seems good, you will most likely be able to board without extra fees. However, don’t push it, since the bag needs to be able to fit comfortably in the overhead bin. Some airlines will have every bag sized and weighed in a bin. This is more common with budget airlines which provide cheaper flights, but stricter baggage requirements.

If you exceed the weight limit for carry on, many airlines have an upgradable weight option that will be a small fee compared to the high prices per kg you will be charged if caught with a higher weight.

It’s a good idea to do research on how strict your specific airline is on baggage size and weight as many airlines claim to have a limit, but in reality do not check every bag. As long as it looks close enough and will fit in the overhead, and doesn’t look too heavy, many airlines will not actually measure and weight your bag before boarding.

Should you travel with a Hiking Backpack

When traveling around to many places, a comfortable backpack is often a more convenient option than a suitcase. For a more “traditional” trip to a city or cities in a country for a few days to weeks, a suitcase may be better. Especially if you are carrying many things and plan on bringing back more than you brought.

For those going away from the cities and into nature, a hiking backpack, as the name suggests, is suited for hiking and camping.

For longer term travelers going across multiple countries for a longer time frame while trying to maintain a minimalist lifestyle, traveling with a hiking backpack is the perfect solution. Common trips that involve “backpacking” are traveling around Europe (often by trains and buses), Southeast Asia, and Central and South America.

What you need to pack to travel with a Hiking Backpack

In reality, all you need to travel are the proper documents, money, and the clothes you have on.

If you start from there, it is easy to decide what is essential to bring, and what would hinder you. When traveling with a backpack as opposed to a suitcase, you think more about the importance of keeping weight and size down since you have to carry your belongings everywhere.

A few pairs of clothes is all you need; less is more in this case as you can always buy more clothes (and you probably will). Pack for your climate. For cold weather, puffer jackets are easy to compress in a small bag and insulate very well. It is not a bad idea to bring one even to tropical locations as there may be malls or transportation that have cold air conditioning.

A good pair of shoes is more important as there is a break-in period before a new pair of shoes become comfortable.

Basic toiletries are easily available everywhere, although certain goods such as sunscreen are recommended to be bought from your home country. When traveling to places such as Southeast Asia, where sunscreen is oftentimes more expensive and uses whitening products.

If you need more for the day to day activities, feel free to pack for it, but documents, money, a few pairs of clothes, and daily toiletries are truly all you need. If you think you might need something, but aren’t certain you will use it daily, it is better not to pack it if it is purchasable while on your travels.

Checking-in a Hiking Backpack

If your backpack is too big to fit as a carry-on or exceeds the weight limit, you will have to check-in your bag. When checking-in a hiking backpack, it is important to tie up all the loose straps and anything that could get caught.

It is recommended to use a rain cover for your bag when checking-in your bag to prevent it from being caught or stuck to something in the moving process.

It is also smart to use a TSA approved lock to keep your items locked in your bag, but accessible to security if they need to examine it in more detail.