Being a boy scout is a ton of fun. You get to learn all the important skills of how to explore nature safely while going on awesome camping trips around the country. But, you can be a great boy scout without the best backpack for boy scouts.
Carrying everything you need from a tent to a sleeping bag and food is a tough challenge and doing it without a high-quality backpack makes it almost impossible. If you have been looking for a new backpack for a boy scout, you have come to the right place.
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Boy Scout Backpacks
Buying backpacks isn’t easy as there are thousands of options online but we have whittled the best backpack for boy scouts down to just ten for you to choose from.
Best Of The Best
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Best Value
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Best For Kids
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One of the best backpacks for boy scouts is without a doubt the Gregory Baltoro 65. It is the perfect size backpack for every kind of expedition and comes with all the features you need to enjoy some time in the wilderness.
This is a 65-liter backpack making it perfect for storing all the scouting gear you need with external attachment points for a sleeping pad and tents as well as a dedicated sleeping bag compartment.
It comes with excellent accessibility with top loading access, a full front panel that zips open, and easy access to the bottom compartment too.
You’ll also find a ton of external zippered pockets for all your outdoor gear too.
When it comes to carrying comfort, it’s about as easy to carry as it gets. The foam harness, hip belt, sternum strap, and compression straps ensure you are fully supported under a heavy load.
The one negative to this internal frame backpack is that it is one of the more expensive packs around. But you’ll always be comfortable, have extra space for things like extra clothes, and it’s built to last too!
The High Sierra Appalachian 75L Backpack is probably your best choice if you’re looking for a boy scout backpack you can afford on any budget.
This external frame backpack is made from 1680D Ballistic Mini-Hex Ripstop Nylon meaning it’s super tough and is going to last a long time.
You’ll find it is a roomy backpack with a good amount of space for all your hiking gear, you could even squeeze in cooking gear too.
There are numerous side pockets with two mesh side pockets for water bottles and one dedicated to smelly shoes so they don’t go inside the main compartment.
You can access the main compartment from the top and from the middle so you can always get to what you need quickly and easily. There is also a compartment for sleeping gear too.
When it comes to comfort, the adjustable external frame pack does excellently well with padded straps, a breathable molded back panel, hip, and chest belt. You can adjust it to fit your body and you get all the support you need.
The one downside to these backpacks is that the chest strap can pop open voluntarily in some cases but not in all.
The Deuter Climber Kids’ Daypack comes in a small size of 18-22 liters and between the different sizes, you will find one that is perfect as a cub scout backpack.
It’s a great size for young cub scouts to carry and even with a full load. The backpack features waist, hip, and chest straps to ensure your boys and girls are well-supported when backpacking. It’s also equipped with a frame so it will be comfortable on any adventure.
The top-loading design makes it easy to store things in and the mesh pockets are perfect for a water bottle or a rain jacket in case of rainy weather.
It also features a lot of external attachment points for extra gear and there are even internal pockets for valuables and wet gear too. To top it all off, these are ultralight packs and are super light when empty making sure kids have a lighter load to carry.
The only issue with these backpacks is that the frame can’t be adjusted and therefore getting the perfect fit against the torso can be a little tricky when kids grow up.
The Kelty Coyote 65L Hiking Backpack is another excellent choice for backpacking and it has a ton of space and a place for all your gear plus the lid converts into a small sling pack for short excursions from camp.
Built from tough nylon these backpacks are made to last and come with large front and side pockets, separate compartments for different gears, hip belt pockets, and more. There is a place for everything and it’s all easy to access too.
Thanks to being internal frame packs and when combined with padded straps of every kind and the suspension system, you can change it to ensure a great fit for every torso length.
Inside you’ll also find a water bladder sleeve and internal zip storage areas for personal items and valuables too.
The one issue with this backpack is that the straps can move around so you can lose your perfect fit while on the trail.
Osprey backpacks are world-renowned and the Osprey Packs Atmos AG 65 is an excellent one for boy scouts.
The Osprey Packs Atmos AG 65 is made from tough high denier nylon that handles wear and even the odd rain shower with ease. The backpack is quite compact and features a ton of space so you can squeeze everything you need in there.
The multiple pockets and compartments make it easy to keep things organized and the multiple access points ensure you can get to everything quickly. You can even remove the top lid as needed to make the pack smaller for shorter trips.
The backpack also features an anti-gravity suspension system along with a breathable padded back. This combined with the padded chest, waist, and shoulder straps mean you can carry a heavy load without any worries.
While this is better than a lot of other backpacks it is quite expensive and the zippers are hard to use with one hand when hiking around.
The TERRA PEAK Adjustable Hiking Backpack is another great choice for boy scouts. It’s made from nylon meaning it is tough enough for all adventures and it’s naturally water-resistant too.
You will find these backpacks have a ton of space split up across different compartments and a load of pockets too. You will be able to pack all your equipment in a super organized fashion and then be able to access it quickly and easily too.
There are also multiple compression straps and gear attachment points so you can add tents, sleeping pads, trekking poles, and anything else you need.
Where this backpack comes into its own is how adjustable the frame is. You can ensure a perfect fit to your torso length and with the extra support from the hip, shoulder, and chest straps, carrying comfort is great. But, some have experienced shoulder pain under a heavy load.
The Loowoko Backpack is an extremely affordable backpack that gets the job done. The reason it is so affordable is that it doesn’t come with an internal or external plastic or metal frame which means it would be as comfy to hike with when full.
That being said, it does feature a lot of space for all your gear spread across different compartments and pockets. The large main compartment opens from the top and the front for easy accessibility and packing, plus there is a separate lower compartment at the bottom.
The back is well-vented for breathability and it is padded for support. You also get comfy shoulder, hip, and sternum straps to take the weight off your shoulders.
While this is super affordable, it does last, the only thing missing is a frame that would provide a lot more extra support.
The TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Backpack is another great backpack if you’re looking for something affordable that comes with a frame too. Such a backpack is the perfect middle ground as it does it all comfortably.
You’ll find an internal hydration reservoir sleeve along with lots of compartments and pockets for storing your gear. There are also attachment points and compression straps to make it compact regardless of your overall pack weight.
The frame can be adjusted to torso length for a perfect fit, though it doesn’t work that well on long torsos either. You will also find the hip, chest, and shoulder straps are well padded for comfort too.
The one thing to be aware of is that adjusting the waist/hip belt while hiking is almost impossible which could be very inconvenient on the trail.
The NEEKFOX Lightweight Packable Backpack is the perfect pack for young cubs going on an outdoor adventure or to summer camp.
With a size of 35 liters, you will be able to fit all your stuff inside and it won’t be too heavy for younger scouts to carry either.
It features outer pockets for small items while the main compartment is great for heavy items and other supplies. Once packed, the sturdy helpful compression straps ensure the pack stays compact for carrying.
The pack also features padded straps and a sternum strap but the back isn’t padded and there is no hip belt either so it’s not a good idea to use it when walking with a lot of things.
The Kelty Redwing 50 Backpack is another good option that carries all the essentials and is suitable for a child to walk with and carry on their back.
You’ll find it is built from top-quality materials and features a large main compartment along with a front organizational pocket, two side pockets, a top pocket, side mesh, and gear attachments too. There is space for everything in this bag and you will be able to grab things easily.
The pack also features a dynamic airflow back panel that hugs the body for a great fit and excellent comfort. The shoulder, sternum, and hip straps are all padded for comfort too although some have said the sternum strap can be uncomfortable.
Size is one of the most important considerations when buying a backpack as it needs to fit whoever is doing the scouting, be large enough for the job, but not too large that it sits baggy.
You will notice that every bag featured above has a size between 20 and 65 liters meaning there is one to match your scout, no matter how tall or short they are.
When out scouting, you use different bits of gear often and your pack should make this side of scouting easier. Be sure to pick a pack with a lot of pockets, compartments, and external attachment points so that you can pack in an organized manner.
Now, a good organization doesn’t matter so much without good access. If you have to empty your bag to find something, it’s not helping. Be sure that access is quick and easy to all compartments.
Something you have to consider is comfort if a pack isn’t comfy to carry, it’s not going to be used. Make sure to choose a pack with an adjustable frame and well-padded shoulder, hip, and sternum straps so that heavy loads are manageable.
The best backpack overall for boy scouts is the Gregory Baltoro 65, in my opinion. It hits all the nails on the head from being the right size to having all the storage space you need, with an extra comfortable carrying system and excellent accessibility. The one thing to be aware of is that it’s quite expensive but worth it for the quality in my eyes.
If you’re looking for the right backpack for boy scouts on a budget, then the High Sierra Appalachian 75L Backpack is the one to go for. It is an adequate size for backpacking with a ton of room for all your gear. The comfort and accessibility of the backpacks are fantastic too and they are durably built to last a long time too.
The best backpack for smaller kids and cub scouts is the Deuter Climber Kids’ Daypack. This backpack is in the perfect size range at 18-22 liters and it’s super light for kids to carry. There is more than enough storage space for all outdoor activities and it’s comfy on your shoulders when fully loaded too.
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