Whether you’ve just picked up a brand new hiking backpack and are coming to terms with its design and capabilities, or have been using the same old MacPac since 1989, one thing is for sure – it will be covered in mysterious gear loops that you have no idea how to use.
I’ve been the proud owner of quite a few really great backpacks over the years but for a long time I was honestly totally baffled as to how to use the gear loops. They never seem to come with any instructions (note to brands: that would be helpful) so over the years, I mainly paid attention to what other trail users did, did a little online research and have even been known to email a company asking for help using my Helly Hansen ULLR RS30 Backpack to attach my cross country skis. Anyway, I’m certain that I’m not the only one who’s been confused by this matter, so in this article, I’ll explain what some of the main loops on your hiking backpack are for.
