If you are in the market for a new pack to use on the trail, be sure to check out the top five hiking backpacks.  Osprey, Gregory, Mountainsmith, JanSport and Kelty all made the list.  Check out the full list to see who landed the top spot.

Small packs, such as waist packs, fanny packs or lumbar packs, aren't really "back"packs backpacks since you don't wear them on your back.  However, for short jaunts or trips to the park, they can be the perfect accompianent.

Those smaller packs have a strap and usually two or three compartments. You can use them to store or hold a water bottle, nutrition bars, band-aids, disinfectant, sunscreen or a dozen other small items that are handy on the trail.

Some even have small, special purpose water bladders with drinking tubes. These special purpose backpacks often called hydration packs can hold up to a couple of gallons of water. A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs.

Day packs are designed for what the name suggests - to be used for shorter hikes of a few hours to an entire day. They are anywhere from a dozen to 3 dozen liters in volume and come in a variety of styles. Some have no belt strap. Some include a chest strap to keep the backpack stably situated. All will have shoulder straps of course.

Larger packs, about 35 to 70 liters in volume, go by a variety of names - midsize, midrange, light duty packs and others. Used properly, they can hold quite a lot of stuff, so be careful how much you bring. Remember, you'll be carrying it around on your back. Typically made from sturdy materials and they come with a variety of shoulder strap and waist belt types.  These will also usually use plastic quick release buckles to make getting into and out of them easy.

The largest packs also go by a variety of names - full-sized, expedition, heavy duty and so forth. These packs can hold over 70 liters, they can carry a lot of gear and have a number of special features to help you do so, including special splines or supports which are threaded through the shoulder straps, across the back or waist. These stiffer components help stabilize the pack making it easier to carry. They often are designed to ride higher on the back in order to keep the load off the lower back. That helps enormously to prevent fatigue and back pain.  Think of carrying a child. When you carry a two year old on your shoulders, it's pretty easy, but have them hang off your shoulders and wrap their legs around your waist instead. You'll tire quickly.

These heavy duty packs have all kinds of lumbar support, pads, special materials and well-engineered balance mechanisms. The frames have aluminum tubing and are well designed. Many have special holders for sleeping bags, or even a small tent and come in ultra-sturdy composite materials which provide a great deal of toughness.  Of course, you're not superman, so you should remember that its you lugging all that stuff around. Make sure you're only carrying what you actually will need, no more, no less. 

When it comes to backpacks for either the campus or the trail, JanSport is one of the first names to come to mind.  JanSport Backpacks are tough enough to stand up to the abuse students can dish out or to the weather outdoors.

When it's time to return to school each fall, JanSport leads the pack of backpack makers in this busiest time of the year, so busy that in a 2007 USA Today article, Ann Daw, JanSport's marketing chief characterized it as says Ann Daw, "a burdensome spike," naturally she'd rather smooth out the entire year at a higher level but you take business where you can find it.  In that same article, JanSport co-founer Skip Yowell brads "We sell more packs in a week than most companies sell in a year,"  More than 25 million of its best-selling SuperBreak pack have been sold since 1979.  Which leads us to our #1 favorite JanSport Backpack, the SuperBreak.

This bag has been around for a long time and there is a great reason for that.  It is one tough and highly durable backpack.  I'm not sure which is tougher duty for a pack, being used to scale mountains or being dragged to school on the bus each day and overstuffed with text books.  Actually, the abuse that students heap upon their bags far exceeds how any climber would treat their gear.  The great thing is that the Jansport Superbreak can take the abuse and actually survive more than a single school year. 

Simple and practical, the large main compartment can easily contain plenty of books making it perfect for grade school, high school or even college students.  A convenient front pocket delivers easy access to your cell phone, wallet or pens and pencils, while the padded shoulder straps and back panel provide comfort for lengthy hikes across campus or over a mountain trail.  Plus you can find these for less than $30.00!

Coming in at about $40.00, the Big Student Backpack is an oversized version of JanSport's SuperBreak backpack, our favorite pack and JanSport's number one top seller.  The JanSport Big Student Backpack takes storage to the extreme.  If you need to carry around a lot of big text books, this is the pack you need on your back.  It has the space required to carry those massive chemistry, history, biology and law books.  It also offers plenty of room for snacks, gym clothes, and all assorted pens, pencils, and markers. It's even equipped with an audio electronics sleeve and a quick-find cell phone pocket.  The S-curve shape of the shoulder straps matches the contours of the body and the back panel is fully cushioned, providing comfort for the long trip across campus while lugging those heavy textbooks.

With a price of about $60.00, the JanSport Catamount Daypack can easily do double duty for your books and your hikes.  With its perforated shoulder straps for easy carry and the two large main compartments for versatile storage, the Catamount is a nice bag to have along for a day on the trail.  The front utility pocket with an organizer keeps those essentials handy and it includes a versatile sleeve designed to fit a 3 liter hydration sleeve or a 15'' laptop.  Plus it's got the features you'd expect in such a pack, including:

• a fully padded back panel
• an easy access V-loft pocket
• a handy front stash pocket, a pair of side water bottle pockets.  
• It's even got reflective details for improved nighttime visibility, important when the sun goes down before your last class ends.  

If you've got a smaller set of books to lug around and need something for weekends in the woods, the Jansport Catamount Daypack could be perfect.  Think of it as a more mature adult pack for well...  more mature adults.