Backpack capacity for overnight hiking ~ Mt. Whitney hiking as an example

Stuff I carried to Mt. Whitney Hiking in 2016

Other than that, I also carry a sleeping pad and a camera

   When people go hiking overnight, people need to carry some extra stuff such as a tent, cookware, stove, fuel and etc.   Then people need to pick a larger backpack.  The question is how big backpack they need.   It also depends on how many nights people stay on the trail and how many people are in your group.   The other factor is how much weight a person can carry.  Obviously if people cannot carry it, there is no point pick a big backpack.  This tradeoff is how we define detail plan for a hiking.   Some cases, it might not be possible to do.   So it is very difficult to discuss what would be a right capacity in general.

   Then, we probably need to specify and limit a condition to discuss such topic.  Here is one of example I can share.  In the past, I have some overnight hiking to Mt. Whitney.   My condition is number of nights are one or two.  Number of people in the group is also one or two.  Then, I picked either 40-litter or 70-litter backpack for those hiking.

   When I went there with somebody, then we can split some stuff with them.  Therefore, stuff I really need to carry by myself is less.  If it is just one or two nights, I may be able to use 40-litter backpack when we can split them even.   However if I need to carry most of stuff, I might need to use 70-litters.   In the past I picked 70-litter 3 times out of 5.  I picked 40-litter twice.  For Mt. Whitney, storing all foods in a bear canister is mandatory, therefore this is one of key thing to pick a backpack.  Originally, I got a large canister and I used it even if I went there alone.   However it is too much for a few people with just a few nights.   It is too large to pack in a smaller backpack.  It is not efficient.  So that I got a smaller one for this year.  Then I will be able to pack everything into 40-litter backpack.  So 40-litter is probably all right even if I carry everything by myself for a few nights on Mt. Whitney Trail in summer time.   However people needs to pick stuff carefully.