If you travel or hike, you know it's always a dilemma to choose the right backpack for your trip. But you really need to understand what your preference is for pack loading first.
Gaining access to your gear is usually the primary thing to consider after pack fit and capacity. Carrying big loads for backpacking the wilderness or trekking across Europe has different requirements than just using your pack for everyday urban commutes to work or campus.
The key consideration is whether you prefer a top-loading pack or a panel loading pack.
Top loaders are for cramming in all your gear into a big sack and closing it up with a cinch strap that protects all the contents. If you don't need to access your gear too often, like during camping trips, then pulling out your stuff once a day isn't a big problem. But if you need to grab a particular item, then you'll have to dig down and find it with your fingers.
Panel loaders are more like suitcases. Just lay flat and unzip. You can reach anything at anytime. This is handy when on the move without the convenience of setting up camp to pull all your gear out. But panel loaders usually come with lots of outside pockets that make the pack a bit bulky and sometimes a bit cumbersome to carry. Plus the protection from bad weather is less with so many entry points.
For an example of the differences between the two packing styles, check out the comparison and contrast between the Osprey Talon 22 vs. the Osprey Talon 33.
Test out both styles to see what fits your lifestyle and fits your trip requirements.
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