For some people, doing adventurous activities is the best kind of recreation. For others, like military personnel, it is just another day at work. Whatever be your reason for getting indulged in adventurous outdoor activities, you will agree that they cannot be completed without having some essential equipment.
One such equipment that you will surely need on such occasions is a survival backpack. So in this article, we shall help you find the best survival backpacks available in the market today.
Survival backpacks help you carry essential items during these trips. These are usually the most durable bags designed to compactly fit and accommodate essential items for a three to the five-day outing.
Top 14 Best Survival Backpacks 2021
1. REEBOW Large Army Backpack
The REEBOW Gear Military Tactical Large Army Backpack is a durable assault bag made with polyester lining and a strong zipper closure. The capacity of the backpack is around 40 liters, and the dense fabric helps it hold a lot of contents for longer durations. The backpack is water-resistant and does not get wet even in heavy rains.
The backpack is made with the special Molle system design. The Molle system provides additional pouches for keeping small but essential things at places that are easy to access. The heavy-duty zippers of the backpack, along with the double-stitched front surface, are exclusive features of this bag.
Moreover, you also get cord pulls and a front-load compression system. The bag is well-ventilated because of mesh padding in the back and shoulder areas. The straps are broad and do not cause pain while lifting.
Although we are mentioning it in our review of the best survival backpacks, this bag can also be used as an assault pack, hunting backpack, army backpack, range bag, or trekking backpack. Overall, it is a multi-purpose bag, which is more durable than any regular variety that you might find in the market today.
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2. PANS Backpack
Another great option when it comes to multi-purpose durable survival packs is the PANS Backpack for Men. It is a large military backpack that has become so popular that kids are using it as their school bag as well. Users say that this bag is useful for various occasions while its design and make are meant to cater to the needs of traveling, trekking, hunting, etc. You can certainly use it for simple outdoor activities as well.
It functions very well as a general daypack, and its durability makes it last longer. So, you do not need to spend money regularly on buying new bags. Once you buy this one, you can have it for any type of outdoor requirements.
Like the previous survival backpack which we discussed, this one is also based on the Molle system. Besides having small pouches at different places, the backpack additionally has velcros over these pouches. This makes the pouches secure so that your contents will not fall out of them easily. The travel backpack has four main loading spaces. All these spaces are lined with expandable mesh fabric.
There is a front compartment which is big enough to hold wallets, mobile phones, keys, etc. The middle compartment is the largest one that can hold your clothes, books, plates, etc. The other compartments are also useful in storing things like food, flashlights, and other emergency items. Your usage of these compartments can vary as per your requirements. Overall, it is great for almost all kinds of outdoor usage needs.
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3. PUMA Men’s 3.0 Backpack
The PUMA Men’s Evercat Contender 3.0 Backpack is a high-quality survival backpack coming from one of the world’s biggest sports brands- PUMA. The design, development, and marketing of this backpack have been done to promote its quality of being one of the most durable yet stylish backpacks you can find.
From the outside, it looks like it does not have big compartments that can help you store your essentials. However, with a compact look and design, the storage compartments are huge and can easily accommodate any of your belongings. Moreover, the numerous pockets on the sides and other surfaces give you the luxury to store as many small essential items as you want. You can easily access these pockets; thus, they help in keeping things handy.
The bag is a popular choice amongst people of all ages. School kids are buying it in large numbers for taking it to the school as it is perfect for keeping books and other items. Overall, since it is coming from the house of the biggest athletic brand in the world, you can trust the durability and the sturdy nature of the fabric of this bag.
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4. Monoki Military Tactical Backpack
The Monoki Military Tactical Backpack was rated the best survival backpack by thousands of customers on several online shopping platforms. It is a stylish assault pack that comes with a zipper closure. The wide shoulder straps help in lifting heavy weights present in the bag very easily. It is a tactical Molle backpack made for military purposes.
The bag is made with durable nylon fabric, which is water-resistant. Usually, trekkers and mountaineers use this bag as a three-day assault pack. They suggest that it is excellent for storing emergency items while trekking. However, it is a multi-purpose item and can be used as a survival backpack, hunting backpack, army backpack, combat backpack, EDC outdoors backpack, rucking backpack, etc.
The fabric of this survival backpack is water-resistant and is made with advanced technology to increase its durability and longevity. The manufacturers have also provided several pockets so that the trekkers can accommodate everything they need. It is indeed a high-quality product available at affordable prices.
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5. Gowara Gear Tactical Sling Backpack Military
The Gowara Gear Tactical Sling Bag Pack is another survival backpack made with polyester lining and having a traditional zipper closure design. This bag has a 14-inch shoulder drop and is very comfortable to lift even with heavy items inside the compartments.
It is a military-style tactical sling bag, which comes with a free USA flag patch. A 600D polyester fabric is utilized to prepare this military sling bag. Moreover, this fabric is waterproof, and water slides off its surface even when it’s raining heavily. Overall, the fabric is highly durable, and therefore, these bags last very long.
The back compartment of this sling backpack is huge and comes with a velcro closure mechanism. You can use the Gowara Gear Tactical Sling Bag Pack as a pistol sling range bag as it can easily carry two or three handguns. For those who want to use it for casual purposes, the compartments are big enough to carry 14-inch laptops or 12-inch pads.
Besides, there are pockets to carry keys, wallets, flashlights, water bottles, gloves, chargers, and books. All in all, it is a popular survival backpack available at almost all popular online shopping platforms. The manufacturer provides a one year guarantee after the purchase.
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6. 5.11 Tactical RUSH24
The 5.11 Tactical RUSH24 Military Backpack is a classic Molle rucksack pack. It is one of the most spacious survival backpacks that you can buy, with around 37 liters’ storage capacity.
This thick rucksack bag with a lot of storage area is considered one of the best survival backpacks. The bag has a simple and compact design. Supplementary drawcord pull tabs along with zipper closures provide additional support for accommodating stuff easily. These drawcord pull tabs are helpful when you are wearing gloves while trekking and need to open the bag quickly.
A couple of pockets in this bag have been specially made with a fleece lining so that you can keep your eyewear safely in them. Also, a special hydration pocket is present, which can hold your bottle without letting it slip out while moving. The top handle is sturdy and broad.
Therefore, with three huge mesh compartments, water-repellent fabric, and two external compression straps, this military backpack is a product worth buying at the price at which it is being offered.
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7. WolfWarriorX Men Backpacks
The WolfWarriorX Men Backpacks for Large Capacity Military Tactical Hiking is a spacious backpack whose main compartment can store a minimum 39-liter volume. The compartment is made with mesh fabric and is expandable up to 64 liters. Children have been using this for school because of the four big loading spaces it has. Such bags are most useful for kids so that they can evenly distribute the load.
The side pockets with water bottle mesh grasp the bottle and do not let it fall out. The design of separate compartments is prepared in an elegant way. It helps the user in keeping things safely, in an organized manner. The survival backpack comes with an adjustable chest belt. It helps in decreasing the load on the shoulder.
Therefore even if you put a lot of weight in this bag, you will feel comfortable lifting it. If the belt does not fit snugly around your chest, there are additional straps for the waist and chest to help you distribute the weight better. You can also use the side buckles for this purpose.
It is a multi-purpose backpack that can be used in a variety of situations. Not just for schoolkids it is a great bag for all people looking for a durable backpack. The fabric used in making this backpack is completely water-resistant and highly durable. So, you should consider this backpack if you are searching for a bag to carry during your outdoor activities.
In all, the spacious compartments of this bag, along with an expandable mesh fabric, make it one of the best survival backpacks.
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8. Tacticon 24BattlePack
The Tacticon BattlePack Tactical Survival Backpack is one of the very few highly durable survival backpacks but has a cotton lining instead of polyester. It has a regular zipper closure design.
Many people believe that having a cotton lining makes the bag vulnerable to stress and that it might give way very early. However, this bag has performed extremely well for several users, and they suggest that it is better than many of the regular polyester mesh tactical backpacks available in the market today.
The manufacturer of this bag is Tacticon. The company is owned by a combat veteran. Therefore, the needs of a soldier have been taken into consideration while designing this backpack. The backpack has a waterproof lining that keeps your contents safe, especially during rain.
Moreover, the material used for making the fabric is rugged and highly durable. For the users’ convenience, all the zippers used for the compartments have been made oversized. It makes it easier to hood all these zippers and pull them to open any compartment swiftly. Overall, this backpack has a specialized design that has been engineered to make it last longer.
For military use, it has a special handgun holster. Besides, people can easily fit their laptops in the bag. It is safe for laptops and other electronic devices because of its high-quality fabric. The bag has insulated compartments that give additional protection to your contents. For military personnel, there is provision for supporting the hydration bladders.
The fabric is adjustable, and you can expand or compress it depending on your need. It works well as a 1-day or 3-day backpack. Overall, all reviews about this bag are positive, and people have liked using it.
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9. Hannibal Tactical Backpack
The Hannibal Tactical Store MOLLE Assault Pack Military Tactical Backpack is a popular bag with a large capacity that is highly useful for military personnel. Its compartments are capable of bearing the weight of heavy objects. This is because of the 600 X 600 density fabric with which it is made. The total minimum capacity of this backpack is 36 Litres.
It is a multifunctional tactical backpack. Besides the two spacious main compartments, it has two smaller compartments- one in front and one at the back. Each compartment has a variety of pockets that help in supporting and sharing the load. With so many compartments and pockets, it is easier to organize your contents in this bag.
The larger compartments can be used for laptops and other bulky items. These compartments also have an additional elastic strap that can keep the laptop in place whenever you move. The pockets have zipper pulls.
A unique feature of these zippers is that they can be opened down so that the bag opens up like a suitcase. This way, it is easier to stuff things into the bag and organize them.
Besides being made with a tough fabric, it is also quite comfortable to lift. The shoulder straps are broad and have padding underneath them so that the pressure of the load does not irritate the skin. The back area also has special padding to reduce stress on the back.
You can comfortably keep your stuff for a three-day outing in this backpack. Besides being a military backpack, it can also be used as a trekking backpack, hunting backpack, range bag, etc. Moreover, the straps that are present at the bottom side can be used to hold a sleeping bag or the ropes of a tent.
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10. Samurai Tactical Wakizashi Backpack
If there is one company that has paid special attention to increasing and enhancing the strength and veracity of their fabric for making bags, it is Samurai Tactical. The Samurai Tactical Wakizashi Backpack is one example of their robust fabric that is so durable and can last at least a decade.
It is meant for heavy-duty military usage and for carrying heavy hardware. Traditional Molle straps are present on both aspects of the bag. These straps allow you to attach additional items to the bag. Moreover, the manufacturers have also provided an open velcro so that these additional items can be bound closely to your body. Besides the huge compartments, two top pockets have been given to carry eyewear, mobile phones, keys, etc.
With a capacity of about twenty-four liters, the compartments can accommodate almost all kinds of objects. Heavy-duty zippers have been used for the compartments and the pockets, along with pull cords—both of these help in facilitating the load compression system on both sides. Besides chords and zippers, the bag also has a velcro patch holder.
A ventilated and padded mesh is used so that no pressure is felt on the back and the shoulders while you lift your stuff. While the durability of the fabric material is designed to cater to military personnel, anyone who travels frequently should have one such bag with them. The hydration bladder pocket of this baggage is suitable for military activities; you only need a simple hose port to drink water while you’re on the go.
Overall, if you are among those who involve infrequent outdoor adventures like trekking, this bag will be the most compact survival backpack option that you can get in the market today.
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11. DIGBUG Military Tactical Backpack
The DIGBUG Military Tactical Backpack is one of those survival backpacks that has all the design components of an expensive bag but is available at very affordable prices. Besides being great for military use and survival backpacking, it is great for camping as well.
The bag has two compartments that are big enough for accommodating a lot of stuff, including clothes, toiletries,etc. The front pockets are good enough to carry toiletries when you are traveling. The bag can easily bear a lot of weight.
The mechanisms for load distribution are also quite interesting. Besides having a waist belt and sturdy chest strap, there are two additional straps on each side. With this, you can support the weight from the top and bottom aspects as well.
The bag is made with durable fabric and has a polyurethane lining. It has the old side-zip closure design, which supports the Molle system. A piece of mesh fabric is spread throughout the compartments to make the Molle system better. The designers have also given tactical pockets so that the survival backpack can hold as many objects as required.
The bag has enough space and strategic pouches to hold several kinds of tools. The fabric is resistant to degradation, and thus, the color of this bag does not fade away. It is waterproof as well. However, being polyester, its water-repelling properties are not as good as nylon.
One thing that you need to take care of is that the synthetic fibers of the DIGBUG Military Tactical Backpack can catch fire very easily. So, you should always keep this bag away from campfires and lighters. Otherwise, it is one of the safest tactical backpacks, with the fibers being resistant to different kinds of mechanical stress.
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12. SOG Ninja Tactical Day Pack
The SOG Ninja Tactical Day Pack is a modular backpack that is designed to last long. It has large compartments to accommodate all your survival gear. Besides, a variety of pockets and pouches are also provided on all surfaces that have a smooth lining to help you keep your eyewear, keys, mobile phones, etc.
Overall, it is a versatile backpack that can be used for several purposes. School children also use it for carrying books, while casual travelers also prefer using it.
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13. ARMYCAMO Small 30L Rucksack
The ARMYCAMO Small 30L Rucksack Military Tactical Backpack is a durable survival backpack that has an appealing design. The backpack is compact, while the storage compartments are spacious and have expandable mesh fabric. You can keep approximately three days worth of clothes, toiletries, etc., in this bag very easily.
It is best suited for military usage because it has an excellent water-resistant capability. As per the quality-testing reports, the bag can remain completely dry, even after exposure to heavy rain and storm. Many military personnel have also reviewed it on shopping platforms and suggest that it is one of the finest bags they have ever bought.
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14. Gelindo Military Tactical Backpack
Gelindo Military Tactical Backpack is among the most spacious survival backpack options on our list. It has a lot of room for various kinds of materials that you may want to take along. The bag has diverse compartments that can accommodate different kinds of items. The front compartment of the bag has many slots to hold tools for fishing, cooking, etc.
While the shoulder straps and the back area are padded, a wide waist belt makes things easier when you are carrying a heavy load in the bag. In all, it is a high-quality bag that is available on almost all prominent shopping platforms. The price is justified by the quality of the materials used in making the bag.
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Factors To Consider
1. Weight
When you keep your equipment and essentials in the backpack, it becomes the heaviest equipment to carry during trekking, camping, etc. So, it is crucial that you buy a survival backpack that is lightweight and does not add to the load.
2. Price
Quality does not always mean that you need to spend a fortune on your bags. Even expensive bags do not last long if you do not take care of them seriously. So, you should always consider an affordable survival backpack, and that can last long, provided that you pay attention to its maintenance also.
3. Material
Since everybody wants their bags to be durable, stylish, and lightweight, you must pay attention to the materials used in making them. For backpacks that are needed for outdoor activities, the interior mesh must be strong but not very bulky. Moreover, the design of the bag should be such that it is compact and easy to fit.
Nylon and polyester are the most common materials used in making bags. While nylon is very strong, it adds to the total weight of the bag significantly. Polyester does not have very strong synthetic fibers, but its water-resistant capabilities and functionalities are good.
4. Volume
The maximum expandable volume of the bag is very important. Some bags have a bulky design but cannot store a lot of stuff. The bags that we have discussed till now have good storage capabilities as their compartments are spacious and made with expandable mesh fabric.
So, while considering the fabric and its materials, see whether the expandability is good enough to support a good storage volume. In general, a minimum volume and capacity of 24 to 36 liters are great for activities like trekking, camping, etc.
5. Comfort
Even if the backpack can accommodate your stuff and is durable enough to bear a lot of weight, it eventually has to be lifted on your shoulders. So, it should be seen whether the shoulder straps and the posterior aspect of the bag have enough padding to reduce the impact of the load pressure. If the padding is not sufficient, the pressure will cause discomfort to your skin, and you will not be able to carry out your outdoor activities.
Best Survival Backpacks – Conclusion
So in this article, we told you about the best survival backpacks depending on the essential functions of a bag during outdoor activities. The requirements in such conditions can be subjective. Something might be an essential item for someone, while it might be useless for others. Prioritize as per your plan, and then choose a bag among the options that we have discussed that can carry your stuff without giving way.