The primary benefit of wearing any backpack is obvious: It leaves your arms and hands free and provides a place to store and haul your stuff. But you could achieve the same effect by slinging a duffel bag or large purse over your shoulders. Backpacks designed for outdoor, sporting or recreational use provide additional benefits meant to make your time on the trail more enjoyable.
Load Suspension and Compression
A well-made backpack comes with a padded hip belt, transferring the majority of the load to the strong bones of your pelvis. The straps over your shoulders are more of a balance point than a load-bearing point. Larger backpacks also have a suspension system of nylon straps, attached to the primary shoulder straps, that lets you adjust how the backpack rides against your back. Additional straps compress the backpack's load, reducing the pack's size and preventing sudden shifts of weight.
Organization
If you use an ice axe or trekking poles, you may reach a point when you want to put them away for a while. If you have a backpack with external ice-axe or trekking-pole attachment points, you can keep your poles or axe handy without having to actually carry them. Daisy chains or webbing on the outside of the pack creates a place to attach or stow extra outer layers or accessories you want quick access to. Most modern packs also come with specialized compartments for storing hydration bladders, phones or MP3 players.
Convertibility
On some larger backpacks, the top flap detaches to create an improvised day pack or hip pack, allowing you to make short forays from home or from a base camp in the backcountry, without toting a large pack.
Specialization
Specialized pack designs offer distinct advantages during winter sports. Examples of handy, useful features you won't find on everyday packs include pockets for holding a snow shovel and avalanche probe, and straps for securing your snowboard, snowshoes or skis when not in use. Some backcountry backpacks even come with an inflatable airbag, which theoretically provides extra flotation to help you survive an avalanche.
Emergency Improvisation
Your backpack is a wealth of materials for improvising in a backcountry emergency. The rigid frame can be used to create a makeshift splint or backboard. You can even rig an improvised carry system, with some large packs, to haul an injured person on your back. The straps are useful for building emergency shelters or as slings, and the entire pack can serve as a partial windbreak, tent anchor or sleeping pad.
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