Picks checked on Amazon on 6 October 2026, for the 2026/27 Great Walks season.
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Quick answer: walking hut to hut, a 50 to 58 litre pack is plenty, and the Osprey Exos 58 is light enough that you barely notice it. Camping with a tent, go to 65 litres and pick the Osprey Atmos AG 65 for its comfortable suspended back. Either way, line it with a dry bag.
Because Great Walk huts provide mattresses and most have gas cookers, a hut walker carries surprisingly little: sleeping bag, clothes, rain gear, a small cook kit and food for three or four days. That fits in 45 to 55 litres. Booked into campsites instead, you add a tent, a sleeping mat and a stove, and 60 to 65 litres makes life easier. Food is the variable: four days of dinners and breakfasts takes more space than people expect.
An ultralight pack with a ventilated mesh back panel and enough frame to carry a full Great Walk load comfortably. Ideal when the huts take care of your bed.
Skip it if: you are carrying a tent and heavy camping gear. Its frame prefers moderate loads.
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Osprey's Anti-Gravity suspension wraps a tensioned mesh panel around your back and hips, spreading heavy loads better than most packs. The one to choose if you are camping or carrying for two.
Skip it if: weight is your priority. It is heavier than the Exos.
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A roll-top waterproof bag that goes inside your pack. Put your sleeping bag and hut clothes in it. If everything else gets wet, those stay dry, and that is what gets you through a wet night.
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Most Great Walks sell out on opening day, and DOC keeps no waitlist. Cancelled hut nights go back on sale all season. See how cancellations work or set a free cancellation alert.
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