Choosing a pack for a Great Walk can feel a bit confusing, especially if you’re newer to multi-day tramping. How many litres do you need? Is 40L enough? Is 65L too much? And how much should comfort, organisation and future trips influence your choice? This guide answers the main questions we hear about choosing a pack for New Zealand’s Great Walks, with a practical starting point for different load sizes, experience levels and the type of trip you want to have.
What size pack do you need for a New Zealand Great Walk?
For many hut-based Great Walk trips, around 45 to 50 litres is a useful starting point. You may be able to go closer to 40 litres with compact gear and a lighter load, while 55 litres and above can make sense if your gear is bulkier, you want more comforts, or the pack also needs to handle bigger trips.
The reason Great Walk pack requirements can be smaller than a typical multi-day camping trip is simple: for most Great Walks, you’re staying in huts. That generally means you’re not carrying a tent or sleeping mat, and depending on the walk, some huts may also have cooking facilities or equipment available. If you’re travelling with a group, you can often share cooking gear as well.
Before choosing a pack, check what is provided on your particular Great Walk and work out what you actually need to carry.
Saxon Hut - Heaphy Track
Should you keep your Great Walk load light?
Keeping your load manageable can make a big difference to how much you enjoy the walking, especially if you’re newer to multi-day tramping. That does not mean you need to go ultralight. Great Walks are often holidays as much as they are tramping trips, so you might decide that proper meals, fresh ingredients or a few extra comforts are worth carrying.
The useful question is: will this item improve the trip enough to justify carrying it for several hours each day? For one person, that might mean dehydrated meals and a streamlined setup. For someone else, it might mean a bit more food, extra clothing and a slightly larger pack. Both approaches can make sense.
Just remember, extra space has a habit of getting filled. If you turn up with the biggest pack in the group, there is always a chance it becomes the pack mule for everyone else’s extras.
Is a 30 to 45L pack big enough for a Great Walk?
A pack in the 30 to 45-litre range can be enough for a Great Walk if your gear is compact and you are keeping your load relatively light. This tends to suit trampers who already have a fairly streamlined setup, with a compact sleeping bag, minimal spare clothing and a considered food load. The trade-off is that there is less room for bulky gear and extra comforts, so you need to be a bit more deliberate about what you take.
The current Osprey Talon 44 and Tempest 44 are examples of the sort of lighter, more streamlined packs we would look at for this approach.
Is 45 to 55L a good size for a Great Walk?
For a lot of Great Walkers, 45 to 55 litres is a very practical range to start with. It gives you enough space for sleeping gear, clothing, food, wet-weather gear and a few comforts without automatically moving into a really large multi-day pack. This can be particularly useful if you are newer to multi-day tramping, because you have a bit more flexibility if your sleeping bag, clothing or food takes up more room.
We would generally look for a comfortable, supportive carrying system, good access to the main compartment, useful organisation and enough support for the weight you actually plan to carry. The current Osprey Kestrel 48 and Kyte 48 are good examples of packs that fit this brief, with a useful balance of volume, access, organisation and support for a typical hut-based Great Walk load.
This sort of pack can also be a versatile option if you want something that will take you beyond the Great Walks and into more general tramping.
Is a 55L+ pack too big for a Great Walk?
For many hut-based Great Walk trips, a pack over 55 litres may be more volume and carrying capability than you actually need. But that does not automatically make it the wrong choice. A larger pack can make sense if your sleeping gear or clothing is bulky, you want to carry more food or comforts, or you are buying one pack that also needs to handle camping, longer trips and heavier loads.
The current Osprey Aether 65 and Ariel 65 are examples of this more substantial style of pack, with more volume, organisation and a carrying system designed for bigger loads. If the Great Walk is only one of the trips you plan to use the pack for, moving into this category may give you more versatility for longer, tent-based or heavier backcountry trips.
Does pack fit matter more than pack size?
Pack volume tells you how much gear fits inside, but it does not tell you whether the pack will be comfortable to carry. A pack also needs to suit your torso length, hipbelt fit, body shape and the weight you are carrying. A 48L pack that fits properly and supports your load can be a much better option than a 40L or 65L pack that does not suit you.
That is why litres should be treated as a starting point rather than the final decision.
Should you get fitted for a Great Walk pack?
If you can, yes. Trying a pack with realistic weight inside it is one of the best ways to work out whether it actually suits you. Come into your local Bivouac Outdoor store and tell the team which Great Walk you are doing, what you plan to carry, your previous tramping experience and whether you prefer to travel light or bring a few comforts.
We can help narrow down the right pack and volume, load it with realistic weight and fit it properly so you can compare how different options feel before you head away. If you are doing your first Great Walk and are not ready to invest in your own multi-day pack yet, rental packs may also be available in store.
Browse Overnight Tramping Packs
Quick guide: what size pack should you take on a Great Walk?
| Pack size | Best suited to |
|---|---|
| 30–45L | Compact gear and lighter, more streamlined loads |
| 45–55L | A balanced starting point for many Great Walkers |
| 55L+ | Bulkier gear, more comforts or broader multi-day use |
The right size still depends on your actual gear and load, so lay everything out before choosing a pack and get fitted if you can.
FAQs
Do you need a tent on a New Zealand Great Walk?
For most hut-based Great Walk itineraries, you will not need to carry a tent if you have the appropriate hut bookings. Always check the specific Great Walk and your booking details before deciding what shelter you can leave at home.
Do Great Walk huts have cooking facilities?
Some huts have cooking facilities or equipment available, but this varies between Great Walks and huts. Check the information for your specific trip before deciding what cooking equipment you need to carry.
Is 50L enough for a Great Walk?
For many hut-based Great Walk trips, around 50 litres can be a very practical size, particularly if your sleeping gear and clothing are reasonably compact.
Can you use a 65L pack for a Great Walk?
Yes. A 65L pack can work, but for many hut-based Great Walk loads it may be more pack than you need. It can make more sense if your gear is bulky or you also want the pack for camping, longer trips or heavier loads.
