People are extremely loyal to certain packs, maybe they grew up using a pack from the same company, or received a hand me down back that was once their grandfathers.  In general there are three main styles of bushcraft packs.

1) Military surplus or military style packs
2) Light weight hiking style packs
3) Traditional style packs

Military Surplus Packs / Military Style Packs

At the top of anyone’s list of military style packs has to be the Alice Pack, there are two different sizes of Alice Packs (medium and large).  The medium can be used with or without the external frame, while the large requires the frame.

The Alice Pack isn’t great at any one specific point(weight, durability etc…), but for what it is it is and what it cost you get a solid pack for the price.

The first pack I had when I became interested in bushcraft was an Alice Pack.

Light Weight Hiking Style Packs

These packs can get really expensive, they are made from lighter materials and are generally more comfortable to pack around for long periods of time than the military surplus packs. Generally, they aren’t as rugged as surplus packs and cost significantly more.

Traditional Style Packs

These packs are great for those individuals looking for a more traditional design, they are usually made from leather or canvas, do not have a frame and generally have buckles or toggles instead of snaps and zippers. Traditional style packs can be costly for a higher end pack that are made in the USA, but cheaper varieties can be found as well.