Avoid the extra stuff, for now. A lot of the backpack companies offer a number of modular add-ons you can use to customize your pack for various types of trips (e.g., water bladders, water bottle pockets, snow shovel pockets, snowboard pockets, ice ax lashes, etc.) Hold off on buying accessories until after your first trip (which you ought to make a short one, in case any problems arise). When you return, you'll have a more realistic idea of what's missing.

2torial #0825: Learn2 Choose the Right Backpack (Continued) Choose a pack size Everyone's torso is different, and it doesn't always depend on height. Choosing the pack with the right capacity and features and with a great price, is not a good deal if it's too long or short for your back. So measure your torso and hit the stores prepared. To measure your torso accurately, you need a soft tape measure and some help. Stand straight with your legs shoulder length apart. Start measuring at the base of you neck, the 7th vertebra--it's the one that sticks out the most. Run the tape down your spine to the base of your hipbones, (or to your lowest vertebra, which is called C-17). Use your thumbs to find it. And now you've got your torso length.That's your torso length.   Most manufacturers classify 18 inches (38 cm) or less as a small size; 18 (38-43 cm) to 20 inches as a medium; over 20 inches (43 cm) a as large. Note: a number of pack makers market packs designed specifically for women, but torso length is still a better gauge. Step 6