Have you ever been on a trail or at a campsite, put your black backpack down, and wandered off to wilder-pee? When you come back, there are suddenly five other black backpacks next to yours. It might take you a minute to figure out which one is yours, and you could easily grab the wrong pack. Or even worse, they are all black Osprey backpacks. Or black Granite Gear packs. You grab the wrong pack and walk off, thinking you have all your precious gear. Oops. Not anymore! These top 10 brightly-colored backpacks will stick out from the crowd, so you never lose your pack again.

Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Daypack

Cotopaxi is an amazing brand that uses sustainable practices to create high-quality, durable, functional, and colorful gear. Many of its backpacks are one-of-a-kind creations, meaning you will have a pack that is unlike any other in the world! Cotopaxi encourages its employees to be creative and use different fabrics to produce fashionable and functional colorful backpacks that will stick out in the crowd.

Mystery Ranch Skyline 23

The Mystery Ranch Skyline is a one-size, bright orange backpack that won’t get lost in a sea of black bags. Although this option was designed with climbers in mind, it is versatile enough to use for day hikes, a bike trip, or a day of work. It has additional padding and is completely adjustable to fit a wide variety of heights. Top and side compression straps can also be used to clip gear to the backpack.

Deuter Trans Alpine 28L Pack Ruby-Blackberry

Deuter is another one of my favorite brands! Its packs are made to comfortably carry larger and heavier loads, which is great if you plan on bringing a few extra comfort items on your next trip. The Trans Alpine 28-liter pack is great for longer day hikes and is a women’s-specific bag that is designed for hiking, biking, or commuting. It offers a water bottle pocket, adjustable straps, room for a three-liter hydration reservoir, a helmet clip, and an integrated, removable mat, so you can rest your butt on a soft surface. There is a top and bottom zipper to help you access any items at the bottom of your backpack and plenty of pockets, in general, to stay organized. While Deuter offers many different colors to choose from, the Ruby-Blackberry color scheme is a gorgeous unique option to help you keep track of your belongings.

Black Diamond Speed 50 Pack- Sulfur

I bet you didn’t know you wanted a yellow backpack until now, but it truly is the best color for standing out from the rest! The Black Diamond Speed 50 is an alpine climbing pack that is lightweight and great for every climb. With its ice tool and rope-carry options, a removable hip belt, spacious main compartment, lid, and frame sheet (that doubles as a seat), you can modify this pack to fit your needs and make the pack even lighter. Made with durable fabrics to ensure your gear will hold up on your crazy adventures, this pack will definitely get you some compliments. It comes in an S/M size that fits a torso of 16 to 19 inches and an M/L size that fits an 18.5- to 21.5-inch torso.

Osprey Daylite Ultralight Daypack- Hostas Green

I own the Osprey Daylite Ultralight daypack, and it is truly one of the best hiking backpacks I've owned for my personal use. I toss extra layers inside on a quick hike, take it to the climbing gym, the farmers market, work, and more. It comes in a variety of bright colors (and muted colors) and weighs about one pound. The pack can fit up to a two-liter reservoir and has two side pockets for storage of water bottles or other small essentials. The price of $50 makes it one of the cheaper packs Osprey has delivered and is, therefore, one of my top recommendations.

I also used this pack within days of purchase on a two-week backpacking/road trip on shorter day hikes. It fit all my daily essentials like water needs, snacks, an extra layer, sunscreen, and water and snacks for my dog. A small first-aid kit and some sunglasses also made it in with room to spare. The colors and patterns are fun and helped keep my Osprey separate from other hikers’ packs.

Fjallraven High Coast Foldsack 24 in Rowan Red

Fjallraven is a tried, tested, and true brand that has been around for ages and is well-established. It is known for completely durable and water-resistant fabrics that started in Sweden. The High Coast Foldsack is an awesome commuter choice; truly one of the best travel backpacks with its perfect carry-on size, built-in laptop sleeves, and a front pocket for easy access to small electronics. Known for quality, durability, and mostly for their colorful backpacks, the Rowan Red is a beautiful color that is easy to spot in a crowd. A great option on campus, too, if you're looking for a new backpack for notebooks, school supplies, and more in the new school year.

Mammut Trion 18 Pack- Spicy

The Mammut Trion 18 Pack comes in lighter colors, with the brightest being called “spicy,” which is essentially a bright red that I imagine is the color of the hottest pepper in the world (hence the name). It was designed with mountaineering and climbing in mind but is versatile enough for other uses, such as hiking and biking, since it has loops for poles and other items that are too large to fit inside. At 18 liters, it is a great size for shorter day hikes where you can fit water, snacks, a layer, and a few other smaller items in your pack! The red is so bright that you won’t be able to miss it in a crowd or lose it in a sea of backpacks at the crag.

Gregory Alpinsto 35 Pack- Lichen Green

Gregory is a trusted brand that makes a variety of packs for climbers, skiers, hikers, and more. The Gregory Alpinsto 35 pack in a lichen green color with orange highlights is designed for backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and ice climbing and comes with adjustable shoulder straps in an S/M and M/L size. It weighs about 3.2 pounds and will stick out against the snow, dirt, and even grass.

Lowe Alpine - Manaslu 55-65 Pack - Oxide

The Lowe Alpine Manaslu is a unisex hiking backpack made for longer treks and any backpacking adventure you have planned. It is adjustable from 55 liters to 65 liters if you need some extra space or your packing gets a bit lazy. The load-lifting handle helps lift your pack, and the extendable lid is great to lighten your load if you don’t need as much gear as 65 liters will hold. There are front and lower entry quick-access zippers to multiple compartments, incredibly handy hip belt pockets, and a sleeve for your hydration pack, too. Perfect for long days on the trail, this pack comes in a few options that include a rain cover, sleeping bag compartments, and always a durable nylon construction. Offering similar features as more technical packs, like loops for trekking poles, the Manaslu is definitely a pack to check out. The red Oxide color helps brighten up the trail and stand out from the crowd, too!

Batac Dia X Hoka and Cotopaxi

Just recently, Hoka and Cotopaxi (arguably the top brands/best brands in the universe) partnered up with a mission to create a colorful line of backpacks and shoes that is as vibrant as a rainbow. Wearing Hoka shoes is actually like walking on clouds, and Cotopaxi gear is durable, fashionable, and made with sustainable practices. Needing school backpacks for your kid's textbooks or a travel pack for your Southeast Asia adventure? This double-duty, multi-colored backpack is an awesome choice that will hold up no matter the scenario.

So, why go with black or white packs when you now know about all of these wonderful, colorful backpacks? Bright fabrics and colors brighten the world, enhance the wardrobe, make others smile, and generally make my day a whole lot happier! What is your favorite bright backpack or favorite bright piece of gear? Or are you currently searching for one? Reach out to a Camping & Hiking Expert and we can get you the perfect colorful backpack for your needs.