Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 Review

Almost all ladies dream of finding that perfect women’s backpack that’s small enough to be carried around yet large enough to pack all the necessities for a quick getaway. Featuring comfortable shoulder straps and a hip belt specifically designed for women, the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 is an excellent choice for hiking, travelling, as well as mountaineering, and trail tours.

At 40 litres, the capacity of this backpack is more than sufficient to suit the needs of any short-term traveller. More importantly, even when the Kelty Redwing 40 is filled to the brim, the suspension system disperses the load, ensuring the bag remains comfortable through all your travelling trials and tribulations.

Regardless of whether your next journey takes you to the streets of New York or the cloud forests of Costa Rica, the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 is your gal.

Why Treksplorer? Founded in 2011 by Ryan O’Rourke, Treksplorer provides travel recommendations and advice to millions of readers every year. Our content is rooted in our writers’ firsthand experiences, in-depth research, and/or collaborations with other experts and locals. Read more about our editorial policy.

What you need to know about the Kelty Redwing 40

The Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 has all the splendid features you’d expect any great backpack to have. Right off the bat, you’ll be impressed by its seven main pockets, daisy chains, side compression straps, and a convenient grab-and-carry handle, all allowing you to sufficiently store all the travel gear you’ll need to set your trip off without a hitch.

For all your organizational quirks, the Kelty Redwing 40 features one big organizer pocket on the front and one zippered pocket on the top. Additionally, you’ll find two stretch pockets on one side and two large zippered pockets on the opposite side. In consort, all of these pockets add up to plenty of opportunities to keep your stuff ultra organized and easily accessible.

The biggest advantage of this pack is, of course, the traveller-friendly front-loading design. Unlike top-loading backpacks designed for hikers, the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 puts all your belongings within easy reach. That means no more digging blindly through your bag to find that last pair of socks that seems all but lost!

What many wearers of the Redwing 40 find surprising is the side water bottle pocket and the zippered pocket above it. While the two might seem an awkward feat, it’s actually quite easy to store and retrieve a bottle from the pocket while wearing the backpack.

Perhaps most important of all is the comfortable fit. If this is your first experience with an internal frame pack, then you are in for a treat. With most regular backpacks (such as those we used to carry our textbooks in college), the weight of the pack is felt in the shoulders.

Thanks to the Kelty Redwing 40’s comfortable and well-padded hip belt, however, most of the backpack’s weight rests on the hips when properly adjusted. Even when filled to capacity, this rucksack will remain comfortable. (And, whenever you get tired of wearing it on your back or need a quick exit, just take the front grab handle and tote in the pack in duffle bag fashion.)

Who the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 is for

All those who love travelling, hiking, and backpacking will definitely adore the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40. Many travel photographers have also praised this backpack for allowing them to carry some camera gear as well as other hiking supplies on day hikes. (Although, if we’re being honest, a dedicated camera bag will keep your photo gear safer.)

For digital nomads and other tech-savvy users, however, the Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 might fall a little short. There’s no dedicated laptop compartment other than a shared hydration sleeve. If you’re looking to carry both an hydration reservoir and your computer, you’re out of luck.

The main compartment also lacks internal straps. While this isn’t a problem for most wearers, anyone needing their backpack’s load to stay in place might find their absence a little irritating.

Pros

  • Made out of quality materials
  • Lightweight
  • Affordable price point

Cons

  • No rain cover
  • No bottom compartment
  • Shared laptop & hydration sleeve

Conclusion

After reading this Kelty Women’s Redwing 40 review, it’s safe to say that you’ve found the perfect backpack for your day hikes as well as urban adventures. The backpack offers excellent capacity and organization, and isn’t too large to use for short-term purposes.

Of course, you don’t have to fill it to capacity, but it is always nice to know that you have some extra space to throw in additional purchases along the way. And, thanks to the comfortable and high-quality design, no matter how full your Kelty Redwing 40 is, the weight will never present an issue.

Treksplorer

Ryan O'Rourke is a seasoned traveler and the founder & editor of Treksplorer, a fiercely independent guide to mid-range luxury travel for busy people. With over 20 years of extensive travel experience, Ryan has journeyed through over 50 countries, uncovering hidden gems and sharing firsthand, unsponsored insights on what to see & do and where to eat, drink & stay. Backed by his travel experience and in-depth research, Ryan’s travel advice and writing has been featured in publications like the Huffington Post and Matador Network. You can connect with Ryan on Twitter/X at @rtorourke.

DISCLAIMER: Treksplorer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its affiliated international sites.

DISCLAIMER: You'll notice that from time to time I link out to recommended hotels/tours/products/services. If you purchase anything through these links, I'll receive a commission. It won't cost you anything extra, but it will help keep me trekkin' on and delivering more free (and unsponsored!) travel information to you. Thanks :)