Columbia Unisex Triple Canyon 36L Backpack review: a comfortable and roomy pack for day hikes and overnights

Meet the reviewer

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.

Columbia Unisex Triple Canyon 36L Backpack: first impressions 

At 36L, this hiking backpack is perfect for a longer day hike or even an overnight backpacking trip, and for a bag that looks straightforward, it seems to have a lot of the right bells and whistles.

Its unisex single-sizing means it won't work for all bodies, but with adjustable shoulder straps, sternum and hip straps, it can work for a lot of bodies and provides a comfortable carry, taking the weight off your shoulders and onto your hips making light work of a heavy load.

A breathable back panel and ergonomic design might not be as high-tech as other backpacks, but it seems to get the job done allowing air to circulate when you're hiking over hot days so you don't get too sweaty. It's also hydration bladder-compatible for those days when you need to be sipping water regularly.

The main compartment is roomy and we found it really easy to load up. If you're packing for an overnight backpacking trip, you'll appreciate the deep side pockets, zipped top pocket and additional front pocket for stashing small pieces of kit and overflow gear. 

Most companies make you purchase a rain cover separately, but this pack comes with its own integrated rain cover that you can pull on in a jiffy if the heavens open. It's also got an integrated hiking whistle for safety.

There's not a lot wrong with it, except for the fact that the pockets on the hip belt aren't quite big enough for most phones, which is what we'd usually use it for, and the addition of adjustable load hauling straps would help get an even better fit. We'd like to see some recycled materials used in the next version, and we'd be more than happy to use this pack again and again.

Columbia Unisex Triple Canyon 36L Backpack: in the field

It's always good to give a backpack a good challenge, and for this one I had to pack it for two separate, but back-to-back trips to the Alps. First, I was heading to Chamonix where I was covering the UTMB and trail running in hot weather. Next, it was off to Switzerland where I spent a couple of nights in an alpine hut in Val d'Anniviers hiking, foraging and stargazing with a mixed weather forecast. Oh and both were work trips, so I need to bring my laptop along. Could it hold up and hold everything I needed?

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing, fit and comfort

This is a unisex, one-size backpack, so there's definitely a lot of room for error, but I think Columbia has done a great job making it versatile for different bodies. I'm 5' 4" and slim and I could easily adjust it so that the load is up on my hips and off my shoulders. Fortunately, I took this to the Alps where I was testing it alongside about 20 other journalists of various heights and body dimensions and overall it seems to work well, though if you're very tall you might want a more specific fit. 

The shoulder straps and hip belt are adjustable with lots of leeway, while the sternum strap slides up and down so if you have boobs, you can find the perfect spot. It doesn't have adjustable load-hauling straps which I'd ideally like to pull the load a little closer to my body, but this wasn't really a problem.

I ended up carrying it fully loaded on a plane back and forth from Geneva, on and off multiple shuttle buses, through Chamonix and on the short hike to our mountain hut. Once there, I could unpack and just carry what I needed for day hikes, which usually lasted several hours or longer. Ultimately, it's lightweight and comfortable whether it is full or half empty, in hot weather and cold.

The breathable back panel might not be as high-tech as those on backpacks made by brands that really specialize in hiking backpacks, but I've worn this in fairly warm conditions and can't say my back is any sweatier than with any other pack.

Storage and fastenings

After comfort, I'm looking for good storage in a backpack and I'm learning that 36 liters is about the perfect size for a pack. At a push, it's big enough to fit some lightweight camping gear, but it's not so big that it doesn't make sense for a day hike. I also found it to be roomy enough for a weeklong trip.

It's got lots of extra storage which I used well, including deep side pockets for my water bottle and trekking poles, and a front pocket where I stashed my waterproof jacket. The hip belt has two small zipped pockets which I'd like to have used for my wallet and phone for easy reach at the airport, but sadly they were a little too small for my phone.

The pack is hydration bladder-compatible but every time I've used it, it's been a work-related trip so I used the sleeve for my laptop and here's my my favorite thing about this backpack: at airport security, even when the pack is full, it's really easy to slide my laptop out to place in the tray and slide it back in again when I get through. I can't tell you how happy this makes me, and if you do a lot of outdoorsy travel but need to stay connected, I know you will understand.

The fastenings are straightforward zips and plastic buckles which don't require instruction manuals, and that's all I ask for really.

Durability and other details

This is a lightweight pack, but it's sturdy and well-built and mine has shown no signs of fraying yet. Lately, I've had issues with the sternum strap popping off a few of my backpacks, but this one is designed to make that nearly impossible, much to my relief.

The big extra feature to applaud with this pack is the fact that it comes with an integrated rain cover for wet weather. When it started to rain on me over the weekend, I just undid the hook-and-loop fastening at the bottom, pulled the rain cover out and whipped it up over my pack. It stays attached at the bottom so it's not easy to lose. I really wish all packs would come with this feature.

Columbia Unisex Triple Canyon 36L Backpack: the bottom line

I actually like this backpack so much that when I had to travel by plane down to England last week for a short work trip, I chose it again out of my never-ending pile of backpacks. It's comfortable, the right size and easy to pack and unpack. I know there are more technical backpacks out there, but for the price you get a lot for your money. For comparison, also check out the Kathmandu Valorous Pack 38L which is a similar size and price.

• How Advnture tests products