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REI Trail 25

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
photo: REI Trail 25 daypack (under 35l)

Great basic daypack, large enough to carry all the essentials plus lunch. Would buy again.

Pros

  • Comes with rainfly
  • Fits well
  • Nice adjustability
  • Women's version available
  • Durable

Cons

  • Limited organization
  • Back can get warm
  • One size only

Hiking with this pack over the last year it has been through quite a bit. It has slid down rock slabs and knocked off a couple ledges and shows no real signs of wear (the spilled soy latte stain is the most noticeable wear). 

The included rainfly has been used on numerous occasions and is sized very well for the pack, kept all my gear dry every time. Side bottle pockets can hold a 1 liter Nalgene so plenty of water for a full day and enough space for all of your day essentials and extra layers if conditions are unpredictable.

It's not fancy, but it gets the job done and I don't worry about it.  For me it has been a fantastic no-frills hiking pack. 

Fit: Only available in one size but good adjustability, I am 5'8" with 34" waist and fits me just fine. There is also a women's specific version available that my girlfriend has and loves. 

Comfort: Pack is comfortable, however in the summer the back can get a bit warm as the airflow is quite limited. Shoulder straps are comfortable , and the basic webbing waste strap is adequate.

Organization: This is one area I wish was a bit better. There is one inside zipper pocket at the top, one mesh pocket on the side of the interior, and one outside zipper pocket at the top of the pack. The only other pocket contains the included rainfly at the bottom of the pack.

There are "daisy chain" style loops on the front of the pack which make it extremely easy to clip and lash gear to the outside.  The trekking pole connection points are nice, however my poles are a bit long when collapsed and extend above the pack a bit.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $50

I got this daypack on closeout and it is pretty solid considering the price.  It has a good amount of compartments in the front zip pocket for little things and the stretchy side pockets are nice and large, easily fitting a decent sized water-bottle.  I've stuffed other stuff in there with my bottles too, they work very well.  It's hydration compatible too.

The only things I don't like about this pack (I'm comparing it to one I used to have) is that there are no click-in guides for the hydration tube on the pack straps and the back is not as stiff and supported as it is in some other daypacks.  

There is some padding there but if the pack isn't full or if it's full of the wrong stuff it doesn't lie flat on my back...but the hydration tube can easily be tucked in under part of the straps (or clipped in) and since this is a daypack the way it fits on my back is just a minor complaint.  

All in all, it's a solid little daypack.

Price Paid: $22

Great pack for the money. Very basic, but comes with some nice bells and whistles.

Pros

  • Light
  • Roomy
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Wish there were a few more pockets
  • Needs laptop sleeve rather than bladder sleeve

This is a well designed basic pack with some nice features, including a whistle and integrated rain cover. Nice construction and very utilitarian. Nice pack for the money.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $39.99

I bought this pack for day hikes. I also use it to get myself in shape for overnight, multi-day hikes and to loose some weight in the process. I was able to get everything that I needed for a day hike, with room to spare. On a few occasions I added extra stuff just for the extra weight.

I've had up to 14 kilos in this pack on 15 mile day hikes over pretty hilly terrain and it's not only held up, but has been very comfortable. Overall a very nice pack at a reasonable price.

Design: Top loading
Size: 25 liters
Number of Pockets: 4 (including main compartment)
Max. Load Carried: 14 kilos
Height of Owner: 5' 5"
Price Paid: $59.50

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Specs

Men's
Price MSRP: $59.50
Current Retail: $55.93
Historic Range: $21.93-$79.95
Reviewers Paid: $22.00-$59.50
Women's
Price Historic Range: $34.93-$79.95
Product Details from REI »

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