Daypacks

Recent Daypack (under 35L) Reviews

Lowe Alpine Aeon 27

Nice size for day hikes or ultralight camping. Suitable also for climbing, running, or cycling. Bought last year and have used it for about 6 months. One of the Youtube reviews for this pack has it thrown off a mountain in Scotland and it survives with hardly a scar. Keeping that in mind you'll know it may be light, but it's rugged. I'm primarily a hiker, but I usually take a DSLR and 1-2 extra lens. With a few drybags, lens pouches, and drawstring pouches it's workable to divide all your kit. Not… Full review

Podsacs Waterproof 20L Ruscksack

A dirt cheap solution, if you're worried about getting your electronics—or spare socks—wet, on your hike, in your boat or canyoneering. Pod Sacs has been a revered brand in the climbing community, in the UK.  Their crag sacks, hip packs, and chalk bags were ubiquitous for many years.  The company was sold to bike firm Planet X, in 2014 and they recently re-launched the name, with a clever line of waterproof bike luggage, aimed at the growing Gravel Bike market. Tucked away in the promo for… Full review

REI Flash 22

This is a simple, well designed and made little pack. It is a great 3-season daypack (a little small for winter in the Northeast). What a nifty little pack. I prefer a top loader without a zippered enclosure as zippers tend to fail at the most inopportune times. The pack is extremely well designed with a water bladder pocket. The bottle pockets on the outside have enough depth to hold bottles in difficult terrain.  Its lack of structure and minimal waist belt is I believe actually a positive on… Full review

Mountainsmith Scream 25

Very versatile pack for fly fishing, mountain biking, moto camping, day hikes, gravel biking, commuting, just about any activity. Well thought out. I own two of the Scream 25's (bought a second one after only three trips with first one). I have had them so long I can't remember the year I purchased. Used extensively in the Smokies for day trips, fly fishing, gravel biking, climbing. I've used them for moto camping in the west (Colorado,New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and California. Full review

Deuter Climber

The Deuter Climber is a 22L pack designed for children ages 6 and up. With many features found on adult packs it isn't a toy. Rather, it performs well enough that small framed adults in the 10"-17" torso range could certainly use it, at least for day hiking. For children it also works well for extended backcountry excursions with plenty of room for child sized loads.   Deuter's redesign of their Climber produced a child-sized pack that looks and functions like an adult pack, just a little smaller. Full review

Osprey Daylite

Lightweight Ventilated Backed by Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee Picked this up on a crazy sale and could not be happier with the price I paid for the pack. It was exactly what I was looking for and despite saying it fits up to a 2-liter hydration bladder, I am able to run my 3-liter Camelbak in it with no issues whatsoever. It actually slides into an open compartment that sits between the main pack and the backpad. So it is easily accessible without opening zippers and going into the main compartment. Full review

Gregory Citro 24 H20

This backpack is great for a day hike, even if the heat is high. The backpack is very lightweight and stylish. It is very functional and has many pockets. I came into it thinking it was a small backpacking backpack and I was mistaken. It is just a very large daypack, although I have stretched it into an overnight bag.  The frame feels amazing and puts the weight on your hips. It has tons of nice features that you can tell someone put a lot of time thinking about. Overall this backpack is what I… Full review

Gregory Citro 24 H20

There are a lot of choices for daypacks and many features and specs to consider. I tend to like my packs with the ability to provide separation of gear based on my style of hiking. The Gregory Pack lines are in my opinion the best at balancing compartments with lighter weight construction making them my go-to. The Citro 24 H20 didn't disappoint. This is my third Gregory pack and it looks like another winner. I mainly focus on mountain day hiking and multiday backpacking. I picked up the Citro 24… Full review

Osprey Archeon 30

Osprey's Archeon 30 daypack is equally happy heading up a mountain, commuting, or traveling. Made from robust, 100 percent recycled nylon pack material. Exceptional durability means it’s heavier than most comparable day packs. Carries comfortably up to 25 pounds and has useful features such as zippered full length access, good-sized side and lid pockets, and a hydration sleeve. Get this backpack if you favor comfort, durability, sustainability—ultralight fans should look elsewhere. INTRODUCTION… Full review