Daypacks

Recent Daypack (under 35L) Reviews

Bison Bushcraft Garron Pack

A bespoke, no-fuss sturdy bag ideal for forest work, bushcraft, day walks, and weekend trips for those looking for something with a more traditional appearance and lifetime of use. Bison Bushcraft are based on the South Downs, in Southern England. They specialise in bespoke apparel and gear designed primarily for bush crafting and forest work. It is all handmade in England using the highest quality locally sourced materials. In the past, they outsourced the manufacture of their bags to Frost River,… Full review

Deuter Speed Lite 24

Lightweight, durable comfort. A nice set of features with an easy to like price tag. If you're in the market for a new hiking, alpine, or even knocking around pack, as most of us always are, I want to share my stoke about this one. The Deuter Speed Lite 24 (also available in 12L, 16L, 20L, 22L SL, 26L, 30L SL, and 32L) is my first Deuter pack and has far exceeded my expectations. Despite being frameless, there's enough rigidity to handle loads up to 20 lbs and, given its V-shape cut, it becomes… Full review

Mountain Equipment Kaniq 33

The Kaniq 33 is a lightweight, 33-liter day pack with a full suite of features for ski alpinism or just plain backcountry skiing. Solidly built and snow and water resistant, with some well-thought-out lightweight fittings to keep weight down, but doesn’t ride well when full and not everything functions optimally. (Preliminary, early-winter review) As the days get longer in Norway, the summits start calling. They come in many shapes and sizes: everything from broad, avalanche-safe slopes that are… Full review

Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault

The Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault is a multi-functional, durable pack that is big enough (27L) for day hikes and daylong hunting trips, yet hosts additional features, like a laptop sleeve with rear-facing zipper, that allow it to serve as an everyday carry pack (EDC) or a travel/carry-on bag too. A true Swiss Army knife of a pack. Conditions:  This initial review is based on testing the 2 Day Assault pack over a six-week period during the late fall and early winter in the eastern US in mostly cool… Full review

Gregory Jade 28

Size of the hip belt makes it easy to manipulate to ether tighten or loosen quickly if needed. The adjustable torso has proven to be a good feature. I wasn't sure about this at first but with use it has settled in. I was a diehard Osprey pack user. Then they changed the design of the model I liked. So the hunt was on for another pack. The industry still hasn't kept up with the needs of women when selecting a pack. There are a few women's specific packs, but only a few. And then it seems the industry… Full review

Osprey Nebula

This bag is spacious enough for all of your books/gear, it has plenty of organization, and many great features. This bag is perfect for students, for going to work, or for traveling. While its best use is around town, it easily accommodates an active lifestyle. Disclaimer: I do not own the most recent version of this bag. I purchased my Osprey Nebula four years ago.   This bag is great for work or for traveling. It is a well organized pack that can be used on the trail if need be. I recently took… Full review

Mammut Trion Light 28

Great all-around pack for anything you can do in the mountains. Comfortable and supportive, yet extremely light. Fits very well, and is very adjustable. Very comfortable for such a light and packable pack. I am glad the design includes a padded waist strap. This makes it useful as an all-day pack or as a summit pack on multi-day trips. I have finished climbs only to realize I was wearing this the whole time, when I meant to leave it at the bottom Fits a sufficient amount of gear for one day. I have… Full review

The North Face Men's Hydra 26

First proper civilian hiking bag. Uses: light hiking/sightseeing, cycling, travel. I am giving it 4 stars because it is that comfortable and fills the bag role for multiple activities. So I gave it more stars than the number of Cons would suggest, but I don't think those cons have a big impact; excepts to say for one. First, my only purpose-built hiking and camping bags have been a Spec 82 Canadian Ruck Sack and a T-62 (Spec 62) Canadian Ruck Sack from the '50s/Korean War Era. Both were canvas,… Full review

Exped Cloudburst 25

A lightweight, completely waterproof summit and day pack that can ride in a bigger pack for doing side trips on longer hikes, doubles as a dry bag in the pack. Attention to details make it comfortable and highly functional. My wife has a habit of conveniently forgetting critical items so that she can replace them with something newer and better. For five years or so we both have been using the minimalist Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Packs for side trips on longer backpacking trips. On the first stopover… Full review