Gossamer Gear Minimalist 19

The GG Minimalist 19 is a super light frameless daypack. It has enough pockets and lash points to make it a comfortable choice for day hikes.

I enjoy longer day hikes on which I take some extra gear, snacks, and sometimes even a JetBoil to make coffee. I wanted a lightweight day pack that had enough pockets and was comfortable. I saw the Gossamer Gear Minimalist 19L on sale so I nabbed one a few years back. I'm glad I did! It's a legit lightweight day pack that has good options for various types of day hikes.

This pack has a mesh pocket on each side that can hold a water bottle—even a Nalgene. There's a mesh pocket on the back that is nice for storing gloves or a windbreaker. Inside the pack there is a sleeve for a water bladder. I use the sleeve for snacks and keys. There's also a zip pouch inside the bag to keep your valuables from getting lost.  I can fit my JetBoil, a few snacks, two water bottles, a down puffy, and a windbreaker in this 19L pack quite easily.

The shoulder straps are comfortable and have a couple of loops. I use a loop to hang my sunglasses when hiking. You could put a pocket on a shoulder strap if you wanted but I haven't done that. The sternum strap is the weak point of the pack. It's almost too short for my 42-inch chest. I have it extended all the way and it *just* works. I should note that this pack does not have a waist belt.

The GG Minimalist 19L is frameless so there is no structure to it. I knew that going in so I can't complain about it. But because it is frameless it is quite floppy. I use it as a carry-on for flights sometime and it works well for that but the lack of structure can be annoying. Again, I can't fault it for not having a frame because it's not supposed to. I'm just noting it for those interested.

The Minimalist 19 is not waterproof, but it's not meant to be. I do like the drawstring top closure. It's easy to open and close and secures items inside quite nicely. There's also a thin foam pad that goes in the section that touches my back. I've taken the pad out and used it for a sitpad before. It's pretty thin, but it's better than nothing! I suppose you could put a slightly thicker pad there if you wanted.

Overall this is a nice ultralight frameless pack. If the sternum strap could extend a few more inches I'd have given the Minimalist 19L five stars. I got it on sale for a good price so I'd say it's worth it!

Background

I've used the GG Minimalist 19L on many day hikes and as a carry-on for several cross-country flights.