Small Travel Essentials Backpack

[Christian Denniston]

I have a couple urban travel trips planned and I would like to find a small backpack to keep essentials in. I currently own an REI flash 18 and it could work but do not like the shoulder straps and the overall floppiness of the backpack. I am not overly concerned with the weight of the backpack since this is only for urban traveling but lighter weight is good. I am set on this being a backpack and I am not interested in hip/fanny packs or messenger bags. Looking to budget no more than $100 for this backpack, preferably less. My frontrunner right now is the Osprey Daylite but curious as to what else is out there. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Essentials: Water Bottle, Travel Guide, Jacket (Rain or Insulation), Snacks, EDC Items, Gifts/Purchases, Etc.

[Anonymous]

The Osprey Daylite or what I use, Black Diamond Magnum 16 would work. I used an MLD Newt in a Barge and Bike trip in a Germany and France last summer worked great.. Use to use an Osprey Talon 33, very comfortable, what you describe the Talon 22 comes to mind though may be too big ? You have the one item 20% off at REI can find something you want to try discounted if your a member..

[Christian Denniston]

Black Diamond is a good suggestion. I am not very familiar with their packs so i will take a look. I do really like the Talon 33 but it would be too large for my purpose. I am trying to keep this pack as small as possible because I will be riding the metro, checking the bag, and potentially storing it in lockers at certain locations. The 22 is a possibility if the Daylite is too small for my items.

[Ito Jakuchu]

You could look into the Boreas Larkin for that kind of use.
18L, bit more structure but not crazy, and great organisation. In addition to the common outside zipped slot, it has a top outside pocket. This comes in really handy during travel (or taking walks in the city or daily commute) for smaller stuff that you don't want to dig into the main compartment for all the time.

[Christian Denniston]

I really like the looks of the larkin. Seems very similar to the daylite but has the stretch mesh pocket and slightly larger. I wonder if the side zip pockets are large enough to hold a small water bottle ?

[Ken Thompson]

Black Diamond Bbee. I use it for commuting and what not. Nice clean design. Hydration pocket and a zippered interior pocket help keep things organized. Often on sale. I got mine new for $25 shipped a couple of years ago.
On sale right now on the Black Diamond site is last years model for $32.47

http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/search?q=bbee

For travel I like to keep everything inside the pack. Looks less interesting.

[Ito Jakuchu]

"I wonder if the side zip pockets are large enough to hold a small water bottle ?"

I have a slightly bigger pack, that looks a lot like the Larkin (Muirwoods 20, also great, mostly out of sale).
I am not 100% certain, but close, that those pockets can't hold a bottle.
Packs like the Excelsior 30 do have that ability, but are a lot bigger again.
http://www.boreasgear.com/collections/packs/products/excelsior-30

I just put my bottle in the stretch outside pocket if I drink a lot, or on the top of my other stuff in the main pocket. Not as convenient, but close enough.

edit –
If you like the Larkin but want something ever so slightly bigger, and more organisation than looking into the Muirwood is not a bad idea. With a little search you can still find them on sale online.

[twig .]

For something really well made, I just got this for EDC and it is brilliant, really comfortable straps and back padding, price is in NZ dollars so will be a lot less in US dollars
http://www.cactusoutdoor.co.nz/nort-black-canvas.html

[Rick M]

del

[Richard May]

I use the North Face Flyweight as a diaper bag. It should hold what you describe and I actually use it as an EDC pack when doing urban stuff.

Listed as: 17L, 245g

http://www.thenorthface.co.uk/tnf-uk-en/flyweight-pack/p50830.html

[Christian Denniston]

A lot of great suggestions. I wish I could compare many of these side by side as a lot of them have features I like. I will start trying to find reviews and videos online. This is exactly what I was looking for though, I knew there had to be numerous lightweight travel packs out there I just couldn't find them. Thank you!

[Christian Denniston]

I thought it may be useful to include images of each of the packs in this thread for future reference.

Osprey Daylite

Osprey Talon 22

Patagonia Ascentionist 25L

Black Diamond Bullet 16

Black Diamond Bbee 11

The North Face Flyweight

Cactus Outdoor Nort

Boreas Larkin

Boreas Topaz 18

[Christian Denniston]

I like the Nort, but it seems rather expensive for what you are getting. Are there any US retailers for Cactus Outdoor?

I can't tell, is that a pocket in the front outside of the pack?

[Richard May]

>> I like the Nort, but it seems rather expensive for what you are getting.

I'm guessing you mean the North Face.

It's pretty minimal. You get what you see, except the internal pocket that holds a wallet, cell and keys. It's also the pocket you stuff the pack into when stored. I paid $50 for it three years ago in Flagstaff, AZ Held up pretty well so far.

[Link .]

No it looks like he is talking about the Cactus Outdoor Nort that brett hartwig posted that is from New Zealand

[Christian Denniston]

Yeah I was referring to the Cactus Outdoor Nort. I previously owned the North Face Flyweight Rucksack which is the larger of their packable daypacks. I really enjoyed that pack although for my purposes in this case I think I am looking for slightly more support. I would have to try it on to know for sure though. The issue with many of the packable daypacks is that items tend to all fall to the bottom and this creates an odd bulge in the back which feels awkward to wear. The packable daypacks aren't uncomfortable to wear, but slightly stiffer packs feel better. Maybe I am being to critical!

[Sumi Wada]

I went through the Goldilocks-thing ("This one is too big, this one is too small…") with casual daypacks until I got the Osprey Flare and it's now my go-to pack. Just right as a carry-on; fits under a plane seat, big enough for a laptop but, at 22L, on the smaller compact side for daypacks. I can use it for business travel; has that nice Osprey streamline look. I've also used it for unexpected dayhikes; good shoulder straps/harness. I used it often and it still looks great after a few years.

Osprey seems to have a ton of similar daypack models and I would guess they're all comparable in function, durability, etc. Just a matter of picking a good size. Osprey Daylite is really "cute" but it was too small for me and I would miss the outside center pocket that my Flare has.

[Christian Denniston]

I am not familiar with the Osprey Flare. I will take a look at it. Size is something I am still not entirely certain about aside from knowing that I want to go as small as I can. I work at REI but my store doesn't stock any of the packs in this discussion aside from the Osprey Daylite and Osprey Talon. I am going into work today so I will take a closer look at some of the packs. I will also bring my items and try to pack a few different sized packs to determine the ideal size.

The Deuter Speed Lite is another pack I came across in my research. The Speed Lite is offered in 10L, 15L, and 20L so one of those will work.

[Frederick Allington]

YOu should check out the backpacks form Timbuk2, in particular, the Rogue at

http://www.timbuk2.com/rogue-laptop-backpack/422.html?dwvar_422_size=7&dwvar_422_color=2960#/dwvar_422-3-2960_size=7&dwvar_422-3-2960_color=4160

27 liters for $79.

[twig .]

Christian,
The Nort has a vertical zipper on the front, it doesn't run all the way to the bottom, so if you forget to zip it up your wallet won't fall out easily, internally it is divided for a hydration bladder, I don't use one, but I do use the hydration section for stuff I leave in the pack. The other section will fit 4 litres of milk etc for shopping and it carries well with mesh padding on the back. There is also a fleece lined pocket for your sunglasses as well as removable waist strap and helmet (jacket) strap. I have used a golite ion, patagonia travel packs, and goruck gr1 for everyday packs. This one strikes the right balance for me in terms of lightness, durability and comfort. Cactus stuff is made brilliantly.

[Maris L]

Another fan of the Black Diamond BBee here. I've used it almost daily for several years, commuting by transit and by bike. Taken it on long bus/train/plane trips as a day pack. Very tough fabric and zipper, and I like the clean design. I often don't need any more space, but I'm surprised by the amount of things I can stuff in there. Very comfortable and holds its shape nicely because the fabric is rather stiff.

Last autumn I bought a Mountain Hardware Fluid 24 backpack for the times I needed more space and organization than the Bbee. Found it on sale for well under $100, but there are smaller versions that are also a little cheaper. It weighs 19oz but I gladly accept that for all the pockets and straps I actually end up using. The back padding could be lighter but it has made hard objects like bike locks comfortable against the back. I've used this one as my sole pack for a four-day plane trip, no lack of space in the main zip.

[Ian]

I travel a fair amount and found a Columbia pack years ago that's perfect for me. Sadly it's been discontinued so I need to take care to not lose or damage it as I've yet to find a perfect replacement.

When backpacking in the backcountry, I want the lightest and simplest option that still functions well. For me, at this moment, this is the MLD prophet. I try to exclude things that are prone to failure like zippers.

My needs in an urban environment is quite a bit different. I want the following

*zippered pockets so gear/passports/water bottles don't fall out
*panel loader so I can access stuff like telephoto lenses etc without having to dump my day pack
*abrasion resistant material like cordura so it will hold up being stowed under seats, and jammed into luggage holds
*frameless or at least the ability to easily remove the frame but a pack that will still carry well on the shoulders

One company that is rarely discussed here but excels in this arena is Jansport. Many of their daypacks are designed for students to fill to capacity with text books and otherwise abuse. There are a dozen + options on their website that should meet your requirements and budget.

[Tim Zen]

There are way too many choices…

I think I spent longer picking out a pack for work (consultant) travel then for the trail.

The characteristic for me was the least snag free design. Just shoulder straps. No daisy chain, extra clips, etc.

Unlike the trail pack, I wanted more pockets specifically designed for common objects — Glasses, laptop, pad/phone, cards, water bottle. Room for two nights of clothes, chargers, blah blah.

I picked black so I could black out the logo with a Sharpie.

The TSA approved bag is a waste. Get TSA Pre. They don't sweat the liquids on the TSA Pre line.

[Kate Magill]

Montbell makes some relatively minimalist daypacks at a reasonable pricepoint.

[Tim Zen]

This one looks good http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=3230&p_id=1123909

Too bad the only description is "A versatile backpack style travel bag with a wealth of organizational options" I guess you just have to take them at their word.

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