Recommendations for a day pack?

[Eitan Paster]

I’ve been getting more into longer day hikes. I have been using my REI Flash 18 but it is uncomfortable to hold anything more than a couple liters of water and some snacks. I’m looking for a pack for day hikes in the 8-15 mile range. Something that can hold a few liters of water, lunch, extra layers, snacks, possibly micro-spikes and tracking poles, just the basics without hurting my shoulders, as well as being hydration bladder comparable. I already have a Hyperlight Southwest 40. Should I just use that as a day pack or would that be too big? Thanks.

[Philip Tschersich]

Just use the HMG. They are great as daypacks. Who cares if it’s full.

[Brad W]

Flash 22 has been my goto pack for ages. I recently got a Zimmerbuilt Quickstep for when I need more items and that very comfortable. No hip belt used on either. You might like the Osprey Talon 22-has nice hip belt.

[Adrian Griffin]

Try the zPacks SubNero. I had an Outdoor Research Isolation Pack LT—similar design to the Flash 18. I wanted something with pockets, and got the SubNero. I use it in dayhike mode, without the waist strap, sit pad and shock cord. It’s 9.3 oz. Alas, being Ultra, it’s expensive, but yikes, many of the other lightweight daypacks weigh more than my overnighter Arc Blast.

[Mark Verber]

I see a lot of people who use the rei flash 18/22 but I don’t get it.  I find it feels like a bag with straps, just not that comfortable with more than say a puffy jacket inside it. If you can compress your SW2400 to the volume you are carrying so it’s not rattling around, I would just use it.

Do you need to transfer load to your hips for comfort when doing your dayhikes. Conventional wisdom is that most people have a break point somewhere between 15-20lb.  Due to a number of issue my crossover is around 8lbs which can easily be exceeded with binoculars, a camera, a blanket to sit on, tasty – non dehydrated lunch, etc… so I often used my back country backpack for day hikes when taking the family on an outing.

There are a lot of very comfortable daypacks in the marketplace these  days. My favorite has been from gossamer gear followed by the osprey talon line.  I have been living out a the trail version of the gg vagabond for the last year. https://verber.com/vagabond/.

 

[Eitan Paster]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I tried compressing the SW on a long day hike and it worked very well. The problem with the Flash 18 is that it just carried weight horribly. The hyperlight feels a lot nicer and it’s probably not worth spending money on a separate day pack.</p>

[baja bob]

Osprey Talon Velocity 20 or 30L have running vest type straps. Very comfortable packs.

[Terran Terran]

This…
Philip Tschersich…

Just use the HMG. They are great as daypacks. Who cares if it’s full.

[David D]

I’m on a similar quest.

I love this thing (3.9oz!) for <20km and light loads but this weekend did a 30km day hike loaded with ~ 10 lbs and the shoulder pain from an old moto accident had me begging for the advil.

So, I’m looking for a ~ 20L daypack that’ll transfer weight to the hips.  Contenders I’ve come across but haven’t tested yet:

– Osprey Talon 20 Pro has a frame.  The Talon 22 doesn’t and the back pad is pretty floppy.  The velocity doesn’t transfer weight off the shoulder at all as far as I can tell.

– Gregory Zulu 20LT has a frame

– Decathlon MH500 20L claims a frame (but its heavy at 45 oz)

They’re as heavy as my Kakwa but have vented backs and are smaller so more bushwacky

[Eitan Paster]

I’ve had success compressing my HMG southwest to a 20-30 or so L size. Roll the top down all the way and tighten the compression straps. Maybe that would work for the kakwa? I considered buying a capable separate day pack, but they are all the same weight as the HMG with likely worse load capacities. Plus you get to save $

[JCH]

I like the Granite Gear Sawbill.  Currently on sale, $35.

[Terran Terran]

I have a HMG 4400 Porter. It pretty much folds into itself. Without loadlifters, it shrinks down to the size of the frame sheet. The larger circumference keeps the weight closer to my waist. I feel a full pack supports by back better. I’ve heard that comment from others.
The fabric hangs from the stays and the frame sheet. I feel that may be a wear point, but so far so good.
Having had a Gregory years ago, I’d lean more towards the Osprey. I have a Geigerrig 1600 with a pressurized hydration system. About as heavy as the HMG, but a nice little pack.
https://www.sportique.com/collections/geigerrig
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/hydration-bladder/geigerrig-hydration-engine

[Matthew / BPL]

To the OP: my favorite daypack is my MLD Hell pack. I think it’s perfect for the uses you describe. You mention shoulder strap comfort: I think the MLD makes the most comfortable straps in the business (followed very closely by Zimmerbuilt and Atom Packs).

I do carry a CCF pad in mine to fill up the volume of the pack. The Hell is larger than my Flash 18 and I think it carries better with some stuff in it. Also that gives me a pad for a nap or emergency.

[David D]

I don’t worry too much about hydration bladder compatibility.  I throw my 3L Force into any bag and  zip tie the hose to the strap, works great.  In summer in that little osprey stuff sack, its a heat sink doing a great job cooling my lower back

[bradmacmt]

Gregory Zulu 30 – one of the most comfortable daypacks I’ve ever used.

[David D]

Picked up a Zulu 20 LT today, very comfortable (tried up to 7 kg) and nice air back.  Doesn’t stick up high so should be good for bushwacking.  The Zulu 24 LT for some reason rode too far off my back and I could feel it sway unless I cranked it down hard.

The Osprey Talon 22 and Talon 20 Pro put all the weight on the small of my back, bad fit for for me

Correction from my earlier post: both Talon 22 and Talon 20 pro have a back pad as the “frame” and I couldn’t feel any great weight transfer to the belt

[David D]

Got out with the Gregory Zulu 20LT yesterday.  Long day.  Loaded it with ~ 12 lbs to give it a test.

I’m pretty impressed with this little pack.  Its frame carried 100% of the weight on my hips with no sore spots, distributing it really well.  The trampoline back worked to reduce heat build up without feeling like its pulling me backwards, a sensation I get from every other trampoline pack I’ve tried. The hip belt pockets were 1 hand usable and spacious.  It fit my 3l hydrapack force bladder perfectly (hard to find in something this small) and the tube routing is out of the way.  I did a fair amount of bushwacking and it rides low enough that it never got caught up in brush.  The little faux “brain” is a convenient size and just big enough.  Best of all for the first time in ages my shoulder had no pain or numbness at all which I can get from as little as 5 lbs in a hip-belt less pack.  That hip belt really works and with no pack noise or squeaking.

Pack fit is personal but I’m so impressed by this day pack that I thought it was worth mentioning.

[DWR D]

Osprey Daylight Plus is a nice small day pack with lots of compartments that helps organize stuff for quick access… no weight carrying waist belt.

Sometimes, if I have some heavy, dense stuff that I don’t want the weight of on my shoulders, I will use fairly large fanny pack for the water and food and then a very light weight day pack for the cloths. That puts most of the weight on my hips. In the desert, I can carry nearly a gallon of water and food in my fanny pack, a small puffy for the morning and rain or wind shell in the day pack part.

 

[talagnu]

black diamond distance 15 or 22. amazingly comfortable pack

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