Whether you’re on a short afternoon day trip, biking across town, or spending a full day in the backcountry, having a great backpack with you is essential. You need a high-quality daypack that can carry your water, snacks, extra layers, valuables, and any other hiking gear comfortably. And the longer that you are on the trail, the more important it is to consider comfort and capacity.
With functionality, weight, comfort, and cost in mind, this guide provides you with a detailed review of all of the best hiking daypacks on the market right now. We break down everything from simple budget daypacks to high-end models with all of the features. No matter your budget or preferred style, you’ll find the perfect pack for your next hiking adventure in 2022!
Table of Contents
Best Overall Daypack
Our pick
Osprey Talon 22 | Tempest 20
- Price: $130
- Weight: 1 lb. 14 oz. | 1 lb. 12oz.
- Capacity: 22 liters | 20 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Padded
What We Love:
This pack prioritizes comfort with a padded and ventilated back panel and a padded hip belt. It’s very durable and a great value for the price, and comes in multiple sizes to provide you with the best fit. It’s well organized and has a place for everything.
What We Don’t Love:
The hipbelt isn’t removable. This pack is also on the heavier side.
What You Need to Know:
The men’s Osprey Talon 22 and women’s Tempest 20 are the perfect backpacking packs for day hiking, biking, or mountain climbing. This pack prioritizes the most important aspects of a great daypack: comfort, convenience, and functionality.
The roomy main compartment provides you with plenty of room to bring food, water, and extra layers anywhere you want to go. It’s equipped to carry an ample amount of water as it’s compatible with a hydration system and also has an external hydration sleeve. And you’ll be impressed with the convenience of this daypack with its adjustable bungee front panel storage and easy-to-access pockets.
The Talon 22 and Tempest 20 daypacks also have some bonus features like a stow-away ice axe attachment complete with a bungee tie-off as well as Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachments. And for the bikers out there, the backpacks include a LidLock bike helmet and blinker light attachments.Buy your Osprey Talon 22 and Tempest 20 daypacks on the REI Co-Op website or Amazon.
Runner-Up Overall Daypack
REI Co-Op Trail 25
- Price: $79.95
- Weight: 2 lbs.
- Capacity: 25 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Removable
What We Love:
It’s a well-organized pack equipped to hold all of your essential outdoor gear. It feels light and comfortable on your back, and it’s updated with body and lining fabric made from recycled materials. It also comes in both men’s and women’s sizes.
What We Don’t Love:
It’s a heavy pack for its capacity.
What You Need to Know:
The REI Trail 25 is a multi-sport unisex daypack that’s ideal for day hikes, commuting, biking, and travel. It’s a well-designed panel-loading style pack with a U-shaped top zipper for the main compartment. A zipper also opens at the back to allow for easy access to the bottom of the pack.
The daypack’s internal frame provides structure and protects your back and is complete with padded, stretch mesh-covered straps. The back panel ventilation and removable hip belt help to keep you cool and dry any time of year. It’s also compatible with a hydration reservoir.
It’s very packable and easy to find a place for extra gear with two external daisy chains and loops for holding an ice axe or trekking poles. This pack also comes with a rain cover that stows away in its own zippered pocket.
Find your Trail 25 daypack on the REI Co-Op website.
Best Budget Daypack
REI Co-Op Flash 18 | 22
- Price: $39.95 | $54.95
- Weight: 9 oz. | 13 oz.
- Capacity: 18 liters | 22 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Removable
What We Love:
It’s lightweight, comfortable, and well-constructed. And even better, it’s affordable and a great value.
What We Don’t Love:
It’s not as supportive or durable as some other daypacks on the market. It also doesn’t carry heavy loads well.
What You Need to Know:
The REI Flash comes in two capacities: 18 liters and 22 liters. Both daypacks are ultralight and unisex. This is a budget backpack that performs well against its competitors at a price that you just can’t beat. It’s ideal for short day hikes or bike rides.
The REI Flash 18 is the minimalist and ultralight version of the two daypacks. It’s so light, you might forget that you’re even wearing it! The main compartment stows away with a single-handed, quick-pull drawcord with a weather-sealed flap top. It also doubles as a packable item as it converts into a stuff sack simply by turning it inside out.
The Flash 22 includes more features to take you where you want to go with all of the hiking gear you need to get there. It has additional padding on the shoulder straps and back panel with your comfort in mind. It features additional side pockets and a top lid with a zippered pocket.
Both versions of the REI Flash have removable hipbelts. They’re hydration reservoir compatible with additional mesh water bottle pockets on both sides. They have side exterior loops that can be used to store extra gear or as compression straps. They’re also made completely with recycled bluesign-approved materials with the conservation and health of the environment in mind.
Either of these packs is a great choice to go fast and light while also sticking to a budget. Find the REI Flash 18 and Flash 22 on REI Co-Op’s website.
Best High-End Daypack
Arc’Teryx Arro
- Price: $180
- Weight: 2lbs. 6.1 oz.
- Capacity: 22 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Removable
What We Love:
It’s a high-quality pack with a sleek, streamlined design. It’s well-constructed with advanced materials.
What We Don’t Love:
Arc’Teryx products are not cheap. This pack also only comes in one size.
What You Need to Know:
The Arc’Teryx Arro is where minimalist meets functional. It’s the perfect daypack for commuting, urban travel, or short day hikes. It’s a unisex pack constructed with top-quality water-resistant fabrics that is durable and compact.
The main compartment is a large kangaroo pocket that contains a padded 15-inch laptop sleeve with multiple external pockets to make your gear easy to access. It has a close, ergonomic fit with a removable hipbelt and an elevated back panel that allows you to carry weight comfortably on your back. It’s also compatible with a hydration reservoir.
Find the ArcTeryx Arro on REI Co-Op’s website.
Quick Daypack Recommendations
- Most Stylish Daypack: Patagonia Refugio
- Best Daypack for Travel and Commuting: The North Face Jester
- Best Hydration Pack: Gregory Nano 18
- Best Daypack for Longer Hikes: Osprey Stratos 34 | Sirrus 24
- Best Daypack for Comfort and Support: Deuter Speed Lite 20
- Best Ultralight Daypack: Seat to Summit Ultra-Sil
- Best Minimalist Daypack: Osprey Daylite Plus
- Most Durable Daypack: REI Co-Op Traverse 32
- Most Ergonomic Daypacks: Gregory Maya 16 and Gregory Jade 28 for heavier loads
- Daypack with the Best Ventilation: Gregory Zulu 30
Best Daypacks for Hiking – Honorable Mentions
Gregory Nano 18 H20
- Price: $69.95
- Weight: 1lb. 7oz.
- Capacity: 18 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Removable
What We Love:
It’s lightweight and has a great volume to weigh to price ratio. There’s a lot of storage space and a 3-liter water capacity.
What We Don’t Love:
It doesn’t have many pockets and lacks some additional features of high-end packs. And it’s not the most breathable daypack.
What You Need to Know:
This pack gets our vote for the Best Hydration Pack. The Gregory Nano 18 H20 is a unisex pack with a simple, straightforward design. It has one large main compartment, two external zippered pockets, and a water bottle hydration sleeve. It also features a removable webbing hipbelt.
It’s the best backpacking pack for full-day hikes. But it can also double as a gym bag, commuter bag, or carry-on for your next weekend flight.
This daypack includes a 3-liter 3D Hydro reservoir. It also has attachment loops to secure water bottles and other trail accessories.
The Gregory Nano 18 H20 lacks some high-end features such as hipbelt pockets and a well-ventilated back panel. Still, it is a great value and runs about half the price of many of its competitors.
Find your Gregory Nano 18 H2O on REI Co-Op’s website.
Patagonia Refugio
- Price: $89
- Weight: 1 lb. 6.5 oz.
- Capacity: 28 liters
- Hipbelt Type: None
What We Love:
This is a versatile and stylish daypack. It has well-designed pockets for optimal organization.
What We Don’t Love:
It doesn’t have a waist belt. It doesn’t have the best ventilation
What You Need to Know:
The Patagonia Refugio has our vote for the Most Stylish Daypack! This unisex backpack is the perfect daypack for your daily work commute, weekend trips, and short day hikes. Its minimalist but versatile design constructed with recycled materials and a durable water repellent finish makes it a hard daypack to beat!
Three main pockets help to keep all of your things organized while the main compartment holds most of your load. It also features an added sleeve for your laptop or other electronics. It has zippered side pockets for smaller items, too. Its hydration system is compatible and has stretch-woven pockets on both sides to fit a wide range of water bottles. It also features an adjustable removable sternum strap.
Shop for the Patagonia Refugio on REI Co-Op’s website.
Osprey Stratos 34 | Osprey Sirrus 24
- Price: $160
- Weight: 2 lbs. 15.2 oz.
- Capacity: 34 liters | 24 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Cushioned
What We Love:
It’s super comfortable to wear and it’s well-ventilated. It’s sturdy and carries heavy loads well. It can double for overnight trips.
What We Don’t Love:
It’s heavy for its volume and bulky.
What You Need to Know:
This one has our vote for the Best Daypack for Longer Hikes. The Stratos 34 and Sirrus 24 are some of the larger packs that make them great daypacks for dedicated hikers. They come in multiple men’s and women’s sizes.
The suspension system of this daypack supports heavier loads for overnight backpacking trips or activities like snowshoeing and mountaineering. It holds the weight off your back for a comfortable carry and unmatched airflow with back panel ventilation.
This daypack is great if you prefer panel-loading over top-loading designs. It’s easy to organize and convenient with dual-zippered panel access to the main compartment. There are also plenty of side pockets and straps that are well-designed to carry all of your essential gear. Some of these features are the Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment, the ice axe loop, and side compression straps.
The Stratos 34 and Sirrus 24 also have a zippered sleeping bag compartment with removable sleeping pad straps. Its hydration system is compatible and contains a built-in rain cover.
This pack is perfect for hiking, but not the best option for day-to-day use.
This daypack comes in men’s sizes with the Osprey Stratos 34 and women’s sizes with the Osprey Sirrus 24. Find them both on REI Co-Op’s website.
Deuter Speed Lite 20
- Price: $80
- Weight: 1 lb. 1 oz.
- Capacity: 20 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Removable
What We Love:
It’s a durable ultralight pack. The padded back panel makes it super comfortable.
What We Don’t Love:
The front stash pocket is inconvenient to get into. It also has a thin waist belt.
What You Need to Know:
The Deuter Speed Lite 20 has our vote for the Best Daypack for Comfort and Support. This unisex durable hiking daypack is a great balance between ultralight and simplicity. It’s perfect to take along with you on a long day hike or as a personal item for a weekend flight.
The majority of storage space is located in the main compartment.
small and with comfortable padding. The Speed Lite 20 is hydration system compatible and it
features large, convenient water bottle pockets. It also has elastic mesh side pockets for accessible snacks or gear.
The ergonomically shaped shoulder straps and comfortable padding make the Speed Lite 20 daypack one of the most comfortable out there. Your back will be happy with the flexible, lightweight support with air-mesh lining and a padded back panel for ultimate airflow. It also has a removable hipbelt.
This is a great daypack for your next big adventure! Get the Deuter Speed Lite 20 daypack on REI Co-Op’s website.
Gregory Jade 28 | Maya 16
- Price: $149.95 | $99.95
- Weight: 2 lbs. 9 oz. | 1 lb. 10.4 oz.
- Capacity: 28 liters | 16 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Cushioned
What We Love:
The comfort-focused ergonomic design.
What We Don’t Love:
It’s a more expensive pack. It’s on the heavier side. Both packs are fit specifically for women, there are no men’s sizes
What You Need to Know:
These Gregory daypacks have our vote for the Most Ergonomic Daypacks. These packs have similar features as one another but are designed to carry different loads. They have dual side mesh pockets to hold water bottles and they are compatible with a hydration bladder. The padded ergonomic shoulder straps keep you comfortable no matter how far you go. One cool and unique feature is the Sunglass QuickStow system on the shoulder and sternum straps for quick access to your favorite shades! Both packs are also carry-on compatible with most airlines and include a fitted rain cover.
We love that the Jade 28 comes in multiple sizes and a fully adjustable torso length to provide you with a custom fit and great ventilation. The adjustability paired with the ergonomic shape makes it feel like it’s custom-made for your body. This daypack features the FreeFloat Dynamic Suspension system that balances your heaviest loads. And the open-air ventilation system keeps you comfortable all year round!
The Jade 28 is great for the over packer because there truly is a place for everything. There are also adjustable bungee attachments for trekking poles and an ice axe. It can even serve double duty for an overnight trip!
The Maya 16 comes in one size. It’s a great daypack to take along with you for a quick day hike or mountain summit. The snug, ergonomic fit hugs your body and is comfortable no matter the terrain. It features zippered interior mesh pockets for optimal organization. It also has a stowable trekking pole attachment system.
REI Co-Op Traverse 32
- Price: $139
- Weight: 2 lbs. 7 oz.
- Capacity: 32 liters
- Hipbelt Type: Cushioned
What We Love:
This pack is top-rated for comfort. It’s great for stabilizing heavier loads. It comes in both men’s and women’s sizes.
What We Don’t Love:
It’s on the heavier side. This pack has more capacity than what’s needed for many people. It doesn’t have an adjustable frame.
What You Need to Know:
This daypack has our vote for the Most Durable Daypack. It comes in multiple sizes to provide you with the perfect fit. The intuitive design of the REI Traverse 32 gives it the size of a smaller daypack with the versatility and adaptability to do more. It’s also a great option to double as a backpacking pack to take on an overnight trip.
The Traverse 32 features Packmod compression straps that can run through multiple loops across the pack to manage your gear well and provide the perfect balance.
This daypack is compatible with a hydration reservoir, and it has a tube holder located on the shoulder strap for maximum hydration. It also includes an easy-to access rain cover that’s located just under the top lid.
For maximum comfort, the Traverse 32 has continuous padding from the hipbelt to lumbar support. You’ll love the large hipbelt pockets for storing all of your snacks and accessories.
This pack features a durable ripstop exterior made out of recycled materials that meet Bluesign criteria. Bluesign is the world’s leading system for managing the environmental impacts of textile manufacturing.
Considerations for Buying Your Next Daypack
There are hundreds of daypacks on the market right now. It can be overwhelming to go through each and every daypack to find the right fit for you. To choose the best daypack for your many adventures to come, there are many factors to consider.
Price
For the most part, daypacks are a lot less expensive than multi-day backpacking packs. On average, you should expect to spend anywhere between $40-$170 for a high-quality daypack. You can usually find a well-made pack for under $100 if you look in the right places. Quite a few daypacks on our list are in this price range. The REI Trail 25, the Deuter Speed Lite 20, and the Patagonia Refugio, and the Flash 22 are just a few examples.
So, you need to ask yourself: what is my budget? Once you determine how much you are willing to spend on a daypack, you can move forward in your search. A lot of hiking backpack companies come out with new models each year. You can often find great deals on last year’s backpacks in the discount section of your local outdoor retailer. Don’t forget to check those out!
Activity
You should ask yourself: what are the primary activities you’ll be using this pack for? Maybe you’re looking for a backpack for regular day hikes, your daily commute to work, or frequent traveling. There are different models and styles that are tailored to fit each of these needs.
For example, the ArcTeryx Arro is a stylish daypack with a minimalist design. It’s perfectly suited for a daily commute or a carry-on on your next weekend adventure. But it wouldn’t be your best option for a long day hike in the mountains. The Gregory Jade 28 is a great option for a full day of hiking that requires a heavier load of gear. But there are better alternatives for a commuter backpack.
Remember, while all of these daypacks made our list, it’s important to determine what you’ll be using yours for. That’s how you’ll pick the best option for you!
Shoulder and Sternum Straps
The shoulder and sternum straps are an essential part of a comfortable, well-fitting pack. The thickness of both straps tends to vary by the volume of the pack. Daypacks that have larger capacities tend to have thicker or more padded shoulder straps. This helps distribute weight off your shoulders and onto your hips.
Sternum straps are a feature on almost all daypacks now. They provide you with the option to connect your shoulder straps across your chest for a more secure feel and even weight distribution. You can even attach various accessory pockets to your shoulder straps such as water bottle holders or attachments for sunglasses.
For ultimate comfort in your next daypack, look for one with padded shoulder straps and a sternum strap. The extra support and comfort that the padding provides will be well worth it on your next adventure!
Capacity
The capacity, or volume, of hiking backpacks, is measured in liters. Typically, daypacks will range in capacity from 10 to 35 liters. Daypacks with a capacity in the 20–30-liter range are more popular because that’s the ideal amount of space for everything you need to day hike!
To find your perfect daypack, you need to determine the length of your hikes and how much gear you will need to carry. Lower capacity packs from 10 to 18 liters are a great option for half-day hikes. But if you’re looking to go on full-day hikes or even overnight trips, you should be looking in the 30-to-38-liter range. Make sure that you are taking into account everything you need for your adventure: food, water, extra layers, and any additional hiking gear.
Organization
The organization of compartments and pockets differs among backpacks. Daypacks typically have a main zippered compartment that you load from the top or by a panel to store most of your gear. Most packs also have open pockets that are exposed to the elements but also easy to access for quick-grab items like extra layers and snacks.
To make the most of your space, we like daypacks that offer more additional pockets and zippered compartments. This makes your gear more packable and easier to access. You don’t want to have to keep stopping and digging around your pack on your hike. Plus, it gives you more room for any extra gear!
Our favorite daypacks also have a front mesh stash pocket. This is convenient for stuffing additional layers or rain gear that you need to access quickly.
Back Panel and Ventilation
For optimum airflow and ventilation while on the trail, we like daypacks with a mesh back panel design. Your back may still get sweaty if you’re on a strenuous hike, but this feature will keep you more comfortable.
Some daypacks with simple back panels also have foam padding that’s designed to increase ventilation and comfort. This is another great option to keep your back cool and dry!
Many daypacks have a rigid or semi-rigid frame sheet in the back panel to provide support and structure. Ultralight backpacks and other low-capacity packs may have a flexible frame even a fabric back panel. While flexible frames can be nice, they’re not always ideal because they don’t protect you from bulky items in your pack.
Hipbelt
The hipbelt of a daypack is designed to distribute some of your pack’s weight to your hips. This relieves pressure from your shoulders and back. Our favorite daypacks have padded hipbelts with easy to access pockets for snacks and other essentials.
If you like to store your phone or other electronics in your hipbelt pockets, you should look for pockets that are solid rather than mesh. They are much more durable and typically water-resistant.
Some minimalist and lightweight daypacks just have a simple strap to help with the transfer of weight, but some don’t have a hipbelt at all. If you’re planning full-day hikes with your daypack, we recommend selecting one with a hipbelt of some kind.
Water Resistance/Waterproofing
Most of the daypacks on the market are water-resistant. This is important because gear like cell phones, cameras, and down jackets don’t do well in the rain! Water-resistant packs can usually repel light to moderate moisture. But eventually, water will seep in through fabric and seams during a heavy downpour.
It’s a good idea to line the inside of your pack with a composter trash bag to help keep your gear dry in the rain. You can also pack your gear in waterproof stuff sacks or Ziploc bags as another layer of protection.
Rain Cover
When you’re shopping for a new daypack, you should ask yourself: is there a rain cover included? Many packs will come with a built-in rain cover that stows itself away inside of the pack. But don’t worry if a daypack you love doesn’t include a rain cover. You can buy a generic rain cover in a variety of sizes that will do the trick.
Hydration Compatibility
If a daypack is labeled as hydration-compatible, that means that there’s some way to store a hydration reservoir. Some of the most popular models of these hydration systems are made by CamelBak.
Most hydration system-compatible daypacks have a special sleeve to hold the hydration reservoirs. You just have to attach the bladder to the top clip and insert it into the sleeve. Then you can feed the hose through an opening at the top of the pack.
Adjustable Length
Having the correct size daypack can make or break your experience with it. Backpacks are sized by your torso length. This measures the distance between your hips and the top of your shoulders.
Investing in an adjustable length daypack is a good idea because it lets you resize the pack for a custom-like fit. It’s especially important for people just getting into day hiking to purchase an adjustable length backpack so that they can try out some different torso lengths and get a feel for it.
Easy Access and Closure
The types of closure systems vary across different makes and models of daypacks. For the main compartment, zippered closures are common. But on ultralight and minimalist packs, rolltop or drawstring closures are also frequently seen.
The bottom line is that you need to have quick access to all essential items in your daypack. If the main compartment can be tricky to dig through, you can store important gear in a front pocket or stash side pockets.
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