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One common gear that accompanies you in all your hikes is a daypack as it helps you carry apparel, snacks, sunscreen, extra layers, water bottles, headlamps, and whatnot. That is why hikers always go for the best hiking daypack as it will not only sit comfortably on your back for long hours but also will serve you good for years to come.Â
However, deciding on the best daypack is often confusing as it needs consideration on comfort, cost, and mapping of technical features such as weight, fabric size, and cost to the personal utility. Moreover, with hundreds of daypacks out there serving up a range of functional differences, it can be hard to determine which one will work best for you.
To help you in picking the best daypack of hiking, here is a list of the 10 best daypacks for hiking in 2021 and a comprehensive buying guide to highlight the most important aspects.
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Flexible, weather-resistant, and lightweight
- Frameless Design
- Mesh covered back panel
- Includes hip belt for added security
- Thickly padded straps
Best For: Short Hiking Trips
Size: 18 x 10 x 9 inches
Weight: 1 lb. 3.8 oz.
Capacity: 20 liters
Color: Black, Real Red, Amulet Purple
Material: 210D Nylon Oxford
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Extremely lightweight
- Breathable stretch mesh for extra comfort
- Ample storage options
- Appealing appearance
- Features hydration reservoir
Best For: Ultra Lightweight Design
Weight: 13 ounces
Capacity: 22 liters
Color: Castlerock, Harvest Yellow, Seaweed, Twilight Purple, and Black
Material: Nylon
Venture PAL Hiking Daypack
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Durable nylon construct
- Heavy-duty zippers
- Breathable mesh shoulder straps for comfort
- Chest strap for extra securing
Best For: Comfort
Weight: 11.29 ounces
Capacity: 35 liters
Color: Black, Orange, Grey, Navy Blue, Army Green, Red, Green, Black, Royal Blue, Fuchsia, Purple
Material: Nylon
TETON Sports Oasis Hiking Daypack
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- BPA free Hydration bladder construction
- Shock absorbing chest strap
- Bungee cord system for better adjustments
- Tailored fit to all body frames
Best For: Fitting All Body Frames
Weight: 51.2 ounces
Capacity: 18 liter
Color: Green, Black, Bright Green, Orange, Bright Blue
Material: Honeycomb Ripstop Shell
Outlander Ultra hiking Daypack
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Adjustable shoulder straps with reinforced top grade handle
- Bar tracking to reinforce stress points
- Easily to fold and store
- Spacious main compartment
- Carabiner clip to attach additional gears
Best For: Ease of Use
Weight: 7 ounces
Capacity: 20 and 33 liters
Color: red, dark blue, dark red, green, grey, light blue, orange, pink, purple, red
Material: Nylon
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Added features for hike specific gears
- Antislip back panel
- integrated Hydration sleeve
- Osprey's AirScape design for the right fitting
Best For: Adjustability
Weight: 201.6 ounce
Capacity: 22 liters
Color: Martain Red, Black, Yerba Green, Ultramarine Blue
Material: Nylon
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Great storage options for small and big gears
- Frame-based construction for added support
- Open Mesh design to provide extra airflow on the back
- Integrated rain cover
Best For: Professional Hikers
Weight: 32 ounce
Capacity: 24 liters
Color: Ruska Purple, Summit Blue, Back
Material: 210D Nylon
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Signature 3 zip design to provide wide entrance
- Impressive suspension system
- Properly placed daisy chains for clipping gear
- Double layered bottom for added durability
Best For: Rough Terrains
Weight: 48 ounces
Capacity: 32 liters
Color: Wood, Cargo, Black
Material: 420-Denier Nylon
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Ultra-lightweight and folds to compact fit
- Easy to access front compartments
- Water-resistant for up to 40 minutes
- Double fabric at the bottom for added strength
Best For: Light Day Hikes
Weight: 6.8 ounce
Capacity: 20 liter
Color: Navy, Army Green, Black
Material: Nylon
SOG Ninja Tactical Hiking Daypack
- What Makes This Hiking Daypack Stand Out
- Integrated hydration pocket
- Contoured foam backing
- Durable buckers and zippers
- Lifetime warranty
Best For: Light Travel Outings
Weight: 32 ounces
Capacity: 24.2 liter
Color: Black, Camo, Canyon Camo, Coyote, Turbulence, Desert Clay, Olive Drab Green
Material: Polyester
How To Choose A Daypack For Hiking – Buying Guide
Size
When it comes to what’s essential for you in a daypack, size is the first thing to consider as the wrong size can lead to an uncomfortable or frustrating experience. Generally, a 20-liter daypack is the most common size as it has the right level of comfort and room. However, you can go for a smaller or an oversize bag as well depending on your need. But keep in mind, getting an inadequate size for your fit can have negative consequences; therefore, the best daypack for hiking is the one that fits you right.
Weight
Weight plays an important role and depends on what you intend to carry. Best daypacks come with added features and additional frames as these features add support while carrying them. That is why weight is relative to your situation and hiking grade. If you are going hiking that needs professional gear, you may prefer a heavy bag with extra support. On the other hand, casual hikes might prefer a lightweight one. Â
Comfort
Daypacks often sit on your back for long durations and that is why is important that they offer a high degree of comfort. With daypacks, there are a few key features that affect the overall comfort it offers. The first one is the shoulder straps. Ensure that you pick a daypack that has both padded and breathable shoulder straps. Another thing to watch is load lifters, as these are straps that connect to the top of the bag to pull it back towards the body, keeping the weight close to you and reducing any movement.
In terms of the back, it’s also a good idea to have additional support at the lower back area in the form of extra padding. Further, look for added straps that allow the right distribution of gear weight and make sure that the bag has a padded waist belt. Finally, if possible, pick a bag that allows torso length adjustment, as it helps in creating a comfortable fit for you.
Security
If you are traveling for a long time, then bag security might become an essential issue for you. It is a good idea to have a double zipper as you would lock the two together to prevent anyone from getting close to your items. This will help to perturb any potential thief long enough to move on and away from your bag.
Material
While choosing a daypack, ensure that the material is durable, light, and water-resistant. These materials are often nylon or polyester and both serve the purpose with excellence. Make sure you also check the zips are made of strong, corrosion-resistant material and offer a certain degree of water resistance.
Compartments
All the day hike bags we mentioned have one main compartment where you can store the vast majority of your gear. Having one room can make things difficult as more delicate or smaller items can get lost in the space. Therefore go with the main compartment, that is supported by smaller pockets on top or in front and mesh pockets on sides. Also, consider a hiking day pack that comes with an internal pocket as it is handy to keep small but valuable items inside the bad with added security.
Ease Of Use
Best daypacks have a durable and spacious design with easy to use features. We recommend checking out the below features before making your choice:
- Hydration pocket that has a large opening to allow easy cleaning
- A top handle that allows its easy carriage
- Zipper ties that offer extra length for easy holding
- Waterproof cover to make sure that your gears keep dryÂ
- Compression straps for a compact fit that reduces bounce
- Loops to tie additional and odd fitting gears such as a helmet
Durability
Just like other hiking gears, daypacks need to be durable, as they should last for many years with repeated use. It is important to choose a daypack that is made out of the most robust materials and protect against rips and water. Also, the daypack must add strength to its weak points so that it doesn’t break easily. This added strength should also apply to the whole bottom of the daypack because it is most likely to have holes and rips.
Type
Before you jump in and buy a daypack, it’s crucial to make sure that you are getting the right type of backpack for your situation. Daypacks are perfect for being able to go out for a day of hiking or for traveling around, but that might not be exactly what you are after. For instance, having a backpack with a cooler might come in handy if you are going on a long day hike. A waterproof backpack, on the other hand, gives you peace of mind when you’re going through a rainy spell.Â
Ventilation And Comfortability
If you had a daypack flush to your body, then it could quickly cause an uncomfortable amount of sweating and overheating. That’s why your daypack needs to have ventilation. The point where your back meets the daypack is a great place to have ventilation, which will ensure that there is a layer of air and circulation between you and the day hike bag. This ventilation may also extend out to the padding around your shoulders and other areas of your body.
FAQs
Q: What Is A Daypack?
A day hike pack is designed to let you store a day’s worth of gear when you are going hiking or other daylong outdoor activity, so you don’t have to take everything in hand.
They are also great for travel as well as for climbing or even just commuting. Handy in size and easy to carry, the best daypacks hiking offer multiple uses although they are primarily designed for people to be able to take a lighter load on their back.
Q: Why Do I Need A Daypack?
A daypack makes it easy to store all the essential gear that you might need with their large and small convenient compartments. They also fit tight to your body and allow you to travel long distances easily.
Globo Surf Overview
Hiking daypacks are a great way to travel as they can put all of your items into one easy to use and convenient bag. They fit tightly onto your body and enable you to head off on your adventure without having to worry about the lack of items. While there are so many options available, finding the best hiking daypack needs a lot of consideration as we have mentioned in our buying guide. We hope that our list along with the guide has given you enough information to find the best daypack for you that will make sure your trips are full of fun and adventure.