Daypack has become an integral part of our lives, be it daily work or tours. While travel backpacks are mainly seen in homes, hotels, and airports, daypacks are our partner from the grocery store to coffee shops, daily commutes, to dog walks. Even it is emerging as an obvious choice for adventure and intrigue. When you are on a road trip, adventurous hiking, or weekend relaxing on the beaches, it’s with you. As you enjoy yourself, it holds all your essentials. Therefore, it’s of utmost importance to choose the right one.
How to Choose a Daypack?
Choosing the right daypack for you can be tricky, as there are numerous options. Well, it’s not like a particular brand or model is the best. It’s all about your purpose and personal preferences. While choosing a day backpack, consider its pros and cons, size, shape, and color. Then you will find your answer on your own. As there are different categories, you have to look at each one to decide on the most appropriate one.
Considerations before Choosing Daypacks
Finding the most suitable day pack requires discussing key considerations in this aspect. Once you get concrete answers to some questions regarding daypacks, buying one will be easy for you. The considerations are:-
- Think of the purpose you will use it. It may be for:-
- Carry-on travel
- One day hike
- Carrying laptop
- Carrying everyday commodities
- As a stylish bag to carry on hangouts and dates
- How much weight it will carry is the second thing to consider. During packing bags, everyone has their own style and perspective. It depends on how much stuff you usually need for a day trip, hanging out, or going to the office. Check for the backpack’s weight also.
- Budget obviously is the third most important consideration after you have decided on the size and purpose.
- Everybody wants to ensure while buying a thing that it lasts long. As durability also depends on how you use it, choose according to your own preferences.
- A person should always choose clothes and accessories as per his own body type. Some daypacks come in different shapes and sizes for men and women.
- Check the backpack’s features and think if those will meet your requirements. Check the compression straps, hip belts, laptop compartments, and bottle pockets thoroughly. Ensure the bag doesn’t lack anything, without which you can’t step out.
Types of Backpacks
Traditional
A traditional day pack is ideal for daily use. It’s pretty similar to school bags and comes in a wide variety with different colors, materials, and styles.
You can choose among Aer Pro Pack 24L, Aer Flight Pack 3, TOM BIHN Synapse 25, and Topo Designs Daypack.
The so-called old-fashioned bags are actually the most appealing ones these days. Right from the materials and fabrics to colors and shapes, they are diversified. The bags are generally made of nylon, polyester, canvas, Dyneema fabric, leather, and sailcloth. Besides, it can be metal buckles, EVA foam, nylon webbing, and DWR coating.
If you want durability for carrying heavy stuff daily and versatility at the same time, traditional daypacks are perfect for you.
Packable
A packable day backpack is lightweight, innovative, super compressible, and for all purposes. It’s ideal for roaming around all day while you are on a trip. You can compress it and carry it as a ball, just like disposable plastic bags. There is no beefy zipper or thick shoulder strap in this kind of backpack. You can have it with you all time without bothering about space occupancy.
As a 10L-25L packable backpack is enough, choose anyone among Mystery Ranch In and Out, Tortuga Setout, Matador, and Freefly.
It’s the most useful item in serving the purpose it has been made for. Whether at work, traveling, car, or a lengthy outdoors, you always feel prepared for any situation with it. It’s as convenient for daily life as for long tours.
Expandable
An expandable daypack is good to use as a travel backpack for one-bag travel and long journeys. You won’t need other bags when you have this one. When you require much space for putting all your travel stuff, open it fully. As you compress it into a small daypack-like bag, carry the essential things for you at a time.
These packs have capacities of 35L-45L generally. As you remove stuff and compress it down, it’s only 10L-15L.
The bags are often made of high-quality and durable materials. The high-class fabric is ideal for compressing when needed. The materials used are the same as packable and traditional day packs. The only difference is the thickness of the material. These expandable packs are much thicker.
These are heavy backpacks. But if you want to prove yourself smart enough to carry an all-purpose bag, it’s for you.
Several leading brands offer expandable daypacks, including Aer Travel Pack 3, Tortuga Setout Divide, and Peak Design Travel.
Alternative Day Trip Backpacks
There are other types of day backpacks too. Let’s run through some of them, as you could just find the right one for your next trip.
- Waterproof
While many backpacks claim to be water resistant, it’s actually resistant to water. It’s made with a particular type of waterproof coating, zipper, and closure system. Matador Freerain24 2.0 is a reliable option.
- Mini
You must have seen not only these cute little day trip backpacks but also loved them. Mini daypacks are smaller versions of traditional backpacks. It’s stylish and occupies the least space. Fjallraven Kanken Mini can be your choice.
- Lay-Flat
You can lay this day pack flat at your travel backpack’s base. It’s a traditional backpack made with thinner materials. Those who don’t like packable backpacks and opt for the look can choose Aer Go Pack, a lay-flat daypack.
- Budget
These backpacks are cheaper as they have relatively low-quality materials like polyester, cotton, or canvas. You may keep it as an option and buy stylish ones like Uniqlo 3-Way Bag and Lefrik Handy Backpack.
- Camera
Evident from its name, this backpack is made ideally to protect cameras when you carry it on your trip. There is enough space to carry all the camera-related accessories. You can buy a Chrome Industries Niko F-Stop Camera Backpack or a Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L (V2).
- Secure
It’s a product of cool techs, like tear-proof fabrics, metal cables to lock the back, and lockable zippers. When you are out for a long journey, you can secure your things with a Loctote Flak Sack II. It’s a slash-proof and tough bag to protect your valuables.
Final Thoughts
Finally, the best daypack is the one that serves all your purposes at the end of the day. However, whatever brand or model you buy, there are certain tricks to make them work best. You should use packing cubes for more oversized items and pouches for small items to carry in backpacks. Always keep pointy objects in padded packing cubes and put them in the back of the bag. These hacks will maintain the bag’s durability and efficiency and ensure a happy journey for you.
