Daypack reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 290 Reddit reviews across 21 subreddits and 94 posts to rank the best Daypack brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/onebag, r/ManyBaggers, r/hikinggear, r/backpacks, r/hiking. Top-rated brands include Osprey (4.6/5), Matador (4.6/5), Mystery Ranch (4.3/5).
Stats
Reviews290
Subreddits21
Posts94
Brands33
Products89
290 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Osprey
4.6
(93)
"Osprey Daylite Plus is a solid pick. Lightweight, comfy, and fits perfectly under the seat."
"I stuck with the daylite 13l. It has been awesome for hikes."
"Get an Osprey Daylite 13 or Daylite Plus 20."
"Get an Osprey Daylite 13 or Daylite Plus 20."
"Osprey Daylite or Daylite plus. All the best features of a backpacking pack in a lightweight 20L size."
"Ospreys are great"
"I like the Osprey Daylite Plus"
"I use an Osprey Tempest 20L for uni and hiking with my camera and it’s excellent."
"It is a great bag (but I’m partial to osprey)."
"Osprey all the way. I used mine for about 8 years of field work and still continue to use it very effectively today."
#2
Matador
4.6
(30)
"The Refraction excels on both."
"2nd on the Refraction. Fantastic little bag."
"The Matador Refraction is my favorite packable."
"I’ve since moved on and now only use the Matador Beast 28L both for travel daypack and for local hiking."
"You absolutely need to check out the Matador Refraction."
"I own both the Matador Beast 18 and 28. Find them both very comfortable."
"I use the Matador Refraction and love it, even though it’s unstructured."
"I’m a big fan of Matador. I carry the FreeRain as my packable daypack."
"Matador is the best."
"Best IMHO packable Matador Refraction Packable Backpack."
#3
Mystery Ranch
4.3
(20)
"Mystery Ranch Scree. Adjustable yoke for torso length."
"If durability and sizing are paramount, look at Mystery Ranch packs."
"I have a 19L Mystery Ranch day pack and I love it."
"I'm really enjoying my mystery ranch in and out 19."
"I Love my Mystery Ranch Galligator — It indeed packs completely flat and works very well as a small day pack."
"What you are looking for is called the 'In and Out' by Mystery Ranch."
"Mystery Ranch or Stone Glacier packs is the answer."
"I use the mystery ranch in and out 19. It’s packable but might be bigger than other packable daypacks."
"Mystery Ranch In and Out."
"A Mystery Ranch Scree is 32L and can carry quite a bit."
#4
Aer
4.4
(18)
"Aer Go Pack 2 gets a lot of love from people who have the same problems you do."
"Aer City Pack Pro is 24L and I've enjoyed!"
"Aer Go Pack 2. Great as a backpack on its own, packs flat inside your Farpoint."
"The Aer go pack 2 is perfect for this."
"Love my Go Pack 2. It worked well on my Japan trip which had mixed weather."
"I end up buying an Aer daypack which I love"
"Aer Go Pack 2."
"Aer Go Pack 2?"
"Aer Go Pack."
"Aer Go Pack 2"
#5
REI
4.3
(18)
"Plus one - i have the flash 22 and love it!"
"REI flash 22 was perfect! It has loops on the side that you can use to run the farpoint hooks through to attach it securely."
"Check out the REI Trail 40. I used it last summer for a 9 day hut to hut."
"Rei flash 22 its minimal enough you can pack it into the farpoint when not in use, but also capable for a 3 day trek."
"Three other options to consider. REI Flash, Gregory Nano, Camelback Rim Runner."
"The REI Flash 18 is a nice pack."
"REI Flash 22 isn't "packable" , but it fits flat in my bag and doesn't take up much space."
"REI Trail 25 or 40."
"Compare to the REI Trail 25 at 18”x13”x8” or the Osprey Daylite Tote Pack."
"It's the perfect size for packing all the necessities."
#6
Tom Bihn
4.5
(11)
"Tom Bihn Synapse 25! While the Synik 30 can squeeze by, especially in halcyon or Xpac fabric where it’s lighter and more collapsible than the ballistic version, I find it a bit unwieldy for EDC/exploring, whereas the Synapse is perfect!"
"Tom Bihn Daylight in Halcyon"
"Tom Bihn Daylight. I use one and it can fit a laptop in sleeve in pinch."
"I like the Tom Bihn daylight pack"
"I second the Tom Bihn Daylight."
"Check out the Tom Bihn Daylight Backpack in Halcyon. It’s very compact and folds right up"
"I love the Daylight by Osprey but it miss a pocket with a zip on the inside, in my own opinion."
"I’d go with a lighter bag honestly."
"TB Synik 22 has been my go-to in this same scenario. Personal item and EDC on the road."
"Any Tom Bihn would suit you perfectly."
#7
Deuter
4.3
(11)
"I love my Deuter 28L daypack."
"I just did two weeks in Japan with a Deuter Speedlite 17 as my day bag - very lightweight and could be packed flat inside my main bag."
"Go for the Daylite Plus, not regular Daylite."
"Deuter Speedlite 17"
"I have a 28L Deuter daypack."
"The Deuter Speed Lite series and Osprey Daylite series come to mind there."
"Daylite plus or maybe deuter speedlite 21?"
"Daylite plus or maybe deuter speedlite 21?"
"Deuter Speed Lite came in black in 2021 and is still available on some websites."
"I used to bring a Deuter Speed lite with me as a day pack (great light packs)."
#8
Gregory
4.5
(10)
"Gregory makes great packs and they have a bunch that are made to fit bigger people."
"Gregory, Osprey, and REI are pretty great brands."
"I suggest checking out Gregory packs, they’re insanely comfortable and have good ergonomics imo."
"Ended up with a Gregory as the back mesh system was significantly cooler for me."
"My wife is 5’1” and loves her Gregory Juno H2O. Bonus, the Gregory water bladder is top-rated."
"I’ve got an Osprey and a Gregory and I love my Gregory."
"Gregory has a product line for larger sizes - might be worth looking into."
"I used to have the Gregory and I liked it."
"Gregory has bags that are specially made for plus size folks."
"I’m 5’4” and only wear Gregory packs. I tried an Osprey last year because I heard great things about how well designed they are for women. I hated the gear loops and couldn’t reach the hip pockets."
#9
Evergoods
4.6
(9)
"They've never felt uncomfortable to me."
"I just got an Evergoods MPL22 and it's pretty nice."
"It’s my favourite purchase this year."
"Especially when hauling kids stuff."
"Has fit the bill for me."
"Evergoods CTB26"
"Just picked up the Evergoods CTB26 for exactly this."
"The chz is a big ol’ dump bag that seems to support heavier loads."
"I'm really liking my Evergoods CTB26."
#10
Decathlon
4.2
(9)
"The 10L bags they have are lovely. Also they’re only about $10 or so maximum."
"I really rate their packable bags."
"Bought a 30L pack from Decathlon and it's absolutely incredible for only €20,-"
"I have the 15l packable tote from Decathlon and it is pretty good as well."
"I bought 10L backpack from Decathlon (Arpenaz 10L). It is light and packs really well."
"Decathlon do a 20l which is a knockoff of osprey. range of colours, 2 sizes (</>170cm) and half the price of the osprey for pretty much the same pack."
"My wife and I have been using two simple and cheap Decathlon 10L backpacks."
"Get a cheap 5-10l that rolls up from decathalon."
"A budget priced one to consider is the Decathlon Quechua NH500 Escape Rolltop 23L, however it is out of stock in the USA at the moment."
#11
Eddie Bauer
4.3
(7)
"I have the Eddie Bauer stowaway 20L & 30L and I absolutely love it."
"Excels at function and comfort for a packable day pack."
"Eddie Bauer"
"I love the Eddie Bauer."
"I travel often and in many climates and I use the Eddie Bauer daily at home and it is a reliable all purpose bag."
"The often on sale Eddie Bauer Stowaway is the way to go."
"Eddie Bauer Stowaway."
#12
Fjallraven
4.3
(7)
"The Fjallraven High Coast Tote Pack would work for your use case."
"I have been living the Fjallraven Skule 28, and for me, it's as close as I've come to finding my holy grail."
"Maybe a fjallraven kanken? I love mine!"
"My go to package day pack is the fjallraven high coat tote."
"I like my Kanken, got the more padded sleeves and a chest strap too to make it tolerable for a whole day."
"Fjallraven High Coast Foldsack 24 flattens out quite well and can be rolled up and is comfortable to wear throughout the day."
"I have the fjallraven high coast tote pack."
#13
Black Diamond
4.4
(5)
"Black Diamond Bullet 16!!! The reverse traingle of this pack somehow enables it to fit everything, even a Volkswagon Beetle filled with clowns!"
"I have this pack, it's great that it has a full sized hip belt with small pouches."
"I was happily surprised that all my things fit."
"Steep & Cheep has the BD Distance 15 on sale for 40-45% off"
"Black Diamond Distance 15 or 22."
#14
ULA
4.5
(4)
"Carry on bag: ULA Camino."
"I think the best option is the pricy ULA Camino."
"ULA dragonfly"
"Have you looked into the ULA Dragonfly? It meets most of your needs."
#15
Cotopaxi
4.5
(4)
"Cotopaxi Allpa 35L about 2/3 packed."
"I’ve been traveling with a Cotopaxi Batac 16 as my packed day bag for several years now."
"Cotopaxi Allpa 35L about 2/3 packed."
"I am eyeballing a Cotopaxi Batac 16."
#16
Hill People Gear
4.3
(3)
"The Tara is my favourite as I love the low profile and ease of access."
"Hill People Gear Tarahumara might fit the bill."
"I use the Tarahumara every day. For me personally I have found it a bit small for perfection."
#17
Eberlestock
4.3
(3)
"Eberlestock Bandit comes to mind as a fantastic day pack."
"My dad pack for trips and hiking is the Eberlestock Bandit. Slim, expandable water bottle holders, and very comfy."
"Eberlestock does a small backpack called the Bandit, perfect size for a daypack."
#18
Greenroom136
4.3
(3)
"Ultimately decided on the Northseeker because of value for money."
"Ultimately decided on the Northseeker because of value for money."
"Greenroom136: Northseeker20, or 25."
#19
REI Co-op
4.3
(3)
"I like the REI flash 22 a lot. What I like about is that I can pack it into other bigger bags also and takes very little space."
"I’d get something lighter. The REI flash 22 or something? For a day pack you really don’t need so much padding."
"Rei ruckpack 18 only has 1 water bottle pocket that can fit a nalgene but its a very good pack."
#20
The North Face
4.3
(3)
"I exchanged it for a North Face Recon pack, which I still use to this day."
"My NF Borealis sounds right up your street. Have used it on many hikes and also use it daily to college/school/work/gym."
"The Borealus 19.5 x 12 x 6.5”"
#21
Bellroy
4.0
(3)
"I use a bellroy lite daypack as my packable."
"The new Bellroy Venture Ready 26L pack has been getting great reviews so far for this purpose."
"I use a Bellroy Lite Daypack."
#22
Jansport
4.0
(3)
"The jansport venture. Right at $200, for a 40L pack and a 20L daypack."
"Literally any Jansport will work."
"Jansport."
#23
GoRuck
5.0
(2)
"I formally used a GoRuck Bullet 15L as my personal carry on and as my daypack when traveling overseas."
"Xpac bullet 15l is the GOAT travel daypack."
#24
Shape Charge
4.0
(2)
"I like my shape charge."
"I will recommend the shape charge."
#25
Stone Glacier
5.0
(1)
"Big fan of Stone Glacier after switching from mystery ranch. Feel like the SG holds weight more comfortably."
#26
Maxpedition
5.0
(1)
"Maxpedition. The quality is second to none. Mine is 15 years old, still looks new."
#27
Ultimate Direction
5.0
(1)
"I have one of these and highly recommend it, they work well for day hikes and even super UL overnights."
#28
Berghaus
5.0
(1)
"Berghaus Munro! Mines 30+years old and still my everyday bag. It's not the lightest but it's indestructible!"
#29
Mountain Hardwear
5.0
(1)
"Just got the mountain hardwear field day 28 and love it."
#30
LL Bean
5.0
(1)
"On my second one and it’s easily the best mix of volume and compactness."
#31
Alpaka
5.0
(1)
"I like the Alpaka Metro Backpack. 12L. $95. Spec’d to fit a 13” Macbook, my 11” iPad Air with magic keyboard fits with room to spare so it should do OK with the 13%."
#32
Patagonia
4.0
(1)
"Patagonia Refugio 26L and possibly 30L ticks all your specifics and budget :)"
#33
Mountain
4.0
(1)
"I have the mountain cross bag and I really like it. I use it for 11 inch iPad Pro but it says it will fit 13 inch. I find it pretty spacious."
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