Day Packs
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Two hikers go head to head on the best carryall for a walk in the woods
In a lineup of touring packs, this boot bag and small daypack didn't make the cut, but they're still well worth your attention
These haulers can handle any winter mission
Technical bags for going the distance
Dialed and ready for big loads, these bags will help you keep the pace
At your waist, across your back鈥攚hat鈥檚 old is cool again
Logging miles in brutal conditions? Be sure and replace what you sweat out.
When it comes to bringing a personal item on a plane, I like to keep it simple. This is the bag I grab before every flight.
Everyone's quick to tell you all the reasons to go lighter. Allow me to explain why they're wrong.
The Everyday Sling from Peak Design can fit a full camera body and two lenses.
With waxed cotton fabric and no external pockets, these bags are a far cry from Osprey鈥檚 traditional fare
Women need packs that are just as capable as men鈥檚鈥攁nd they need them to fit right. Here are the best, most comfortable performers for all-around backpacking.
Besides your hiking boots, your daypack is your most-used piece of gear. These are our favorites.
Everything from a spare battery to a rainjacket
We tested the Squamish XL, which is full of tech-oriented features to keep your gear organized and safe while you travel
From insulated water bottles to portable toilet-paper rolls, here's what our staff never leaves home without
The special-edition pack is made of G-1000 HeavyDuty Eco fabric to celebrate the 65th birthday of Fj盲llr盲ven's first jacket
Hopefully after reading this, you'll never buy luggage without two shoulder straps again
A buffalo leather briefcase with all the necessary details.
Putting in big miles on dirt roads? This is the kit you need.
Stuff these in your pack and head out of the country with peace of mind
With ice-ax retention you can release with the pack on, gear loops for 鈥檅iners and belay devices, and an integrated crampon pocket, the Matrix is purpose-built for ski mountaineering. But you don鈥檛 have to rope up to appreciate how light, roomy, and useful the Matrix is.
Splash around this summer. With this gear, you鈥檒l be ready for serious summer fun whether you鈥檙e in it for fitness or just to get wet and cool down.
Think of your pack as a closet on your back. And just as there鈥檚 no right way to fold your clothes, there鈥檚 no single pack that鈥檚 suited to everyone. But allow us to offer some advice.
A titanium bike with swooping lines and parallel triangles for added flex and greater shock absorption.
Eddie Bauer First Ascent Alchemist 40L This shape-shifter might just replace every pack you own. Lashed down, the Alchemist is compact enough for one-day summit bagging. Unzip the top wedge and unfurl the hideaway lid, and it morphs into an entirely different beast鈥攁 roomy 55-liter hauler with plenty of space…
With Shimano XT parts (plus an XTR derailleur), Trek鈥檚 proprietary dual-chamber technology in both shocks, and adjustable geometry, this aluminum model is the best value.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the 5.10 Coyote Canvas climbing shoes.
Versatile outfits, shoes, and other gear made with world travelers in mind.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Salomon Quest 30 pack
Design and Technology Special: The world's most streamlined and innovative new gear, gadgets, tools and toys, including Nau's Motil Commuter.
Design and Technology Special: The world's most streamlined and innovative new gear, gadgets, tools and toys, including Kelty's Mockingbird rucksack.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Timbuk2 Candybar backpack.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Camelbak Aventura.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Osprey Hornet 32 pack.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Arc'teryx Aerios 14 pack.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Osprey Verve 13 backpack.
I'm looking for a backpack for traditional, one-day, multi-pitch climbing. Which is the best one? I'm inclined to the Marmot Ascent 40. AndreaSao Jose
I am looking for a solid pack that is large enough for a bivy, a 32- to 45-degree down sleeping bag, an inflatable pad, and food for a night stay. But I also want to minimalistic. There are so many choices. Any suggestions? What should I be looking for? William Oakland, CA
I'm going to Peru for a week-long hike to Machu Picchu. I think the tour guides carry the large gear (tents, food). What backpack should I get? My local store suggested an Osprey 40 but I really have no idea what to get. Help! Thanks.ChrisLouisville, KY
I need the perfect present for my boyfriend's birthday! He's a cyclocross racer, mountain biker, skier, rock climber, and camper, and loves all outdoor gear and tools. Any great ideas within the $150 range?? -Sara Las Vegas, NV
I need a cool, new commuter bag. What do you recommend? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Don’t let your daypack turn into a black hole. The compact Ray allows easy organization, thanks to dividers in the main compartment, deep exterior side pockets, and a separate pocket for your hydration system. It’s also light and secure enough for running. I ran the rigorous three-mile Jud Wiebe…
Heading out the gate? This low-profile and lightweight (three-pound) pack comfortably carries skis, avy gear, and a helmet. There’s also extra back protection and an insulated hydration-tube sleeve. mammutusa.com…
Good for Backcountry The Free Rider is not so much a backpack as an armored hydration pack, perfect for ducking in and out of the resort. The back panel is actually a protective foam-and-plastic plate—similar to those worn by motocross riders—that flexes with you while you ski…
Workhorse The 29-liter Mazama doesn’t have any whiz-bang features. Rather, words like “solid,” “sturdy,” and “intuitive” kept popping up on tester cards. Plush padding on the hipbelt and shoulder straps made it comfortable for long hauls, it’s reinforced in all the right places (including the waterresistant zippers), and multiple side…
TOUGH BUT LIGHT Purists will love the Needle: It's an alpine pack that's been stripped of everything but the essentials. What's left is a supremely tough sack capable of handling your most epic days, but still weighing less than three pounds. The trick is putting the weight where it counts.
MOVES WITH YOU Built with a light plastic frame and hipbelt system and an Allen-wrench-adjustable pivot point that attaches a separate shoulder harness to the pack, the BA1 offers independent hip and torso motion. Testers were skeptical at first: The BA1 seems like a lot of money for a lot…
Good for Backcountry If the devil is in the details, this daypack is an unrepentant sidecountry sinner. Whereas most packs have one or two really smart touches, the Spindrift has half a dozen: a bit of mesh at the bottom of the avy-tool pouch so snowmelt can…
Good for Backcountry Scrap—not Trash—would be more accurate: This 2,196-cubic-inch daypack is made out of leftover bits of sailcloth. It’s a cool story, but it also makes sense: The fabric is remarkably weatherproof and durable. The rest of this streamlined pack is equally clever. Aluminum stays lend…
KEEPS YOU COOL Admit it: Ever since you retired your fanny pack, you’ve missed being able to hike in the heat without soaking your T-shirt. With a curved suspension that lets air flow across your back, the Garmsal cools without compromising its carrying ability—or your cred. The crossed aluminum stays…
SPARTAN AND PACKABLE No suspension system, extraneous buckles, or even a sleeve for a hydration bladder. And that’s why we love the Cierzo: It’s perfect for those times when you’re not sure you’ll need a small daypack—be it a business trip to San Francisco or a river trip with the…
Old-School Cool A 1,950-cubic-inch daypack made out of merino wool? Yup. And it’s not a greenwashed gimmick, either. For starters, the merino wool here bears little resemblance to your favorite sweater; the yarn is worsted and given a ripstop treatment so it’s durable yet light. While the overall design is…
LIFESAVER Should you get caught in a slide, the AvaLung-equipped Anarchist can improve your odds of survival. The device鈥攚hich is built into this comfy 1,953-cubic-inch pack鈥攔edirects the poisonous carbon dioxide you exhale, delaying the formation of a suffocating “ice mask” around your face. It reportedly can keep avy victims alive…
BEST EVERYDAY PACK Consider the RPM a showcase pack from the less-is-more school of design. Climbers who loathe extraneous doodads will love the lean construction, but so will anyone looking for a simple, lightweight, do-anything hauler. On hikes and even long runs, the padded (but frameless) back panel and well-cushioned…
VERSATILITY CHAMP “Exactly what a daypack should be,” said one tester—and that’s the best way to describe the Laguna. With the ability to expand from 500 to 800 cubic inches, the Laguna’s just big enough to fit a shell, snacks, and a few extras. The airflow system’s mesh padding doesn’t…
Most Breathable Seems like 2,000 cubic inches is the magic number when it comes to versatility—just big enough to max out on a fast-and-light overnighter but not too big for a day hike. And size isn’t the only thing the top-loading Spectro AC gets right. It was the most breathable…
1. Thanks to the 690-cubic-inch Bandit’s low profile, we barely noticed it while riding lifts. And when we wanted to leave the gates or head out for a quick backcountry tour, this pack was the perfect size. 2. The Bandit’s sleek look belies its utilitarian nature. Inside, you’ve got…
MOST WATERPROOF When Moab's worst rainstorm in years coincided with our weekend plans, the Dryshield prevented a soggy retreat. In conditions that would have soused a lesser pack's contents, the 500-denier, polyurethane-coated packcloth kept our stuff bone dry. Its streamlined features鈥攖here's little more than mesh pockets and ax loops on…
This large daypack is adaptable, tough, and loadable both from the top and through a U-shaped front zipper. Expandable side pockets stow flip-flops, and two zippered, detach颅able pouches in the top com颅partment organize small stuff. The gel-padded harness system is cushy yet supportive. 3.5 lbs, 2,130 cu in; lafumausa.com…
Top Ultralight Lunch-hour hikes. Mountain-bike rides. Long trail runs. At 600 cubic inches, the Fluid 10 is just big enough to fit the essentials—shell, camera, lunch, etc.—without any wasted space. The light, ridged polypropylene frame颅sheet gives it some stability (and a bit of ventilation) without adding too much bulk or…
LIFT SERVANT One tester described this pack as “a wallet on your back with water.” The 275-cubic-inch Scorpion’s two-liter bladder kept testers hydrated both on quick tours before work and skiing all day at the resort. Lunch, a spare pair of goggles, and an extra layer fit in the main…
SPEED DEMON Can a running-oriented hydration pack double as a daypack? Yes, if it's designed as well as this one. During trail runs in the mountains above Santa Fe, the Riff's compression straps, foam back panel, and perfectly sculpted harness made for a stable, slosh-free ride. Yet on hikes the…