I saw two Herschel day bags on the subway today. One sat on the lap of a lady wearing black loafers, a button-down blouse and work pants. Her Navy Herschel initially stood out to me as an odd choice; then again, a day bag is the jack of all trades of travel bags, even if the excursion doesn’t extend beyond three subway stops and into a WeWork. The second brown Herschel pack of the day was carried by a burly man in traveling pants and hiking boots; this is more like it, I thought. He was probably going somewhere upstate for a hike, and the backpack probably had a pair of shoes, some clothes, gear, and a water bottle in it. That’s where travel daypacks excel – packing the essentials needed on an out-of-town jaunt.
Whatever your travel needs, day packs are always a good choice because they can meet all the following needs: Commuting to the office, daily runs, a day trip away from the center or a weekend flight to your cousin, whatever… the list is endless. Below, we’ve selected the 10 best daypacks for travel that will let you enjoy the world around you, while keeping things close at hand, whatever they are and wherever they go.
BEST AFFORDABLE DAY PACK packable
Herschel
Day pack
CAPACITy |
24.5 |
dimension |
17.75″H x 12.25″W x 5″D |
Cloth |
Ripstop |
THE MOST CLASSIC packable DAYPACK
LLBean
Ultralight day pack with stowaway
CAPACITy |
13L |
dimension |
18″H x 8.5″W x 7″D |
Cloth |
Recycled polyester |
Weight |
0.8 LB |
SMALLEST DAY PACK
Osprey
Daylite Daypack
CAPACITy |
13L |
Dimensions |
10″L x 17″H x 8″D |
Cloth |
Recycled polyester |
Weight |
1 LB |
THE BEST PANEL OF THE DAY FOR WRITING
The North Face
Mountain day pack – S
CAPACITy |
18 liters |
dimension |
11”W x 6”D x 15”H |
Cloth |
Recycled nylon |
Weight |
1 LB |
THE MOST SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL DAY PACK
Patagonia
Refugio 26L Day Pack
CAPACITy |
26 L |
dimension |
18″H x 12″W x 6.5″D |
Cloth |
Recycled polyester, recycled nylon and spandex |
Weight |
1.6 LB |
MORE TEMPORARY DAY PACK packable
Bellroy
Little Day Pack
CAPACITy |
20L |
dimension |
350G or 0.8L |
Cloth |
Diamond ripstop fabric |
Weight |
19″H x 10.6″W x 7″D |
The most functional DAYPACK trip
Topo Designs
Daypack Tech
CAPACITy |
21 liters |
dimension |
11″L x 19″H x 5″D |
Cloth |
Recycled nylon |
Weight |
0.5 LB |
DO IT ALL DAY PACKAGE
EAR
Day Pack 2
CAPACITy |
14.8 liters |
dimension |
5.5″D x 12″W x 19″H |
Cloth |
840D ballistic nylon |
Weight |
2.9 LB |
PACKAGE OF THE DAY MAKES ME COLD
Carhartt
Cargo Series 25L Daypack + 3 Can Cooler
CAPACITy |
25 |
dimension |
12″W x 20.25″H x 9″D |
Cloth |
500D Cordura ripstop nylon |
BEST BIG DAY PACKAGE
troubadour
Aero backpack
CAPACITy |
34 |
dimension |
13″L x 20″H x 8″D |
Cloth |
Recycled polyester |
Weight |
2.75 LB |
You see a backpack, so you take it everywhere you go. This is how backpacks work. Daypacks are simply bigger, stronger and tougher to tough it out. A travel daypack and a hiking daypack often have enough space and smarter interior organization for a variety of outdoor gear such as shoes, gear, clothes, and something to eat or drink.
And then there’s a daypack that can be folded back on itself to store in your luggage during your trip. It’s considered the backup and extra bag you’ll need when your primary carry-on option is too big or heavy. As such, packed day packs are often lightweight and flexible.
What to look for in Daypacks
- CAPACITy: If you’re up for a day trip, don’t stray too far from the 20L to 25L day packs; A day pack under 20 liters will also suffice. If for a longer outing, shoot for the largest and most roomy daypacks possible really pack. Most of the time, greater capacity means greater dimension and greater weight, but fabric and material also play a role.
- material: If a backpack is built for travel, chances are it already comes in durable fabrics that can withstand the twists and turns of nature. Polyester is the usual, basic that is not too weak. Going from there, you have ripstop which is rip and tear resistant, or nylon which is water resistant. There are also ballistic nylon or Cordura that are weather resistant. Therefore, most daypacks are fairly impervious to accidental damage.
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Maverick Lee
Maverick Li is Assistant E-Commerce Editor at Esquire, where he covers tech, home and all things lifestyle.