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Wouldn’t it be nice if there was just ONE daypack for (almost) all your needs:
- one you can use every day – to take to the office, the gym, the beach or on a day hike;
- one you can chuck into your carry-on (or check-in) luggage and use as a daypack to explore your destination;
- one small and light enough to keep in your handbag (to buy some groceries or library books on your way home) and
- one so tiny it fits into a drawer at home when not in use (instead of taking up space in your wardrobe, garage or attic)?
Well, there is. It’s called an ultralight, packable daypack, and our buying guide today helps you find the one that’s right for you.
What is an ultralight packable daypack, and why/when may you use one?
Traditional daypacks use more and thicker materials, which make them bulky and rigid. A packable daypack can be folded and stored in its little pouch, making it easy to keep in your handbag/travel pack, in your car or a drawer at home when not in use.
While bulk and rigidity are needed to keep a daypack’s shape (mainly when empty), they add (a lot of) weight. A good, versatile, packable daypack can weigh as little as a few hundred grams/a few ounces. It will be floppy when empty (that makes it packable). Still, the structure built into traditional backpacks comes as you fill a packable daypack with the things you need for the day (you need to be a bit more strategic rather than chucking everything in without thought).
As carry-on-only travellers, our Matador Freerain22 Daypack is our go-to backpack for city explorations, day hikes, and a day at the office (aka public library or co-working space). When grocery shopping, we carry heavier items in the daypack and lighter items in our multi-purpose bag. It’s healthier that way. When not in use, our daypack fits neatly into the side pocket of Paul’s travel pack.
And speaking of carry-on luggage, one of the reasons we chose an ultralight daypack is the ever-stricter carry-on weight limitations: in our case, every gram (or ounce) counts.
Carrying the Matador FreeRain24 2.0 (the predecessor of our current daypack) on a day out in Taupo
How do you choose the ultralight packable daypack that’s right for you?
If you’re looking for a super lightweight, packable all-rounder of a daypack, here is a list of things to look for. Be aware, though: you’ll have to make some trade-offs. What features are most important to you will depend on what you will use them for (the most).
Size/Capacity
We found that around 20 litres is ideal for many uses—too big, the daypack is too floppy (even with stuff inside) and too small, and you might struggle to fit everything you need. If you use it for work, ensure the packable daypack is broad and deep enough to fit your laptop (or, in our case, two).
Weight
If you (like us) travel with carry-on only and thus have to adhere to carry-on weight limitations, choose a daypack that is as lightweight as possible without compromising on all the other features that are important to you. As mentioned, a good, packable daypack can weigh 350 grams/12.35 ounces or less (we compared a whole bunch below).
Traditional daypacks are bulky and heavy | Photo by Adam HORNYAK on Unsplash
Durability
With ultralight packable daypacks, you would think there may be a trade-off between weight and durability. But thanks to highly advanced technical fabrics, that is not the case.
Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) nylon, especially of the CORDURA® UltraLite Fabric, Kodra, or Robic variety, has become the go-to material for super-light gear. Another fibre commonly used in (ultra)lightweight daypacks (and considered superior to Nylon across its qualities) is a thermoplastic known as ultra-high molecular weight polyethene (or UHMWPE), which is sold under brands like Dyneema or Spectra.
When buying an ultralight packable daypack, look for Ripstop. This fabric contains thicker threads (in the same or another durable fibre) weaved into the main fabric in a honeycomb, diamond, or square pattern. As the name suggests, Ripstop prevents any small tear or puncture from becoming a large hole.
Also, if you compare daypacks made of the same material, the D (or denier) tells you the weight of the material. For example, a 100D UTS Nylon is twice as heavy (and more durable) as a 50D UTS Nylon of the same type.
Ripstop gives an already durable fabric extra strength | Photo by Thomas LIPKE on Unsplash
Rain Protection
The last thing you want to worry about when you’re out and about is your gear getting wet in a sudden downpour. Thus, an important criterion when choosing an ultralight packable daypack is some form of rain protection. The daypack doesn’t need to be fully waterproof in the submersible sense of the word, but you’d want your daypack to have sealed seams and sealing zippers (or at least zippers that are covered with a fabric flap so that water can just run over it and off the daypack).
If you intend to use the daypack when you’re out on the water, and there is a chance of the pack ending up in the water, true waterproof daypacks should provide protection. However, if you intend to bring valuable equipment that would be destroyed if it got wet, we recommend keeping your gear in a dry sack inside your daypack, just in case.
Even if your daypack is waterproof use extra protection for valuable gear | Photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash
Comfort
Many ultralight daypacks have no padding in the shoulder straps – a trade-off between weight/bulk and comfort. As with any daypack, though, wide shoulder straps are more comfortable than narrow ones (especially if they keep their shape while worn and don’t roll up). So, check out the width and rigidity of the shoulder straps in the daypack/s you have in mind. And if one comes with some padding, it’s even better.
Likewise, for certain types of outdoor activities (for example, hiking, mountain biking, or skiing) or if you carry a bit of weight in your daypack for a longer distance, a sternum strap (and, if available, a waist strap) might be more comfortable as they keep the daypack close to your body. Adjustable load straps also make daypacks more comfortable to carry.
Wide shoulder and adjustable load straps make carrying a daypack more comfortable | Image courtesy of Matador
Organisation
More organisation usually means more weight/bulk – another trade-off.
Ultralight daypacks usually have one large main compartment and a smaller internal or external (zippered) compartment – the latter sometimes doubling as a pouch to store the daypack in when not in use (which we prefer to a separate pouch, as that’s easily lost or can get in the way if it is attached to the daypack).
An absolute MUST for an ultralight packable daypack, though (at least in our opinion), is that it is easily accessible and has elastic water bottle pockets (on both sides). You may only use one water bottle, but you can always use the other pocket to balance the pack with an umbrella, tripod, sunscreen, sunglasses, first aid kit, snacks, etc.
Want to know what we pack as full-time location-independent travellers?
We research and document every item we carry as full-time travellers in all four seasons - whether on backcountry hikes across Socotra, during winter adventures in Hokkaido or National Park explorations in tropical Costa Rica. Our packing lists are based on 9  years of living on the road. Pick from it what applies to you (and ignore what doesn't). And if you've got some useful tips of your own, please let us know. We're always keen to learn new tricks.
Easily accessible water bottle pockets are a MUST for a good daypack
Sustainability
Last but not least, it’s essential to ensure the manufacturing of your daypack doesn’t negatively impact the environment or the people who made it (or at least as little as possible).
The nature of durable (ultra)lightweight daypacks (any luggage of that kind) is that their manufacturing requires petrochemicals. To reduce the amount of (virgin) petroleum used in the manufacturing process (and thus the carbon footprint of the gear you buy), look for daypacks that use recycled materials and/or are being repaired by the manufacturer to extend their life.
For daypacks made from virgin materials, check if they are bluesign-approved, which means they meet strict ecological and toxicological requirements. Likewise, the manufacturing process should adhere to the bluesign® Restricted Substances List, which advises businesses on any limits that may be (un)safe for consumers.
Look for brands that use perfluorochemical(PFC)-free methods to achieve durable water repellency (DWR). And, as a bare minimum, check the sustainability credentials of the brand you buy from.
Always check the sustainability credentials of the gear you buy | Photo by Anncapictures on Pixabay
What are the common weak points in ultralight packable daypacks?
Over the eight years of our location-independent life, we have used four different ultralight packable daypacks:
- First, we had a packable daypack from Tortuga Backpacks. After a few months of use, the seams started to come apart. I kept it alive by stitching up the seams (over and over). But after a year, the fabric began to fray along the seams, and we had to replace it.
- Our next ultralight packable daypack was the Matador Daylite 16 (the predecessor to the Matador Freefly 16 included in our comparison below). The Daylite16 lasted 1 1/2 years. Its demise was the zipper to the main compartment. I was able to salvage the daypack by replacing the zipper. When mentioning the zipper issue to Matador, they offered us a discount on a replacement model (we were just past the one-year warranty the Matador Daylite16 came with).
- As we were after a little more volume, we gave the repaired Daylite16 to my brother and bought our third model – the Matador Freerain24 2.0 (the predecessor to the Matador Freerain22 included in our comparison). Its weak point (after more than four years of use) was the water bottle pockets. The stretchy mesh became like Swiss cheese, and the holes eventually became irreparable.
- We have seen how Matador backpacks have improved over the years, so we were happy to stick with the Matador brand and are now using the Matador Freerain22.
As you can see, the (main) fabric these ultralight packable daypacks are made of is super strong. However, as any luggage is only as good as its weakest point, make sure the daypack you choose comes with quality zippers (for example, YKK, Riri, Lampo, Talon or SBS), reinforced seams and sturdy (but flexible) side pockets.
Quality zippers and reinforced seams are as important to daypacks as they are to tents | Photo by Mel ELIAS on Unsplash
How do ultralight packable daypacks compare?
For our comparison (in alphabetical order), we have considered ultralight packable daypacks that
- weigh less than 350 grams / 12.35 ounces;
- come with dual water bottle pockets and
- have some rain protection.
Price-wise, these daypacks range from USD 60 to USD 100.
Click on the name of the model/s you are interested in to reveal more detail – including what we like and things to be aware of:
Do you own an ultralight packable daypack?
Which model did you choose and why? And if you’re still looking, what question have I NOT answered in my article today?
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