The Best Daypacks of 2025

The REI Co-op Flash 22 ($60) weighs just 14 ounces and has a drawcord top closure, detachable sternum and hip straps, a hydration reservoir compartment, and two side pockets. It’s made with recycled materials and ripstop nylon, and at a budget price of $60, it easily lands as our top budget daypack.

The Flash 22 offers great quality for the price and during testing, we found it to be a great “town-to-trail” option. There’s no bulky padding or internal frame, which helps keep the weight down and makes it a fairly packable option. This is an excellent pack to ball up and toss into a larger pack or luggage for quick forays out from a base camp. The back panel pad can even be removed and used as a sit pad while eating lunch on a long hike.

Newly updated, the Flash 22 is now made with recycled Bluesign-approved nylon, and we greatly appreciate that REI is on top of continual updates to make this pack even better. At 22 L, it isn’t the largest daypack, and we noticed a need for careful packing in order to avoid an uncomfortable carry. But for the price, it’s hard to beat for a budget pick. 

If you’re looking for something even lighter and more slimmed down, the Cotopaxi Luzon 18L Del Dia Pack is another great choice at the same price point, though it lacks the side pockets and waistband of the Flash 22. Stuffed away for quick deployment, the Flash 22 makes an excellent day pack for side trips on longer backpacking or travel trips.

Read Review: Patagonia Refugio Daypack 30L Review: The Perfect Pack for Outdoorsy Professionals

The Patagonia Refugio 26L Pack ($109) is a great choice for commuters, travelers, and students alike. The large, 26L capacity is sure to fit plenty of your daily essentials. One of the largest packs in our lineup, it doesn’t feel like too much when loaded up, and its padded shoulder pads keep you comfortable on the go. 

A removable laptop sleeve is a definite perk of this moderately priced daypack. It can fit up to a 15” laptop, and has a mesh zippered pocket on the front for pens, flashdrives, or other accessories. It can even be used by itself if you find yourself carrying your laptop around by hand. If you want to swap the laptop for a water bladder, a hydration hanger is there and ready for your next hike. A big front pocket, water bottle holders, compression straps, and a bike light clipping point are other nice features of the Refugio. 

Unlike the Cotopaxi Luzon 18L Del Dia, another commuter pack in our lineup, the Refugio 26L has more features and overall structure, making it a more comfortable carrying choice for all your necessities on your way to school or the office. The REI Co-op Trail 25 is more like the hiking version of this pack, while the Refugio 26L is made more for the urbanite, though it can definitely be used on day hikes in the great outdoors as well. 

We found ourselves wishing there was a smaller pocket on the front of the bag, as our small items would get lost in the abyss of the large front pocket. We also noticed that the mesh water bottle holders are quite thin, thus being hot spots for abrasion over time. Overall, this is a quality pack backed by the sustainable practices of Patagonia, and great for school, work, and general daily life.

Most waterproof daypacks are fairly simple: slap a few shoulder straps onto a drybag, and off you go. The Osprey Downburst 36 ($320) bucks the trend and goes all-in on making a pack that is both rainproof and comfortable to carry.

The rolltop design is mated up to Osprey’s classic AirSpeed suspension, a suspended trampoline design that we’ve come to trust. This frame places the load a few inches away from the back (unlike the AirScape frames on other Osprey packs like the Tempest and Talon) and provides a flexible and breathable platform to support the load. The same frame system is used in Osprey’s backpacking packs, and it excels in this daypack.

Average testing wasn’t going to be enough for this daypack, so we got it into the hands of a trail crew leader in Washington State, who used it through a soggy winter of cutting trail. The feedback? It cuts the mustard. Loaded up with radios and tools, the Downburst kept our kit dry through the worst of it.

The main pack fabric is burly 210D 100% recycled nylon coated with TPU, then RF-welded together to ensure it’s IPX-5 water-resistant. We’ll note that Osprey uses the word waterproof frequently when describing this pack, but our dunk-testing proved that not to be the case. The IPX-5 rating means that it’s protected from low-pressure water streams at any angle, but full-submersion will see some moisture leak in.

Even still, we find the balance of water resistance to comfort right on the money in the Downburst. The downside here is the price. $320 is far and away the priciest daypack in our lineup. The $90 Exped Typhoon 15 is another drybag with straps that we’ve had good luck with, and while it leans further into the less-supportive camp, its a solid option to consider if price is an issue.

But if you need waterproofing and load-carrying ability, the Downburst’s price tag is worth it.

The Black Diamond Pursuit 15 ($150) is a new model in Black Diamond’s lightweight mountain pack lineup. While the popular Distance 15 is lighter weight and built more for runners and mountaineers who are super weight-conscious, the Pursuit 15 is a bit heavier with more features making it a better choice for general lightweight mountain scrambling, summit tagging, and mountain trail running. 

The most welcome new design feature is the BD Continuous Fit Harness, which has a seamless wing construction for comfort on the move. These wings are wonderfully soft and stretchy, and also feature large, wraparound mesh pockets that are perfect for snacks or other items you might want to have easy access to. These wings keep the pack snug against your body as you move, making it comfortable as you go from hiking uphill to breaking into a run on the downhill.

A large, mesh front pocket is helpful for stashing a wind layer, sunscreen, and snacks, while a zip pocket on the front chest strap can fit a smaller phone, and additional mesh pouches are great for gels and bars or small hydration bladders. 

Something that sets it apart from the lighter Distance 15 is the lack of an ice axe loop on the front of the pack, as found on the Deuter Speed Lite 25 and Osprey Tempest Pro 18. For a technical mountain pack, this is an important feature depending on the terrain you find yourself in, and is something to consider when purchasing the Pursuit 15.

Overall, if you can look past the lack of tool attachments, this is a fantastic, comfortable pack for fast pursuits in the mountains.

The Tempest has occupied our Best Women’s Daypack slot for many seasons — and for good reason — but when Osprey rolled out the Tempest Pro ($200), it juiced up an already great pack into an excellent one. But makes the Tempest Pro, Pro?

For one, it utilizes a very tech material: Osprey’s Nanofly fabric, which is a blend of UHMPWE and nylon that boasts a very high tear resistance and very low weight. Compared to the original Tempest, the new fabric feels slick and airy, and the overall pack has shed a handful of ounces.

Additionally, the frame (which was already class-leading for a daypack) is now even better. The new injection-molded AirScape back panel looks like it belongs on Osprey’s larger packs. As one of our hikers reported, “This pack feels like a full-sized backpacking pack, just shrunken down.” The Gregory Miko & Maya 20 Pack is another choice that also feels this way, and comes in a men’s and women’s version to boot.

Daypacks typically suffer from sweat issues due to simple frames (or sometimes no frame at all), but this pack isn’t among them. The BioStretch hip belt (seamless fabric) and wrapping harness add ample adjustability. There’s also an adjustable sternum strap to fit different size chests. Passed by a number of our female testers, each was able to dial in a good fit — not something they could do with every pack on this list.

On top of the perks of a women’s fit, testers also really like this pack’s stretch mesh pocket on the shoulder strap and good-size hip belt pockets. Trekking pole and bike helmet attachment points (plus other loops and pockets for stashing a variety of gear), as well as an external hydration bladder compartment (works with a 2 L bladder), round out this pack and make it a fantastic do-it-all option.

You will pay for the feature-richness, as the Tempest Pro 20 L was among the most expensive daypacks in our testing. As of 2025, the Tempest Pro also comes in 30L and 40L versions.

The Deuter Speed Lite Pro 25 Daypack ($130) looks fast. But it’s not all just for looks, and this ‘speed hiking’ pack is both light on your back and hangs on tight when the trail gets bumpy. 

An excellent higher-volume alternative to the Black Diamond Pursuit 15, this bag takes cues from the trail running scene and saddles up with a vest-style strap system, an option we’re coming to prefer in our smaller-volume packs. The multi-use pockets they sport make grabbing essentials quicker than ever.

These straps are buddied up with a ‘LiteAir’ back panel, which really differentiates the ‘Pro’ version from the other Speed Lite packs. Instead of relying on a Derlin hoop frame, an engineered foam panel does the heavy lifting, and it’s quite flexible (we can bend the whole thing in half).

All this means that the pack moves with you, rather than trying to carry heavier loads than it should. We found the carry on the Speed Lite Pro 25 to be right on the money, even fully loaded and being bounced around on trail runs. If tucking your kit into the Pursuit 15 is too tight, this bag offers extra space.

The different accessory options on this pack are equally meant for speed, with a quick-stow option for your trekking poles that are great for wrangling your sticks to negotiate a tricky section of trail. We’d love to have seen some type of removable hip belt on a pack this slimmed down, but the existing belt isn’t overbearing.

For technical trails or picking up the pace, we think the Speed Lite Pro 25 is a great option.

The newly released Gregory Kiro 24 ($110) is a savvy daypack that shines in a particular way: through the hip belt. This stretchy ‘CloudControl’ band is reminiscent of the trendy and pliable belts offered by brands like Arcade Belts, and while most hip belts are all about control, the Kiro opts instead to move with you.

Daypacks typically aren’t very stylish, but we dare to say this pack is. At 24 L, it’s just about the perfect size for kicking around the city or taking on day hikes, and the clean look extends from that stretchy hip belt. The pack panels are broad and uncluttered with extra accessories, and even the trekking pole cordage tucks away for a polished look.

Inside the pack is equally low-key, with a simple hydration bladder sleeve and Gregory SpeedClip hydration hanger, which makes running a Gregory Hydro reservoir easier. Thankfully the Kiro doesn’t lock you into only using their bladder systems, and also includes a webbing loop for other water bags.

At 24 L and lacking a solid frame, the Kiro isn’t much of a load hauler, but with our average day hike kit, it doesn’t need to be. The perforated foam back panel is comfortable enough and, coupled with the breathable shoulder straps, meant the pack didn’t build up sweat as we hiked around in it this spring and summer. We did wish for a second water bottle pocket on the side, however.

The Patagonia Refugio has a similar city-savvy look, but we think the Kiro looks just a bit better, even. That said, the Refugio is a better commuter, so be sure to weigh where you’re headed before deciding between the two.

Affordable, comfortable, with plenty of pockets and some nice design features, the REI Co-op Trail 25 ($100) is a great runner-up pack to our top budget pick. We’ve found that 25 L is the sweet spot for a daypack, being just enough room for some snacks and layers, plenty of water, sunscreen, bug spray, a book, and any other accessories you might need for the day.

This size also ensures that you won’t pack your bag too heavy, keeping it light for your day hikes or bike rides around town. Many daypacks tend to go overboard with volume without also bulking out their suspension systems. Not so with this pack, which combines an HPDE frame sheet with nicely-padded shoulder straps.

One of the metrics we measure a daypack by is how easy it is to quickly grab things out of it. The stretchy mesh pockets on the sides make it easy to carry a 32-ounce Nalgene bottle for frequent sipping. There is a compartment in the back of the pack that will fit a 3L hydration bladder as well, and an interior and exterior zip pocket keeps your smaller accessories organized.

One issue we found, however, is that since both of the smaller pockets are located at the top of the front flap of the main compartment, they can get heavy and make the pack awkward to open and close. This isn’t as much of an issue, however, if the main compartment itself is full enough. The hip belt, on the other hand, we won’t make as much exception for, as webbing on a 25L pack isn’t very comfortable in the long run.

With some of the plushest back padding and straps in our review, an included rain cover, and straps to stash trekking poles, the Trail 25 is a great choice for any avid day hiker. If you’re looking for something a little lighter that doesn’t sacrifice features and support, the Salomon Trailblazer 20 is another great choice, and the Matador Freerain22 is an even lighter, packable bag great for adventures or everyday use.

Read Review: Cotopaxi ‘Luzon’ Custom Daypack

This simple and durable no-frills pack is one of our favorites factoring in comfort, price, and style. The Cotopaxi Luzon 18L Del Dia Pack ($60) is comfortable to wear when commuting by walking and biking, and it also works as a great travel pack with one main compartment (no loose pockets or sleeves). Cotopaxi makes the pack with a ripstop nylon shell fabric, a top-loading drawstring compartment, an adjustable sternum strap, and mesh shoulder straps.

On top of all the physical features, each Luzon pack is 100% unique, as they’re made from cuts of repurposed fabric. We like that the pack is on the more slender side but doesn’t get too chunky when carrying a variety of items, which makes it ideal for bopping around the city on the way to work.

The REI Co-op Flash 22 is another lightweight, simple pack that has a few more features, but doesn’t do as good of a job looking like it can fit in in the city, too as the Luzon 18L. This pack is actually fairly similar to the initial iterations of the Flash pack (when it was more stripped-down), and if you want something totally foolproof to cordon off your kit while traveling, this pack will do well. If you’re looking for a daily driver with a bit more space, however, the Patagonia Refugio would be our top choice.

In addition to this pack, Cotopaxi uses its scrap fabric to make other gear items (like its Teca Half-Zip windbreaker). While using repurposed fabrics earns the Luzon 18L Del Dia top marks for sustainability, some purchasers online have noted that the fabric colors they received didn’t quite match what they expected. For most, however, we find that this won’t matter much. Roll the dice — it’s part of the fun!

If you really like all the pockets and features that are typically found on larger packs, you might just love the Gregory Miko & Maya 20 Packs ($130). Coming in both a men’s and women’s version, Gregory delivers a daypack loaded with pockets and features in a small 20L package.

Made without any hard plastic or metal, this pack remains sturdy yet flexible. The Biosync suspension system and wide, flexible hip belt make carrying loads over long distances comfortable, allowing the pack to stay close to and move with your body. A perforated back panel with a contoured shape keeps the pack breathable, and the torso length is also adjustable within a 3.5-inch range to allow you to really dial in your fit. 

While it doesn’t have the most pockets out of all the packs we reviewed — the Salomon Trailblazer 20 takes the cake there — it is very similar to the Osprey Talon 22 in weight and design. It sports seven total pockets: one main compartment, one large mesh front pocket, two zippered hipbelt pockets, a small zippered top pocket, two side mesh pockets, and a separate zippered entry for a hydration bladder. 

If you like to stay organized, this pack will help you do just that. But if you’re more of a minimalist who thinks having so many pockets and zippers is overwhelming for a simple day hike, you might want to choose a pack that is a bit simpler. The zippers on the Miko & Maya 20 packs don’t have any waterproofing features, either, and while the molded zipper pulls and water-repellant DWR finish on the fabric are nice touches, the overall durability and water resistance may be lesser than some. 

If simplicity is more your thing, check out the Osprey Hikelite 18 Pack or Black Diamond Pursuit 15. But if you enjoy keeping your things separate and organized and like the features of a larger backpack, you’ll go far with the comfortable and affordable Miko & Maya 20 Packs.

The Salomon Trailblazer 20 Pack ($70) is a unisex daypack that is a great all-arounder, but also a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Its 20L size is perfect for bike commuting, gym going, short errands, and day hikes, but it lacks a lot of the specialized features to excel in any one area. This pack is easy to use, however, with one main compartment and stretch side compartments for water bottles or other accessories. 

Something we really loved about this pack is that the waist belt features its own zip and stuff pockets, which adds to the overall versatility of this pack. Most small packs of this size have minimalist, unpadded waist belts, and we appreciated that the Salomon has this pocket feature as well as padding for extra comfort, making it a cut above the rest.

Although this daypack looks like a simple hiking bag, it curiously stashes away a hanging computer sleeve, providing storage as well as extra protection, preventing shocks from the bottom. Like most hiking packs, however, it also sports a hydration reservoir sleeve. This combination of features is also seen in the Patagonia Refugio, but we feel that bag leans a bit further into the commuter-sphere and just does it better.

The shoulder straps on this pack didn’t leave any wild impressions on us, and while they’re padded enough, we felt they could have done with a bit more. Alternatively, this pack would likely do very well with running-vest-styled straps.

While this pack is great for many things, it isn’t a great hybrid running pack like the Black Diamond Pursuit. And 20 L is a bit too big to comfortably run with, and it lacks the running-vest style of other daypacks that are made for more technical adventures. But as an all-arounder for the city to the trails, look no further than the Trailblazer.

The Mystery Ranch Gallagator Pack ($90) is a unique pack in design and aesthetics. A three-zip system allows you to access the main compartment in a few different ways. Two large compression straps across the front help secure your load down, or allow you to carry extra accessories on the outside. And the tough Robic nylon makes this pack feel sturdy and durable. 

With the 3-zip system, you can unzip either side of the pack for easy access to the interior without having to fuss with a zipper all the way over the other side of the pack when grabbing something quickly while the bag is still on your shoulder. A vertical zipper that runs the length of the pack also allows you to open up the entire bag to access everything inside, which makes this a great choice for traveling and using as carry-on luggage. 

The large compression straps buckle securely across the front of the bag, and while can indeed be useful for lashing down the contents, or securing trekking poles or other long items, they are a bit of an eyesore from a design perspective. In addition, they add a lot more straps to this bag, which can feel like a bit much when considering the ones from the shoulder straps and removable waist belt as well. 

The spacious main compartment has a sleeve for a hydration bladder, and plenty of room for lunch and layers. We took this pack on a flight, and it fit perfectly into an overhead compartment and was comfortable on the long walk between gates at the Denver airport.

While many of the packs in our review don’t have padding in their shoulder straps, it would be a nice touch in this larger bag. A little padding goes a long way for all-day comfort, like on the REI Co-op Trail 25 and Osprey Tempest Pro 20. But if you’re looking for a pack that is utilitarian, well-built, with a unique opening system, the Gallagator could be a good choice.

Read Review: Osprey Hikelite 18L Daypack Review: Breezy Ventilation and Catch-All Versatility

This pack is not only a popular and trusted option but also came close to taking the best overall designation. The Osprey Hikelite 26 Pack ($115) has a foam back panel, a durable 100D/420D recycled nylon exterior, and a large main compartment that swallowed our kit during testing. If you want a good number of features but don’t want to pay for a top-of-the-line pack, this very well could be it.

The Hikelite series of packs from Osprey builds on their popular Daylite Packs (which we have given high marks to in the past) but bulks up the suspension system to create a daypack that carries any load with ease. A light alloy hoop frame works in tandem with the tensioned mesh back panel to create both a strong and ventilated support system.

The pack comes in a variety of colors and has thoughtful features like an emergency whistle built into the sternum buckle. It also has compression straps on the side to secure water bottles or extra gear when your pack is on the fuller side. And rounding out the thoughtful hiking-minded features: an integrated rain cover that deploys from a secret pocket below the pack body.

While this 18L pack is on the smaller side, it can pack in more than you think and is plenty big enough to carry an extra layer, water, and a first-aid kit — the minimal day hiking basics. The downside of a streamlined exterior is the paucity of a larger stuff pocket for things like a wet rain jacket, but for quick jaunts in the hills, you’ll likely forget the need.

The Osprey Tempest Pro 20 is a little smaller in size and has more of these features, but comes at a much higher price tag of $200. Or slightly larger at 20L, the Gregory Miko & Maya 20 Pack is a more featured alternative to the Hikelite. Think of this pack as being the beneficiary of trickle-down tech from Osprey’s nicer bags at a more affordable price.

Osprey’s classic go-to Hikelite has garnered an excellent reputation among our crew. If you’re looking for a pack with a few more storage options, the Hikelite also comes in 18L, 28L, and 32L capacities, with the latter two sizes including two separate torso lengths for a perfect fit.

A comfortable and spacious daypack, the Gregory Nano 22 ($90) is another great all-arounder that has a lot of the same features as other packs in our review, but still is worth taking a closer look at. The most significant features in our minds that make this pack a good pick are its broad, comfortable shoulder straps and breathable mesh back panel. 

Shoulder straps seem to come in all shapes and sizes in our daypack lineup, and these straps don’t skimp on support as some others seem to do. The die-cut foam back panel also takes an extra design step to ensure good airflow for sweaty activities, and makes this pack versatile for bike commuting around town or going on a brisk hike. 

The hip strap is a basic thin piece of webbing, which isn’t as impressive as some of the other padded waist belts seen in our lineup, and it is too bulky of a pack to go running with. While there aren’t enough features in the Nano 22 to really make it a cut above the rest, it is a great, affordable, high-quality pack that can be used for a variety of occasions.