A daypack is a must-have for hikers, campers, and even office workers. Whether you’re hitting the trails or your commute, a daypack can hold everything life can throw at you. The best daypacks have the ability to seamlessly transition from trailhead to office, allowing you to use one bag for all your needs.

What to Look for in a Good Daypack

Size

There’s a fine line between a large daypack and a small backpacking backpack. Usually, the sweet spot is around 25 liters. At that size, you’ll be able to pack everything for a day hike easily without having a bulky bag that hampers your ability to hit the trail.

Versatility

This isn’t a concern for everyone, but if you’re an office worker who likes to hit the trails on the weekends, it can be convenient to have a bag that can work as a dual-purpose piece. The hydration pouches on some larger daypacks can fit laptops, and some daypacks even have dedicated, padded laptop sleeves

Comfort

Just because it’s a day hike doesn’t mean you want to sacrifice comfort. Sure, it’s just a few miles most of the time. Even so, a pack that doesn’t carry well is going to be a pain after a few hundred feet. 

Breathability is a concern with all daypacks that don’t have a full suspension system. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all of them. However, some daypacks are built to breathe better than others, so you aren’t forced to have a soaked back by the end of your trek.

Pockets

The best daypacks have stretchy, large water bottle pockets. Some also have large outer pockets and pockets built into the top to carry snacks, keys, first aid kits, and other essentials. Look for a daypack with large pockets that are easy to access on the go.

Durability

Your bag is going to take a beating if you put enough miles on it. That’s just part of the deal when you head out into the woods. Hikers prioritizing the weight of their daypack make a tradeoff in durability with thinner materials. Hikers wanting durability are going to pay a weight penalty. Want durability and weight savings? Well, it’s gonna cost you more than $100.

Best Budget Daypacks

REI Co-op Flash 22

The pack is perfect if you want to go fast and light, and it’s just large enough to use as a work backpack. It also fits the standard carry-on requirements, making it the perfect air travel companion.

There are a pair of stretchy water bottle pockets, as well as a decent-sized side pocket and a top zip pocket. The chest strap works fairly well as a stabilizer for lighter, well-packed loads.

The downside? This is a fantastic bag, but only for lighter loads. If you’re carrying a large amount of gear, this isn’t the best bag you could choose since it’s frameless. The fabric is thin, which makes it light, but also decreases the durability. The hip straps help a little bit, but they’re mostly for show. Breathability isn’t as good on this as the other options on this list.

Bottom line: This is probably the best pack for the money if you don’t need to carry heavy loads. At around $60 retail, it’s hard to beat, especially when it’s on sale.

Gregory Nano 20

The Gregory Nano packs a lot of features into a small daypack that retails at just $80. You’ll find dual-side compression straps, meaning you can handle a good amount of weight for a daypack. Five pockets – plus a good-sized main compartment – make organization easy.

The best part of this pack has to be the breathability. You’ll find a thin layer of mesh against your back and breathable, padded shoulder straps. As daypacks go, it’s one of the best in this area.

The downside? Shorter hikers may find this bag a bit too long since it fits torsos 16-21 inches. Larger Nalgene bottles don’t fit particularly well in the side pockets.

Bottom line: This pack is breathable, priced right, and feature-filled for the size.

REI Co-op Trail 25

The big brother to the Flash 22, this bag offers a significant upgrade in terms of size. Just three more liters gets you a lot of extra space. The Trail 25 is rugged, has 6 total pockets and an AirScape back panel to make carrying it more comfortable. It also includes a rain cover.

The tradeoff for its durability is its weight. Clocking in just under 2 pounds, it’s heavier than almost every comparable backpack. The pockets also don’t stretch much, so Nalgene bottles don’t fit well.

Bottom line: If you need a rugged, sizable backpack and don’t mind the extra weight, this is a great choice at under $100 retail.

Cotopaxi Luzon 18L 

Like the Cotopaxi brand as a whole, the Luzon 18L is bright, fun, and practical. This is the smallest pack on the list, perfect for those trying to go fast and light, as well as anyone trying to bring a small carry-on onto a plane.

Fans of Cotopaxi will be right at home, and the bag offers a solid tradeoff of weight and durability. At just over half a pound, it’s hard to beat the weight of this bag. Plus, it folds into a pouch when you don’t need it. 

However, like any bag of this weight, you pay a durability penalty. Heavy usage may show the limitations of this bag, but light usage won’t. Organization is minimal, but the main pocket is quite large. Unfortunately, there are no water bottle pockets, but there’s a place to run a hydration pack hose through.

Bottom line: It’s fast, it’s light. If that’s all you care about, look no further.

Osprey Packs Hikelite 18L

This pack lives up to the Osprey name and does a little bit of everything. It’s pretty light for its size, offers a breathable back panel, has dual compression side straps, and comes with a rain cover. 

The hip belt is removable if you plan to take this to the office and light enough that it doesn’t dig into you when you’re wearing it.

The main downside is the main interior storage pouch has gotten smaller since the last version, making organization a bit more difficult.

Bottom line: This pack is a jack-of-all-trades. Retailing at $100, it’s worth every penny for someone investing in a good daypack.