The Daypack Evolves

Call me Pack-Man, a guy gobbling up miles and miles of trail, always with a daypack on my back.

All too often, my aching back. 

For years and years, on hikes around the world, soon as I reached the top of that peak or that beautiful lake, I literally tossed off my pack in relief. (Some hiking backpacks were so badly designed I was tempted to throw them off the mountain or into the lake.) 

Manufacturers have sent The Trailmaster an array of low-tech, ill-conceived daypacks, hardly more evolved than the rucksacks and school backpacks I carried during my Boy Scout days, and my response has always been the same: “Hey, hiking is not supposed to hurt.”  

I don’t know why daypack (small hiking backpack) design lagged so far behind innovations in outerwear and footwear for so long, but it did. Maybe pack-makers thought that by adding pouches, pockets and an outdoorsy logo to a flimsy school backpack, they’d fool us into thinking we’re purchasing a great daypack. 

Nowadays many excellent daypacks are on the market and outdoor retailers carry a wide selection. Kelty backpacks, Columbia backpacks and North Face are some of the major brands that are widely available. If you know what to look for in a good pack, you’ll select one that will be a welcome companion not an albatross around your neck, or on your back. 

Choosing a Daypack 

A daypack (or day pack if your prefer) is a soft frameless pack that attaches to your shoulders and usually includes a hip band or waist belt for support. A good, small hiking backpack will last a lifetime. 

High-quality daypacks are made specifically for hiking so there’s no need to settle for a bike-bag, school backpack, laptop computer backpack or a pack fashioned for another sport. It’s best to purchase a hiking backpack at a specialty outdoors store. 

Padding is crucial to a comfortable daypack. Padded shoulder pads are an absolute must, and go a long way in keeping the spring in your step. A good daypack has a padded back, as well. A wide, padded lumbar belt is important, too, because you want to try and put the weight on your hips and take it away from your neck and shoulder muscles. 

Features of a good daypack 

• Durable weather-proof fabric
• One-piece body construction
• Padded shoulder straps
• Padded back
• Wide, padded lumbar belt
• Sufficient pockets and compartments to suit your needs
• Side pouch for water bottle
• Strong buckles and straps
• Storm flap-covered zippers
• Strong top grab handle

Before you purchase a small backpack for hiking, put a little weight inside it and walk around the store. Check to be sure it really fits your frame. We hikers come in all shapes and sizes (and there’s major body differences between the sexes) so be assured that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all daypack. 

A modest-sized daypack measures about 16 inches high, 12 inches wide and about 6 inches deep. A larger daypack can be as 18 inches or more in length, 14 inches wide and more than 6 inches deep. 

Daypack capacity is measured in cubic inches, with 1,000 to 1,500 cubic inches sufficient for most all-day adventures. If you’re the designated donkey in your hiking group or a parent toting gear for several kids, consider investing in a “weekend” daypack, a larger hiking backpack with a capacity of 2,000 to 3,000 cubic inches. (Europeans and other hikers around the world measure daypack capacity in liters. A typical daypack has between 15 and 30 liters of cargo room.) 

With the Ten Essentials, extra clothing, food, water, and a camera, figure that you’ll be toting 10 to 15 pounds of gear on a day hike. Sure you and your daypack can carry more weight, but remember you’re going day hiking not backpacking. Remember that the suspension systems of most small hiking backpackbacks are not designed to support heavy loads so if you put too much weight in a daypack, that load will pull on your neck and shoulders and stress your frame.  

As a general rule, you can comfortably carry 10 percent of your body weight in a well-designed small hiking backpack. Consider 15 percent of your body weight or 25 pounds as an absolute maximum load, even with a superior daypack.   

Some day hikers, particularly those who hike in warm weather, prefer packs with a built-in hydration system. Remember that you’ll be giving up some storage capacity and have to pack around the pack’s built-in bladder sleeve. Some hydration backpacks are all bladder and no backpack—with minimal carrying capacity for anything but fluids. Other hydration backpacks are a better balance between water and cargo toting capacities. 

Fanny packs have their fans among day hikers. Buy a good one with ample padding and storage. Look for rugged, covered zippers and easy access to pouches. Be sure the pack you choose comfortably carries water bottles. 

Packing a Daypack 

Let’s not over-complicate a simple procedure. Remember just two rules about packing a daypack: 

• Pack items you’ll most likely use on the hike in the most accessible place.
• Pack the heaviest items at the bottom of the pack, the lightest ones toward the top.

Main compartment Put heavier items that you won’t need to instantly access (extra food and water, first aid kit) in the bottom.

Sub-compartment Some clothing, lighter items and cell-phone go here.

Top pocket Store Maps, guidebook, binoculars, insect repellant, sunscreen and other items here for ready access on the trail.

Side pockets  Mesh ones are particularly good for holding a water bottle. Easy access for snacks and a compact camera.