Every traveler needs a small, light, and compact daypack for their valuables. All your clothes, toiletries, and other necessities go in a large bag, which will be stored in the plane’s luggage compartment or under your seat on the bus. To keep your valuables safe, you need to place them inside a bag that’s small enough to sit on your lap while you’re traveling. That’s your daypack.
Once you’ve reached your destination, you can stash your money, water bottle, and other essentials inside your daypack, and embark on a new journey around town. Your travel backpack is too big and inconvenient to carry around, but your daypack is just the right size for hikes or sightseeing adventures. A daypack makes an incredible companion for those who travel frequently.
Today, there are several kinds of daypacks on the market. Some fit the needs of urban travelers, while others cater to the needs of people who love the great outdoors. Hence, you’ve got to take a good look at the features before making a purchase. Make sure that it fits your needs or the needs of whoever you’re giving it to.
In this guide, you will find 10 of the best daypacks you can purchase for yourself or a fellow travel enthusiast.
How to Choose the Best Travel Daypack
Whether you’re purchasing a daypack for a friend or for yourself, you ought to remember that everyone travels differently. That means you must always consider the necessities, as well as the style, of the person who needs a daypack. Here, you will learn a few factors to consider when you’re choosing a travel daypack.
Size
Size matters when it comes to daypacks. You want one that’s large enough to carry everything you need, but small enough to be convenient for short trips away from base camp. Most of these daypacks can fit a 15-inch laptop and other gadgets and accessories.
For many backpackers, a 20-liter daypack offers ample space. However, there are bags with higher storage capacity for those who want to take more stuff with them as they travel.
Comfort
Wherever you’re headed, you will most likely be carrying your bag with you all day long. Thus, it’s important to choose a daypack that makes your travels less exhausting. Look for features like padded shoulder straps, breathable back panels, or padded hip belts if you don’t want your bag to weigh you down.
Now, you can enjoy your travels to the fullest, without having to worry about pickpockets, by choosing a bag with anti-theft features.
Convenience
Having a single compartment for all your things isn’t practical for a daypack. You will have trouble finding the items you need. Of course, you also won’t be able to protect your items from bumping against each other. You could scratch your laptop or smartphone if you just stash all your necessities in one large compartment. Hence, look for a bag with multiple compartments, preferably padded ones to keep your valuables safe.
Our Top Picks
1. Daylite Plus by Osprey
Do you go around the world with your Osprey travel bags? If so, the Daylite Plus makes the perfect addition to your Osprey travel kit.
The Daylite pack can easily be attached to larger travel bags, including the Aether and Ariel series, the Volt and Viva series, and the Sojourn series. It comes with a multi-function interior sleeve, which you can use to store your tablet or a water pack so you can easily stay hydrated while you’re on the road.
Thanks to its mesh-covered front pockets, side pockets, and key clip, you can take everything you need with you for a day trip far away from base camp.
Osprey’s Daylite Plus is available at Amazon.com for $64.95.
2. Borealis Backpack by The North Face
Do you need a breathable and comfortable heavy-duty backpack? The new and improved Borealis might be the perfect daypack for you.
Now, the classic 29-liter pack comes with accessible pockets and an upgraded suspension system called the FlexVent, which adds comfort to all your travels. It has a large compartment that can fit books and other travel necessities, a padded laptop sleeve lined with fleece to protect your 15-inch laptop, a front pocket with a padded tablet sleeve and extra zippered pockets for your accessories.
Whether you’re exploring a bustling city or a remote jungle, you can take your Borealis backpack with you as it’s large and strong enough to hold your necessities without overwhelming you.
The North Face Borealis backpack is available for $159.98 at Amazon.com.
3. Lightweight Travel Hiking Backpack by Outlander
Is your ideal daypack a durable travel bag that you can take on hikes? This lightweight hiking backpack by Outlander might be what you need for your outdoor adventures.
Measuring 18.5 x 13 x 7.5 inches when unfurled, you can easily fold this lightweight pack until it reaches 8.5 x 8.5 x 1.2 inches, making it easier for you to stow it away when it’s not in use.
The daypack is made with rip-proof and water-resistant fabric, and its stress points are reinforced with bar tacking so you can take it with you when you hit the road. Wherever you’re headed, you can stash about 35 liters’ worth of stuff in this 0.7 lbs. light travel daypack.
Outlander’s lightweight hiking backpack is available at Amazon.com for $19.99.
4. Speed Lite 20 by Deuter
Do you like fast-paced endurance sports? If you like day hikes, mountaineering, and other high-endurance activities, the Deuter Speed Lite 20 would make the perfect travel buddy.
Designed for endurance sports, this ultra-light, comfortable, and durable daypack features a flexible Delrin U-frame, which distributes the weight of your pack, making it extra comfortable while you’re on the move.
The bag also has special compartments for your hydration system, clothes, wet gear, and valuables. For your safety, Deuter added 3M reflectors and an SOS label that you can check for lifesaving tips.
The Deuter Speed Lite 20 is available for $75 at Amazon.com.
5. Ultra-Sil Compression Sack by Sea to Summit
Are you looking for a budget-friendly daypack that can carry everything you need without adding significant weight? Sea to Summit’s Ultra-Sil compression sack is the solution for you.
Like many of the Sea to Summit products, this Ultra-Sil daypack is made with lightweight and durable material, particularly Cordura yarns, which were woven into a ripstop pattern for extra strength.
This daypack compresses the items inside to one third its original size, making it great for maximizing storage space and minimizing your luggage. Once you’re done using your Ultra-Sil daypack, you can fold it into the size of a tennis ball and easily store it inside your main travel bag.
Sea to Summit’s 20-liter Ultra-Sil daypack is available at Amazon.com for $27.89.
6. Camden Surf by Sherpani
Are you in search of the perfect bag for the modern traveler? The ethically-sourced vegan Camden Surf has built-in smart features to make your travels safe and comfortable.
Made by an eco-conscious brand, the Camden Surf is a 3-in-1 daypack that you can wear as a tote, crossbody, or backpack. This RFID-protected bag has a 15-liter capacity and features a large padded compartment built for a 15-inch laptop, two exterior zippered pockets, and two extra compartments for smaller items. Like all Sherpani products, the Camden Surf is 100% vegan, made with materials that are ethically sourced from Mongolia.
The Sherpani Camden Surf is currently available for $98 at Amazon.com.
7. Kanken Classic Backpack by Fjallraven
Do you need a daypack for your urban travels? The Kanken Classic Backpack is just right for your extraordinary and everyday adventures.
Whether you’re hiking up a mountain or exploring the bustling streets of an urban jungle, the Kanken Classic can protect your travel and everyday essentials in its main zippered pocket, front zippered compartment, and open side pockets.
Fjallraven made this durable and timeless pack dirt-resistant, water-resistant, and easy to clean. Measuring 14.9 x 10.6 x 5.1 inches, this backpack offers 16 liters’ worth of storage space, and it only weighs 0.7 lbs.
Fjallraven’s Kanken Classic Backpack is available at Amazon.com for $79.
8. Luzon Del Dia Daypack by Cotopaxi
Are you interested in getting a one-of-a-kind daypack that’s yours and only yours? Cotopaxi’s Luzon Del Dia Daypack is enough to make anyone feel special, as no two bags are made alike.
Ideal for students, commuters, and travelers looking for an unstructured daypack, Cotopaxi made Luzon Del Dia with a durable and lightweight ripstop nylon material and mesh shoulder straps to make all your adventures comfortable.
It also comes with an internal hydration sleeve, perfect for those who want to go off the beaten path. Cotopaxi’s employees have full creative control over the pack’s colors and details, so no two bags are alike.
The 24-liter Luzon Del Dia Daypack can be purchased at Amazon.com for $70.
9. Uptown Laptop Backpack by Timbuk2
Does your profession require a lot of traveling? Entrepreneurs and creative professionals will love the Uptown Laptop Backpack, created by one of San Francisco’s finest—Timbuk2.
Made by Timbuk2, a brand known for creating long-lasting bags and accessories, the Uptown Backpack has enough compartments to fit your 15-inch laptop, iPad, and tech accessories, with plenty of room to spare for your travel essentials.
The pack boasts a 30-liter storage capacity, tricot-lined pockets to protect smartphones or sunglasses, custom-fit straps so you won’t have to worry about all that weight digging into your shoulders while you’re on the road. Other features include a vista loop for bike lights and reinforced handles on every side, which will make it easier for you to grab and grip your pack when you hit the road.
The Timbuk2 Uptown Laptop Backpack can be purchased from various sellers at Amazon.com for as low as $59.99.
10. Metrosafe LS350 Backpack by Pacsafe
Do you want to feel more confident walking down the streets of a bustling metropolis? To protect yourself and your valuables from petty street criminals, take the Metrosafe LS350 backpack with you on your travels.
The LS350 bag features innovative anti-theft technologies such as eXomesh slashguards, an award-winning RFID blocking material, smart zipper security, and a Lockabout security clip, all of which will undoubtedly make you feel more confident about exploring unfamiliar cities where pickpockets are always on the prowl.
Its slim and low-profile design comes with enough compartments to fit a 13-inch laptop, a smartphone, snacks, and a water bottle, ideal for a short day trip. Measuring 16.54 x 11.61 x 5.12 inches, this daypack has a 15-liter storage capacity, and it only weighs 1.46 lbs.
Pacsafe’s LS350 backpack is available for $99.95 at Amazon.com.
