Patagonia’s New Fast-And-Light Vest Pack Is Best in Class
For carrying weight while moving quickly in the mountains, the Slope Runner Exploration 18L is our new favorite vest-pack hybrid
From pre-work jaunts to all-day excursions, finding the right daypack to fit your needs and frame is imperative. The expert gear reviewers at Backpacker Magazine test the latest daypacks in real backcountry conditions for comfort, durability, packability, and more.
For carrying weight while moving quickly in the mountains, the Slope Runner Exploration 18L is our new favorite vest-pack hybrid
These bags redefine carrying comfort
From short hikes to long runs that push the definition of a dayhike, these six packs will be your constant companions.
Don’t let a little rain ruin your hike. These waterproof packs will keep your gear safe and dry, mile after mile.
It may look minimalist, but this pack has everything you need for a day exploring the alpine.
The most packable backpack of 2021.
The best backpack for organization of 2021.
The most weatherproof backpack of 2021
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The best backpack for big and tall backpackers of 2021
These light, comfortable daypacks will feel even better at this price.
Reliable rucksack
Keep your gear dry with this waterproof pack.
Wring extra miles out of long summer afternoons with these weight-conscious daypacks.
Best organization in a daypack
Most weatherproof daypack
Best daypack for overpackers
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Save on a comfy pack that's made for long dayhikes.
Best bargain pack
Pack with best comfort-to-weight
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Best fit
A good daypack makes or breaks an outing. These three perform.
Hit the trail with this versatile daypack.
From quick jaunts to the biggest days, these packs will keep you comfortable no matter how heavy (or light) your load.
Most versatile
Best access
Best value
Best hydration pack
Best for peakbagging
Best fit
Best hydration pack
Best travel pack
Best for mountaineering
Most versatile
Most durable
Editors' Choice update
Sailcloth makes this everyday bag nearly indestructible.
This intuitive avalanche pack gets an upgrade.
Get your favorite backpack features in an avy pack.
This full-featured backcountry ski and snowboard pack has the best women’s fit of any model we tested.
The low-profile design of this ski pack doesn’t restrict arm swings or high steps.
This is the first Black Diamond ski pack we could use with or without the company’s AvaLung system.
This durable ski pack is exceptionally tough for the weight and price.
Save big on a full-featured ski pack.
This pack's light, low-bulk airbag system means less weight on your back and more space for your gear.
The Salomon S-Lab X Alp 20 makes gear-grabbing quick and easy.
Smart design maximizes comfort for small and curvy figures
You get sweet features with a sweet price to match
Get one pack for hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, and traveling
This 1-pound pack is tougher than most ultralights.
Get superior waterproofing without a rain cover.
Superior external storage allows the big daypack to carry minimalist weekend loads.
It’s loaded with all the winter-specific features we love for big backcountry days.
The unique hipbelt closure on this ski-touring pack provides a custom fit.
A backcountry airbag that you can actually practice using.
From ultralight to ultraweatherproof, our testers found the perfect load hauler for every trip and hiker.
Looks like a backpack, protects like a raincoat.
Your stuff disappears into this daypack, and it disappears on your back.
A simple, clean, top-loading rucksack.
Roll these up and stow them in your duffel or big pack for summits or dayhikes.
A breathable pack for sweaty testers.
A low-profile bag that the wily climbers loved.
It’s light, low-profile, and “perfect in that there’s nothing left to take away,” according to one tester.
This retro-looking rucksack sports a single, roomy packbag that can easily compress low-volume loads. It’s well-suited for dayhikes, sessions at the crag, or anyone who’s tough on gear.
Ultralight, waterproof, and comfortable—the top-loading Alpha FL 30 hits a rare trifecta. Plus, its shape provides unmatched mobility.
This frameless little pack is a great all-arounder for bike commuting and dayhikes.
Check out Glenna Xie's author page.
The versatile gear-hauling system by Boreas Gear.
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Tough fabric, compact, and room to spare. What more could you want?
Anywhere, any activity, this pack will carry your goods from bushwacking in Arizona to climbing Mt. Sneffels with an ice axe.
In constant downpour, the impermeable thermoplastic, PU-coated nylon material of this pack kept our tester's gear bone-dry.