Day Packs

James 61

James 61

Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Messages
1,066
In another thread I was posting to the discussion side-tracked into hip belts and day packs. I have not been a fan of what has been passed off as day packs in the past becasue athough they are large they are not comfortable beyong 5 or 6 miles becasue they lack decent hip belts, shoulder straps, etc...
So instead of hijacking the other persons thread I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions/comments/experiences for a day pack. Something in the 2000 to 2500 cubic inch range possibly. Needs to be able to carry basic gear, survival gear, food, water etc... for long day hike say 15+ miles. An added bonus would to be able to carry additional supplies as my wife will be carrying our 15 mth old daughter and a) I don't want to weigh my wife down with any more gear than neccessary and b) the carrier only has about 1200 ci of storage space.

Even though I'm very active with SAR (which has different gear requirements)I have been out ot the long distance hiking and backpacking world for about 10 years now a lot has changed and I have not kept up. Feel free to post pics as I like to see what gear looks like.
 
I really like my Maxpedition i think its a Pygmy Falcon two. I know its "tacti-cool" and I dont know if your into that or not. But its really well made and I've packed it so full of ammo that I could barely pick it up to put it on but its still been comfortable for my 2 mile hikes out to go shooting.
Its 2200ci I beleve. And has a good wasitbelt
Hope that helps
 
The Osprey Talon series gets very good reviews and there are a couple of models that might fit what you're looking for. The only downside to the Talons is the color choices, they aren't very stealthy. I haven't used one of them but I do have an older Osprey Eclipse, it's a well made and comfortable pack with a real hipbelt.

Another good choice would be an older Dana Design, you can find them on that famous auction site. Ones that would fit what your criteria would be a Bomb Pack, a Hoodoo Spire, Big Sky or Big Horn. Danas usually go for more than a lot of new packs do but sometimes you can get lucky there.
 
I really like my Gregory Shakra. Fantastic hip belt and sternum strap, seems to be the size you're after, rubberized bottom, and very adjustable for long hikes and heavy loads. It's almost certainly discontinued by now, but I'm sure they have a similar replacement model with updated features.

gr_reality.jpg


Bought mine on closeout from Sierra Trading Post.

Happy Shopping!
 
I have four different Osprey daypacks. They are designed to haul heavy loads comfortably, and they do.
 
I got a tad fast pack edc - pricey and probably not something I would get myself but it was a very nice gift. BUt with all that said its really a great pack - the only downside that I have found is with all the pals and molle attachments it looks pretty tactical. But I normally go hiking in remote areas so who cares.
 
drift draft said:
Kifaru are the toughest, most versatile and comfortable I have ever seen.
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I agree about the comfort and bomb-proof construction of Kifaru packs, however, I recently picked up an Osprey Aura 35 (women's) for my wife and she loves it! We do a lot of bouldering and non-technical rock climbing plus all the trail hiking. It carries all the essentials and it compresses down pretty good when not fully full. I like it so much, that I ended up getting an Osprey Kestrel 38 for myself...perfect for day hikes or even over-nighters. Really light weight (compared to my Kifaru packs) and so far, durable enough to withstand a few drops and scrapes against rocks.

ROCK6
 
BlackHills said:
The Osprey Talon series gets very good reviews and there are a couple of models that might fit what you're looking for. The only downside to the Talons is the color choices, they aren't very stealthy.
Click to expand...
Yeah, have Talon 33.
Very light with all "modern" features.
Carrying system (back, shoulder straps) is very efficient keeping you dry from your own sweat.
It does look a bit plastic gizmo in the beginning but it is quite durable.

I did recently a solo 30 miles hike, including one night out, carrying about 28-30 lbs in it.

Honestly I kind of reached the limits of the pack both in terms of volume and load carrying comfort, but it performed pretty well, only had shoulders hurting afterward.

I think I'm going to get the 44 liters version.

Regarding colors, in a sunny spring/summer day, their "acid green" is not that bad.
 
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Seems to be more known around the hunting crowd, but Badlands makes a great day pack called the Super Day Pack. Very well constructed and it around 1800 cu in.
 
I have an older Kelty redwing that works great - not tactical, but it's tough, comfortable, and holds a fair bit of gear. It's about 10 years old, and still going strong.
 
Since you are in the Pac NW, I have to assume you are near an REI. They really have a great selection of their branded packs in all varieties of sizes. The prices are pretty nice on those. For a little more dough, I'd get the Osprey Kestrel. It's right around the size range you are looking for, and they really make a great pack. I like the wider more full hip belts that Osprey uses.
 
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