9 Packable Daypacks For Minimalist Travel & Why You May Need One In Your Carry-On Backpack

– If you've ever arrivedat your destination with a massive backpackor a big piece of luggage, and wish you had a smallerbag to use for the day, let us introduce you to Packable Daypacks.

I'm Tom, the founder of Pack Hacker, your guide to smarter travel.

If you're new to thechannel, consider subscribing and ringing that bellicon for notifications.

We've tested and reviewed hundreds of different types of travel-focused gear, and today, we're focusingon Packable Daypacks, and why you may need one for your travels.

We'll leave links to everysingle Packable Daypack that we mention here, as we'vereviewed mostly all of them over on our website, andsome also have videos.

We'll also link to our big guide that features travel daypacks.

So links to both of thosein the description below.

Let's dive in.

(upbeat music) Over the past couple of years, we have seen Packable Daypacksexplode in popularity, and for good reason.

They're essentially lightweight packs that you can compress, stashin a larger travel bag, and deploy when needed.

Most Packable Daypackspack into their own pocket, or a dedicated compressioncube that comes with the bag.

Most of them get down to thesize of a soda can or smaller.

Others are designed tolay flat in a larger bag, and either of these styles are helpful, and they really just kindof disappear into your bag while not in use, and they'rethere when you need them.

Packable Daypacks can vary in size, but generally, they are 10to 25 liters in capacity.

Smaller-sized packs willtypically take up less room when compressed, butthe materials and design also play a significant factor.

Make sure to do your research and figure out howimportant the compressed and uncompressed sizes are to you.

When it comes to organization, most Packable Daypacks keep it simple.

The majority of these bagshave one large compartment with a small quick-grabpocket, and that's about it.

The materials on Packable Daypacks are usually quite thin and lightweight, and that's for good reason.

It's just to save thatexcess weight and space, so you can, again, just compress the bag and pretty much forget aboutit inside of a larger bag.

In fact, everything onthese bags is lightweight, from the shoulder straps tothe zippers to the buckles.

While Packable Daypacks tendto be durable for their weight, it's important to remember they're likely not going to be as durable as a full-fledged traditional daypack.

Of course, there areexceptions to these guidelines, and overall, if you treat it well, it'll be a great companionto your larger bag.

First and foremost, Packable Daypacks are great for one-bag travel.

If you're traveling witha larger travel backpack, you can bring along a Packable Daypack to use once when youarrive at your destination.

When you arrive in a new city, you can drop your largerbag at your Airbnb or your hotel room, fill upthe smaller Packable Daypack, and you're good to go fora day's worth of exploring.

Some Packable Daypacksare even small enough where you can toss onein your jacket pocket and carry it around with you just in the off chanceyou may need a backpack at some point during the day.

There are a lot of differentuses for Packable Daypacks outside of travel as well, and they're pretty goodfor anyone on the go.

You can keep a PackableDaypack in your desk at work, in your car, or even inthe saddlebag on your bike, just in case you need to hit the market on your way home to get some groceries.

They allow you to beprepared to carry stuff, whatever that may be, at any moment, without having to lugaround an empty backpack.

It's important to note the cons of Packable Daypacks as well.

They're usually not suitedfor heavy daily use, because of their lightweight materials.

And usually, they're not themost comfortable packs to wear, due to the thin shoulder straps and lack of structure on the bags, especially if they're compressible.

That being said, they'regreat for one-bag travel, and a lot of other situations.

So they're pretty much indispensable, as far as we're concerned.

Let's check out some packs.

The Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack is about as straightforwardas a Packable Daypack can be.

Weighing in at a mere four ounces, it's one of the smallestand lightest around, and it compresses down toroughly the size of an apple.

We're fans of the minimalistlook and overall aesthetic, we're still a little bit confused why our Shadow Grey packlooks to be dark green.

There's not much goingon inside of the pack, just one main compartment anda top drop pocket, as well.

The quick access pocket comes in handy for quick-grab items, and also stores the pouch that this thing compresses into.

Considering just how lightweight and compressible the pack is, we are fine with the lack of compartments.

You can always usepouches and packing cubes to create your own organization.

Now this isn't the mostdurable pack out there, however, the hardware is all top-notch, and we've generally had good luck with the 40-denier ripstop nylon that Osprey uses on the restof their ultralight range.

Long story short, if you're looking for a reliable, no-frills daypack that can pack down tothe size of an apple, the Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack could be a great choice for you.

You can't talk about Packable Daypacks without mentioning Matador at least once.

They make a ton of packable products, and we've reviewed a lot of their gear over on the website.

The Freerain24 2.

0 is ahighly weather-resistant Packable Daypack that featuresinternally sealed seams, a siliconized 30D Cordura ripstop nylon, and a Hypalon roll top.

In fact, the main compartment of this bag, when you seal it up correctly, is completely submergible, and we have actually tested it.

We can't say this for alot of Packable Daypacks, or even backpacks out there on the market.

Just note that it's onlythe main compartment that is submergible and waterproof.

Anything inside of thisquick-access zipper on the front will get wet if you submerge it.

We're not huge fans ofthe compression pouch, and have found the stitching has started to come undone in some places.

With that being said, if you're walking throughwaterfalls in Thailand, heading off to a music festival, or just fearful of gettingcaught in a downpour, there are few better packs than the Matador Freerain24 2.

0.

The YNOT Deploy does not look like your typical Packable Daypack, and that's why we dig it.

That's not to say we don't like the look of all other Packable Daypacks, but it's really neat to have a bag that looks and carrieslike a traditional daypack, that also compresses intoitself to save space.

Now, the trade-off here is that this bag packs quite a bit largerthan other Packable Daypacks.

However, the craftsmanship is top-notch.

It's made in Toronto, Canada, using high-qualitymaterials that are similar to what you'll find ina traditional daypack, and it just feels great in the hand.

And not only does it looklike a regular daypack, it feels like you're using one, too.

They also have a wide rangeof colors and materials, including 1000D Cordura and waxed canvas.

If you're in the marketfor a Packable Daypack, but you can't stand the swishy and crinkly thin ripstop materials, the YNOT Deploy is worth checking out.

Rebecca on the team has traveled around the world for two years plus with the Quechua Ultra-CompactPackable Backpack.

It's one of our top picks for a budget Packable Daypack, and it even made our budget packing list over on the website.

If you're into budget gearand inexpensive alternatives, we definitely recommend taking a look at that packing list over on our website.

Now overall, this thing is pretty simple.

It has flimsy straps, asmall interior capacity, and it is certainly not the most durable.

But, as Rebecca has proven in her testing, if you treat it well, and use it only when you need to, it can last a couple of years or more.

This thing is even lighter and smaller than the Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack that we mentioned earlier.

This is a great Packable Daypack if you need a bag forthose just-in-case moments.

And it's hard to go wrong with it, considering you can pickone up for under 10 bucks.

Mystery Ranch has been knownfor their great craftsmanship and long-term durability, and this In and Out PackableDaypack is no exception.

It's designed primarily as a summit pack, a small pack that you use in the last portion of your ascent, leaving your heavier gear down below.

However, this thing still works great in urban environments, too, and we think it lookspretty good, as well.

Something we like about this bag is just how comfortable it is to carry.

There's even a sternum strap to keep everything nice and secure.

The Mystery Ranch Inand Out Packable Daypack is a great bag if you're going to be carrying around heavier gear, and you need some extra durability and a comfortable harness system.

But just beware that this thing is a little bit larger and heavier than other PackableDaypacks on the market, so just make sure it'sworth sacrificing the space.

The Aer Go Pack is agreat example of a bag that doesn't really compress into itself or a smaller pocket, however, it just lays flat.

This pack is part of Aer's Go Collection, which is a line of lightweight, packable travel bags designed for all-dayadventures in the city, and it's good at exactly that.

There's a surprising amountof stuff going on here, especially for a Packable Daypack with a very minimal aesthetic.

You'll find water bottlepockets on both sides, a top drop pocket for quick-grab items, as well as a front compartmentsecured with a Fidlock, which is great to use.

Plus, the shoulder strapsare properly padded, which we can't say fora lot of other daypacks.

Inside the main compartment, there is a laptop sleeve that will fit most 15-inch laptops, a zippered pocket on thefront for tech accessories, and two nylon liner pockets as well.

For what the Aer Go Packlacks in compressibility, it certainly makes up forin function and aesthetic.

If you're okay with a packthat does not fold into itself or have a compression sack, but can still lay flat in your larger travel bag, the Go Pack could be asolid choice for you.

With Packable Daypacksbecoming so popular, a lot of brands havestarted pairing smaller Packable Daypacks with theirlarger travel backpacks.

And that's exactly whatTortuga has done here with the Setout Packable Daypack, which groups nicelywith their Setout line.

Of course, all these bags can work independently of one another, and you certainly don't needto choose the same brand for both your main packand your Packable Daypack.

But it can be nice tohave a cohesive aesthetic and ecosystem, as theseproducts are usually designed to go with one another.

When it comes to thisPackable Daypack specifically, Tortuga is keeping it pretty simple.

There's a front quick-grab pocket, which is what this packcompresses itself into, and then there's a main compartment.

We'd recommend using padded pouches and packing cubes for added organization, and to improve the structureof the bag when it's in use.

If you already have your travel bag, and are interested in thebenefits of a Packable Daypack, check to see if there'sone that's designed to pair with your bag, that exists already.

You don't necessarilyhave to go that route, but it's worth taking a look.

The Minaal Daily Bag isn'tthe most compressible on the market, but it is very structured and catered towards carryingaround your tech gear.

It's designed to lay flat insideof the Minaal Carry-on 2.

0, and the ecosystem worksreally nicely together.

We love the dedicated laptop compartment, and the device nest that'll fit laptops of most different sizes, plus it's customizable based on the size of your devices.

The main compartment has ample space, an internal water bottle pocket, and it's great to fillup with packing cubes and gear that you need for the day at the coworking space or the coffee shop when you're getting your work done.

Also, there's a quick access pocket on the front of the bag, whichis great for pocket dumps, and there's a nice littlekey ring in there too.

The straps themselves can stow as well, if you wanna carry thisthing in briefcase mode, or just keep it a little bit cleaner when it's laying flat inside of your bag.

If you plan to carryaround expensive tech gear, like your laptop, andyou're going to frequent coworking spaces on your travels, the Minaal Daily can bea solid choice for you.

The WANDRD VEER 18 is an interesting take on a Packable Daypack, plus there's someinflatable pieces, as well.

Since this bag is focused on camera gear, a little extra padding from the inflatable pieces are welcomed.

The inflatable backpanel improves the carry and adds a bit of structure, and you also have the option to purchase an inflatablecamera cube, too.

This prevents bulky camera gear from sticking into yourback while it's loaded up and in use for the day.

WANDRD puts a big focus on traveling with camera gear inside their packs, so it's awesome to seehow they've been able to incorporate camera protectioninto a Packable Daypack.

We haven't really seen this anywhere else.

Something we dig about thispack is its quick-draw access, which allows you to swingit around your front, unzip the side, and quicklytake your camera out, which is convenient if youneed to get a shot quickly.

Just note, this bag doesn'tpack down very small, and it's one of thelargest Packable Daypacks that we've tested to date.

That being said, if you have the space, and are looking for a durable and photography-focused Packable Daypack, the WANDRD VEER is a good choice.

So, do you need a PackableDaypack for travel? Let us know in the comments below, as we'd love to hear your thoughts.

And if you haven't already, make sure to check outour travel daypack guide over on packhacker.

com, linkin the description below.

Thanks for keeping it here at Pack Hacker, your guide to smarter travel, we'll see you in the next video.

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