If you are looking for a daypack for travelling, I have been through this journey! I already travel light on trips, but wouldn't necessarily say that this is the day pack for a minimalist traveller. When travelling around town or going on a hike while on vacation, I always bring a bunch of things and value having a smaller bookbag instead of my 28L backpack that I use as my primary bag. Having a smaller packable bookbag in my backpack makes this much easier and much less of an annoyance to not have to completely unpack my primary bag to have a travel daypack.
Consideration #1: 💸 Cost
I have tried the cheapo packable backpacks and they're *ok* but they are certainly not comfortable. For something that I wear for many hours a day, most days, while travelling, I'm ok spending a little bit more on quality.
Consideration #2: 🧳 Foldable Daypack Size
This is both 'I want it to be big for carrying lots of things' and 'I want it to be small so it takes up the least amount of space in my bag'. The carry size is 18L which gives me plenty of space to carry everything I need for a day. It can fit a sweater or shell coat, a giant water bottle (or two), and lots of snacks, documents, tablet, and even my 13" laptop. Having a bit more structure and comfort through padding means you definitely sacrifice being as compact as possible, but overall it's packability is still pretty good. If I travel with my 28L backpack on a trip, it's hard to squeeze it in without having to lose a couple of items, but in my 35L backpack, it is fine. For the normal packer who has a big backpack or carry-on suitcase, it would be fine!
Consideration #3 Comfort
Before getting gifted the lite ready pack from Bellroy (thanks Bellroy) I didn't really consider that a packable bag could be a bit more comfortable - some light padding and a chest strap. After trying this out compared to my former low-cost bookbag, I see that the compromise for a slightly larger packed size is worth it. I am someone who generally wears a chest strap when wearing a bookbag all day and it helps spread out the weight of what is in the bag, but also helps me keep an upright posture. The bag also has an internal pocket at the back of the main compartment to put a device to keep it slightly protected with the padding of the backpack.
Consideration #4 🛠️ Utility
Overall the bag is very useful and great!
The one feature I would like to change would be that it has more dividers and pockets. However, I understand that the more dividers you add, the more fabric you add and the more space and weight this takes up. To overcome any shortcomings for me, I simply have some smaller bags (like pencil cases) in the bookbag to keep myself organized.
The bag comes in practical colours like black and black with a subtle grey grid (Arcade Grey) pattern, but also more stylish colours like copper (mustard) and chalk (offwhite).
In Summary: ✅ It's a great packable bag!
If I am going on a trip with day trips, I pack it! It does take up a bit more space than the cheapest packable bags, but the comfort trade-off is worth it.
*If you buy through my link, I receive a small commission to help my website and travels. What do you pack for a day bag when travelling? Let me know in the comments. .
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