Daypacks & day bags - Page 5

Daypacks built to keep up

A daypack earns its place on your back long before you reach anywhere worth photographing. Ours are built on the same thinking we apply to expedition kits, then stripped back to what a single day actually asks for. Hard-wearing face fabrics shrug off scuffs from railings, rock and roof racks, while water-repellent finishes hold off a passing shower long enough for you to decide whether the hood is worth it. Padded shoulder straps and a moulded back panel spread the load so the weight sits where it belongs, and breathable channels keep air moving on the climb out of the valley or the walk up from the platform. Inside, the organisation stays deliberately simple: a padded sleeve for a laptop or a hydration bladder, a lid pocket for the things you reach for without looking, and enough open volume to swallow a jacket when the sun finally shows up. When one day turns into three, our backpacks and rucksacks pick up where a daypack stops.

Finding your daypack size and fit

Volume is the first decision. Smaller daypacks suit commutes, city days and short walks where you are carrying a layer, a lunch and not much else. Larger ones leave room for a waterproof, a flask and a camera without forcing you to repack at the trailhead. Once you have the capacity, look at how the pack sits. A daypack should follow the length of your back rather than hang off your shoulders, with the hip belt resting on bone and the sternum strap drawing the straps inwards rather than down. Adjust the load lifters last and the whole thing should start to feel like part of you. Think about the week rather than the one big weekend, because most daypacks spend more time on trains and in lockers than they ever do on ridgelines, and it is the small details, the zip pulls, the seams and the base fabric, that decide how long yours lasts. For a softer shape and easy everyday carry, our stylish backpacks work harder in town.