Whatever you’re doing and wherever you’re headed, a travel daypack is an essential companion for any traveller. Travel daypacks are versatile pieces of kit that can be used for daily activities like day hikes or strolls around the market, whilst keeping your valuables and essentials close to hand.  Below, we’ll cover the benefits of travel daypacks, the main types of travel daypacks, and how to choose the right travel daypack for your adventure.

Quick Links

1. What is a Travel Daypack?
2. Benefits of Travel Daypacks
3. Choosing the Best Daypack for Travelling
   • Large vs Small Travel Daypacks
   • Heavy Duty vs Lightweight Travel Daypacks
   • Packable Daypacks
4. FAQs about Travel Daypacks

What is a Travel Daypack?

We classify travel daypacks as any sort of bag that you’d use for everyday activities. Unlike hiking daypacks, which are usually crammed with trail-focused features, travel daypacks are relatively simple, easy to wear, and can be used for any kind of daily activity, from a day at the beach to a walk around the market. Used to compliment your main travel pack or luggage, they will also house all of the essentials you might need to have readily accessible. Travel daypacks can take the form of a backpack, duffel, sling, tote bag – the list goes on. In fact, it’s almost guaranteed that you already own some form of travel daypack. But, if you’re headed on a big adventure, it can be useful to think about the type of travel daypack (and features) that might serve you and your trip best.

Benefits of Travel Daypacks

A travel daypack can be super useful for a number of reasons. For one, it will hold all of the important belongings that you need to keep close to your person while you’re in transit, like your passport, wallet, and phone.  If you’re a real minimalist, your travel daypack may even contain all of your belongings (more on that below). It will also make day trips a whole lot easier. Whether you’re heading out on a boat in the tropics or exploring the laneways of Europe, a daypack will allow you to keep all of your essentials for the day in one place. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution though, and if you’re on the hunt for a daypack that will serve you well on your travels, you’ll need to think about your specific trip and style of travel.

Choosing the Best Travel Daypack for Travelling

Ultimately, there is no one “best” travel daypack. The type of daypack you pick will largely depend on your preferences, the type of trip, and the activities you’ll be using it for. Do you need something with heaps of room or will you only need to carry the basics? Are you an ultralight traveller or someone who prioritises durability? Does it always need to be accessible, or will there be times when you might want to pack it away? Will you need a versatile bag that performs different functions? To help you narrow down the choices, we’ve outlined the main travel daypack options below.

Large vs Small Travel Daypacks

Size is probably the most important consideration. Think about how much stuff you really need to be carrying with you day-to-day. If you’re heading on a city trip, you might only need to carry the valuables with you – in which case a small travel hip pack or sling bag would suffice. These types of packs are really useful since they can be worn close to the body, keeping your valuables safe and secure. 

If you’re planning something more adventurous, like overnight trips and hikes, you might want to take a backpack with more volume – anything from 15L to 35L will work depending on how much you need to pack. Backpack-style travel daypacks can also be used as extra storage for any souvenirs that you might pick up along the way. And remember, travel daypacks are not reserved exclusively for “travel”. Many will also function as an everyday pack, so think about what else you might want to use it for beyond your trip (such as commuting to work).

At Paddy Pallin, we stock travel daypacks in a range of different sizes, from tiny 1L hip packs to 30+L backpacks.

Heavy Duty vs Lightweight Travel Daypacks

The weight of your pack is ultimately down to personal preference, and as a general rule, we usually have to trade off between weight and durability. Again, this largely depends on what you’ll be using it for. If you’re planning to carry lots of gear, or use it for activities like hiking or overnighting, then durability should be a preference. Some people will travel with one bag only, and in that case it’s best to go for something a bit more heavy-duty. If durability is your priority, look out for materials like ripstop nylon and protective coatings like NanoTough or TPU. If you’re tired of having to lug heavy packs around, then an ultralight option might be better suited. There are many mid-volume travel daypacks on the market that sit well under the 500g mark.

Packable Daypacks

Packable travel daypacks are bags that can be packed away in your main pack when you don’t need to use it. Usually they can be packed up to a fraction of their size and have minimal feature-sets, meaning that they don’t take up much space or weight. Packable travel daypacks can be useful especially if you don’t require the extra space in transit, but need an everyday bag to take on beach days or strolls around the market (or simply do the laundry!).

FAQs about Travel Daypacks

What Classifies as a Lightweight Travel Daypack?

To classify a travel daypack as lightweight, you will need to consider the volume of the pack versus the weight. But generally, a lightweight travel daypack could be anything that weighs under 500 grams in weight. Some great ultralight travel daypack options include the Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole 27L (370g) and the Osprey Ultralight 18L Stuff Daypack (149g).

What Sizes do Travel Daypacks Come In?

Travel daypacks are available in a range of shapes, sizes and volumes, from 1 litre hip packs, to 35 litre fully-featured backpacks. To work out which size is best for you, consider your activity and the versatility you need your pack to provide.

What Activities are Travel Daypacks Designed For?

Travel daypacks are truly versatile and don’t have to be limited to travel alone. Depending on the style you go for, you can use your travel daypack for a variety of activities. From overnight excursions and day hikes, to grocery store trips and the work commute – the possibilities are endless.

What Are the Best Travel Daypack Brands?

We stock a range of quality travel daypacks from some of the best brands on the market. From Patagonia who offer an incredible range of lightweight and sustainable pack designs, to Osprey who produce durable and versatile travel daypacks that are built to last the test of time – there’s something in our range to offer every traveller. Some other great travel daypack brands include Cotopaxi, The North Face, Pacsafe and Arc’teryx.

Discover Quality Travel Daypack & Adventure Equipment at Paddy Pallin
 

At Paddy Pallin, we stock travel daypacks, luggage, and packs for a range of activities, from hiking to global travel. Planning your next big trip? Browse our full range of travel equipment today.