Day Packs

WE TESTED THESE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO.

IS IT?

EAGLE CREEK GEAR WARRIOR CONVERTIBLE 21.75” CARRY ON BACKPACK

WHAT IS IT?

A wheeled, carry-on-sized bag that converts to a backpack and has a removable daypack.

STRENGTHS

Full disclosure: This bag is so popular it’s backordered until August, so we haven’t tested it ourselves. But, we know we’ll love being able to put the 37-liter bag in the overhead bin and the 17-liter daypack beneath the seat in front of us, and then use it on mountain adventures.

WEAKNESSES

It is backordered until August.

BEST FOR

Frequent travelers looking for one bag (that’s secretly two) that does everything.

DETAILS

$309, available at eaglecreek.com

STRENGTHS

A colorful fanny pack made from nylon shell fabric and just big enough to fit everything you need for a short frontcountry hike.

A unisex technical 6-liter waist pack made from 100 percent recycled body fabrics with quickaccess side water bottle pockets.

Made from repurposed factoryremnant materials, this hip pack keeps fabric out of the landfill. A contoured and padded back panel and wide hip belt ensure it’s as comfortable as it is colorful.

There’s no being low-key while rocking this fanny pack. During the dozens of times we’ve been out and about with it, there hasn’t yet been an instance in which someone didn’t comment—albeit always positively— on its bold and many colors.

Eco-conscious fans of color for hiking up Snow King, or town explorers looking for something smaller than a backpack and more easily carried than a purse.

$50, available at cotapaxi.com

The Pursuit 6 has the features you want, including a back panel that is actually breathable and a key clip, and nothing extra.

We’ve yet to find a waist pack that can carry two full water bottles and not bounce around, and the Pursuit 6 is no exception. Once you’ve drunk the bottles down to two-thirds, the bouncing stops, though.

Fast and light mountain missions when all you need to carry is water, snacks, and an extra layer.

$75, available at Black Diamond Equipment, 160 W. Pearl Ave. and blackdiamondequipment.com

A carry-on-sized, super-stylish, and weatherproof 30-liter backpack that can hold enough for a 3-day trip, and, once you’ve arrived, work as a daypack, whether you’re going hiking or to meetings.

We love this bag for its looks alone. Its wealth of features—hugely stretchy side pockets; padded, stowable shoulder straps; padded sleeves for laptops and tablets; and a waterproof bottom —is a bonus.

A great value, full-feature 50-liter backpack made from mostly (89 percent) recycled materials that comes in men’s and women’s sizing.

Neither a fanny/waist pack nor a backpack, the unisex 7-liter Ranger XE has some of the best features of both and is made from tough, 100 percent recycled fabric.

Yes, that is an integrated, detachable rain cover and a detachable bottom compartment. Smartly designed and placed exterior pockets and straps allow this pack to carry more than 50 liters.

Maximum storage—think a sandwich, 1-liter water bottle, sunscreen, and a down sweater— for minimal weight (7 ounces) and bulk (it can be compressed down to fit in a jacket pocket).

The ultralight foam that provides structure to the bag (which is good) makes it hot against your back when it’s being used as a hiking pack.

If you’re not an efficient packer, even with the abundance of exterior pockets and straps, this pack won’t be big enough.

This is not the bag to take running; it, like almost all cross-body bags, will bang around until you slow to a walk.

Travelers on short trips who want to use only one bag.

Short 2- to 3-night backpacking trips and backpackers looking to force themselves to become more efficient packers.

Hikers heading out on shorter adventures who prefer the feel of a shoulder strap over a waist belt.

$230, available at peakdesign.com

Available in men’s and women’s sizing. $200, available at Teton Mountaineering, 170 N. Cache St., and mammut.com

$49, available at eaglecreek.com JH