It’s still hiking season! So are you ready to hit the trail? But going hiking doesn’t mean you have to spend multiple days in the wilderness. Short day hikes are just as wonderful a way to spend time in nature and more accessible and achievable by everyone from city folks who just want to enjoy the outdoors for a couple of hours to seasoned hikers and trail runners stoked for a challenge. So pack a small backpack (whether it’s with your camera and a celebratory beer to enjoy at the viewpoint or just some trail snacks and hiking poles–just don’t forget the 10 essentials) and get to it! Don’t have a small backpack? Then check out these sustainable daypacks–they’re just what you need to get the job done.
How to Pick the Right Day Pack for You
First things first: figure out what type of pack is best for you. Not all hikers have the same needs, just like all day packs don’t have the same features. Some hikers prefer to use a water bottle and want to make sure there are side pockets to hold it, others use a water reservoir so will need a hydration sleeve to put it in. Personally, I can’t get enough pockets in a day pack to save me from emptying everything out just to find one rogue granola bar. On the other hand, trail runners might lean towards a more lightweight vest-style pack, since jogging through the forest with a Costco amount of snacks may not be your jam.
Living in the rainy Pacific Northwest means a waterproof cover is essential to me, but this might not be a necessity for fair weather hikers. Essentially, different packs have different uses: from short hikes to longer day hikes. So pick one that will suit you and your hiking style and destination.
8 Sustainable Day Packs
Whatever kind of hiker you are, or even if you’re just looking for a perfect travel carry-on for global adventures, here are some of the top sustainable day packs on the market right now.
Osprey Tempest 20L or Talon 22L
Best for: Day hikers who like to bring technical gear
The Osprey Tempest 20L or 30L might be the perfect day pack. It features an external hydration reservoir sleeve, plenty of zips, places for attachments, pockets and compression straps. The side pockets are a little tight for some bigger water bottles, which is about the only downside, and it isn’t as light as some day packs, but the seamless hip belt is a fantastic feature that causes less irritation than many bags.
Hate the sweaty back feeling from backpacks? Then you’ll love the AirScape mesh back panel of this bag that allows more breathability. The Tempest is one of the highest quality sustainable bags made using recycled high-tenacity nylon. And if that’s not good enough, Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee is in place to help repair any defect or damage no matter how old the bag to save it from ending up in a landfill. Find the Tempest line here and the Talon line here.
Jack Wolfskin Kingston 30 Pack Recco
Best for: Adventurous day hikers who want to be ready for anything
As well as being a sleek little day pack with oodles of practical toggles, straps and zips for all your gear, the Kingston 30 is one of the safest packs out there. How so? The embedded Recco system chip in this pack is designed to help rescuers find people through sophisticated technology. (Read our review of the pack here.) So if you’re someone who’s often used the phrase “It doesn’t look that far/difficult,” and been proven wrong, this is a genius addition to your gear closet that offers better peace of mind.
Another great feature of this day pack is the separate base compartment – so you don’t have to empty everything to get to the bottom of your pack. It also comes with a rain cover, which are often sold separately with many other brands and packs. The Kingston 22 is made of 100% recycled materials and is also 100% PFC-free, shunning those toxic chemicals many brands use to waterproof items for more environmentally friendly alternatives. Find it here.
Fjallraven Tree-Kanken
Best for: Short urban hikes or everyday uses
Swedish company Fjallraven is known for their sustainable practices, and you know a company who uses the tagline Long Life Less Waste is going to have some amazing packs. The newest design, Tree-Kanken is made of 100% plant-based fabric, and boldly goes where no Ikea has gone before by creating a durable long-lasting stylish everyday product. Check out our brief overview of the pack here.
This day pack is great for shorter hikes but has enough room for your basic supplies including a front zip pocket and a bottom strap for securing items to the outside. Plus, the company started supporting awareness for climate change in the nineties and how it affects the Swedish arctic fox (which “Fjallraven” means in Swedish). Their funding of research has helped increase the population over the last 20 years. Is that not an even better reason to get this backpack? Find it here
Ultimate Direction Race Vest(a) 5.0
Best for: Trail running and fast hiking
Got places to go? No time to stop and smell the roses? For all you trail runners and fast packers out there, this is the lightweight vest pack for you. It can fit up to a 2L hydration reservoir in the back and comes with 2 x 500ml flexible water bottles which fit in the handy pouches on the front of the vest. Add in a couple extra pockets for your phone, keys and wallet and even some folding trekking pole loops and you are good to go.
Ultimate Direction is diligent at making sure employees, including manufacturers of their products are treated right. They are constantly checking to make sure child labor is not used, and all workers are provided with legal liveable wages and benefits. All products are also PFC-free, and they are Bluesign® certified which means their products are guaranteed to be produced in a sustainable way. Find the women’s here and the men’s here.
Deuter Speed Lite 22 SL
Best for: People who want an adventure without compromising on comfort
Pockets and panels and pouches, oh my! This Deuter Speed Lite 22L daypack has space for all of your essentials and then some. A place to hold everything from your trekking poles to an ice axe and your hydration reservoir, this is a phenomenal day pack. The breathable back panel is ideal for hotter summer days and it’s one of the lightest packs of this size you’ll find.
Deuter swaps PFC rainproofing for harmless durable water repellency instead, which is much better for the environment by ridding their bags of nasty chemicals. Deuter is Bluesign certified, which means they adhere to the highest of sustainability standards. With a two year warranty Deuter will also repair packs free of charge if they are damaged due to any manufacturing issues which in turn creates less waste. Find the women’s here and the men’s here. And check out our full review of the Dueter Speed Lite CV 23 HERE.
Cotopaxi Tarak Del Dia
Best for: Climbing and hiking
Keep everything you need at hand with this 20-liter pack, which features a much simpler design than many, and skips a lot of toggles and loops for a more minimalist approach. But that doesn’t mean it’s not practical. An internal hydration sleeve takes the place of external water bottle pockets and loops for your ice tool are replaced with daisy chains down both sides of the front.
One of Cotopaxi’s Del Dia line of packs’ most sustainable features is also one its most unique. The bags are all made using leftover fabric from other companies’ production runs. That means nothing goes to waste or into the landfill, AND you get bags made of bright, fun colors with a completely unique look. The beautiful designs will help you stand out from the crowd. Check out our review of some other Del Dia packs here. And find the Tarak Del Dia here.
Osprey Arcane Large Day Hemp
Best for: Carry-on and everyday use
This is one of the most sustainable daypacks out there for everyday use, including travel, work or day trips that may or may not involve some easy hiking. The Arcane Large Day Hemp, as the name suggests, is over 50% hemp, as well as recycled polyester. I love the simple design, and with only one external pocket and an almost unnoticeable side water bottle pocket, it’s quite understated. There are plenty of organizational pockets inside including a laptop sleeve. Hemp is essentially a weed and multiplies faster than bunnies, which makes it one of the most sustainable plants. Add in that it’s incredibly durable, and you’ve got the perfect natural fiber. Read more about hemp in this post. Osprey has also gone beyond product materials and design and even looked at better packaging options. 100% recycled and recyclable polybags and hangtags are top of their list. Find it here.
Tentree Mobius 35L
Best for: Overnight trips for a chronic over-packer
This is more of an everyday or travel backpack than a hiking backpack, although it would also be great for non-technical outdoor activities like easy day hikes near town. An adjustable chest strap and the ability to go from a 16 liter to 35-liter capacity makes this a versatile backpack for anyone who has the inability to leave unnecessary items at home (guilty). With plenty of organizational pockets both inside and outside of the pack, this is a great one for a plane journey or a long road trip. One of my favorite things: the designs. Sure, you can get a classic black or gray color, but who doesn’t love the trees and northern lights design!
Tentree plants (you guessed it) TEN trees for every product sold. To date they have planted over 60 million trees. The Mobius day pack is made using 100% recycled polyester from recycled plastic bottles and even uses recycled factory waste to create all the zips, buckles and trim. Find it here.
Bottom Line
When it’s time to upgrade or replace your backpack, do so with one of these rad sustainable day packs. Then hit the trail and wander on!
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Author Bio: Emma is a travel blogger based in Vancouver, Canada. She loves the great outdoors, hiking to an incredible viewpoint and discovering new places around the world to enjoy some good vegetarian food. Foreverlostintravel.com
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Abhishek Behl
Sunday 5th of September 2021
Thanks Emma for sharing this post and oh was nice to stumble upon you on Twitter. Osprey is my go to day sack as it’s so easy and comfortable to get everything that I need. Many thanks once again and safe travels Cheers Abhishek @iabehl