You know we love a functional, well-designed, sustainable piece of gear here at Terradrift. And there may be no more impactful piece of gear than the (not so humble) daypack. After all, it accompanies you on all your hiking–maybe even biking or travel–adventures, holds your 10 essentials, and gets carted onto mountain, desert, and coastal trails. It will probably be with you for years if not decades (if you’re taking care of it and repairing it, of course), and gets caked with not only dirt, but memories. So choosing the right one–and one that’s kinder to the planet–is an important decision. Fortunately, we’ve tested a whole bunch and these are the best daypacks of the year in our opinion (that are also highly sustainable).
Best Daypacks of 2024
Nemo Resolve Endless Promise 25: The Fully Recyclable One
Perhaps the most sustainably-designed daypacks on the market, the Nemo Resolve Endless Promise packs (available in 15L and 25L) are not only made of recycled material, but are crafted from almost entirely one single material for one single reason: so this pack can be recycled at the end of its life. Yup, this pack is circular, meaning it’s recycled AND recyclable. And we can tell how much thought went into crafting this baby, from the uniquely-designed water bottle pockets on each side, to the comfy shoulder straps, to the reposition-able bungees. We also love the thoughtful shoulder strap pockets and removable hip belt. This hiking pack is a winner, for sure. Check out our full review of the Nemo Resolve HERE.
How it’s sustainable: Made of recycled materials, PFAS-free, recyclable, Bluesign Approved.
Pros
- Super sustainable
- Comfortable
- Ultra durable
- Customizable lash straps
- Shoulder strap pockets
Cons
- Only available in a couple of colors
- No exterior stash pocket
Deuter Speed Lite CV 23: The One for Smaller Hikers
For light and fast adventures, few options beat this compact, comfy daypack. Its slim profile holds everything we need, plus it has plenty of pockets (including a big, stretchy stash pocket on the front), attachments points and customizable lash options. It’s light, which makes it an excellent option for hikes where you want to cover some ground, plus, the lightly padded and highly flexible shoulder straps are uber comfy and narrower than most, which makes it an excellent hiking backpack for women (the SL version of the pack is women-specific) and smaller hikers. That said, larger hikers will still find this daypack more than suitable. Watch our full video review HERE.
How it’s sustainable: Made of 100% recycled materials, Bluesign Approved materials.
Pros
- Comfy, narrow straps
- Plenty of pockets
- Lots of lash points
- Lightweight
- Comfy hip belt with pockets
Cons
- Only available in a couple of muted colors
Gregory Unlikely Hiker Backpacks: For Hikers of all Sizes
If you’re not a slim and trim outdoorist, hiking daypacks can be tricky to find. In fact, there are painfully few plus-size daypacks out there for hikers with larger bodies. Fortunately, Gregory teamed up with non-profit Unlikely Hikers to create a whole line of packs in both standard and plus sizes (including a hip pack, 20L and 24L) for men and women! They have an adjustable harness so you can dial in a perfect fit, the 20L has a comfy hip belt with pockets, and the plus size options are well-designed for larger hikers. We found the packs comfortable, sleek, well-designed, and feature-rich! In fact, these might have just become our new go-to packs. Bonus: The colors truly pop!
How it’s sustainable: Made of partially recycled materials, PFAS-free, and 5% of net sales go to the non-profit Unlikely Hikers and their continued efforts towards making participation in outdoor activities more inclusive and accessible (watch our interview with Megan about why gear designed for larger bodies is so important here).
Pros
- Bright colors
- Lots of pockets
- Separate reservoir pocket
- Fits larger hikers
- Comfortable carry
- Feature-rich
Cons
- Only one color available in each bag
Pingora Lucid 20: For Moving Fast and Packing Light
We love how simple and slim this small hiking backpack is while still having almost all the bells and whistles we love, like shoulder strap pockets, a front stash pocket, zippered accessory pockets, and exterior lash points. Plus, the shoulder straps are minimally padded and ultra flexy, the webbing hip belt is removable, and it’s just a pleasure to carry. It feels much smaller than a 20L, but we like that, including that the front zipper pocket is its own space, as in, it doesn’t extent into the main pocket or vice versa if one of the two is packed full. One major ding, though: the stretchy side pocket that is usually designated for a water bottle is too tight. We found it barely fit a slim Nalgene, and that was when the pack was fairly empty. That means this pack is best suited for die-hard water reservoir fans, not so much those who prefer water bottles. Note: This color isn’t available until spring 2025.
How it’s sustainable: Made from deadstock fabric (leftovers from other brands that would likely end up in a landfill otherwise). Starting in spring 2025, these packs will all be PFAS-free.
Pros
- Plenty of pockets
- Ultralight
- Slim profile
- Stashable accessory straps
- No-slip shoulder straps
- Vest-style harness with pockets
Cons
- The water bottle pocket isn’t large enough for anything but a Smart Water Bottle
Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25: For Photographers
If you’re a photographer, you know how hard it can be to find a daypack that comfortably carries your equipment PLUS all your gear for hiking. Most packs are best suited for one or the other. Not the new Peak Design Outdoor Line (currently on Kickstarter with a product ship date of January at the latest). It’s designed for photographers who love to hit the trail and explore. It fits camera cubes perfectly, has a quick-stash front pocket, deep water bottle pockets, endlessly customizable lash and attachment points, and is ultra durable to boot. Plus it’s sleek enough for urban travel if you’d prefer not to look like you just got off the trail when hoofing it around the city. Watch our full review of the line HERE.
How it’s sustainable: Made of recycled materials, Bluesign approved, and Peak Design is Certified Climate Neutral.
Pros
- Durable
- Lots of pockets
- Customizable lash points
- Shoulder strap pockets
- Works seamlessly with other PD gear
Cons
- Water bottle pockets can’t be reached without taking the pack off
- Wide and dense shoulder straps may be less comfy for smaller hikers
Bottom Line: The Best Daypacks of 2024
Selecting a hiking backpack is a highly personal experience. After all, everyone wants something a little different, from a pack that fits their body perfectly to one that has tons of accessory attachment points to one that’s packed with pockets. But these are some of our faves that we tested this year and think you’re likely to find one that suits no matter what type of hiker you are. So grab a sustainable daypack, pack smart, hit the trail, and wander on.
Alisha is a freelance outdoor journalist and photographer based in Ogden, UT. She loves backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and snowboarding (even though she’s terrible at it). She’s also pretty sure she’s addicted to coffee. alishamcdarris.com