Recommendations for a good daypack

Rick Steves Civita bag is my choice.

I am a fan of Eagle Creek and Osprey backpacks.
I used to have a National Geographic, a 23 in long backpack and a day backpack.The day backpack was very good, pretty roomy and very durable. I put more than 20 lbs in it withour any problem.
ebags.com is a great site, you can look at pictures from different angles, and inside the backpacks.
Kelty also is a good band as well.

I also like the bags from PacSafe.(I think all the security features are neat.) My mom just got the day pack and I was suprised at how much I would covet it.

Betty Lou, there are LOTS of choices in Daypacks. My Backpack is equipped with a detachable Daypack, so that's what I normally use. I also have one of Rick's Civita Bags ("Ricardo's Secret") and use that quite often also, as it's so easy to pack. However, it's a "light duty" pack and isn't robust enough for my Camera gear.

Check Eagle Creek, Osprey, Gregory and also Rick's ETBD site, to determine what size and features are most important to you. Perhaps the Appenzel Daypack or one of the shoulder bags would work for you?

Good luck!

Hi Betty Lou:

I have also used the RS Civita pack. But recently discovered the IVAR backpack. I got mine through Magellan's. The inside is in sections so that everything does not fall to the bottom of the pack. There have been some issues reported with the zippers, but I have not had any problems.

I recently took it on a short trip and loved it. I found everything with no problems or rooting around. It also has waist and chest straps so that it is easy use. I particularly liked it because the weight is distributed over the whole length of the pack, not settled on the bottom.

This pack I have is a fairly large one(there are smaller ones) so I might not carry it around every day. However I tend to use an Eagle Creek guide bag for day use.

I also like the civita bag.Its well made and just the right size for day trips.

Betty Lou, you might want to consider the 1-strap "healthy back bag." LL Bean has a version and it's also sometimes called the Ameribag. It comes in a variety of sizes and fabrications, has some useful inside and outside pockets, and has the advantage of being easily tucked under the arm when in crowded locales. I have several and I even use them as purses when I need to carry more than the usual amount of "stuff!"

Betty Lou, I second, third and fourth all of the recommendations for the Civita Day Pack. It's very lightweight, fits a surprisingly large amount of stuff, has a water bottle holder (that I use ALL the time!), and doubles as a pillow if you put a sweater inside of it. The material is very soft like a pillow. Also, it rolls up to take up less space than a t-shirt inside a larger suitcase. But it's large enough that I used it for my only luggage when I went to NYC for 4 days this summer.

Ditto to all everyone has said about the RS Civita. High quality, lightweight, soft, folds into tiny space, holds bunches, etc., etc. I, too, used mine as pillow with sweater inside. Don't wait for trip to Europe to use. We use ours all the time for many other outings. Highly recommended.

I agree with all who recommend the Civita bag (I use one also, both for travel and "around home" uses). However, the end user needs to be aware of the fact that it's intended for "light duty" applications. If it's loaded up heavily on a regular basis with heavy items, problems will occur!

The Civita bag might be perfect for the applications mentioned by Betty Lou. However, everyone's needs are different and one has to keep the limitations in mind.

Cheers!

Thanks to all who replied to my post looking for the perfect daypack. The Civita would be perfect except for my camera gear. I will check out all the recommendations.

Hi Betty,

I recently got the PacSafe Roam Safe 100 day pack http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=59 and LOVE it. (It is pricey thought) It's smaller than a backpack, but yet can hold my dSlr camera, a guidebook, water bottle, small travel umbrella (and everything else we women cant live without on a day out). Since I have a dslr camera, I wanted to get a bag that would give me piece of mind. (I also got the pacsafe camera strap too - so that I can actually wear the camera across the chest and not just hanging on my neck.) Check out the website and you can buy them at www.zappos.com or www.rei.com - I would do Zappos - free shipping and you can return it (free shipping) if you dont like it.

Hazel

Betty Lou, maybe what you need is the Rick's Appenzell. It's quite a bit bigger, more like a book bag, well-made, very convenient. I have both the Appenzell and the Civita; depending on what kind of trip I'm taking, sometimes I take both, other times just one or the other.

Look at www.onebag.com for a discussion on types of materials used in bag construction.

A couple of features I consider important:

A zipper that allows the bag to open completely. When you are traveling it's surprising how many times this will save you time finding something you put in your daypack.

At least one smaller pocket to put items you want to keep close at hand - chapstick, handiwipes, kleenex, swiss army knife, small led flashlight, plastic fork, bandaids, etc. I also like a place for pens/pencils to keep them handy. This leaves the bigger pocket for a sweater, rain shell, picnic supplies, etc.

An external water bottle holder. You want to stay hydrated. The best way to do this is keep water handy and sip regularly.