Best daypacks for hiking, Expert advice to choose

Hi again! Can you get to an REI or equivalent outdoor store? Personally, I would not want to choose a day pack for I believe you said 11 mile hikes in the Black Forest, without trying them on. And I always liked having a waist band as well, but maybe you don't need it.

We do a lot of hiking, and I love my Osprey Tempest 20L. I have had it for at least 10 years and it has held up perfectly. It has been on numerous 10+ mile hikes and is usually my personal item for any plane travel.

Do go to REI or somewhere similar and get fitted though. What works for me may not work for you. Plus they will size you. Yes, daypacks have sizes:) They will fill it with weights as well and you can walk around and see how it actually feels.

Editing to add that the Thule pack is not something I would want to take hiking. It would be a good commuter bag, but otherwise it is just too big/heavy for any sort of hiking, IMO.

Neither.

The Tempest 11 is a touch too small and the Crossover 32 is WAAAY too large for a good hiking daypack. The 11 litre size might be okay on shorter hikes or city walks but too small to carry lunches, rain gear and extra layers.

If you mean serious hiking, I would look at the Tempest 22. It will still be large for most days but it can compress down quite nicely so it will not feel too big. If you plan on carrying a water system, it will take up about 20% of the room in the 22 size but almost half of the 11 size.

I have a 18l Osprey Daylite Plus which does not have a waist strap. It is good for city use when I am not carrying a ton of weight. I also use a Manta 24 for serious hiking but it is too big and clunky for city hiking as it has a mesh suspension back panel.

My wife has an older version of the Tempest and loves it!

I think that the 11L is too small and the 32L is too large also. I use a well made backpack with back supports and waist belt (from Deuter but that is less essential) that holds 30L and that is actually too big, because I tend to bring too much non-essential stuff because there is room. Think rain jacket+ puffy layer + lunch + water bottle size. It's a great personal item with my carry-on roller bag so it keeps coming to Europe and I keep having to remember to not pack too much. My wife's 18L Deuter which has since gone to the travel gods rest home from collapse was a better bet for what you are interested in. BUT, backpacks are made to fit people and people are not all the same size or shape. I strongly recommend visiting an REI, Dick's Sporting Goods, or some other local outdoors store retail outlet and try some of the different sizes and models on your back to see how they fit at the shoulders and on your waist. Have fun!

I am planning some trail adventures

I don't know what this means... 3 miles or 20 miles or something in-between. Mountain trails or park trails, etc. I suggest you go to REI with what you think you will want in your bag and talk to them. With the description in more detail of what you want to do with it and the approximate weight to put in it, they will make suggestions. When I did this, I discovered that the 34L Osprey Sirrus was much more comfortable than the smaller bags...if I recall a 28 Deuter, which I'd really wanted to like but didn't, and an REI bag, etc.

When I walked the Camino, 13 to 17 miles daily, there were 'just in case' items that were important, such as rain gear, hiking sandals, foot care and the like, food, water. I did not find the 34 L too big, but it wasn't stuffed, which was handy. Talk to the experts at REI and go from there. Some people do not carry enough safety equipment and others carry too much. You need to figure out you. I love, love, love my bag.

This post is looking like click bait. This does not appear like a legit post. Tons of reviews over a few days?

IDK, but she / he posted about being a first time packer looking for suggestions to traveling to Europe, and gave detailed responses to questions and suggestions here - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/first-time-traveling-to-europe-packing-light-tips-needed.

BTW, they posted in other thread they're looking at 11-mile hikes in German Black Forest.

Look at 18 - 22 liter packs for hiking and day packs. Reliable brands - Osprey, Patagonia, Rick Steve Appenzell, LL Bean.