Nine Day Packs
By Steve Mann

Hikers use day packs more than other types of backpacks, including expedition, backpacking, and lumbar packs. The popularity of day hiking, along with decreasing amounts of extended time-off contribute greatly to this sales trend.

Day packs range widely in size and features. Some manufacturers now promote separate products as "day packs", "day-and-a-half-packs", "fastpacks", and other categories. For this review, I call 'em all day packs. An experienced minimalist can easily do a summer overnighter with 2200 "cubes" (cubic inches) of pack space. A novice may have difficulty overnighting with 3500 cubes-it takes several trips to the backcountry to distinguish what you need from what you want.

In addition to volume, the type of frame (stays, framesheet, or no frame), and design are key attributes that determine a day pack's suitability for larger loads and overnight trips. The nine packs in this review are top loaders, but some have top pouches with a cylindrical, tube-like main compartment, the others lack the top pouch and have a U-shaped zipper that opens up the main compartment.

JanSport Tahoma II
Volume: 2600 cu inches
Weight: 2 lbs 2 oz
Retail Price: $74.95

The JanSport Tahoma II surprised our test crew. As the least expensive pack in the review, our expectations were, well, less extensive. The Tahoma is a very good pack, with solid technical features. Perhaps the main sign of its lower cost is the lack of either stays or a framesheet. Its comfort rivaled the other packs on normal day hikes. However, our crew felt the lack of shape support and load balance that stays or a framesheet supply makes the Tahoma a poor choice for heavier loads or overnight trips.

The Tahoma sports a large top pouch attached in the back to the main bag. Atop the pouch sits a small daisy chain and bungee cord. Another set of bungee cord straps on the front allows you to stuff a jacket or map. Under the top pouch is a mesh pocket for a water bladder or other items, and a key clip.

For comfort, the pack's back (against your body) has soft padding with vent channels for airflow. The shoulder straps are also well padded. The hip belt is thin and lightly padded. Under load, the entire shoulder and hip belt system hauled with good comfort.

Summary: The JanSport Tahoma II features a clean, simple design at the lowest cost and lowest weight of the packs in this review. It rides well, even under a full load.

Contact JanSport at 800-552-6776 or www.jansport.com

Mountainsmith Boundary
Volume: 2500 cu inches
Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
Retail Price: $149

The Boundary features a unique design. It is very sturdy and very adjustable. It allows you transfer more of the load's weight to your lumbar region than any of the other packs in the review-in fact more than just about any other pack we've ever tested. Rhett said that the pack almost floated off his shoulders.

The Boundary's huge lumbar pad cushions the load against your back. The very wide hip belt is lightly padded and comfortable. An adjustable shoulder harness makes the pack fit a wide range of torso sizes. We were able to adjust the Boundary to fit our testers who normally wear larger size packs. Channeled padding on the back pad provide ventilation. Shape support derives from two stays and a plastic framesheet.

The small top pouch has four lash points. On the front, there are two daisy chains and a large vertical pocket behind them. The pocket forms a compression panel against the main compartment, and attaches at the bottom of the pack. It has a durable ballistic material inside, so you can place a shovel, coat, or rope behind the pocket, then tighten the compression straps to hold the load in place.

The Boundary has a large bladder pouch inside and a tube exit hole at the top back of the main body. Our test crew is unanimously agrees that every pack needs a bladder pouch and tube exit hole. (Reader response on the GearReview.com web site suggests that buyers also value this feature.)

Summary: A great pack, with exceptional comfort and outstanding features, and a general-purpose favorite of our test crew. The 2600 cubes and front pocket make it great for day or overnight use for more experienced hikers.

Contact Mountainsmith at 800-426-4075 or www.mountainsmith.com

Madden Mountaineering Dash
Volume: 2350 cu inches
Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz
Retail Price: $155

This clean, tall pack has the solid feel of a much larger pack. The sloped top pouch folds down over pack body for a cylindrical, well-balanced shape. The back is lightly padded and mesh covered for ventilation. The large top pocket has four lash point loops.

Madden opted for light padding. The shoulder straps are the thinnest among the packs, and the hip belt is light; wide but with almost no padding. Despite the skimpy pads, the pack is comfortable.

A single daisy chain flows from top-to-bottom down the front of the pack. A large vertical pocket sits behind daisy chain, and forms a compression panel. The pocket is permanently attached to the pack at its base, where two ice axe loops attach. New for '99, Madden added pull zips, and lash points and bungee cords to the top pouch, in response to snowboarders' and backcountry skiers' requests. The frame consists of a single stay down the middle of the pack and a plastic framesheet.

Summary: The Dash is lightweight and comfortable, but may not handle heavier loads comfortably due to less padding on back and hip belt. Its tall, thin design keeps the load close to the body, making it a good choice for bouldering or bushwhacking.

Contact Madden Mountaineering at 303-442-5828 or www.maddenusa.com

Granite Gear Couloir
Volume: 2600 cu in (large)
Weight: 3 lbs 2 oz
Retail Price: $175

Granite Gear's Couloir is thin and tall. The design is most like larger capacity backpacks. The top pouch is free floating, with straps on the front and back to secure the pouch over the load in the main compartment. This more traditional pouch is large and fuller.

Our test crew complained that the Couloir seemed cluttered with straps. All of the straps have a purpose, but there are so many that they repeatedly got in the way. For example, in addition to the normal compression straps and top pouch pull downs, the Couloir has separate small compression straps for the shovel pocket, and two adjustable straps on the front, just above the top set of compression straps, that loop back on themselves. There is another loop strap in the middle, presumably for the shovel handle. Another strap compresses the top of the main compartment, underneath the top pouch. Finally, there are two straps, on either side of the top pouch, that pull the top pouch tight toward the top of the shoulder harness and two straps on top of the top pouch for carrying items, such as a coat. Extra straps can also flog you in a strong wind.

On the plus side, there is a huge shovel pocket, ice axe loops, and small daisy chains above the shovel pocket, and big zippers with zipper pulls. The main bag is big, open, and easy to access. Nice soft padding covers the entire back panel, over which lays mesh for circulation. The hip belt is thicker and more substantial.

There are no stays; a plastic framesheet keeps the pack's shape. The pack fabric has an unusual stiff, plasticy feel. Most reviewers didn't care for the feel or the crinkling noise the fabric makes, although the fabric is undoubtedly very tough, and more water-resistant than the other packs.

Summary: A good choice for winter trips. The shovel pocket, ice axe loops, and ice axe handle strap take care of your winter day hike needs. The water resistant fabric will keep gear dry in the snow. For summer day hikes, our crew felt the extra straps got in the way, and most preferred other packs over the Couloir.

Contact Granite Gear at 800-222-8023 or www.granitegear.com

Quest Voodoo Soul
Volume: 2300 cubic inches
Weight: 3 lbs 5 oz
Retail Price: $99.00

The Voodoo Soul was a clear winner in the attractiveness category. No sooner had I pulled the pack from the box than people started commenting, "That's a great looking pack." Other reviewers duplicated that experience.

Unfortunately, the technical performance didn't match the look. Our key problem with the Quest was that the shoulder straps and load lifters would slip, loosening under weight during the hike. After about 30 minutes, you'd find the load sagging off your back and tugging at your shoulders. You tighten the straps, only to repeat the process. Quest reports that they discovered the slipping straps in the pre-production models (which our crew tested), and they replaced the defective straps in production models. We'll update our review on the GearReview.com web site after receiving the new pack, which was not available by the deadline for this article.

The Voodoo Soul has no top pouch, and the main compartment is more pear shaped, rather than the tall cylindrical shape of the other packs. The wider bottom on the bag made it easier to load larger items, such as a sleeping bag, but the overall size is too small for overnight trips for all but the most experienced and devoted minimalist.

Our testers found the detachable chest pouch too be complex-we never did figure out how to make the straps work. The chest pouch forms a compression system, but you must unbuckle its straps to gain full entry into main compartment.

For fit, the Voodoo Soul was comfortable (until the straps slipped). A framesheet gives shape to the pack, which has no stays. The shoulder straps and hip belt have average padding.

Other features are a single ice axe loop at the center bottom, and a daisy chain up the middle. The Quest has no bladder pouch inside.

Summary: The Voodoo Soul has the potential to be a solid day pack for shorter trips (no overnighters), once the strap problem is corrected. For the appearance-conscious packer, the Voodoo Soul is attractive. If you only use it in the backcountry, who cares? If it is going to double as a campus book bag, then the Voodoo Soul is a great choice with a competitive price.

Contact Quest at 800-613-1225.

The North Face Freefall
Volume: 3100 cu inches
Weight: 4 lbs 7 oz
Retail Price: $170

The Freefall, new to The North Face for '99 is one of two packs in this review with over 3000 cubes of space. It is also the heaviest pack at about 4 ‡ pounds. This capacity (and weight) comes from the sturdy frame-two stays and a framesheet-and lots of extras.

The Field Test crew especially liked the inside bladder pouch with tubing exit hole, two spacious front pockets, gear loops on the hip belt, ski loops on the sides, D-rings on the shoulder straps (for tubing, or to attach accessories), ice axe loops, and ice axe handle loops on the upper compression straps.

Jeff tested the Freefall, then promptly adopted it as his own. "I could get everything into it for an overnight trip with ease-I struggled to get everything I wanted into smaller packs. The side straps made it possible to strap gear onto the outside, such as my sleeping pad or tent."

All testers reported the Freefall to be comfortable. The back has firm, channeled foam padding, and the hip belt was a solid, although not the heaviest padded, it gave good support to the load.

The FreeFall offers two top-to-bottom daisy chains in front, and another on the top pouch for lashing. The big, upright top pouch holds lots of small, easy access items. The zippers have pulls, and a huge rear handle-strap makes it easy to haul the pack around when its not on your back.

Summary: The Freefall is a favorite of the test crew, especially for overnight trips. It is also a great for climbing because of the gear loops on the hip belt. If you want a single pack for day packing, overnighters, or climbing the Freefall is an excellent choice. As for features, the Freefall has nearly every extra we could think of.

Contact The North Face at 888-719-NORTH.

Eureka Eiger
Volume: 3250 cu inches (large)
Weight: 3 lbs 8 oz (medium weight)
Retail Price: $130

The Eiger was also a favorite of our test crew. Eureka managed to get a sizable volume into a lightweight package at only 3 pounds 8 ounces, and at an affordable price ($130).

Several unique features endeared it to the crew. First, a large handle in the middle of the front daisy chain makes it easy to haul the pack around when its not on your back. The Eiger is the only pack in the review with bottom straps (where many hikers attach a sleeping pad), and-highly unusual-the entire bottom of the pack zips open, like pulling off a cap on the end of a tube.

We found the Eiger's unique styling, including the reflective accents, attractive in a gearhead-sort-of-way. Other nice extras are a key clip at top of main compartment, and a velcro tab on the top pouch to keep the fabric zipper covered so water and dirt don't get into the pouch.

For compression, the Eiger makes use of Eureka's "taco-style" compression; sides or "wings" of the pack fold in over the load to hold it into place. Compression straps angle in for the taco effect. We found the taco compression to be highly effective in squeezing the load which reduces volume and holds the load in place.

Comfort? Eiger's wide hip belt is lined with mesh against the hips and thin padding. A thick, soft, comfortable lumbar pad and padded back with channeled soft foam made for a comfortable ride. Soft padded shoulder straps, complete with D-rings for tubing or accessories, completes the package. Two stays go from the top of shoulder straps to meet at base of pack behind lumbar pad, forming a V. There is no framesheet.

Summary: The Eiger rates as most unique, and one of our favorites. Attention to detail is evident in the extras, and the willingness to go outside the traditional day pack formula brings surprisingly good results. Eiger's size and features, such as the bottom straps, makes it capable of handing loads for overnight trips with ease.

Contact Eureka at 888-245-4984 or www.jwa.com

Lowe Alpine Vision 40
Volume: 2400 cu inches
Weight: 3 lbs 8 oz
Retail Price: $99

At first we disliked the way the sloping top pouch attaches to the pack, as it is difficult to fold back out of the way for access to the main compartment, especially when the top pouch is full. But after using it for a while, we liked the pack overall and appreciated the sleek design.

We discovered, quite accidentally, that the Vision is one tough pack. Tackling Utah's Bull Valley Gorge, deep pools of extremely cold water caused us to abandon our hike. I climbed out the 70-foot slot canyon, lowered a rope for Jeff to attach to the packs, and began to pull them up. As the pack started over the sandstone edge, the rope snapped and the Vision 40 dropped 69 feet onto the boulders below. No rips, no tears, no bruises, no blownout seams. We were very surprised, and pleased.

Rather than full-height daisy chains on the front, the Vision 40 features a tall, narrow pouch. It is too small for most hydration bladders, and the pack doesn't have a bladder pouch inside. I used the tall pouch for quick access items, but this seemed to duplicate the purpose of the top pouch. There are two short daisy chains with four loops, one on each side of the tall front pouch.

Good, firm padding on the bottom and up the sides to the shoulders ensure comfort, and air mesh over the spine aids ventilation. A full hip belt with medium padding and well padded shoulder straps round out a good harness system. The shoulder straps include D-loops on each shoulder for tubing or attaching accessories. Extras include a small pocket underneath the top pouch and big zippers with zipper pulls. There are no ice axe loops.

Summary: A clean, functional, and comfortable pack. No clutter, and not a lot of extras, but all the basics are there and function well. I recommend the Vision as a great general-purpose day pack for those who don't need the extras, or novices who don't know what to do with them. For minimalists, the simplicity is a plus, and the pack could be used for overnight trips. The price is excellent for the quality.

Contact Lowe Alpine at 303-465-0522 or www.lowealpine.com

Vortex 2200
Volume: 2000 cu inches
Weight: 2 lbs 6 oz
Retail Price: $149

The Vortex is the smallest and lightest pack in the review. It is a top loader with a large U-zipper and has top pouch or bladder pouch. The zipper lays the bag wide open for easy access or loading. A large shovel pocket graces the front.

The hip, shoulder, and back padding are of average thickness. Walt spent all day with the Vortex carrying a snowboard in the three front compression straps, which pull across the load. He found that the snowboard attached easily, and carried well. "The 2200 is perhaps the most comfortable day pack I've ever carried," he noted. "I really like the pack for winter day trips. It's the perfect size, and accommodates skis or a snowboard very well."

Walt, an accomplished minimalist, felt he could overnight with the Vortex in the summer. Vortex's extra include huge rubberized zipper grabs, probably the easiest we've ever used with gloves. You can access your gear inside the pack without taking the pack off: Simply spin the pack around on the hip belt so that the back of the pack is in front of you, then zip open the U-shaped zipper. You can get to anything inside the pack, a great convenience when you're standing in knee deep powder.

Vortex packs are known for their tough construction, such as Kevlar bar tacking.

Summary: A very clean, uncluttered, lightweight, and comfortable pack with great access. The pack is at its best on winter day trips.

Contact Vortex at 800-3-VORTEX or www.vortexbackpacks.com

By Steve Mann
Steve Mann is a contributing editor to GearReview.com.