The main thing to think about when looking to buy a day pack is to understand what your activity level is going to be. Say you are going to use your daypack primarily as a means to carry your textbooks from home to class to work and back again. But several times a year, you also go hiking for a weekend with friends or family and you want to use your daypack for this too.
This is all well and good, except a daypack designed to lug papers, laptops and textbooks may not be suitable for walking for hours, scampering over boulders or crossing creeks. You need to get a daypack that suits the activity you are going to doing.
Match Daypacks to Activities
If you are going to use your daypack for skiing, rock climbing, or cycling you will need to look at one that is ultra lightweight, may have a pouch for a hydration system, yet has room for your ropes, repair tools, etc.
On the other hand a travel daypack should be lightweight enough to be easily carried in airports, on buses and in taxicabs, yet have storage space for a change of clothes, a camera, a laptop, and any other business accessories.
Yet an everyday work daypack should be fall on the side of form and be stylish enough to fit into any work environment. It should lots of interior/exterior pockets for your cell phone, music player, keys, PDA, notepads and files.
Choosing a Daypack
Materials - Daypacks can be made from everything from ballistic nylons (like Cordura®), to hemp, canvas, leather or recycled man-made materials. But the most common materials are nylons, leather and canvas.
? Leather - Usually wins hands down in the style department for most people. Can last years if cared for properly and is "fit-in-anywhere" pack. It can be very water resistant when treated. But it does require more maintenance and upkeep than other materials.
? Canvas - Rugged and durable. Lasts a long time also, and resists cuts, scrapes and punctures well. It is more water resistant than nylon, especially when treated or lined. Loses points in the "pretty" club but this may not be an issue when used for sports and as a travel daypack.
? Nylons - A day pack in a durable nylon or polyester can last a good while if cared for. Is not as water resistant or cut/puncture proof as other materials. But can be found in a rainbow of colors, styles and forms.
Construction - Daypacks all come with certain items in common:
Shoulder Straps - Be it a traditional double or a single sling, get a strap that is well padded, is not too narrow that it "digs" or one so wide that it binds or pinches. Also look for a hipbelt, to transfer the weight of heavy daypack to the stronger hips and leg muscle and a sternum strap to prevent the straps from slipping down.
Once you understand how to pick a daypack to suit both your lifestyle and budget, you are ready to buy a daypack that is right for you.
 Backpack by Excruzen Cruiser 45 HikeCampTravel  US .99 |  The North Face Headwall Daypack Backpack Green New TNF US $79.99 |
 The North Face Core Shot Daypack Backpack New TNF US .99 |  The North Face Off Chute 26 Backpack Pack Red New TNF US $129.99 |
 New North Face Electra Backpack Camodil Grey 730cu in US .99 |  The North Face Hot Shot Backpack Daypack New Cherry US $79.99 |
 The North Face Cornice Backpack 1770cu in New Blue US .99 |  Black Wolf Monashee 40L Tech Laptop Daypack Backpack US $78.35 |
 Black Wolf Titanium 35L Air Back Technical Backpack NEW US .88 |  Black Wolf Tempo 40L Air Back Technical Backpack NEW US $86.10 |
 Backpack Bookbag National Wildlife Fed NEW TagSale US .99 |  BRAND NEW TRANSIT SCHOOL LAPTOP NOTEBOOK PC BACKPACK US $13.49 |
 NEW North Face BIG SHOT backpack bag pack BLUE nwt US .99 |  Eagle Creek Mini Backpack US $24.95 |
 The North Face Surge Backpack New Version US .10 |  The North Face Hot Shot Backpack New Version US $26.00 |
 North Face day pack US .99 |  Kelty Summit lumbar fanny pack US $9.99 |
 Osprey Talon 22 S M Citron Daypack US .04 |  Maxam Backpack Made of tough nylon polyester US $24.99 |
 KELTY Moab 950 Day Pack Hip Pack Blue Fanny Pack US .00 |  Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack Khaki 2 velcro patches US $56.00 |
 Outdoor Combo Travel Kit W Mug Pack Flashlight US .00 |  NEW MARMOT HIP LUMBAR DAY PACK US $14.50 |
 New Camo Fanny Waist Pack Bag Travel Purse w Belt nwt US .99 |  new north face outdoor sport hiking 7010L bag backpack US $49.00 |
 69 BACKPACK GREEN GREY YELLOW PRO CAMPING HIKING US .00 |  new north face outdoor sport hiking 55L bag backpack US $49.00 |
 70 BACKPACK ORANGE GREY BLACK DAY CAMPING HIKING US .00 |  71 BACKPACK RED ORANGE BLACK BIKERS CAMPING HIKING US $85.00 |
 new north face outdoor sport hiking 6515L bag backpack US .00 |  72 BACKPACK MODERN BLACK and GREY COMMUTER LAPTOPS US $85.00 |
 Caribee Ridge Runner 20L Slim Line Sports Daypack US .39 |  67 BACKPACK GREEN GREY BLACK DAY CAMPING HIKING US $29.99 |
 Boy Scout type back pack US Army Medium Ruck Sack new US .00 |  NORTH FACE jester backpack BROWN PLAID new without tags US $21.00 |
 68 BACKPACK GREEN GREY SILVER DAY CAMPING HIKING US .00 |  EMS Summit 5500 Camping Hiking Backpack Lowe Alpine US $17.50 |
 OSPREY ATMOS 35 OVERNIGHT BACKPACK M 2100 CU IN NWT US 0.00 |  Unisex Leather Backpack made by Dakota US $5.99 |
 Mossy Oak Treestand Fanny Pack Hunting Deer Turkey US .99 |  Backpack by Excruzen Amundsen 35 Hike Camp Travel US $23.99 |
 Backpack by Excruzen Alpine 60 Climb Camp Travel US 6.99 |  BACK PACK DAY PACK GREAT ALL AROUND HIKER PACK NEW US $17.99 |
 Picnic Backpack 4 piece with wine holder on the side US .00 |  Molle Tactical MOD Hydration Assault Backpack Bag Tan US $9.99 |
 Badlands 2200 US 0.00 |  20 BACKPACK YELLOW BLACK PRO CAMPING HIKING GEAR US $42.99 |
 K2 BackCountry Helisphere backpack US .00 |  19 BACKPACK BLACK GREY DAY PACK CAMPING HIKING US $19.99 |
 BACKPACK Lightweight Backpack NEW US .99 |  CABELAS 7 Pocket Fanny Pack in Camo US $15.00 |
 Deuter Futura 24 SL Womans Day Pack US .25 |  North Face Jester Backpack in Black US $25.00 |
 NWT Osprey Backpack Style Veer Color Glacier US .00 |  Large Multi pocket Hikers Backpack US $19.99 |
 Waist fanny pack in deep red with black silver accent US .99 |  North Face Recon Backpack Laptop Daypack Yellow NWT US $63.00 |
 Lg Black OUTDOOR Hiking Waist Pack Camera Water Snacks US .99 |  THE NORTH FACE BACKPACK EXCELLENT PRE OWNED ISABELLA NR US $25.00 |
 LLBean Waist Fit Day Pack US .30 |  BLACK EUROPEAN RUCKSACK COOL NEW HEAVY DUTY BACKPACK US $21.99 |
 Wheeled Back Pack US .00 |  NEW Oakley HAZMAT PACK Backpack Bag Pack Duffel Black US $29.99 |
 MILITARY BACKPACK RUCKSACK DAY PACK F 1 ARMY DAYPACK US .99 |  NORTH FACE HECKLER BLACK DAYPACK BACKPACK AE5W001 OS US $29.00 |
 The North Face Sweeper Daypack in Cardinal Molten US .00 |  NORTH FACE HOT SHOT LAPTOP BACKPACK BLACK W TAGS US $55.00 |
 NORTH FACE BOREALIS LAPTOP BACKPACK BLACK NEW W TAGS US .00 |  Oakley Black Backpack US $139.99 |
 BURTON DAY HIKER for the Urban Mountain packer NEW US .95 |  NORTH FACE SURGE LAPTOP BACKPACK BLACK W TAGS US $61.00 |
 THE NORTH FACE SUMMIT POD BACKPACK BACK PACK US .99 |  Golite Mens Pursuit Backpack US $35.00 |
 New Scott Landlord BackPackCampingHikingSnowboard US .00 |  GoLite Ion Backpack US $36.00 |
 ArcTeryx Bora 30 Pack ArcTeryx Canada US .00 |  Backpack by Excruzen Adventure 38 Hike Camp Travel US $79.99 |
 Mountainsmith FX Waistpack for Camera Equipment Used US .00 |  North Face Base Camp Duffel Small US $35.00 |
 Authentic NORTH FACE HOTSHOT bookbag daypack Reg US .99 |  FASHIONABLE BACKPACK CASUAL STYLE DAYPACK IPOD FRIENDLY US $19.99 |
 Beautiful PINK Rockland BackpackVery Nice US .99 |  NYLON FOLDING Foldable Blue LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACK BAG US $.01 |
 Molle Tactical Assault Hiking Hunting Backpack Bag Tan US .99 |  New GI Joe Daypack Rise of Cobra US $5.99 |
