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.
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