[Daypacks] Ultralight packable daypacks (rolltop & <150g)

[keithy]

Keithy reviews Lightweight Packable Daypacks with rolltop closures <150g

I've owned a number of the Sea to Summit ultralight daypacks and since Suz's review here viewtopic.php?f=63&t=23237 I have bought a few of the S2S ultralight dry daypacks as well. I've owned the zippered version of the Sea to Summit ultrasil daypack for around 5 years and in over a year of using the roll top version, I have changed my mind and now favour the rolltop closure style over the slightly smaller zippered 20L Sea to Summit ultrasil daypack.

I've found these packs under 150g to be handy, for use as packable daypacks when bushwalking or when traveling. I've had a few of the square style pocket foldable bags before as well, and they usually weighed >250g, but I found I didn't carry them as often as I would with these smaller/lighter style packs. My S2S zippered version lasted a good 4 year of use and abuse before I had a small puncture in the fabric. There are sacrifices of course. The sll nylon straps can bunch up with weight in the packs and become uncomfortable for longer carries, and I do get a sweaty back from use in warm conditions.

In my travels over the past year or so, I have seen similar bags in various stores, mainly in Europe and bought a few to use and review.

I now have a collection of these style of bags, including the ones similar to the zippered S2S daypack which I will review at a later stage. This review will be of the ultralight packable day packs with roll top closures.

Firstly to the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack:

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Day Pack

• Weight advertised 110g weighed 113g (with stuffsack)
• Style roll top closure
• External pockets No
• Capacity 22L
• Packed Size 14cm x 6cm x 5cm
• Open Size 46cm x 29cm x 20cm
• Carry pouch separate
• http://seatosummit.com/product/ultra-sil%c2%99-dry-daypack/

Sea to Summit Dry Daypack

Not much to say that hasn't been covered in Suz's review. When packed, it is about the height of a drink can, although slightly thinner than a can. Restuffing the bag into it's stuff sack can be challenging. I've had two of these now - one was pinched from the external pocket of my duffel bag while in storage at a hostel. My second one has now been in use for almost a year.

I will be mainly using this bag as a base comparison against the other bags.

Zayo 24L backpack (Matador Freerain24)

• Style roll top closure & zip
• External pockets Yes Two side and one zip
• Weight Advertised 156g Actual 183.5g with case (the Matador Freerain is around 150g)
• Capacity 24L
• Packed Size 14cm x 9cm x 9cm
• Open Size 46cm x 40cm x 16cm
• Carry pouch separate (attached to the Freerain 24)
• https://matadorup.com/products/matador-freerain24-backpack

Zayo 24L / Matador Freerain 24L

I was contemplating not including this bag as it was much heavier than the Sea to Summit dry daypack when weighed (advertised at around 150g it turned out heavier in real life). It has thicker material, more comfortable straps, external pockets, an external zip pocket. Includes load lifter straps as well, but probably not required. Let down by the overly complicated fold down top which can be buckled down as well. The separate carry pouch is quite big, so restuffing this into the bag isn't difficult. When packed, due to the generous stuff sack, it can appear taller than a can of drink. I generally wouldn't recommend this bag over the others I've tried.

Also in the similar style is the Matador Freerain24. The difference between the Zayo which I have and the Matador appear to be the straps (solid on the Zayo and part mesh on the Matador). lseries92 mentions below that the Freerain24 is lighter than the Zayo, and appears to be made of thinner material than the cheaper Zayo bag.

One of the other packs I review later also has a similar design to this pack, but with what appears to be a lighter silnylon fabric http://www.peregrineequipment.com/shop- ... ummit-pack. I will try to get one of these for later review.

Green Hermit Ultralight Dry Pack 20 Litre

• Style fold down top
• External pockets Yes Two side mesh
• Weight Advertised 118g Actual 127g
• Capacity 20L
• Packed Size 14cm x 7cm x 6cm
• Open Size 40cm x 22.5cm x 14cm
• Carry pouch separate
• https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/rucksacks-c19/all-rucksacks-c134/ultralight-dry-pack-20-litre-p8352

Greenhermit Ultralight 20

Closeup of the material and shoulder straps / mesh side pockets

This is a nice pack that compares very well with the Sea to Summit pack. It uses a Cordura silnylon fabric and is very waterproof and airtight when sealed - for my pictures I used an inflated S2S ultrasil drybag and it wouldn't go in to the Green Hermit pack as it wouldn't let the air inside the pack out without squeezing my fingers between the inflated drybag and the inner walls of the backpack.

It has reinforced shoulder straps which have a fabric mesh on the underside, which makes for a more comfortable wear, and has two mesh stretch side pockets, and an integrated handle between the shoulder straps. It is slightly smaller in capacity in comparison to the S2S dry daypack. These additions come at a weight penalty of an additional 14g in comparison with the S2S dry daypack. I've only had this for a few weeks, but the shoulder straps are definitely more comfortable than just silnylon or PU, especially in warmer weather.

This manufacturer also has a larger 25L back which is lighter than the 20l pack but the straps appear to be similar to the S2S silnylon only, and excludes the external pockets. https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk ... itre-p3039

This larger 25L version appears to be also sold as the Peregrine Ultralight Dry Summit bag. http://www.peregrineequipment.com/shop- ... ummit-pack

Quechua Ultra Compact 20L

• Weight Advertised 90g Actual 97g
• Style Fold down top
• Capacity 20L
• Packed Size 15cm x 8cm x 7cm
• Open Size 47cm x 29cm x 21cm
• Carry pouch sewn to bag
• https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-20l-ultra-compact-wp-id_8357283.html

Quechua Ultracompact 20L

This pack is also close to the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack although significantly cheaper, and made with inferior materials.

The bag is actually lighter than the S2S bag, and is marginally narrower than the S2S bag is hence the additional 2L less carrying capacity. The fabric used on this bag is inferior, being a PU material. The sealing strip at the top of this Quechua bag uses a fabric strip, which coupled with the PU material and poor seam sealing means an inferior air/water tightness performance compared with the strip and fabric on the S2S bag.

The stuff sack is sewn to the bag, but the position at the top at the sealing strip also contributes to its weakness for air/water tightness. Still, the Quechua has advantages, like the stuff sack being sown to the inner of the bag, and being cheaper than the S2S bag. I would not use this bag for its water resistant capabilities but it has proven a good travel companion being a worthy shopping bag where I'm not as worried about punching hole in the thin sil nylon of the S2S bag.

I picked mine up in Italy for around 8-10 Euros in Italy. I see the UK store has it for cheaper. And now that Decathlon has opened up in Aust, it might be a cheap alternative to the S2S bag for non-wet use.

Outdoor Research Dry Isolation Pack

• Weight 118g
• Style Folddown top
• Capacity 18L
• Open Size 43 cm x 22 cm x 17 cm
• Carry pouch separate
• https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/en/dry-isolation-pack/p/2501640001222

Outdoor Research Dry Isolation Bag

I spotted this on Massdrop, but was too slow to get one earlier in the year. This appears to be a very close design copy of the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack, but the advertised capacity is lower. I will endeavour to get one and review later.

Side by Side Comparisons

L-R Sea to Summit / Greenhermit / Quechua

L-R Sea to Summit / Zayo

L-R Zayo / Quechua / Greenhermit / Sea to Summit

So that's it for the my review of ultra lightweight roll top closure packable daypacks. I will review the range of zippered ultralight packable daypacks that I have next.

Last edited by keithy on Fri 15 Dec, 2017 2:29 am, edited 2 times in total.

[slparker]

Thanks Keithy,
I have used the S2S pack for a while now. They are great for travelling as they triple-duty as a laundry and washing bag (you can do your daily wash/rinse in them as they are nearly waterproof) and, obviously, when used in a backpacking system they are another drybag until pressed for duty as a daypack when the camp is set-up.

i.e. the 120g is not 'extra' weight.

[Neo]

Nice reviews keithy. I'm starting to be a fan of OR, got a pair of long sleeve hooded tops for walking. Check out the OMM packs, all their stuff is made for runners!

[lseries92]

Hi Keithy - Thanks for the reviews. As an owner of a Matador FreeRain24 I thought I would chime in with some observations of potential differences to the Zayo. When I last weighed mine, it was 150g on the dot which is more in line with the 5.5oz they claim. As you say this is potentially because of the different, ventilated straps. In addition, the cover on the FreeRain24 is not separate - it is connected by a thin bit of material to the inner part of the bag so you do not lose it. Lastly, it may be that the roll-top closure is different as I find the Matador closure is pretty typical of most drybags and is straight forward to use. I have never used the load lifters on it and agree they are probably not required - they may be better off removing them to save a few grams.

Overall I am quite happy with mine. I bought it off Massdrop nearly 15 months ago and I have used it heavily since then. While it would be nice if it weighed a little less or packed a little smaller, the more robust construction, the zip compartment and the bottleholders are (for me) worth it as it has made it a more useful bag beyond just side-trips on multi-day hikes which helped justify the cost. In fact, I am on a business trip at the moment and I brought it along with me. I actually have the original S2S packable daypack (bought in 2010?) and while it is much lighter and smaller, I normally end up taking the FreeRain, especially if there is a chance of getting wet ...

[keithy]

. As an owner of a Matador FreeRain24 I thought I would chime in with some observations of potential differences to the Zayo. When I last weighed mine, it was 150g

Brilliant. Thanks for your input. That's good to know. I also saw it on Massdrop but again was too late to join in the drop. I'd first saw the Matador pocket blanket that I thought might have some potential and I spotted the Freerain24. I had read a review on reddit and saw that pictures of the Matador bag appeared to use thinner silnylon cordura material than the Zayo. It looked a little "see through" compared with the Zayo material.

The Zayo from memory was quoted at around 150g and was cheaper at about $35. When I got it however, I weight it and it was heavier. The opening I will take a few more pics to show what I mean. It is a standard roll top, but the load lifter strap sections get in the way (to me) when trying to quickly open / close it. I would be keen to know if it is the same on the Matador.

I am a fan of the mesh side pockets. I've used the ones on the Green hermit bag. What are your thoughts on the front zippered pocket?

I will update the review above.

I'm starting to be a fan of OR, got a pair of long sleeve hooded tops for walking. Check out the OMM packs,

I'm a fan of OR as well. Have some of their pants and their lightweight Helium II jacket. I had previously checked out OMM for their shoulder strap pouches. I think most of their packs were heavier though (still lighter than most though), designed more for ultramarathon runners rather than a super light packable daypack.

[lseries92]

I am a fan of the mesh side pockets. I've used the ones on the Green hermit bag. What are your thoughts on the front zippered pocket?

The zip is a good addition that makes the bag more functional when using the bag for general travel. As the zip goes all the way down the length of the compartment, if you open it all the way, everything normally spills out. They could have potentially (again) saved some weight and maybe only made it open 3/4 of the way ...?

As for the closure, I know what you mean about the load lifters sometimes getting in the way. This sometimes happened early on when I just started using the bag although I have not really noticed them getting in the way recently. It may be the way I have been packing it up into its bag after use (?).

[GPSGuided]

I considered Decathlon’s Quechua offering but was worried of its stitching at the top of the shoulder straps. This was examined at the opening of their local Tempe store. Maybe I should take another look.

[keithy]

Just a bump update to add some feedback on a few of the packs I've been using in the time since I first posted.

Firstly, these are two simple mods I use with all my packable daypacks:

• Sternum Strap
• Hiking Pole stow system

My mods use these 3 items:

• Loop of cord (with cord stopper)
• Silicon rubber loop (meant to attach torch lights to bicycle handlebars)
• Chest strap from Decathlon (modified with a simple cord loop for easy install or removal)

Packable Backpack Mods (Small).JPG (122.24 KiB) Viewed 60594 times

I now walk with foldable trekking poles, and I am a fan of the Osprey "stow as you go" system. I've previously modded other non-Osprey packs with a similar system to hold my poles by my side. This has carried on into my packable daypacks.

I use the first two things to achieve this - these photos make things easier to explain.

Packable Backpack Pole mod.jpg (159.56 KiB) Viewed 60594 times

The cord loop (with cord stopper) is looped around the left shoulder strap just below armpit height. I had previously used a mini carabiner to clip to the hiking pole straps but once I added the cord lock it wasn't necessary. I adjust the cord lock to to cinch tight around the hiking pole handles and over 100s of kms haven't lost a pole.

The silicone loop either attaches to the bottom of the same shoulder strap, or to an attachment point at the rear of the backpack (if available).

Secondly, I find that when moving quickly and to stop the pack bouncing around and to stop straps from slipping off, a sternum chest strap is handy. I found this relatively cheap one from Decathlon in Europe. The original method of installing and removal was made for more permanent use than I intend for these folding packs. So I made a simple loop of mini cord to the ends so I can quickly install and remove the sternum strap.

Packable Backpack Sternum Strap.jpg (131.87 KiB) Viewed 60594 times

This shows my removeable sternum strap system, and my hiking pole "stow as you go" system. I've been using this since around 2017 with folding packs.

[keithy]

My favourite style of these rolltop packable backpacks was initially the S2S Dry daypack, having used it on various trips - even taking it as my only carry on bag for a side trip to Morocco for a week. I left my main backpack at a friends place, and took only the S2S Dry daypack as my budget airline carry on. With around 8 kgs all loaded up including my jacket tied on the outside straps when I wasn't wearing it, it felt quite heavy and the S2S Dry daypack straps were not the most comfortable for long carries. I was concerned about the straps not holding, but they lasted the whole trip.

Since then though, I admit my favourite pack has been that orange Greenhermit 20Lpack I picked up in 2017. It is smaller in capacity compared with the S2S Dry Daypack (around 3-5L smaller from my estimation), but the advantages of the friendlier mesh straps, and the side stretchy pockets have made this my go to packable daypack for most of my longer hiking adventures.

I have even used it with my hydration bladder, with the opening 'half rolled' shut to accommodate the hose.

Here is a montage of it on my various hiking trips overseas. The splash proof nature of the pack (I would still put non-waterproof valuables in a separate dryback inside), the grab handles, the comfortable shoulder straps, the side pockets, all things that made me absolutely adore this pack now.

Greenhermit 20L montage 2.jpg (83.29 KiB) Viewed 60593 times

Greenhermit 20L montage 1.jpg (79.08 KiB) Viewed 60593 times

The only issue is that I found that the manufacturer seems to have disappeared around 2018. I managed to get another from Ultralightoutdoorgear UK for a mate, but when I tried again, they informed me that they were out of stock and would not get anymore in.

After 2 years of regular use, there is some loose stitching on the corner of one of the straps have become frayed, so I will attempt some repairs soon, but not sure how to do it without sewing though the lining and impairing the water resistance of the fabric.

After my recent trip in January to Patagonia another mate mentioned he liked the pack and wanted to get something similar so I started looking again. I found a UK manufacturer that seems to have a similar design.

The LifeVenture Waterproof Packable Backpack 22L https://www.lifeventure.com/products/ba ... e-backpack.

They have made some modifications to the pack from the Greenhermit design, which I am curious about I marked the differences on the pictures. Firstly the compression lacing system on the front now extends to the side above the stretchy side pockets.

I reckon this is a handy modification, as it allows the pack to be compressed at the top, and potentially allows larger items in the pockets to be secured. I might replace the side cordage with bungee cordage to make it easier to do so, and leave the regular cordage for the front. They have also included a waist strap, but I an not sure this is necessary. I would have preferred a sternum strap instead.

Anyway I ordered this from the UK for my mate and this is the review:

LifeVenture Waterproof Packable Backpack 22L
Weight advertised 150 weighed 150g (with stuffsack)
Style roll top closure
External pockets Yes x 2
Capacity 22L
Packed Size 12.5cm x 7.5cm x 4.5cm
Open Size 50cm x 28cm x 13.5cm
Carry pouch separate
https://www.lifeventure.com/products/ba ... e-backpack

It's Bigger! - well, when opened up. When packed it is about the same size as the Greenhermit pack. Here is it in comparison with the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack (Blue) and the GreenHermit (Orange), both packed, unpacked, and fully loaded.

Greenhermit20 Vs Lifeventure22.jpg (54 KiB) Viewed 60593 times

Greenhermit20 Lifeventure22 S2S.jpg (91.63 KiB) Viewed 60593 times

It states that it is a 22L pack, but it seems to fit a little more, even more than the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack. I am able to fit a fully inflated 25L Sea to Summit Ultrasil drybag inside it and fully fold down the closure 3 times to secure. On the Sea to Summit Dry Daypack, I can fit the same inflated Ultrasil drybag inside, but can only fold the closure down once. I am unable to fit the inflated 25L drybag inside the Greenhermit bag which has a volume of about 20L.

For comparisons with changes to the Greenhermit pack, I am not that enamored with the default cord compression lacing system on the front of the Lifeventure. I do like that they included lacing points to top of the side pockets, but I think the lacing style as is means that a jacket in the front is not as secure.

I think this could be modified as such. The cord compression lacing on the front now resembles the Greenhermit, but I have added a bungee cord to the sides. I think this is much more useable.

The waist strap is fully removable, attached by two loops at the bottom of the shoulder straps. I find a waist strap on a pack like this to be a little pointless. However, the included waist strap can be used as a sternum strap instead.

Look at the shoulder strap design compared to the Sea to Summit. Instead of two separate straps sewn to the backpack, the straps are connected with an in-built "U shaped" grab handle. This seemingly small design feature brings the shoulder straps closer together and make for a more comfortable carry than the Sea to Summit pack. And the mesh straps are in improvement over the all Sil-nylon strap which would bunch together and dig in to the shoulders with heavier loads.

If I had to chose one, I'd probably go with the newer Lifeventures one ahead of the Sea to Summit Dry pack. The downside is that I have not been able to find a local stockist.

[keithy]

Now I have to say I didn't stop looking there. Back before the Covid lockdown 2 hit us in Melbourne, I also saw that the US retailer Moosejaw and Walmart got together recently to market some ultralight entry level gear. One of the additions under their Lithic brand is this Ultralight 21L backpack.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/LITHIC-21L-U ... /989059968

It was immediately recognisable to me as a very similar design as my Greenhermit pack, with again more modifications. The front seems to have a floating zippered stash pocket in lieu of the compression lacing system. Their lacing system instead goes around both sides, but at the loss of the side stretch pockets.

The side stretch pockets are my favourite thing about my Greenhermit pack. I regularly stash a folding bottle (when not using my hydration bladder) in one, and my octopus tripod in the other.

Walmart nor Moosejaw do not sell to Australia, so I will try to get someone in the US to get it for me and to me eventually. but I expect it will be very similar to the Greenhermit, or the Lifeventure packs.

Finally, on my way back to Aust, I stopped in Singapore, and checked out my favourite Outdoor gear shopping centre (Novena Square - where there are an agglomeration of outdoor/hiking gear stores - although quite expensive compared to prices in Aust). I spotted a few different varieties of outdoor bags, and indeed verified the difference between my Zayo 24L and the Matador Freerain 24L. The material on the Matador Freerain is significantly thinner and lighter.

Speaking of the Matador Freerain 24, there is a newer version out now called the V2.0. It appears to be a neater design than the original Freerain 24, and I see that WildEarth has it for about $90. https://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/matado ... TFR242001B. I reckon $90 is getting at the upper end for a packable bag, but I will see if I can get my hands on the Matador Freerain 24 V2 to review. The V2 does come with it's own sternum strap as well and at the quoted 156g is at the upper limit of my self imposed 150g criteria.

Attachments

Lithic 22L (Small).JPG (39.57 KiB) Viewed 60591 times

[commando]

I have a couple of these similar in your pocket backpacks and haven't really used them or found a reason to.
Everyone is different i guess, to me the only application is for buying groceries in foreign cities and heading back
to the hotel room. In the wilderness where reliability counts i am happy to carry extra weight to remove vulnerability
or fragility from the equation. The fact your posts are so comprehensive and detailed would indicate you enjoy doing it.
Please continue...

[Lamont]

Onya Keithy. Good update. I'm enjoying your informative posts. I'm seeing some monster weight day packs of late when one of these would easily suffice. Are you finding that pad-less shoulder straps are more comfy when they are that bit wider? Are you finding about 3.5 kgs the upper limit? These qs would go to both your sacks reviewed. I prefer the 'roll top' style myself.

[nzbazza]

If anyone wants to buy the Greenhermit 20L UL rolltop silnylon pack, I purchased one from Aliexpress here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000097569040.html
I brought one on Singles Day in November 2020 and it didn't arrive until January 2021 thanks to Covid and Christmas.
I've only used it a couple of times as a small daypack carrying a jacket, food and water, and some misc items. It's carried well, the shoulder straps are better than most other similar packs in that they tend to stay flat and not roll up. I will be adding some sort of sternum strap as Keithy did above. The pack is small, would of loved a couple more litres capacity, but the stretchy side pockets and back cord help there somewhat.
Wish I'd known about the Lifeventure pack before I bought the Greenhermit one.

[johnrs]

Apart from the Lifeventure sac are there any others with a waist or chest strap?
Thanks
John

[johnrs]

Apart from the Lifeventure sac are there any others with a waist or chest strap?
Thanks
John

[keithy]

In the wilderness where reliability counts i am happy to carry extra weight to remove vulnerability
or fragility from the equation.

Indeed, it is probably not for everyone, but they suit me to a T.

In addition for travelling I use it quite a bit when I go for longer hikes with my tent. Usually when I've pitched the tent and left my main pack and gear inside and gone for a dayhike. It won't suit all trails of course, and not really designed for bushbashing. If I have to carry extra gear like crampons or any pointy/pokey gear, I'll opt to use my main pack instead. But my main pack is currently still an Osprey Exos 58, and when it is only 1/3 full, it sits low, and everything bounces around inside even with the sides cinched to the max.

Durability is ok, but you have to be careful. I try to avoid the low hanging thorny branches, and generally don't bush bash with the small packs. My original zipped Sea to Summit ultra sil daypack ended up with a hole sometime after about 5 years of use. I've patched it with silicone sealant and tape over. One of the people who came with me to Patagonia in January bought a brand new Sea to Summit zip daypack, and she got a hole in it within a week into our trip.

. Are you finding that pad-less shoulder straps are more comfy when they are that bit wider? Are you finding about 3.5 kgs the upper limit? These qs would go to both your sacks reviewed. I prefer the 'roll top' style myself.

Definitely the wider the top part of the strap the better. The problem with the "padless" or the ones without mesh, and only made of ripstop siliconised nylon straps is that they tend to bunch up with weight in the pack, and start to cut into my shoulders.

I took the Sea to Summit rolltop dry daypack on a side trip to Morocco after Portugal, and took my first ever cheapie Ryanair flight. I left my main pack with a friend, and stuffed a weeks worth of gear into the S2S as carryon only. With my electronics and camera I was at around 7-8kg. This is pretty much pushing it to the limit as far as weight is concerned. It started to get uncomfortable especially when carrying it long distances as the straps dig. I have probably loaded it with about 10kg of groceries for very short distances (2-3kms), but it's not comfortable at all. I've been using a thin ultralight folding foam seat pad inside the pack as a "backing" to stop pointy things poking my back. The seat pad I use is similar to the Thermarest Z-seat.

[keithy]

If anyone wants to buy the Greenhermit 20L UL rolltop silnylon pack, I purchased one from Aliexpress here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000097569040.html
I brought one on Singles Day in November 2020 and it didn't arrive until January 2021 thanks to Covid and Christmas.

Thanks for posting. I hadn't realised that the manufacturer came back again. I'd been looking for most of 2018 and 2019. The last place I could find it was from https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk.

Sizewise, the Lifeventure is at least 5L larger than the Greenhermit. It seems great and I saw it on Cotswoldoutdoor recently on their post Christmas sale. Cotswold have an AU domain as well, but things still ship from the UK, and depending on your credit card sitch, you might still get charged a foreign transaction fee like I did.

Apart from the Lifeventure sac are there any others with a waist or chest strap?John

Other than the Lifeventure model above, the only other one I've seen with a built in adjustable/removeable chest strap is the Matador Freerain 2.0 https://matadorup.com/products/freerain24-2-0

I still haven't gotten one of those yet, but I did see that Wild Earth had it on sale recently (its gone back up to their full price now Feb 2021).

Not sure a waist strap is any good for tiny packs like these. There is not much weight transfer to the hips.

As mentioned earlier, I find the chest straps handy when you are moving fast, or running, so the pack doesn't bounce all over your back.

If you are looking at adding your own chest strap to the pack, the cheapie I use from Decathlon with my DIY quick attach/removeable method is this one
https://decathlon.com.au/products/repla ... 2584763503

[Lamont]

. Are you finding that pad-less shoulder straps are more comfy when they are that bit wider? Are you finding about 3.5 kgs the upper limit? These qs would go to both your sacks reviewed. I prefer the 'roll top' style myself.

Definitely the wider the top part of the strap the better. The problem with the "padless" or the ones without mesh, and only made of ripstop siliconised nylon straps is that they tend to bunch up with weight in the pack, and start to cut into my shoulders.
I'lI have probably loaded it with about 10kg of groceries for very short distances (2-3kms), but it's not comfortable at all. I've been using a thin ultralight folding foam seat pad inside the pack as a "backing" to stop pointy things poking my back. The seat pad I use is similar to the Thermarest Z-seat.

Yeah I ended up making my own with wide pad-less shoulder straps that comes in at 150 gms to get exactly what I wanted. I was mainly interested in something like these as I wanted an UL travel one to use for day walking and jogging. Same as you I sometimes put a 10gm piece of old CCF mat in the back and it's comfort is great.

[keithy]

Apart from the Lifeventure sac are there any others with a waist or chest strap?
Thanks
John

I forgot to update earlier - there was another one I saw with a chest strap, from Decathlon. It appears to be an update of the earlier one I previously reviewed. https://decathlon.com.au/products/compa ... 0975987823

Decathlon Packable daypack.jpg (36.83 KiB) Viewed 56055 times

It does appear much better than previous one.

It is meant to be 145g, and 20L, but I might get one and review it as well. For under $20 it seems like good value, if it holds 20L.

The all mesh straps are definitely an improvement on the previous version, but the straps themselves don't appear to be as good as the Greenhermit/Lifeventure/Walmart version with the built in grab handle that also pulls the straps together.

[Joynz]

I bought one of these newish Decathalon packs the 15% sale they had last week.

Haven’t collected it yet, though.

[johnrs]

Thanks Joynz
Let me know what you think of it
John