small daypacks

[eLightfoot]

contemplating a new ultralight daypack but not seeing much that I am interested in. I do multiday trips into a base camp and then hunt out each day from their. I usually am out all day so most importantly I need to be able to carry a 100oz bladder. other items would possibly be a puffy jacket or rain jacket, game bag, minimal food, knife, headlamp, camera. the pack I am currently using is a sitka ascent 10. It works well for me but the hip belt is way overkill and add a lot of extra weight and bulk. Was looking at a kifaru E&E but I think that is too minimal to carry the weight of the water all day and be somewhat comfortable. Just looking ideas

 

[mt100gr.]

Not sure if Badlands still makes the Reactor but it's pretty dang comfortable with a 3 liter bladder. If I chose to bring a small daypack I would probably grab this one before my e and e. It's a bit lighter too. .....but the e and e will dock to my big pack...

 

[PathFinder]

I have an eberlestock sawed off and. I love it. I've had a trail cam, salt, spotter, tripod, and food and water in it at one time. Super light and versatile too. It has a big spot for a 100 Oz bladder and the other items you mentioned.

 

[LostArra]

Kifaru Scout with shoulder straps but no belt.
Rides great. I use a 100 oz water bladder.

 

[bounds]

The Ascent 10 has been my daypack for a few years and I'm in the same boat. Sitka just came out with the Ascent 12 and I think I'm going to get one. It's a U-zip panel loader and has the features more dialed in than what the 10 has. It's also got a lightweight frame so it won't fold up like the 10 does and should be able to carry a little weight more comfortably if needed. I personally want a waist belt just for stability more than load carrying, plus quick access to stuff in the hip belt pockets. It's also the shape that I like, taller and narrower. Check it out.

 

[Clinch]

Hill People Gear Tarahumara is an option.

 

[hunting1]

Spike Camp is my vote.

 

[Take-a-knee]

Hill People Gear Tarahumara is an option.

Love the Tara but it is small. It can, however, serve as a compression panel on the front of a larger pack. This enables you to arrange your gear into tiers/levels.

 

[Kotaman]

I a big fan of Sitka Daypacks. The new Ascent 12 is the perfect lightweight daypack. The Flash 20 is nice to if you want something a little bigger.

 

[luke moffat]

I have an older verision of this model and it works extremely well for what you are describing. Also works great as a dry stuff sack for your bag, pad, and puffy gear while in your pack.

Dual use and pretty light for what it is.

Work a look anyways and the brown model seems pretty muted:

http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Research-Drycomp-Summit-Sack/dp/B00B002JZ8

Of course something like this would work well too especially if you can get the right discount code for it as well:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ma...5m/?filterString=s~kompressor/&colorFamily=01

 

[5MilesBack]

For strictly a daypack, I've been using the Cabela's Elite Scout pack for the past 10 years. I put my 100oz Camelbak in the vertical back pocket, so keeps it out of the inside of the pack. It has an outside pocket for easy to access items, and will easily hold everything you've listed. I bought my first one for $50 on clearance with Scent Lok lining, and my second without the lining for $45. Great little pack.

 

[mfolch]

I've been using a g1 express for the same job, but it's hard to justify carrying the extra 4lbs no matter how well if carries weight. I recently acquired a gossamer gear quicksac and was thinking of trying that instead--8oz. But Luke's OR suggestion is a lot larger, waterproof, and it weighs only a few ounces more...

 

[Ross]

Check out Nimrod......

 

[Take-a-knee]

I've been using a g1 express for the same job, but it's hard to justify carrying the extra 4lbs no matter how well if carries weight.

I go the other way with a daypack. It should be light enough that a hell-for-stought pack's weight shouldn't be a penalty. Kifaru, Hill People, or Mystery Ranch and it'll probably outlast you. Any zipper smaller than a #8 is probably going to fail before the pack wears out.

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv carried 3 liters of water and other junk in my e&e hundreds of times now, with stock straps none the less. Pack is comfortable and stout, but a bit heavy if your trying to go super light. You can also slap pockets all over the e&e and make it into quite the little pack. Iv carried it on many non hunting trips along with a few hunting trips in my big pack, so I could fish, or do whatever all day long without having to carry around a frame. The e&e is small and sits high on the back, which to me has always made it comfortable and stable. The only thing you need to be careful with the e&e is is poky items, there is no stays or frame to protect your back, so you need to pack it with some common sense, or put a piece of plastic in there to protect your back.

My e&e along with my paratarp are 2 kifaru items I will NEVER part with. They both rock

Having owned a spike camp, IMO I couldn't never justify carrying it along with a bigger pack.

 

[HawkCreek]

Love the Tara but it is small. It can, however, serve as a compression panel on the front of a larger pack. This enables you to arrange your gear into tiers/levels.

It IS a small pack but it will hold a surprising amount of stuff. I think the OP would have plenty of room for what he had listed.

 

[luke moffat]

What pack are you using eLightfoot? If Kifaru the guide lid will do all you are looking for and not require to essentailly haul anything extra that you weren't already taking. It makes a MUCH better daypack than the long hunter lid.

 

[Take-a-knee]

It IS a small pack but it will hold a surprising amount of stuff. I think the OP would have plenty of room for what he had listed.

Maybe so. I like mine. It is my EDC pack. Hill People sells a little 7x16in stuff sack that has a grab handle on the side that you can route a strap through to keep it from sliding out. This is designed to carry whatever insulation you might require lashed to the front of the Tarahumara.

 

[eLightfoot]

My main pack is an emr2. So far my top picks are the tatahumara or guide lid. I really like the size and features of the Tara but I'm wondering how comfortable those big straps will be for shooting a rifle offhand. Most of my shot opportunities and quick and offhand. Guide lid would be perfect if someone can vouch for it being comfortable after 8hours of carry with said items in it and that it doesn't slosh around too much on a quick sprint.

 

[Take-a-knee]

I really like the size and features of the Tara but I'm wondering how comfortable those big straps will be for shooting a rifle offhand.

Not a problem for me. It comes with shock cord to hold a bike bottle there on the shoulder but that comes off easily, and you might need to play with the plastic slider for the sternum strap a bit.