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Packable daypacks allow you to bring a backpack on trips without having to lug an extra piece of luggage.
The best packable daypack we tested was the Matador Freerain 24 thanks to its useful exterior pockets, comfy straps, and waterproof construction.

Packable daypacks have become as indispensable in our carry on baggage as a cellphone charger and a toothbrush. Thanks to their ability to pack down into pocket-sized packages and expand out to carry enough gear for a hike or a day of sightseeing, they make a great addition to any globetrotter's carry on.

We tested backpacks over a period of weeks, using them to carry groceries and go on day hikes. We felt it was important to check that all the bags we tested could be repacked in their stuff sacks with ease and could stand up to day to day abuse, so we packed and unpacked each bag several times. We also made sure to test the bags when full, so that we could ascertain if the smaller straps that tend to be included on packable daypacks would be uncomfortable with heavy loads.

After weeks of hauling heavy loads, we decided that the Matador Freerain 24 was our favorite packable daypack. The comfortable shoulder and sternum straps, easy access side pockets, and waterproof construction make it a great go-anywhere, do-anything backpack that just happens to pack down into a fist-sized stuff sack.

Here are the best packable daypacks you can buy:

Best packable daypack overall: Matador Freerain 24
Best packable daypack for value: Osprey Ultralight
Best packable daypack for packing light: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack
Best packable daypack for hiking: Lowe Alpine Fuse 20
Best packable daypack for people and the planet: Cotopaxi Batac 16

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best packable daypack overall

Matador

Why you'll love it: The Freerain 24 2.0 delivers a lot of performance in a tiny package, and thanks to a roll-top closure, this comfy adjustable pack is totally waterproof.

We'd all love to only travel on sunny days, but sometimes the best laid plans can fail. We're big believers on not letting a little drizzle get between you and a great adventure, and it seems that the folks at Matador agree with us.

The brand's rugged 24-liter capacity Freerain pack offers a waterproof main compartment for rain, breathable straps for hot days and enough storage for all the other waterproof gear you might need on a day hike. The new 2.0 version of the pack takes an existing favorite and adds on compression and sternum straps to allow you to carry more gear in more comfort.

The Freerain 24 2.0 weighs just 187 grams (or 5.5 ounces) and packs down into a 5-by-3-by-2.5-inch package, but in use, it feels like a serious performance pack. The main compartment closes with a roll top, allowing it to keep the rain out and your gear dry. There's also an additional front compartment that closes with a reliable YKK zipper. This compartment is not waterproof but the huge opening makes a great place to stow maps or snacks on dry days.

When you're carrying the bag, you'll love the new sternum strap which many of the other bags we tested lack. This strap, combined with the new compression straps will allow you to carry weight with your whole back, not just two pressure points on your shoulders.

The Freerain includes two exterior water bottle pockets and an exterior zippered pocket which really provided all the easy access items that I can think of wanting on a day hike. The muted color options make the Freerain a fairly neutral choice that shouldn't be too divisive but might not offer such high visibility on nighttime bike share rides if this is a concern.

My one real drawback was the separate stuff sack, which I was worried about losing when the pack was in use, but I did find that it made a great holder for my phone and keys, keeping them from jangling around in the bottom of my pack. I found that, in use, the Freerain felt great with loads up to 20 pounds thanks to the sternum strap and wide, soft breathable shoulder straps. This meant that I could easily carry enough gear for a whole day on the trail or in town and take full advantage of its generous 24-liter capacity.

A satisfied Amazon shopper felt that the bag was "everything I wanted it to be and more" and felt that, compared to a drawstring backpack, "It holds substantially more, is more comfortable, is water resistant, and ultimately takes up little to no room when packed up."

The Wirecutter concluded that "the Freerain24 is still a great option for backpackers and other people for whom packability is more important than packing abilities." I loved the Freerain and would pack it on any trip where we thought it likely that we'd be carrying heavier loads or taking longer hikes.

Pros: Waterproof, high storage capacity, feels great with larger loads

Cons: No sleeves or organization features, relatively expensive

Buy the Matador Freerain 24 Backpack at Moosejaw for $64.95

The best packable daypack for value

Osprey

Why you'll love it: Osprey's Ultralight offers plenty of pockets for organizing your gear, a comfy harness, and two access zippers, it also packs down into a carrying case that is part of the pack.

There is nothing worse than leaving your hotel or hostel only to realize that you've lost a stuff sack for something. You know you have to go, but there's that nagging regret hat you'll never be able to find quite the right size sack to stow your gear in again. Maybe someone at Osprey experienced that and decided to build a storage pocket into the ultralight pack.

The storage pocket is not the only pocket on the Ultralight, there's also a stretchy mesh side pocket for carrying a water bottle and two other exterior pockets for stowing gear you want to be able to get to on the fly.

The top compartment offers storage for keys and a cellphone, including a well thought out key fob to stop your keys making an annoying sound in the bottom of your pack. The straps are mesh and feel comfortable even with the bag loaded to its 18-liter capacity.

This bag doesn't pack down quite as small as others, but Amazon reviewers felt that this was justified by its fuller set of features. Other Amazon purchasers were impressed with the incredibly lightweight (just under 100 grams of 3.5 ounces). Some Amazon reviewers felt they missed a sternum strap, but with such a light bag this can be excused as it is not designed for huge loads.

Expert testers felt that the Ultralight was "the perfect way to add a day pack to your travel gear without the extra space or weight you would normally expect."

On a short trip to Europe, I really appreciated the water bottle pocket, which allowed us to have a drink handy as we dashed between museums and shops. The bright color options were also really nice in low light conditions and when riding bikeshare bikes on busy roads. On a short hike, the bag was plenty big enough for a couple of rain shells, I wanted a packable daypack for we need a packable daypack for and it performed perfectly.

Pros: Super lightweight, exterior pockets, stuff sack that can't be lost

Cons: Smaller capacity than some bags on test, could do with a sternum strap for heavy loads

Buy the Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack on Amazon for $35.00 to $42.85

The best packable daypack for packing light

Sea to Summit

Why you'll love it: The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack delivers the performance of a daypack in a package little bigger than a chicken egg.

One of the advantages of a packable daypack is that you shouldn’t have to think that much about taking it with you. If a backpack is small enough it should be an obvious addition to your roll-aboard luggage. This Sea to Summit pack takes that packability to the next level, it’s so small you could almost use it as a keyring!

Despite being half the weight of Sea to Summit's previously well-reviewed daypack, the Ultra-Sil Nano still delivers on performance. In testing, I found that this tiny packed size meant that I could have the bag with me more often.

On bike rides I could put it in my pocket and grab some groceries on the way home, on a weekend trip to see family, I put it in my raincoat when we went into town and was able to carry coats for my wife and I once the weather improved.

Backpacker magazine loved the Ultra-Sil Nano and found that it performed well with loads up to 20 pounds.

It’s not just the 1-ounce weight and the fact that this bag packs to the size of a chicken egg that impressed us, we also love the bright color options for the Nano, these should help with visibility if you are walking and cycling at night. We did find the narrow unpadded straps a little uncomfortable with loads in excess of 20 pounds, and the single pocket design sometimes made keeping things organized a challenge, but we can’t ask too much of a bag that weighs less than a pair of socks.

The previous version of the Ultra-Sil was loved by reviewers on Amazon who liked its "ultra durable and compressible" build and rugged ripstop nylon construction. REI purchasers were impressed with the bag, with one buyer using it for a 19-mile hike up Mount Olympus.

Despite its incredible minimalism, the Nano remains a robust, reliable and comfortable pack and one that you’ll never think twice about bringing long.

Pros: Incredibly small and light, high visibility colors, robust and durable

Cons: Can be uncomfortable with heavy loads