Wy'east Daypack

Alrighty— this pack is pretty great but it does have some drawbacks. It’s relatively light and made of great materials. The stretchy side pockets and front pocket (which also has gusseting to give you more space) set it apart from other edc/travel packs. The top pocket is nice for quick access items. I like the back piece of foam too! It’s shorter-ish so short people like myself can wear it as well, hurrah! It can be picked up for a fair price so it’s more affordable than a lot of packs out there. However, the zippered pocket on the inside is a bit small as my little wallet can barely fit in it. The buckles on the front could be a bit bigger as well so that they would be easier to use (I get it, but the weight savings ha!). Finally, the shoulder straps are wide but thin. I really, really wish that they had some more cushioning. Standing in line at TSA… can get tiring and that’s with the comfort rating of the pack. When your moving it’s ok, but I just wish this pack was a little more supportive because then it would be perfect! All in all, it’s super cool but there are some aspects of this pack to consider like all things.

A lot of packs seem to be created by great designers who lack the true depth of hiking experience to understand what features a pack should really have. It is clear that this pack was created by someone who has spent tons of time on the trail. Features like the built in shoulder pockets should be standard on every day pack ever! The pack is also extremely versatile with the ability to pack a lot or a little.

Broke the pack in with a 35 mile day on the AT in southern Virginia and had no back pain at all.

I wanted to use this pack for short(15 miles or less) day hikes. Although this pack is billed as a DayPack I find it slightly too large to be a day pack and is more suited for short weekend overnites. The main pack body can easily hold my hammock, hammock tarp, extra clothes, food bag, ect. I typically place my first aid kit, sunscreen and bug spray in the top flip cover pocket. If you have the main body of the pack full then this works out great. If you don't have the main compartment full enough then the top flip over pocket is kind of heavy and makes for a unbalanced feel, especially since you have to since down the top lid straps to try and make the pack height shorter to keep the top from feeling like it is flopping around.

I typically use Side pockets to hold my big smart water bottles and filter on one side and cooking kit in the other. The pack would be bettee if these side pockets had a drawstring cinch on top to secure things better.

The stretch pocket on the front of the pack is a good idea taken from bigger pack designs but in this case its just a bit tight. I put my rain jacket that packs down into its own pocket in here but it was a bit tight on top trying to slide it in. Maybe this pocket could be made a touch wider, but you could easily slide a small travel umbrella in here.

The shoulder strap pockets will hold your phone, snacks, compass, flashing, and they WILL hold regular 500 m/l water bottles...they won't fit 700m/l Smartwater bottles which is what most people's complaints about this pack seem to be. If your like me you can have your Smartwater bottle with Sawyer Squeeze filter attacked in the side pocket and use it to fill your smaller 500 m/l bottle for your shoulder strap pocket.

The thin waste belt is useless but thankfully it un clips from the pack.

I feel like if they made this in a 20 liter size and had bigger shoulder strap pouches for 700 m/l Smartwater bottles and a slightly wider front stretch pocket this would be a great DayPack. As it stands it makes a good multi day pack for overnite trips.

I have only had my new backpack for a little over a week, but I am a huge fan so far. I have been able to take it on a bike ride and a hike, and the backpack is comfortable and holds up well. Further, it is also designed well - with thoughtful touches throughout - and it looks great.

The manufacturers attention to design and their commitment to quality is evident throughout. Love the pockets built into the shoulder straps, as well as the pocket on the top of the pack. Water bottles fit well in the side pockets.