Day pack

[jgiesbrecht]

We all know there have been plenty of threads on which backpack to bring, but what about day packs? When I did the Frances in 2020 I had an osprey stuff pack like in the link below...on days I sent my bag ahead, or was around town I used it, but I don't love how it feels. I know that it's gotta be lightweight and compact if you bring one, so if you did, what did you bring?

https://www.osprey.com/ca/en/product/ultralight-stuff-pack-ULSTUFFDAYS23_264.html

 

[lovelyshell]

Get a backpack that’s not made of sil material like the one you have. Those lightweight ones tend to drag everything you have in it down to the bottom. I haven’t used a daypack on the Camino but for other hikes I’ve used something like this: https://www.rei.com/product/177574/osprey-tempest-20-pack-womens

If I’m doing an all day hike I like have the hip strap. If you find one that doesn’t have a hip strap make sure it has a chest strap. I don’t know if the one I posted the link to has pockets for water bottle but mine by The North Face does.

 

[trecile]

How about bringing a lightweight foldable duffel of some kind to offload heavier items and carry your regular backpack?

 

[Anhalter]

Depends on what you want. I do use a less than 5€ 10L daypack from Decathlon that weighs some 40g or so. No padding. No structure. No nothing. But good enough to carry my sunscreen, jacket, credential and shopping around town in the evening. I would never attempt to use it during the day. It is not made for that.
There are other viable options for that i guess, and i would not be surprised to find something affordable that is also rather lightweight. While I'm writing this, I'm looking at two 50€ daypacks ( 1 and 2) from Decathlon, one of which I own, that are a bit to heavy for my taste to use as a spare, but would be nice if i planned to ship my stuff regularly.

 

[MikeyC]

It is difficult to recommend a pack without knowing what you want to carry and what it weighs with water added

I'm with trecile on this about using your lightened regular pack.

I've only walked Camino's with my other half. The few times we have sent a pack ahead we place all the heavier items in that pack and I carry the other.

 

[wanderlustesq]

4Monsters. It’s adjustable, lightweight, and compacts into its own attached bag. Last time I used a similar-styled Patagonia and it didn’t adjust short enough. But it isn’t what I’d use to forward my heavier bag. I lighten my load into a duffel and always carry by main pack (even if I only wanted to carry water and snacks).

 

[Jodean]

As others have said, wear your back pack as that hip belt takes all the weight and send another bag forward with your excess stuff.
I saw so many people wearing day bags, dragging down their shoulders with just the water, plus if they have a jacket, poncho, guide book, snacks and first aid in it too.

 

[KarinaH]

I just got home. This is the day pack I used, and was very happy with it. It folded flat to tuck nicely into my backpack when I wasn't using it. It was comfortable, had a place to secure my poles when I didn't need them, and has both a chest and waist strap. It's big enough to carry more than I needed, but that extra space came in handy when shopping in Santiago and Madrid. If I had to buy another day pack, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this same one again.

SKYSPER Small Hiking Backpack, 20L Lightweight Travel Backpacks Waterproof Hiking Daypack for Women Men https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKQ1NBFT?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[trecile]

I haven't had to use it, but this year I brought this Osprey 20 liter bag in case I needed to lighten my backpack for some reason. It's lightweight, but the fabric is durable. I've used the 8 liter size on several Caminos to hold my clothing, and it's held up very well.

 

[MassNative]

I used a Sea-to-Summit SIL daypack ( https://seatosummit.com/products/ultra-sil-day-pack ), similar to what you posted. It only carried extra-clothing (poncho, rain hat, vest, etc..) and snacks for the days walk.

I also wore a waist pack/belt that holds two 1-liter water bottles and had several small pouches that carried smaller but heavier items, like external battery for my phone. I liked keeping the heavier items carried on my hips.

 

[Chris Gi]

I just got home. This is the day pack I used, and was very happy with it. It folded flat to tuck nicely into my backpack when I wasn't using it. It was comfortable, had a place to secure my poles when I didn't need them, and has both a chest and waist strap. It's big enough to carry more than I needed, but that extra space came in handy when shopping in Santiago and Madrid. If I had to buy another day pack, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this same one again.

SKYSPER Small Hiking Backpack, 20L Lightweight Travel Backpacks Waterproof Hiking Daypack for Women Men https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKQ1NBFT?tag=casaivar02-20

It's great and a great price too.

 

[peregrinaTrish]

I am very pleased with my Matador Freefly 16L . It's been my go-to daypack for years. On the Camino, I found it to be a good size for around town and very comfortable when I needed to send my pack ahead. Weighs in at 6.7oz, durable, weatherproof, chest strap, loops for hiking poles. Packs into a baseball-sized pouch when not in use. https://matadorup.com/products/freefly16-2
Buen camino!

 

[Lydia Le]

Google search for 4Monster Hiking Daypack

 

[Terrri]

I've never sent bags ahead but I might need to in the future. At home I use a Deuter waist pack that I also use on the Camino. I can't see needing a full day pack with most stretches having lots of amenities.