Sea to Summit  Ultra-Sil Packable Daypack

As other reviewers have posted, this is the best minimalist compact pack on the market I've seen. I use it bicycling when all my other bags are filled from shopping. Then I pull out the bag, open it up, and pop in the fragile items that would have been crushed in my other bags. My only gripe, and it is minor, is that it doesn't have a sternum strap. The sternum strap would be useful because the shoulder straps slip open quite often. I found a small metal S-hook that I use to connect the two ends of the shoulder straps across my chest. I carry said S-hook separately from the pack because I don't want it puncturing the fabric. A plastic S-hook may be safer.

The other reviews pretty much cover the benefits - it's a SUPER tiny little pack that stuffs into a tiny little pocket. So, I'm going to make a few suggestions for improvements. The little mini stuff sack that it can be stuffed into - well, it's really difficult to get it back in there. Just a LITTLE bit bigger, and it wouldn't be such a chore to get it back in there. Also - I think the stuff sack should have been designed a little differently, to make a better interior pocket. As it is, it's pretty much not functional as an inside pocket. And a pack like this really does need an inside pocket. I'm happy with this purchase. Just a few design tweaks and it would be better.

I use this pack when I don't want to carry a lot of stuff with me. But I want to make sure my stuff is safe from water and rain. For example on a hike around a rocky beach or back to a waterfall in the jungle. I am also an outdoor educator and I keep it in my bag for when it rains. My whole hydration pack and class materials fit in easily. I love this lightweight dry pack! It is small enough to keep in my purse.

This pack is awesome! it fits right in your pocket when compressed! I first bought this for use as a daypack for my long backpacking trips. Now, I use it everywhere I go, even if it's riding my bike to the grocery store. It has great capacity and can hold heavy items. When I backpack and use the ultra-sil for a longer than usual day hike, It carries my hydration bladder, snacks, lunch, stove and cooking supplies plus extra clothing. My only suggestion would be to fix the shoulder strap fasteners, when carrying heavy loads they tend to loosen. Easy fix with some locking quick release adjuster.

I will use this for day hikes off the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. I can leave my backpack in camp and take this on my little excursions without lugging all my stuff with me. With it's Ultra-light 2oz weight and stuff size smaller than my fist, it won't be a problem to pack and haul in my backpack when not in use. When in use, it is strong enough to carry 2 litters of water and large enough to carry gloves, a wool cap, a rain jacket & skirt, a fleece vest, lunch, a camera, maps, 1st aid kit and more. This is just what I was looking for!

I love this bag. It stuffs into it's attached bag really easily. I can fit it in my purse or pocket and can then use it when I need it. We have a bag ban in Corvallis so I use it for groceries, library trips, short beach trips, and for extra room when I travel and start with less items and aquire more on my adventure. My boyfriend thinks this is super cool and wants one too now. I was worried the fabric would be too thin or that the straps, which have no padding would be a problem, so far they have been great and I have zero complaints!

I needed a little pack that I could toss a few things in while hiking. I happened to come across this one in an REI store when I was picking up a few other items, and it really fit the bill. It folds down into a little bag that's about the size of a tennis ball, but when you open it up, it holds a surprising amount. Recently, my wife and I did a little camping and she actually put a few pieces of firewood into this thing to help her carry them back to the site. I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing that, but the pack doesn't seem to be any worse for wear. The next day, I carried about a gallon of water in this pack on a five mile hike, and it did a great job. Like someone else said, there's no padding on this thing whatsoever, so you have to be concious of how you load it, but it holds plenty.

Used this as a daypack when I didn't need a lot of volume. Unfortunately, the top seam tore out sometime during the third day of use, while carrying 2L of water, a paperback book and lunch.

I use this little backpack all the time. I leave it in my purse and use it when necessary- Any time! Perhaps with an impromptu hike or bike ride or just grocery shopping. It packs down REALLY small. It is a bit hard to quickly pack it all back into it's little bag, but this is to be expected. My husband has an older one and the protective coating on the fabric is starting to deteriorate a bit, but nothing that affects it's strength or "use-ability."

Great tiny pack. Nothing else comes close to this weight. Someone complained about difficulty stuffing the pack back into the tiny sack. I thought I wouldn't be able to put it back myself, but there was actually room to spare once I got down to it. Only complaint is that the plastic material is kind of noisy, but not a big deal. We use it when we travel to leave the heavy bag in the hotel and take the necessities for the day with us.