Daylite Daypack, Acorn Red/Tunnel Vision Grey, O/S

This is a review of Osprey Daylite backpackAfter carrying a purse for years and years (why don’t women’s clothes have pockets?), I was a convert to the “backpack purse” and I have a very nice looking one. I love having my hands free. But my fashionable backpack is a bit too nice, made of black leather, and a bit too small to take on walks. I have two large dogs who need lots of gear on the road. I also walk for an hour or two most days and I wanted to be able to carry water, sunglasses, my wallet, SPF, etc., more than I can fit in jacket pockets. I decided on this pack after balancing size, comfort, utility and value.The size is just right. I wanted something small and more slouchy than formed. I did not want something that looked like a kid’s school bag or a diaper bag. Most small packs look like they were made for children, and many seem to be sized to fit children. This one promised straps and a waist belt that would fit a grown up. It fits me with my huge puffy winter coat and a thick sweater. It also fits with just a tank top. The belly strap does come off so it isn’t just hanging there if you don’t need it. I also appreciate the loops for gear on the shoulder straps. This doesn’t show up well in the pictures. You could also use a carabiner to strap stuff to the compression straps on the outside of the bag.I like that the pack can stand up by itself. Actually, it really just leans against something, but it has a form. The support material along the back keeps the shape but it’s soft and flexible. It’s oval shaped so no jabby corners along the bottom edge. I can grab it or hang it by that weird handle along the top. The handle will also keep it upright riding on my rolling suitcase when needed. The back is very well ventilated. It’s made of a rugged mesh, as are the straps. The whistle on the strap is loud.The pockets on the sides are really nice. They each can hold a 500ml water bottle plus my phone and hand sanitizer and are they are somewhat opaque. It feels like a high quality stretch material that will hold up. The side pockets don’t bulge out when empty, which looks nicer to me. I don’t use one of those heavy gigantic reusable bottles (Don’t judge!) so I’m not sure if the mesh is deep enough to hold one securely. But it would hold something tall and thin like a tripod if you used the compression strap to hold the top.I really like the zipper pulls. I walk in the COLD weather and my fingers are either in bulky gloves or mostly numb. They’re easy to grab and use.The front compartment is a bit top heavy if you load it up. It’s not a problem if you put something equally heavy in the main compartment to balance it. I can live with that. There is a compartment in the back for a small-ish laptop or tablet or a water bladder. There’s a hole at the top to fish the tube through. I’ve never used one of those so I don’t know if it’s good for that. But it fits my Microsoft Surface tablet with room to spare.I feels good on, comfortable with just the shoulder straps (or on one shoulder) for walking around in a store. It feels even better with the chest strap buckled. That pulls the shoulder straps in a bit and changes the way the bag hangs. Adjusting all the straps is easy. If I use the belly strap at my natural waist, I really need to pull in the shoulder straps tight and the bag doesn’t move around on my back at all. If I strap it around my hips it just keeps it from bouncing too much. The neck handle was no problem. (I’m 5’7“).I got the green/teal color with the pattern. It’s really pretty and bright without being loud. It may be a bit too feminine for some guys with the almost floral pattern. The inside is light colored so you can see easily down to the bottom of the bag. (My pet peeve is bags with dark interiors.)Last, I love the Osprey guarantee that says that if it breaks, you pay to ship it to them and then they fix it or replace it and they pay to send it back. With limits, of course. If my dog eats it they’re not gonna fix it. But they will if it wears out or a seam opens up with heavy wear.I looked at a lot of packs, almost all were less expensive. This bag was not cheap compared to similar ones on Amazon, but I think I’d rather pay up once and get one that I will really use for years. I saw too many pictures of seams coming apart after less than a month of use. I paid full price for the bag, same price they were charging on the Osprey website.AFTER ONE MONTH OF USE: The above review still stands, but I will add that the ventilated back is my favorite thing about this pack. When it’s really hot outside, this pack is amazing. There is a gap between my back and the pack that allows for great airflow. So comfortable!The biggest negative is the middle outside pocket that only goes half way down the inside of the pack. It hangs open awkwardly when I dig through it looking for something, spilling everything out at inconvenient times. I have to put m wallet in the big section, where it always sinks to the bottom.

This daypack is much more durable than my previous one. I tend to shove items in the side pockets, and these have held up great! I prefer that they aren't made of mesh/netting, as with other packs. Overall this is a great pack, but depending on what you're putting in it, it can hang awkwardly and feel weighed down without much form. Ex. water bottles immediately make the pack feel bulky and unbalanced. I do really like the hip and chest straps, though, for extra comfort and safety.

This is a pretty small pack but it’s very well-made, has lots of pockets and places to clip things, and it’s fairly comfortable on an afternoon hike. I was able to get two light rain jackets, a large canister of bear spray, two 8 x 32 binoculars, a small thermos of hot tea, a 24oz. Nalgene bottle of water, A small first aid kit, and a handful of various snacks in this bag with no problem.

This looks like a well-made bit of kit and I'm sure it will serve well. Unfortunately Osprey failed to provide any external loops/fasteners/hooks to attach items. I would be great if some provision was made to attach at least a waterproof stuff sack to the bottom (or even the top) of the pack. Yes, I know that this is a "day" pack but not every day is created equal. If you don't care about the external fastening I'm sure that you will be entirely pleased with it.

VERY lightweight! I really like this backpack and always bring it on hikes with me!

Great pack, but I returned for the day light plus for a little extra room. I had no issues with the actual backpack, just wanted something a little bigger.

This was given as a gift. The quality of the craftsmanship is top notch and reportedly has held up well. Great color and design. The quality that you would expect from Osprey.

Stylish and functional backpack with good capacity for the dimensions, the mesh standoff made my back way less sweaty than the previous backpack. The only thing I would improve is the small pocket, hard to keep it organized, things fall out etc.

I read on another review about an issue with the handle poking your neck but I ordered anyway. Well I’ve just put it on and yes indeed, the handle cuts right across the back of your neck. How can that design have been given the okay?Not sure yet if I will return It.

Beautiful backpack. It was more than I was expecting for. Fortunately, I bought two backpacks, one for me an another to my wife and both was lovely. The size is perfect to carry keys, fruits, wallet, water and a jacket. When you wear it, it feels like the stuff inside it doesn't have contact to your back. when you run, the backpack stays attached on you perfectly. I have no more to say! What I only can say is that I totally recommend it because it worth every single penny.

We have several Osprey bags - they are really lovely quality. A lot of care has gone in to their design with padding that is not too bulky as it is shaped to really fit to your body. The bags have nice features - good pockets. Bonus feature that I didn't spot straight away is a built in whistle on the chest strap buckle! The bags are great for cycling with as they are narrow and well shaped, so you don't really think about wearing it.

I had an Osprey Daylite previously, it lasted for 6 years almost daily usage. This was a replacement since my old one had become grubby and one of the zips was proving problematic.I use it for light shopping trips on my bike and day hikes. I love everything about this daypack, space for my laptop, key clip, internal pockets, stretchy side water bottle holders and external hydration access if required. The support from the shoulder straps, sternum strap, and hip belt is great and fully adjustable for me (i'm 5'5, small frame). The airflow on the back is very effective. It's quite simply the best daypack i've owned to date and that's why I purchased another. Also I LOVE THIS COLOUR AND DESIGN, worth the extra money.

There is nothing to dislike about this pack. It has the pockets I need and the room for waterproof clothing and a jumper. So many small backpacks don't have decent outside storage for drinks bottles but this does. There's also an h2o hole if I decide to use my water pouch instead. It's comfortable to carry with a detachable waist strap.