Are you looking for the best hiking daypack for women from the hundreds of choices out there? It can be a little confusing and there are so many choices.
Women’s daypacks are specifically designed with a women’s anatomy in mind. They include features like more slanted hip straps and narrower shoulder straps that will fit better overall.
If you’re a female and struggling to find a pack that fits you comfortably, don't worry we've made the research for you.
In this blog post we share the best day hiking backpack for women's adventurer as well as some helpful information to help you choose the best hiking daypack. Jump To Best Options!
But Before you choose the best women’s hiking daypack, there are some things that you will need to identify to choose the right daypack for you.
How To choose a day pack?
For any outdoor activity that involves more gear than you can carry in your pockets for one day, you need a daypack. At first glance, all daypacks may look similar, but they have lots of functional differences.
To figure out which daypack is best for you, consider these four things:
Activity: How you’ll use the daypack can determine a lot about what features you need.
Capacity: The size pack you need also depends on how much gear you plan to carry.
Features: Things like frame type and pack access affect how the pack works for you.
Fit: Torso length and hip size are the most important fit factors.
What Size Daypack Capacity Do You Need?
Daypack capacities vary greatly. When you’re pondering what size you need, run through a mental checklist of the gear you carry. Can the pack accommodate your favorite jacket? Does it provide enough snack space for the lengths of trips you take? And is it big enough to fit the Ten Essentials?
10 liters or less: Most of these small packs are built for lightweight pursuits like running and very short hikes. Their compact and low-profile design provides room for only a handful of essentials, like an ultralight jacket, some energy bars, and your phone.
11–20 liters: Now, this is the ideal fit if you’re not a big fan of big backpacks. The capacity lets you have extra pockets to keep your gear organized and you can throw in extra layers, food and your camera gear as well for day trips.
21–30 liters: this one had much more space comparing to others, it is great for those who love extras like having their DSLR camera, a tent, sleeping bag and maybe a book. but remember you’re also carrying all that extra weight with you.
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Quick answer:
the best hiking Daypacks for women
Check out this quick list of our top 3 favorite daypacks if you’re in a hurry, or continue scrolling to see our full list with in-depth reviews
1-Osprey Tempest 9L
2-Osprey Daylit daypack 20L
3-Gregory Maya 16 Pack
best Day Hiking Backpack for Women
1-Osprey Tempest 9L
Osprey’s line-up of daypacks have been one of the best in durability and fit for a women-specific fit,
we positively adore the features and versatility of this Osprey pack. It's one of just a few models we tested it has an adjustable torso length for your perfect fit.
If you prefer going light and moving fast in the woods, mountains and around town, the Tempest 9L is the pack for you. 9L of capacity is perfect for day hikes to carry your water bottle, lightweight jacket, cell phone, hat, gloves, and some snacks.
Ventilated and comfortable: the Bio-Stretch harness and continuous wrap hip-belt is combined to create an incredibly stable carry system that hugs your body so you can stay balanced on the trail, ridge or your bike.
Stow-on-the-go system: This implies a bungee loop on the left shoulder strap and a loop on the side of the pack. You will use these to attach your trekking poles when you need free hands for taking photos, to eat and to drink something, or when you have some scramble in front of view.
External hydration sleeve: Yes, you are reading correctly. This tiny pack has an external hydration sleeve behind the harness.
This is something you will see in most of Osprey’s packs, but perhaps you would not expect it here.This is a great feature because the water bladder does not take space from the main compartment.
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Reason to get this: an all-rounder quality hiking daypack that is built to last for years no matter the terrain!
2-Osprey Daylite daypack 20L
If you want a smaller daypack, something for a few liters of water and minimum gear the Osprey Daylite might just be the best one available. It’s extremely well made and packs well for a day hike.
Access to the main compartment is easy with a large zippered panel. Side mesh pockets hold water bottles and other items while a front pocket with a mesh organizer and key clip secure small items in a single secure spot, The Daylite is a great option for short trips while carrying light loads.
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Reason to get this: If you are planning to go on a short journey in the mountains!
3-Gregory Maya 16 Pack
The Gregory Maya 16 is a smaller daypack and perfect for short day hikes, trail runs, or anytime you want to go super light and don’t need to bring lots of extra gear or layers.
The mesh back panel helps with airflow and there is a separate zippered hydration pocket.
This pack has lots of thoughtful touches like an easily accessible place to stow your sunglasses, a small front pouch with a soft interior for things like sunglasses and your wallet, front and side stretch mesh pockets, hip belt pockets, and more.
The women’s specific model is designed to fit you comfortably with straps that flex with your movement.
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Reason to get this: if you going for a short hike and you want to be super light!
4-Deuter Trail 28 SL Pack
the Deuter Trail 28 SL is slightly shorter than their male or unisex backpacks.
The pack features cushions made from hollow chamber foam, which circulates air between your back and the pack, preventing that nasty, sweaty feeling you always end up with when carrying a heavy load. You know the one.
The foam is positioned in a way to keep the weight inside the pack close to your body which prevents bad posture or hot spots from rubbing.
The thicker padding made it very comfortable for wearing on long objectives.
If you are looking for a pack that can do just about anything with ease and with style, look no further than the Deuter Trail 28 SL.
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Reason to get this: best for climbing and carry on!
5-Osprey Stratos 24
The Osprey Stratos 24 have some of the most comfortable frames of any daypacks, their stretch-mesh back panels feel cushy against the back and seamlessly transition into their hip belts for excellent weight transfer.
For exterior storage, there is one zippered mesh pocket at the top of the pack with a key clip, another small pocket with enough space for bars or a headlamp, and a tall vertical zippered pocket along the pack body.
These packs have a solid organizational system too, with a variety of convenient gear storage pockets, and easy-to-access water bottle holsters.
The Stratos 24 are exceptionally comfortable daypacks built for extended adventures and we recommend them for those who like having extra support.
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Reason to get this: pack carries everything you need for a day hike!
6-The North Face Women's Recon 30L
The North Face women’s hiking daypack does a good job in performance gear. It is on the roomier end but what you get is a comfortable backpack that has versatile uses for other events.
The simplicity of this pack makes it perfect for doing double or even triple duty on a trip.
The open compartment makes it easy to pack for a flight, then transition for hiking.
This bag easily feels high-quality with plenty of padding for your back and the insides have a smooth cloth-like finish.
The chest and hip straps are great if you need to carry something heavier, it helps to take the strain off your shoulders and upper back.
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Reason to get this: If you are looking for a versatile uses backpack beyond hiking!
7-Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil
The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil daypack is a different type of backpack than the others on this list - it’s essentially a nylon stuff sack with a zipper and two shoulder straps.
the Sea To Summit is one of the best hiking daypacks offered to women on the go.
This simple design isn’t great for long days on the trail, but is convenient for quick day hike on the go, which makes it easy to throw in a larger suitcase or backpack when we’re heading out on longer trips.
The Ultra-Sil only has one pocket and no frame, so packing it carefully is a must for comfort (for example, place a padded insulation layer against your back).
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Reason to get this: simple pack for a minimal load!
8- G4Free 25L Hiking Backpack
The G4Free 25L hiking daypack features a roomy main compartment, 1 second pocket with several separate interlayer for easy organization, 1 front pocket and 2 mesh side pockets.
The performance of this backpack is as great as what you pay for. There’s a breathable mesh shoulder straps and back with plentiful sponge padding to speed up airflow and keep your back dry.
It can also help relieve the stress from your shoulder and back.
The chest buckle provides great weight distribution and ultimate comfort, making it the perfect kind of backpack for overnight adventures or casual day trips.
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Reason to get this: affordable hiking daypack with proper support!
9-Cotopaxi Luzon Del Dia 18L
Eco-friendly option: The Cotopaxi Luzon 18L Del Dia Daypack is frameless so it’s lightweight and packs down easily.
The main compartment is large enough to cram extra layers into and has a drawstring closure so there’s no fumbling around with a zipper. Plus, there’s a hydration sleeve and adjustable straps that tighten it up to customize the fit.
The lack of technical features and support means it’s not the best daypack for serious hikes, but for travel, light day hikes, and other activities, it’s a great option.
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Reason to get this: Eco-friendly & lightweight!
10-MOUNTAINTOP 28L Hiking Daypack
Made from ultra-strong rip-stop nylon fabric, this slim backpack from Mountaintop is sturdy and keeps all your things organized with a capacity of up to 28l.
It is the right sweet spot between not being too big nor too small. It provides generous storage capacity which can even hold your camera gears.
For 1/5th the price compared to other expensive backpacks, you get a lot going with Mountaintop’s dayhike backpack. The adjustable breathable straps and chest strap can fit your body properly and comfortable for all-day use.
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Reason to get this: comfortable and lightweight backpack & low price
Other critical daypacks consideration
Frame
A good daypack should have an internal frame or frame-sheet. The frame helps shift the packs weight from the shoulders to the hips and allow you to lode you're gear more comfortably. On longer hikes, the ability to carry the packs weight “on the hips” is very important to prevent fatigue, sore shoulders and to improve balance.
Ventilation
Several packs have a mesh back panel suspended from the frame to prevent sweaty back discomfort, which is common with internal-frame packs that ride against your body. This trampoline-like design, also known as "tension-mesh suspension," has the frame-supported pack-bag ride a few inches away from your back, which instead rests on the highly breathable mesh. To address the same problem, some packs will have ventilation tubes on the back panel.
Organizer Panel
An organizer panel can be found in one of the smaller compartments of almost any daypack with more than one large compartment. It may be as simple as a few small sleeves to carry pens, or it could contain a cell phone-sized pocket plus a larger sleeve or two. You'll almost always find a key hook as well, so you won't have to worry about losing your keys or any small itmesin the bottom of your backpack.
Side Pockets
Side pockets come in a variety of kinds and sizes ,some are elastic mesh, while others are nylon and has zippers; some are large enough to hold water bottles, while others are not. Use the side pockets to keep anything that you might need fast but don't want to search through the rest of the main pack.
Hip Belt
The hip belt help sustain the majority of the load when carrying big loads. As a result, your shoulders are less strained, some hip belts contain handy pockets that allow you to quickly reach anything you'll need on the trial. The majority of minimalist daypacks do not include hip belts, while some do have simple nylon straps for added stability and weight distribution.
For more guides and references, read my other hiking posts:
Thanks for reading and happy trails!
