The Best Packable Backpack for Your Trip

The Tortuga Packable Backpack is a more structured take on a packable bag compared to other options on this list; however, it’s still incredibly lightweight and packs down small enough for easy transportation. It utilizes quality hardware, including YKK zippers and Woojin buckles, and has a back panel, which isn’t the case for all the bags on this list. There’s padding and mesh to keep you comfortable and cool, as well as a sternum strap. The water bottle pockets are stretchy, handy for staying hydrated and stowing extra gear, like a packable rain jacket or a travel tripod.

At 19 liters, this pack does solid on the grams per liter scale. It’s not the easiest to pack up, but we didn’t find it more challenging than others we’ve tested. It’s not very floppy, either, so your gear won’t bounce around too much in transit. It has more features than we’re used to seeing from packable bags, like the back panel with padding and mesh, comfortable shoulder straps, and water bottle pockets, making it feel more like a regular backpack. It’s par for the course regarding packability, but with all those features, we think this one is a winner!

• The materials are structured enough that it sags less than most packable backpacks
• It utilizes YKK zippers and Woojin buckles, which have proven durable

• The water bottle pockets are tricky to use when the main compartment is full
• When not fully packed, the top compartment can be awkward to utilize

The Matador ReFraction Packable Backpack is average in most categories; however, extra features make this one worthy of taking on your next trip. It has a solid gram-per-liter rating with its 16 liters of capacity, is relatively easy to pack up when you aren’t using it, and isn’t very floppy in use thanks to the slightly thicker, durable materials. It doesn’t have a structured back panel, so you’ll have to pack your gear creatively to ensure it stays comfortable to wear. There are multiple pockets for stowing gear, so you can keep things segmented to stay organized.

The pack utilizes YKK zippers and buckles, which is one of the best brands in the gear business. Though the back panel doesn’t include padding and aeration, the shoulder straps have both, enhancing comfort and breathability. It has a luggage pass-through, too, so you can use the bag with your rolling luggage if you buy too many souvenirs on your trip. Plus, the water bottle pockets ensure you can stay hydrated or stow extra gear. Though it isn’t the most packable, lightest weight, or easiest to pack on this list, its other features make the Matador ReFraction Packable Backpack feel more like a daypack you’d use at home and less like a grocery bag with shoulder straps.

• The luggage pass-through is handy for trips through the airport with rolling luggage
• The materials are lightweight, sleek-looking, and durable

• There’s no padding or aeration on the back panel
• There are limited colorways available, though they match Matador’s monochromatic style

The FORCLAZ 100 Compact 10L Travel Backpack doesn’t have a lot going on, and that’s why we like it. It’s one of the floppiest bags we’ve ever used and has almost no standard backpack features that set it apart from any of the packs on this list. So, why are we recommending it?

First, it’s cheap. Depending on where you buy it, the FORCLAZ 100 Compact 10L Travel Backpack will run you anywhere between seven and 13 dollars, which is a fraction of most of the packs on this list. Plus, the materials are more durable than expected for the price, so they’ll last longer than most sub-$20 bags. Second, it’s incredibly lightweight. At 10 liters, it has one of the highest grams per liter rating on this list, and it’s one of the easiest to pack up, too, so you won’t be frustrated when trying to save space on the way home from your trip.

Price and packability are significant; however, it’s important to note that they come at a cost. There’s no padding, aeration, name-brand hardware, or other comfort features that many of the other packs on this list have. You’re saving weight and money, but it comes at a cost. Can you afford it?

• It’s one of the cheapest packable backpacks on this list
• Though it’s budget-friendly, it’s held up incredibly well

• There are no extra features, like pockets or padding
• The materials sag a lot, so it can look lumpy unless you pack it a certain way

Pakt's Stash line of packable gear stands out for its bright orange colorways and noticeably structured fabrics. Honestly, they have some of the thickest-feeling fabrics we've seen on packable bags, and it's no exception for the Stash Packable Backpack 16L. It also packs a few notable features even at such a modest size. Firstly, it has two secondary pockets: one at the top and one at the bottom. Everyday carry accessory enthusiast need not complain about having too few spots to carry their essentials, even if they are using a backpack that's been rolled up in their luggage since they've left for the airport.

If you are such an enthusiast, it's also worth noting the bag's pitfalls. As you can imagine, having thick fabrics means compression isn't that good compared to other packable bags. Plus, the bottom front pocket space tends to get eaten up once the main compartment is packed full. Still, being able to fit a full-sized 16-inch MacBook Pro in its built-in laptop sleeve kind of makes up for it, at least for us, since we travel with our workstations a lot.

• Looks neat and feels more structured than most packable backpacks
• Surprisingly fits a 16-inch MacBook Pro in its built-in laptop sleeve

• All that style and structure impacts its packability; it doesn't compress into as small a package as we expected
• Its main compartment is tricky to pack with the bag standing up since it's relatively deep

The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack qualifies as a pack that is off the charts for some of our tests but hardly even registers on others. It’s incredibly lightweight, smashing our grams per liter test to bits, and is one of the smallest packed bags, ensuring you save space in your travel backpack when it’s time to head out. However, it isn’t the easiest to pack up, and it’s one of the floppiest bags on this list. Additionally, it has almost no features that enhance its use or comfort while wearing it, which is a negative, too.

However, the selling point is that the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack is incredibly lightweight and small when not in use. That might suit people who only want to bring a packable backpack for emergencies or to haul extra gear home. Just make sure you’re okay with the fact that it isn’t comfortable to wear over long periods and doesn’t have additional features to make daily carry more organized.

• It’s one of the lightest packable daypacks available
• When packed up, it fits into the palm of your hand

• It’s challenging to pack up, even once you’ve gotten used to it
• The bag lacks extra features to enhance comfort, like padding and mesh

The NOMATIC Navigator Collapsible Pack 16L is one of the more unique packable daypacks on this list; however, how you pack and the kind of activities you partake in when you arrive will determine whether or not its unique design will work for you. It has the most defined back panel on this list, which adds comfort. The back panel folds in the middle, which is what the bag packs into, and there’s a zipper running around the outside. This makes it one of the largest when packed down, too, which isn’t great if you’re trying to save space in your bag. If you have room in your pack for a large flatbread sandwich-sized piece of gear, this won’t be an issue.

The design makes it incredibly easy to pack up, but again, it isn’t very small compared to other packable daypacks on this list. The structured back panel makes the bag less floppy, offering a more solid feel while wearing it. The shoulder straps don’t have padding but are constructed from mesh, which helps with breathability. Inside, there’s a water bladder pocket that doubles as a laptop compartment, which is handy for trips on the trail or to the coffee shop. This pack has more features than most on this list; however, they come at the cost of packability and ranking on our grams per liter scale.

• The back panel is more structured than almost all packable daypacks on the market
• The materials and design prevent sagging, which makes the pack look better in use

• It isn’t the smallest when packed up, though it is very flat
• The back panel can feel awkward until you get used to the design (it doesn’t go all the way to the top of the bag)

Many of the backpacks on our list pack into a melon-shaped ball about the size of a, well, melon. But, if you don't mind one that packs into a burrito instead, then the Fjallraven High Coast Foldsack 24 might just be up your alley. In exchange for a not-so-small backpack when it's compressed, you get a lot of the creature comforts expected of a full-fledged one. For one thing, with its thick nylon fabric, it still looks and feels like a Fjallraven bag, plus it has a harness system that still includes a waist strap for added stability.

All that said, the High Coast Foldsack's main thing is its rolltop layout. Instead of a zippered opening, the main compartment rolls open, allowing you to expand and cinch depending on how packed the interior is. Inside, you also get a laptop sleeve big enough for a 15-inch device, a small zippered pocket, and an otherwise uncompartmentalized bucket space for all your gear.

• Rolltop opening allows you to expand and compress the bag as needed, minimizing floppiness
• Has a waist strap, a water bottle pocket, and a laptop sleeve—fancy extras for a packable bag

• It rolls into a large burrito-shaped package, so it's not the smallest packable backpack when compressed
• We expected more padding on the back panel given its compressed size (which isn't very small, in case we haven't said that enough)

The WaterField Packable Backpack is one of the more unique-looking packable bags on this list, and we mean unique in a good way, not in the way that your classmates intended when you were voted “most unique” in mock elections senior year (seriously, what did they mean by that?) The materials are much more structured than we’re used to seeing, making the pack look more like a standard bag than the others on this list. However, they still aren’t strong enough to hold their shape, so the bag looks a little floppy in use. It has a few compartments to keep you organized and includes two side pockets, which are handy for a small water bottle or a snack.

Because of the thicker materials, this bag doesn’t do well on the grams per liter test. However, it looks superior to many of the packs that outperform it, which is worth noting. Additionally, you can fit up to a 16-inch laptop inside—a rare feat on this list. Pairing unique materials with functionality, many travelers will be willing to trade for this pack's heavier and larger pack to look less like a tourist and be able to take their laptop with them.

• One of the sleekest packable daypacks that we’ve come across
• You can stow up to a 16-inch laptop inside, which isn’t common

• The water bottle pockets don’t work for larger bottles
• Not the smallest bag when packed away

Typically, the phrases “packable daypack” and “has a lot going on” aren’t uttered in the same sentence in succession. That said, the Mystery Ranch In and Out Packable Daypack has a lot going on. Mystery Ranch mostly makes outdoor packs, and there are a ton of features here that cater to that. There are various attachment loops on the exterior, a comfortable harness system with padding and mesh on the shoulder straps (though it doesn’t have a proper back panel), and a stretchy water bottle pocket to stay hydrated.

Those features come at a cost, as this is one of the heaviest packs on this list, with a poor gram-per-liter rating to boot. However, those features are handy to have while traveling, and it isn’t very floppy and is average-sized when packed away, so we feel that this pack does well enough in most categories to be considered a great option. While it’s more frustrating to pack than most bags, that may only be due to the amount of straps and external features. We’ve found that it gets easier the more you do it, so don’t be deterred your first few times. This is the one for you if you want a pack with a large main compartment and many external components!

• It has external attachment loops and a capable harness system to work well while hiking
• The quick grab pocket on top is handy for snacks, tech, and everyday essentials

• It’s challenging to pack up, especially at first when you aren’t used to it
• When packed away, it isn’t the smallest or lightest