The Northface Flyweight Pack has quickly become my favourite daypack and I wanted to share the reasons why I love it so much. I don't know why I have this burning desire to evangelize about gear that I really like. But blogging about it is a great way to get it out of my system without annoying my family and friends!
 The Flyweight Daypack at rest |
 The Flyweight Daypack in action |
My criteria for a good daypack is pretty simple,
| Must Haves | Nice to Haves |
|---|---|
| Packs down small | Light-weight |
| Comfortable to wear all day | Small pocket for phone/wallet |
| Big enough to carry water, an extra layer, lunch, phone, wallet etc. | Easy access to my water bottle |
| Strong fabric that can take a beating | Clip for keys so they don't fall out accidentally |
The Northface pack meets all requirements except one -- the key clip.
I've had this bag for over a year now and I have used it on a dozen hiking/camping trips, two big international trips and at least once a month when we go grocery shopping on Clement St.
Size
Packs down small? Check!When expanded, it has a 19L capacity, which is more than enough for one person's essentials. It can usually carry two people's stuff without bursting at the seams.
The only time it wasn't big enough for two was when both Nick and I had winter jackets with us, and only one would fit in the bag.
Weight and Fabric
Comfy to wear? Check!The pack is incredibly light weight. If there's only fleece in there, you can't even tell you're wearing it! It weighs about 250g, which is peanuts. Literally. It's the same weight as my favourite bag of peanuts from the Chinese grocery store.
The fabric is thin, but strong. I wouldn't put anything sharp in there, but it handles weight just fine. I use it all the time to carry full loads of groceries (milk, juice etc). And the straps are lightly padded so they don't dig into your shoulders.
Features
The pocket that it packs into turns into a zippered inner pocket when it's fully expanded, and it just happens to be the perfect size for your wallet, keys, phone etc. So you will never have to go digging through the bottom of your bag for your wallet again.
My favourite feature of this bag is the elasticized pockets on each side. They are deep enough to hold stainless steel water bottles securely, but it's still easy to get the bottles in/out without taking the bag off! The outside compartment in the middle is also great for holding things that may be wet or sticky. We usually stuff the remnants of lunch in there
I do wish there was a built-in clip for my keys, but I have created my own by attaching a mini-carabiner to the loop on the inside of the pocket.
Price
All in all, there is really only one downside to this bag: Price.
At $45, it's really expensive for its size. My previous daypack of a comparable size was the MEC Pika Plus. It may not be as compact or have all the same features, but at $18, I certainly wouldn't feel bad if it got damaged. If The North Face dropped the price of this bag by $15, it would be perfect in my eyes!
I liked this bag so much that I bought one for Nick and my sister as well. And I may just buy myself a second one, because it looks like it is being discontinued. It's no longer available on www.thenorthface.com (at least in the US/Canada). However, it's still available from The North Face's UK store and a few online retailers in North America.
Why do you keep doing this to me, North Face? Do you have to discontinue or change *every* one of your products that I truly fall in love with? I still haven't forgiven you for messing with the world's most perfect hiking shoes, you know!
Daypack:https://mybosidu.com/collections/backpack
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