Sea to Summit have such a day pack. At 68 grams the Ultra-Sil® Day Pack is very light, and it packs up to a tiny volume.

The stuff sac is sewn to the top of the pack on the inside. The review model has the stuff sac such that it is awkward to use for small items such as matches, keys or money. The new model will have the stuff sac sewn such that it can be used when the pack is worn.

Several reports say that the pack is quite tough, but that scrub and rocks are to be avoided if at all possible. Whilst the lack of a waist belt is acceptable to me - most day packs do not have them and the load is not much - some people say that a waist belt should be included. Also, a waist belt would add to the weight, at odds with the function.

The pack is available in several colours, and all are mostly black. I very much prefer bright colours as this can assist when a party is being sought from the air. New models will be brighter. With a little more weight and cost the zips should in my view have pull tags. The haul loop at the top is so small that it is very hard to insert a finger, and will be wider for new models. The seams have bare edges, which may fray in time; I’d like to see plain seams, with the edges concealed. Mathew Farrell, Sea to Summit Design and Photography advises that “the 30D siliconised nylon fabric does not fray so we’ve found no need to add the extra cost, weight and bulk of bound seams”.

Some exterior seams are facing up and are more likely to catch water. These seams should face down on the outside. Mathew says that the “Ultra-Sil® Day Pack does a pretty good job of shedding water” and that the “extra waterproof functionality and manufacturing complexity of the Dry Day Pack are represented in the price difference.” So, if you want to have a more waterproof pack, go for the Dry Day Pack, weight 90 grams and more expensive.

One good design point is that the zip stops halfway up the pack so that if the zip fails there’s still a viable pack; avoid packs with zips that go all the way to the bottom. In case the zip fails, a loop could be added to the top of the flap to allow closure with cord.

The stitching and cutting is of a high standard, and apart from the above points the pack is well made. With care the pack should last for some time.

Mathew advises that the pack can carry about 20 kilograms, which is more than most people would want to carry on a day trip or overnighter. He says that “many people, ourselves included, like to use either of these bags as an emergency stowaway bag for travel or shopping, as a summit pack, and for quick ultra-light missions.” Makes sense, but maybe not as quick as when I was younger.

Pack supplied by James at Backpacking Light in Melbourne.

BWA October 2014 | 41