Alec,
I won't extol the virtues of the Best Daypack Ever Made (the Bergans of Norway Backcountry Guide 32L) because it's no longer made, at least not in the version I have.
But like Surf I've used a LOT of packs over the decades, I have strong opinions on features. First, of course, is to decide what you're really talking about. A "hiking" pack? That strikes me as a pack for trails and casual peak bagging. No problem with that at all. But a
climbing pack is different: For example, you might want a top strap for securing a rope, beefier fabric if you occasionally haul it up a cliff. And winter use? Generous straps for carrying skis or snowshoes are super helpful, so too with some kind of crampon attachment system (unless you're like me and use sorta blunt crampons for winter peak bagging, then you just don't give a sh*t about throwing them in a pack).
OK, some pack features I like:
-Size: 30-ish liters is IMO good for all-around use, incl a 3 season overnighter if you pack light.
-Tool carry: I like the ability to carry 2 tools. If you can find a pack with two tool sleeves/holsters, that's my favorite. Super easy to rig in a sorm, and they carry collapsed trekking poles really well.
-Fabric: I do a lot of rough climbing. e.g. scraping, dragging over rocks, and a lot of off trail hiking. Sorry, unlike others I do NOT like Cuben fiber or the hybrids. I destroyed 2 such packs in a single season a few years ago. It's great stuff for through-hikers, or people who stick to trails, etc. But it is not tough enough IMO. I've punctured every cuben pack I've used, and pretty quickly. But note that Cuben is NOT the same as dyneema; that's super tough stuff. I still have my (IMO legendary) Wild Things Andinista, made of 100% Spectra. That pack will survive a nuclear war (but of clourse NLA). Give me a tough pack pack vs. an ultralight one any day.
-Color: Please get a pack with at least some bright colors, and consider putting some reflective tape on a few buckles. Try finding a black/brown/green pack from a distance in a boulderfield on a dark night with a headlamp (because of course you planned to return in daylight, but...uh...). And if sh*t hits the fan, you can't be found if you can't be seen. And you're less likely to be shot when thrashing through the woods in October with a red pack than a brown/green/black one. Sorry, pet peeve of mine. I just don't get this Goth/ninja thing.
-I like a few compartments, others like a single sack. I just like separating out some small things (phone/GPS) as well as some critcal items (first aid, etc). Not a fan of fumbling in the dark or during a blizzard to fish out something buried in the bottom of a pack.
OK, enough. Happy shopping!
-Tom
