Published July 7, 2026 11:44AM
In my younger days, I spent a decade adventure racing, where I’d live out of the pack on my back for days on end while doing multiple outdoor sports. There was no time for fumbling around for a compass, climbing harness, or rain shell—I needed to grab what I needed off my back quickly and efficiently. I also needed the pack to be lightweight, breathable, and comfortable, no matter what I was doing (camel riding, anyone?). I don’t race these days, but I’m no less picky about packs.
Before a family trip to Switzerland last month, which would involve day hikes, glacier trekking, and slogging from train stations to hotels, I hunted for the perfect pack. I wanted something that could comfortably carry hiking gear but would also double as a well-organized travel bag with the convenient features I’d come to love in my racing days. That included front-access pockets, sternum and waist straps, a sleeve big enough for my laptop, and an overall light weight, but with enough structure that it didn’t feel flimsy when loaded. Bonus points for a built-in rainfly. I also wanted a pack that allowed me to be a semi-chic traveler and not look like I was still in an adventure race.
I found three that met my criteria. Here’s how they fared during testing on the trails around Boulder, Colorado.
Cotopaxi Elqui 18L Daypack
With an 18-liter capacity but weighing in at just one pound, the Elqui 18L is a nicely designed, efficient little pack.
I loved the fit and feel of the lightly padded, breathable, contoured shoulder straps and cushy, mesh-lined back panel that kept me cool on hot-weather hikes around Boulder. I also appreciated the adjustability of the sternum, shoulder, and detachable waist strap.
A large exterior mesh panel and small interior zippered pocket with a key clip add organization options, and my laptop fits easily in the interior sleeve. When the laptop is swapped for a hydration bladder, a webbing loop keeps it from sinking to the bottom of the pack, and the hose exits via a small, hidden port before threading through a small webbing loop on either strap.
This pack comes in solid colors, which give it a low-profile, clean aesthetic for traveling. And I love that it’s made from 100-percent recycled materials.
On the downside, the one-size-only pack leaves a lot of extra webbing when cinched tight, and the mesh pockets on the shoulder straps barely fit my iPhone 12 Mini—larger phones would have to go in one of two less-accessible mesh side pockets. Still, the pack met all of my criteria and I’d recommend it for travelers carrying a large main bag with the need for just a small, functional daypack.
Note: I tested the 18L size, which is great for day hikes, but the larger Elqui 24 is a better choice as a carry-on bag because of its larger carrying capacity.
Arc’teryx Mantis 16
With its clean lines and subtle Arc’teryx logo stitched into the 100-percent recycled polyester fabric, this is the best-looking of the packs I tested. It’s so good-looking that I have a feeling my 18-year-old son will beg me to let him take it as his college backpack.
Minimal pockets keep the design of this pack simple and straightforward: only one main compartment, a decent-sized zippered pocket on the top panel, and no pocketing on the shoulder or waist straps. There is one small interior zippered pocket with a key clip and an interior sleeve that my laptop fits into easily, with two stealth openings on the top of the pack to route a hydration hose.
One quibble: Since I like having my phone and lip balm accessible on the front of the pack when I’m on the trail, I craved a front-access pocket. I could, however, reach the side mesh pockets without taking off the pack.
The Mantis 16 carries extremely comfortably. The padded mesh back with an internal aluminum frame stay sits nicely against my back while hiking, and the shoulder straps, which use the same mesh material, have a contoured shape that didn’t rub against my neck or shoulders. The pack’s sternum and waist straps effectively distribute the carrying weight. (No sternum strap is a deal-breaker for me.)
The day pack is listed as 16L in capacity, but it feels bigger. I find it plenty large as a travel personal item and a day hiker alike.
While the Mantis doesn’t get a perfect score on my criteria list owing to a lack of front access pockets and no built-in rainfly, it makes up for it in style and comfort. It’s best for those who want a sleek look and a functional pack with minimal bells and whistles.
Black Diamond Trail Vista 20
This fully-featured pack is adventure-ready, but with its monochromatic, smooth styling, it still has travel-ready good looks. The combination—plus its 20-liter carrying capacity—makes it an ideal choice as a carry-on personal item that excels on the trail, and convinced me to choose it as the pack I took on our trip.
For the flight to Switzerland, I packed carry-on necessities like my chargers, a journal, a scarf/sarong, compression socks, warm layers, and a travel pillow in the main compartment. I then loaded my water bottle and snacks in the closed-mesh exterior side and back stretch pockets. My laptop fit smoothly in the hydration sleeve pocket, and I later swapped it out for a HydraPak hydration bladder on hikes. The giant case that holds my noise-canceling headphones fit in the top pocket, making it easy for me to access with the bag underneath the seat in front of me—a key to my survival on a long flight.
On the trail, I used the side pocket and buckled webbing to hold trekking poles, although they can be carried on the front as well. I shoved my rain jacket in the outside mesh pocket for changing weather, and I loved the protection from a built-in rainfly that I employed during a glacier trek and a walk to a train station in a downright downpour. The zippered pockets on the very supportive hipbelt carried my lip balm and occasional gondola tickets (Zermatt! Laax/Flims! Aestch Arena!), and I’d conveniently slide my phone in and out of the open front shoulder strap pocket intended for a soft flask (to capture photos of teenage boys, you need to be quick with the camera).
This pack carries comfortably, thanks to its lightweight internal frame covered in EVA padding and breathable mesh, even when weighed down with gear.
The Black Diamond Trail Vista 20 was my perfect companion on the plane and the trail, but all three of these bags work well for both travel and hiking—and truly excel when a trip includes both.
