A review of Patagonia’s Lightweight Travel Pack
While overnight trips are my preferred way to spend time in the backcountry, sometimes a good, solid day hike is also enjoyable.
A chance to get out in the mountains or the foothills be it solo or with friends. When social obligations call or don’t have the time to spend a night outside, day hikes can be fun.
What pack to bring for a day hike?
A day pack should be light enough so it is not a burden on a day hike, but big enough to have room for a warm jacket, extra clothing, a rain jacket food and water. A hip belt and/or sternum strap can also be helpful to help balance the weight.
At just under 1600 CI and about 11 oz in weight, the Patagonia Lightweight Travel Pack fits the bill nicely.
Streamlined shape, some loops for extra gear if need be, a top lid pocket for easy gear access and two mesh pockets that fits 20 oz or 1 ltr water bottles rather well, it is a very nice pack for day hikes, around town or travel. With the built in stow pocket it can easily hold keys, a wallet and other misc gear. There is much organization for such a small pack. The same stow pocket lets the pack fold into itself so it becomes very easy to bring the pack along on other trips. Throw it into your luggage or carry it with you in your main pack for base camp trips without any fuss.
It is not a bag that will hold up to carrying technical equipment, but that is not the purpose.
At $79 MSRP, it is a a little pricey but does fill a nice niche.
BOTTOM LINE
A light pack that fits more than enough gear, clothing and food for non-technical day trips. That the pack can fold in its own stow pocket is a nice feature for travel and base-camp style trips, too.
Clowning around on the talus of Eldorado Mtn. Photo courtesy of d-low.
Disclosure: This pack was a freebie given to me back in 2011. I did not pay for it out of my own funds.