Keen Newport DP Daypack
Keen made good shoes and then made bags, and this review was fairly enthusiastic about a small daypack with plenty of pockets. The model is gone; the question of what makes a small daypack good is not.
Pockets are genuinely the feature, and it is underrated. A single-compartment daypack means everything migrates to the bottom. Two or three sensible pockets, one of them reachable without taking the bag off, is the difference between a bag you like and one you tolerate.
What to look for in this size, around 20 litres:
- A back panel that lets air move. Mesh over foam, tensioned if possible. This is the difference between a dry shirt and a wet one.
- Side pockets you can reach a bottle from while wearing it.
- A hip belt that does something, or none at all. A thin webbing strap is decoration.
- A liner or a dry bag inside, because nothing in this class is waterproof whatever the fabric claims.
The change worth acting on since 2010: the packable end of this category got properly good. Daypacks around 300g that stuff into their own pocket now have real straps and a shaped back, which was not true then. For travel that is a better buy than a structured 20-litre bag, because it lives in a corner of the main bag and comes out for day trips.
The test, as ever: put it on loaded and reach behind you for the water.
Part of the guide to backpacks and daypacks.