Narrowed it down to Osprey Day lite plus and the Kuiu Divide 1200.
I have quite a bit of Kuiu gear and it all is excellent. I have heard good things about Osprey but their fabric just seems really thin to me though people speak highly of them.

These two seem to offer a good amount of pockets and organization.

LBT does not offer much in the pack itself and you have to buy all sorts of pouches to keep it properly organized which sends the price sailing.

Ogio seems to be way overboard in the pockets and organization. Want to keep this organized but also fairly simple. Don’t want to have to keep a ledger of what pocket holds what.

Leaning highly toward the Kuiu because I have been happy with their so far yet have not had a pack of theirs.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Black92LX,

I bought an Osprey a couple years ago and I think it’s a good pack. I have no way to compare it to a Kuiu.

Between the two, the Osprey is going to be superior both in fabrics and the construction detail. Just an FYI- Osprey has about a 35%-market share on the outdoor specialty backpack market. In short, they dominate and for good reason. Kuiu is a very small hunt-specialty brand that is limited hence their higher cost for a similar sized & featured pack. For the record I'm a fan of Kuiu, I have a lot of their apparel as I live just down the road from their HQ.

These are small/school-sized packs so I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle on this one, these sized packs are highly competitive as there's endless number of solid companies in this space, just make sure it's got the right features and locations that's going to work for you. What are you looking this pack to do and what others have you looked at?

Osprey also offers 40% off for mil/LE

Carry a laptop safely, rain jacket, small tool kit, a couple folders, pens, small flashlight, trauma kit, extra batteries, water bottle, CPR mask.
Pistol sleeve on occasion.

Nothing fancy at all. Nothing tactical

I also looked at the LBT LV 14L day pack
Ogio Bandit Pro

I am not a big pack guy so if you have any other suggestions for $150 or less be my guest.
Looking for a good number of pockets to keep things separate but not so many pockets I need a ledger reminding me what pocket have what in it.

I’ve been very happy with my Vertx packs.

I’ve seen their ready pack for 150~ on sale at places.

Doesn’t look tactical or “operator” either.


My biggest pet peeve is a day pack with a tiny water bottle holder, or small laptop pocket. Making it so every item I have has to go in the main compartment. So I just started using a duffel. I only go from the car to work so not a big deal but probably not ideal for most.

LL Bean Trail Model. $89. Old school design but should meet your needs.

I have an Osprey Day Lite and a larger Osprey day pack. I don’t wear them every day, but I’ve been very happy. If anything goes wrong, it appears they have an excellent warranty. But nothing has ever gone wrong.
My one complaint: the water bottle holders on the sides are too short, water bottles fall out. If you use a bottle with a ring top, you can slide a strap through it.

My daily is the Osprey Daylite (the smaller version). I use this for almost everything, including as a carryon.

For my use, it includes what I need and excludes what I don’t. I appreciate the minimalist approach.

I use a small organizer pouch for the small loose items.

Ospery’s are pretty durable. Depending on the model, you can get all the pockets you need for compartmenting your gear. Pretty good warranty as well.

I love the Osprey airspeed system that keeps the pack off your back. Much cooler IMO. My daily work bag and my hiking back are both Osprey because of this, durability, features and how well they fit me. If a sweaty back annoys you, worth trying one on. My work bag can also stand on its own… which is nice for loading, but also a nice footrest when at the airport.

Osprey is the big-dog in the backpack world, at the very least their materials, suspension and costing will satisfy what most people are looking for. That said, backpacks like shoes have become an expression of personal taste and identity.

Here's a few brands I like and have had good luck with.

https://evergoods.us - small Montana brand developed by long-time designers from the outdoor world. Top notch materials, I like their accessory pouches, now offering waxed canvas fabrics.
https://aersf.com- small urban brand that utilizes VX21 fabric which is my favorite; I've been using their travel pack for several years now.
https://www.stoneglacier.com- fast growing technical hunt brand out of Montana similar to Kuiu but they have a wholesale channel.
https://ablecarry.com - another small focus brand that use my favorite fabric, their EDC pack I've been using for a year now.
https://www.peakdesign.com - moderate specialty brand built for photographers, many of the features EDC adherents like for their compartmentalization.
https://alpakagear.com/?utm_ca...urce=later-linkinbio- Newer travel brand that's expanded into other areas, I like their color palette...and they use my fav fabric.
https://www.thule.com/en-us/ - Originally known for their roof-top racks, the last 20yrs they've expanded into all carry methods, to include a number of well thought out backpacks and luggage.

I have zero experience with Kuiu, and have not owned an Osprey, but I've been around a few. Osprey makes a really nice, quality pack. If you can find one with the compartmentalization to fit your needs, I don't think you'll go wrong buying one.

My Kelty stuff has served me well. I have a Redwing 44 that I inherited from my wife after she carried it all around the world (Prague, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Argentina, and I think a couple more that I can't remember), but found a "women's" 40L version of the same model in a color that she liked better. I have been backpacking with that thing for 8 or 9 years now since getting it from her, and it's still doing great. I like the layout, and it's big enough to haul everything I need for a four day backpacking trip but still small enough to fit in the carryon box at the airport. It's actually going with me on a two week hike in Spain at the end of next month. I don't know if Kelty makes what you're looking for, but if they do I'd have no qualms about the quality, and the pricing is usually better than some of the other popular brands.

Thank you for that list corsair Going through those I think the Stone Glacier BZN 1500 is going to be the ticket.
Was wanting to be under $150 but if I am reading it correctly all the Stone Glacier packs are made in the United States???
If that is the case I am fine with spending the $200 on it.


My current pack is a Marmot that is like 25 years old. Did 2 years of High School, 4 years of college. Been to the top of a couple 14ers in Colorado, been to Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, England, and the Bahamas.
Countless trips to places in the US. It will become a toss around pack as the padding in the straps and back are not as soft, all the mess is wearing out and the zippers are a bit gummy and don’t function smoothly.

I bought an LBT pack a few years ago on sale. It’s too big for a daily pack, and it’s black multicam with molle and straps and crap that just scream tactical which I do not want for this one.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
My Kelty stuff has served me well.

Yep. Still using my 30+ year old one nearly every day. I looked on their site earlier and their Redwing Traveler series looks pretty nice. Might have to pick one up. I'm certain it'll outlive me.

My daughter has carried her Osprey all over hell and gone starting with a stint in the Peace Corp. it was showing the wear and tear of foreign service and the airline travel. Osprey went over it replacing and repairing as needed, she didn’t want a replacement.

I too am a Kuiu slut, everything I’ve touched has been legit. They have extraordinary customer care as well. Recently they replaced my grandkids coat due to a worn out zipper and torn pocket. It’s a brand new soon to be hand me down.

I don’t think there is a wrong answer simply due to the company supporting their customer.

I own the Osprey Daylight Plus and several others from Osprey.

The Daylight Plus will not inherently protect a laptop or si,liar. A padded sleeve is required.

The need for multiple organizing pockets led me to change from the Daylight to a true laptop bag by Osprey.

Check REI and the Osprey site for discounts. Also Facebook.

You all made this a tougher choice than just Osprey and Kuiu but I appreciate that as I found some better packs I had no idea existed.
After a lot of reading, pictures, and YouTube videos I have decided on the Stone Glacier BZN 1500. Has everything I was looking for and is made in the United States.
As any suggestion here on Sigforum it usually is higher than I planned on paying but I'll gladly pay a little extra for it being made in the states.

Not everything is made in the US BUT, I'm good with supporting brands that are making the effort to grow that sector.

^^^^^^
Says all the packs and pack accessories are made in the states.
So good with that. Digging a couple of their jackets too.