Best Travel and Hiking Backpacks of 2026

The trick with the ZOMAKE is that it folds into its own zippered pocket, then opens into a 30-liter daypack with enough structure to carry a jacket, lunch, and two water bottles. That's the bag we pack flat in a suitcase for a trip where the itinerary includes a day hike and a city walk. It takes up less room than a pair of shoes when it's stowed, and it comes out when the daypack you brought suddenly isn't enough.

We found the 30-liter size is the sweet spot among the packable picks here: bigger than a stuffable grocery bag, smaller than a daypack you carry empty. The nine pockets and six compartments keep small stuff sorted, and the chest strap helps when the load is light. The nylon is water resistant rather than waterproof, which is fine for a drizzle and a damp trail lunch, but not for a soaked pack left out in a storm. For the way most travelers use a second bag, that's the right balance.

When it's empty, it packs down to roughly 10 by 8 by 3 inches, which is small enough to live in a carry-on and come out when you need a second bag. The zippers have held up to regular stuffing, and the side pockets take a standard water bottle without a fight. It's the one we keep for the day that starts in a museum and ends on a trail.

Forty liters is the size that makes a travel backpack feel like a hiking pack without turning every packing list into a workout. The Maelstrom 40 is light for its capacity, with a 2.2-pound body, a rain cover, and enough pockets to separate a day's clothes from trail snacks. It's the pack we take when the trip is short and the plan is mixed: a flight, a rental car, a few hours on a trail.

The 210D nylon is water resistant and tear resistant, and the reflective marks are a small thing we appreciated on early starts. Ten pockets and seven zippered compartments give it more organization than most packs in this group, and the side pockets hold two sets of trekking poles. The padded back and shoulder straps are comfortable for a day, though the hip belt is better at steadying the load than at carrying a heavy one.

We think it's the most useful 40-liter compromise here for a traveler who wants one bag for a short hike and a carry-on, provided the load stays under a day or two of gear. It doesn't have the structure of the Teton Scout, but it's lighter and easier to live with on a trip where the hiking is only part of the plan. If you want a pack that disappears into a trip rather than dominating it, this is the one.

What do you actually need for a day hike that ends in a city? For us, it's a pack that carries water, a layer, and a camera without turning into a sweaty sack. The SKYSPER 20L is the small structured daypack we choose when the day has more walking than climbing: a 20-liter body, a breathable back panel, and a harness that stays put. It's the one here that feels most like a hiking pack shrunk to travel size.

The 600D polyester and 210D nylon are water resistant and tear resistant, and the anti-theft zipper is a travel detail we didn't expect on a hiking daypack. Ten pockets keep a map, sunscreen, and snacks from migrating, and the trekking-pole fixtures are there when the trail gets steep. The 7-kilogram limit is a useful reminder that this is a daypack, not a mule.

The wide shoulder straps and chest strap keep it close, and the removable strap system makes it easy to strip down for a city day. We think it's the best small hiking daypack here for trips that mix museum mornings with ridge walks, as long as you pack it for a day rather than a week. The breathable back panel is the detail that keeps it from feeling like a plastic bag on a warm climb.

At 3.7 ounces, the 4Monster weighs less than a filled water bottle, and it folds into a pouch about the size of a fist. That's the bag we tuck into a suitcase for the just-in-case day: a spontaneous hike, a beach walk, or the extra gear that won't fit on the way home. It takes up almost no space when it's closed and opens into a 24-liter pack when you need it.

We were surprised by how much the 24-liter body holds: two water bottles, a light layer, snacks, and a camera fit without the bag turning into a knot on our shoulders. The attached stuff pouch means you don't have to keep track of a separate sack, and the water-resistant nylon handles a drizzle. The wide straps are a real comfort upgrade for a packable bag, which is the detail that makes it worth carrying.

The side pockets are deep enough for a 32-ounce bottle, and the front zipper pocket keeps keys and a phone within reach. It's the one we keep for the trip where the plan changes, and the one we forget about until it earns its place.

The Loowoko 50L arrives with a rain cover and enough capacity for a long weekend, and it does it at a light 2.8 pounds. That's the combination that makes it worth a look for a first backpacking trip or a budget-minded travel week: a big body without the heft of a framed expedition pack.

The main compartment swallows a tent and a sleeping bag, and the multiple pockets keep smaller gear from disappearing into the bottom. The shoulder straps and hip belt are padded, and the pack cinches down when it's not full. We found the weight sits closer to the back than on a frameless pack, which helps on a steady walk.

The rain cover is a real bonus at this end of the lineup, and the zippered outside pouches make it easy to reach a map or a snack without unpacking. The pack cinches down well enough for a shorter trip, and the hip belt takes the edge off a full load. It's a straightforward pack to live with when the goal is a weekend outside without spending a lot.

We think the Loowoko is a solid budget choice for a first long-weekend pack, with the capacity and rain cover to handle a wet trip. It doesn't have the structure of the Teton Scout, but it saves weight and leaves room in the budget for the rest of your kit.

The Coowoz 25L is built around the personal-item slot under an airplane seat, not the trail. That's the frame to keep in mind: it's a travel organizer with a wet bag, a separate shoe compartment, and a padded laptop sleeve that fits a 15.6-inch device. It's the bag we reach for when the flight is the main event and the walking is city walking.

The 25-liter body holds one to two days of clothes, and the seven pockets keep chargers, toiletries, and a book from becoming a single undifferentiated lump. The separate shoe compartment is the detail that keeps dirty soles away from clean clothes, and the wet bag is useful for a damp swimsuit or a spilled bottle. The polyester is water resistant, and the bag is machine washable, which is more forgiving than most hiking packs here.

We think it's the best under-seat travel organizer in this group, but it's not a hiking pack: the shoulder straps are comfortable for a terminal walk, not for a loaded ridge climb. If your trip is mostly flights, trains, and city days, this is the one that keeps your gear organized; if you need a real hip belt and load transfer, choose a framed pack instead.

The chest strap is the detail that makes the SKYSPER 15L feel hike-ready rather than just a souvenir-trip sack: it keeps the narrow body close when you're moving, and the attached whistle is a small safety bonus. For a pack this small, that's the difference between a bag that rides well and one that swings.

At 15 liters, it holds a layer, water, snacks, and a camera, and it folds into a 7.9-by-6.7-inch package when the day is done. The polyester is water resistant and abrasion resistant, and the six pockets give each small item a home. The side pockets are deep enough for a 32-ounce bottle, which is more than we can say for some larger daypacks.

The shoulder straps are wide for a packable bag, and the chest strap takes the weight off the back when you cinch it down. It's the one we pack for a short hike or a theme-park day, because it disappears into a suitcase and comes out without a fight. The fold-back-into-itself design is easy to manage, even when the bag is full.

We think it's the best compact packable here for short day hikes and city walks. It's the one that makes a small day feel easy, and the chest strap is why.