Daybreak 22

Designed well but lacks quality and durability

I almost never write reviews, but this time I really wanted to write down what I think of this purchase. Let me start by saying that I came from a second-hand Daybreak 17, which I absolutely love. It is an excellent quality technical hiking backpack. I have been using it for 3 years and it almost really still looks top-notch. (Made in the US) I wanted an upgrade to a slightly larger daypack and the new Daybreak 22 looked ideal. My experiences are a bit less positive. Design-wise, it is still okay. More volume, a good zippered front pocket. An extra zippered pocket inside which is movable. A better bungee cord and spacious water bottle pockets and front pocket. Although I preferred the 17's Dyneema front pocket, this one also still works fine. I think the comfort/straps on my 17 are better, but this is very personal. A strange choice is that they also did not made attachment points for hiking poles. It would have been just a simple adjustment. Putting the poles in the water bottle pockets is a no go, unless you have expensive foldable ones. The big problem with this new version of the daybreak for me is the mainly the quality. I have been using the backpack for 2 months now, not even on daily bases and there is already wear and tear on the bottom. For an expensive daypack like this, this is unacceptable. Even with the 17, I have less wear on the bottom, but I had already been using that one for 3 years and it was even purchased second-hand. Somehow the dyneema on the 17 feels thicker and stiffer. Secondly, the coating on the zippers of this backpack are of the very worst quality. After just a few weeks, they have already started peeling off a bit. On the stiff zipper of the front pocket, there is already a very large opening now, meaning it is no longer as water-resistant. Thin strands have also started coming off the softer zipper of the main compartment immediately after purchase. I did not have this issue with the 17, and no opening between the zipper coating is visible, even after all these years and a lot more use. I can only conclude that they opted for a much inferior and cheaper coating this time. I have never experienced this with any backpack—that the quality is so poor and starts to wear out just 2 months after purchase. (knowing that I am not using it as an EDC, just did a few hikes and went for groceries with) I am not someone who enjoys to write bad reviews on purpose but in this case I was absolutely not satisfied and rather disappointed and people may know about my experience.

Just hiked with my new Daybreak 22 Black and I'm overall happy with it. Lightweight and sturdy, the adjustable sternum strap and waist strap made it feel like I was barely carrying anything at all. Im not sure how best to attach my poles when I'm not using them but Im sure I will figure something out.

Lightest backpack I’ve had!

I bought this backpack in preparation for a 6 weeks trip to Japan. I wanted a backpack that was light, weather resistant, and durable. This backpack met all of those requirements! I’m currently 2 weeks into my trip and have been loving how light it is, there’s enough pockets to shove my stuff into, i love the elastic water bottle holders, the loops on the straps where I’ve hooked a hero clip and a s-biner, AND the shoulder pocket I bought alongside this bag. The bag is super confortable to carry around the city and on day trips to Arashiyama or Snow Monkeys Park.