Columbia Treadlite 16 Day Pack

www.columbia.com
After using this pack for everything from hauling soccer gear to biking to a day-long hike, I can confidently say I’ve found my perfect backpack.  The Treadlite comes with 16 liters of storage space—plenty for a full kit of mild-weather hiking (water, layer, food) and around-town functionality. Columbia’s “Omnishield” fabric protects the insides from averse elements, and the elevated mesh back panel kept my back dry and comfortable, even when things got muggy in late-summer testing. The back and shoulder straps have mesh elements carved out of the padding for added cooling—and I didn’t experience any hot spots at the seams, something that was a concern when I first saw the pack.  The sternum strap comes with a rescue whistle that’s loud enough to scare your neighbors and stretchy side pockets fit most water bottle. The same mesh is also used in the big kangaroo back pocket, which is great to stash your go-to items, or your wet shell when things dry up. The interior mesh pockets let you store your keys, wallet, and other small stuff you don’t want lose in the main compartment, and I really love the padded zipper pocket on the top of the pack, perfect for safely storing a cell phone, GPS, or sunglasses. I get the feeling that a lot of thought was put in this pack and it really shows.
-Chris Boyle
The model also comes in 16- and 22-liter models