Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak 17 Backpack Review
Reading Time: 7 minutes The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak is a compact day-hiking backpack (or commuter backpack) from a company primarily known for ultralight packs and shelters made with Dyneema Composite Fabric (and the high price points that accompany these items).
This 17-liter pack has three exterior pockets (one front and two side), a zippered interior pocket, and an interior (laptop) sleeve. It’s available in a single size and two colors (white or black), and features that leave me wondering whether it’s meant for commuting, the backcountry, or both. I’ve been using it for a little over a year for day hikes, travel, and as something to bring with me when I need another fabric sack to drag through the woods.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak 17 Backpack.
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Pros and Cons
+ Durable: The Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCH150) is tough, and durable.
+ Water Resistance: The pack’s zippers and fabric are highly water-resistant (but not waterproof).
+ Stowable Hip Belt: The hip belt that can be stowed if not being used.
+ Large Exterior Pockets: Great for quickly storing away bulky or dirty gear.
+ Zippered Interior Pocket: So you don’t lose the car keys (or your wallet).
– Price: At over $200, it’s costly for what it is.
– Limited Organization: The large, single interior compartment makes organizing gear inside the pack difficult.
– Ventilation: The foam back panel offers minimal airflow, allowing sweat to penetrate the interior of the pack.
– One Size: It comes in a single size, which means it won’t be a great fit for everyone.
– Practicality: Why does it have a laptop sleeve and an ice axe loop?
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Specs
- Weight: 20.9 oz / 593 g
- Volume: 17L
- External volume: 6L
- Materials: DCH150
- Load capacity: 25 lb / 11.3 kg
- Back width: 11. in / 27.9 cm
- Bottom width: 6.5 in / 16.5 cm
- Bottom length: 11 in / 27.9 cm
- Height: 21 in / 53.3 cm
- Hip belt: Lightly padded 1.5 in / 3.8 cm
- Closure: Zipper
- External pockets: 3
- External loops: 2 (ice axe and grab)
- Internal pockets: One 7 x 5 in / 17.8 x 12.7 cm zippered
- Internal sleeve: Fits a 13″ laptop
- Sternum strap: Yes (with whistle)
- Country of manufacture: Mexico
- Colors: White, Black
- MSRP: $229
Photo Gallery
The Good
The Durability
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack is primarily constructed from Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCH150), a material renowned in the ultralight backpacking world for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. It’s also a surprisingly durable material and not one that’s prone to snagging on branches while bushwhacking or tearing against rocks on a break. I take little care when throwing my Daybreak onto the ground or smashing it into the back of a fully loaded car. Overall, it’s a fairly durable pack – not bombproof, but solid – and I’ve yet to notice any significant wear on the main body, the straps, or even the shock cord on the front.
The Water Resistance
The Daybreak is water-resistant thanks to its fabric and zipper, but it’s essential to note that it’s not waterproof. In a light rain, you can rest easy that your gear will stay dry, but you wouldn’t want to trust it to keep your gear dry on a river trip. Its zipper (which extends deep onto each of the two sides of the pack) will keep water out for a bit, but if you’re going. To be out in extended wet conditions, I would recommend packing your gear in dry bags or using a pack liner (if you’re using the Daybreak).
The Weight
I’m not sure how vital weight is as a consideration when discussing a non-technical pack like the Daybreak, but it’s still noteworthy that the Daybreak is refreshingly light. Its materials and the lack of extraneous additions, such as zippers or straps (for the most part), mean that the pack is bogged down by unnecessary “features” you won’t use (or that you don’t need). The pack weighs 20.9 oz / 593 g in total and can support a (recommended) load of up to 25 lb / 11.3 kg (although you’re free to put more than that in the pack and probably be uncomfortable while lugging it around).
The Okay
The Fit
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack is available in a single size. This means it won’t be a great fit for everyone, and if you plan to use it for anything beyond casual hikes or commutes, you’ll have to hope that you fit the one that’s available. Each strap is adjustable, and there is also a hip belt and a sternum strap; however, each of these offers only a limited range of adjustability. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using this pack for all-day adventures. Still, as is the case with the recommended load capacity, if you’re comfortable with some discomfort, then the fit may not be much of an issue for you.
The Hipbelt
For a daypack not designed to hold more than 25 lb / 11.3 kg, it’s unclear why such a substantial hipbelt would be included on a pack that’s otherwise described as “ultralight.” This is just one of the multiple conundrums presented by Daybreak as it attempts to be too many things at once, yet not truly excel at any of them. You can stow the hipbelt when you ultimately decide not to use it, but there’s no way to remove it (besides cutting it off). That said, it’s comfortable, but I typically find the sternum strap to be more than enough for carrying around the Daybreak.
The Interior
The minimalist design of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack features a single large interior pocket that includes a laptop sleeve and a separate zippered pocket. Its small stash pocket is suitable for keys, cards, or other small items, but it won’t come close to holding any larger gear (it doesn’t even fit my phone). You can use the laptop sleeve as a sort of divider within the pack to keep some of your gear separate (like your sweaty or dirty clothes), but the single large interior pocket lacks most of the organizational features that are typically offered in day packs. Sometimes I feel like I lose items inside the main compartment, and I find myself digging through it looking for smaller items.
The Bad
The Side Pockets
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack features two side pockets, each large enough to accommodate a Nalgene bottle, a pair of shoes (or even multiple pairs, depending on their size), or other items you may need. That said, there are no side compression straps, so it’s impossible to hold longer items (which would also obstruct the zipper), and there are no cinches on the tops of the pockets (although the tops are elasticized). Items in them run the risk of falling out if the pocket isn’t filled up or if the backpack isn’t full, and providing some bulk to hold your side pocket items in place. They are slightly deeper than your typical side pocket, which somewhat compensates for the lack of side compression. However, overall, the side pockets aren’t a feature I particularly love on this pack.
The Purpose
The Daybreak Backpack is, as the name (and the size) suggests, intended to be used as a day pack. That said, packs that feature both a laptop sleeve and an ice axe loop have always struck me as strange. Like, when are you going to be needing both of these things? It would seem that the inclusion of one should preclude the existence of the other, but I guess not. I guess I’d make a horrible product designer. Honestly, the best argument for getting a Daybreak might be that you simply want a daypack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is the pack for you.
The Price
Perhaps the worst feature of the Daybreak is its price. At over $200 (at the time of publication, $229), it represents a silly investment for a pack that may or may not be an excellent fit for a single use (and that’s certainly not as versatile as you would like in a pack that’s a master of none). If you’re looking for a lightweight day pack at this price, you might be better off considering some ultralight frameless backpacking packs. They’ll probably pack down better and be more functional than the Daybreak, and would likely end up being more versatile as well. However, as I mentioned earlier, if you’re looking for a daypack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear, you already know what you’re getting into in terms of cost.
Wrap Up
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack is a daypack crafted from premium materials by a company renowned for its high-end packs and shelters.
It’s lightweight, durable, and functional enough to bring along on a variety of adventures. However, at its price point and with features seemingly at odds with one another, not to mention the single size, I’m not entirely sure whether it’s a compelling choice for many potential users.
Do you have questions, comments, or personal experience with the Daybreak? Leave a comment below or get in touch, and let me know!
Check out the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak Backpack here.
