Review: Osprey Hikelite day backpack

We tested the newest Hikelite backpack from Osprey. Here's what we thought.

Finding the perfect day bag is not easy, especially if you’re looking to explore a city and do some hiking in the great outdoors.

Although, the new Osprey Hikelite has been designed with a day’s hike in mind, it’s equally as good in an urban environment. The suspended mesh back panel ensures plenty of ventilation (which means no more sweaty backs) and the integrated and detachable rain cover is ideal for keeping the bag and its contents dry even in the worst weather.

There are two compartments – a large one with an inside sleeve and a smaller one at the front – and a front pocket, which can be tightened or loosened using the straps, if needed. The same goes for the shoulder straps, the chest straps and the detachable hipbelt.

Which backpack did we try?

We tested the black Hikelite 26, which also comes in green, blue, grey and red, on three occasions – a city day trip, a day hiking trip in Guernsey and a week-long sightseeing trip in Italy.

Osprey Hikelite in black
Osprey

Why should I buy it?

It ticks all the boxes, from durability to comfort and design, and it’s excellent value for money. There’s a lot more space in it than you would expect.

For our week-long trip we used it as hand luggage. If you pack lightly and don’t need to take big, bulky items, you can easily fit in enough clothing and all the toiletries. While on a day hiking trip there was more than enough space for lunch boxes, raincoats and extra clothing. There’s also a trekking pole attachment and an internal hydration sleeve for more serious hikes.

Are there any drawbacks?

The only con to this otherwise excellent bag, are the mesh side pockets. They’re not deep enough to hold larger water bottles – our metal canteen kept flying out of the pocket everytime the bag was taken off or put on.

Unfortunately, even tightening the side straps that sit over the pockets didn’t help. This problem can be solved if you buy a water bladder for the internal sleeve or use smaller bottles.

Osprey Hikelite
Osprey

What’s the verdict?

It’s an excellent bag that does the job it’s meant to do. It’s practical in virtually any day trip scenario and is very comfortable to carry for long hours. We’re big fans of the suspension system at the back and the lightness of the backpack itself – on its own it weighs just over half a kilogram.

What’s more, the backpack comes with Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee, which means any defect in your bag will be repaired or replaced free of charge within its reasonable lifetime. For £80 you definitely get your money’s worth. You can buy it here or on Amazon.