I was not in the market for a new daypack when I came across the Dagger from Granite Gear, but when I saw it was immediately wanting it. Then I saw the price, at $119.95 MSRP, but on sale for under $75 — done. I didn’t know what to expect, but what I got was a daypack that I cannot believe is as inexpensive as this is.
It’s quite good.
Materials & Specs
This is a 22L pack with a max load rating at 25lbs, though my testing kept the load I carried under 13lbs. It comes in at 21” x 13” x 8”, but those measurements are fairly deceptive for the width and depth as this material is very thin so it’s flops around pretty well. There’s no structure to this pack outside of the back panel which has a removable framesheet and a molded closed cell foam.
Empty, it’s a scant 1.5lbs. Not ‘ultralight’ but tantalizingly close (for reference the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak is 1.3ish lbs). Yet this doesn’t act like an ultralight pack as it has a load of features, here’s the list from Granite Gear:
- Zippered Access to Main Compartment
- Top Secondary Quick Stash Pocket
- Hydration Port and Internal Sleeve
- Dual-Density Padded Back Panel and Shoulder Straps
- Removable Frame Sheet
- Removable Webbing Waist Belt with Emphasized Hip Hugging Form
- Arched Compression Strap System
- Stretch Woven Side Pockets
- Tall Front Stretch Woven Pocket with Reflective Cord System
- Adjustable Sternum Strap
- Robic High Tenacity Nylon (100D and Custom 210D)
- Undyed colorway uses 98% undyed fabrics and materials reducing water waste by 55%
- Because of this environmental approach with the Undyed, yellowing appearance may be a natural reaction over time.
Yes, so let’s talk about the ‘undyed’ (they also sell black and fatigue), as it’s not white but looks white. Some areas are stark white, while others are off-white to cream. Step back about 5 feet, and it all looks uniform, move in closer, there’s variation. It’s pretty neat in general, though I do wonder/worry about what this will look like as it yellows more with UV exposure (something they note will happen).
From a fit and finish perspective, nothing to rave about, nothing to lament about. Good all around.
Hiking
This pack is exclusively designed for hiking, and I think it would generally make a poor office/edc bag, so my review focus is only using it for dayhikes. I put about 12 miles of testing on the pack, maybe a touch more, and generally it’s good.
I want to touch on the not so goods first:
- The design of the back panel on this bag is one which heats your back quickly. Most hiking bags make my back sweat, this one is on the upper end (that’s common with ultralight inspired gear like this), so that’s all fine. However, because the back panel is closed cell foam, I have seen beads of my own sweat/moisture on the back panel when I take the bag off. Now that’s not a very big deal, but it is visually unappealing — to say the least.
- The water bottle pockets on the side are generous and hold water bottles well. However they sit much too high for me to contort my arms to get my water bottles in and out of the pockets without taking the bag off. A tradeoff: ease of access versus security. They likely opted for the right tradeoff, but it’s still a tradeoff.
- There’s a general lack of pockets at/near the top of the bag, which means you always need to dive into the main compartment for your stuff. The small quick access pocket at the top is just that: small. It also is easy smashed by whatever is inside the bag.
- The waist belt is more of a stabilizer, I took it off. It doesn’t seem useful and generally not needed. A more than that, my torso was too long to make it work correctly.
Photo thanks to Erin Brooks
Ok, on to the good:
- The load lifters actually work. Typically they are for show on a bag of this size, but these do help pull the bag together, and are needed because of the lack of structure from the material itself.
- The material used is quite nice. It’s thin, but not fully transparent, and it feels like it isn’t fragile — though certainly not robust.
- The compression system on this bag is really well done. You have two compression straps on each side at top and bottom. They both have side release buckles. They attach to a bit of material along the front face which is also attached to the cordage used to cinch around the face of the bag. That cordage is not shock cord, but rather static cord. So if you tighten the sides and the face, you are effectively compressing the entire bag, without putting pressure points on any weak seams of the bag. It’s exceedingly effective and I wish more bags had this.
- The overall looks of this bag are fantastic.
- The fit is good, even though I am a touch too tall to use the bag, it was never uncomfortable. (The sternum strap for instance, is not really usable by me.)
- More impressively, the weight bearing system on this is excellent. It transfers the weight evenly and comfortably along the bag. It’s really well done.
- The shoulder straps are solid, and better than I might expect on a bag designed to be light. They are very smoothly made and spread the weight nicely across the width of the strap.
All in all, this feels like it could be a $200 bag with how well done it is. Perhaps the biggest downside here is the lack of color and the materials. My dark shirts have transferred a touch of color on the back, and dirt will accumulate over time as will yellowing. But that all might not be that large of a concern compared to longevity. This doesn’t feel like a bag you are buying for years of use. So I would peg this more as a couple year bag if you are hiking with it often. That’s a gut call though.
Overall
None of the negatives really matter here, because the bag is $120 new, and at the time of writing directly on sale for $72-82. Which means (even at full price) this bag is priced perfectly for what it is. And it is an extremely nice day hiking pack, and something I certainly recommend.
It feels like it has been a while since I found a sub-$100 backpack to recommend to you, but here you go — I like this one. I am not likely to personally keep using this, as I am a touch too tall for it, but I plan on keeping it as a loaner bag for any friends who visit and need a pack to hike with. I might even toss it in my car as part of my emergency kit.
I’m a fan. Buy here.