Osprey Manta 20

I wanted to start doing more day trips but I didn't have a suitable bag and the Atmos 50 was a bit large for a 5-10 mile day. I did use it for such when I first got it just to test out the load and see how things worked before I took in on a weekend trip but, I didn't want to look like a total dork carrying around a large pack for some water and a lunch. So, the hunt for a daypack began.

I started out looking at CamelBak's gear. I am usually drawn to visual appeal from the onset and then begin looking at features. I think a similar thing occurs when looking for a mate in life. It's not so much that you need something that looks good but it's nice to have something you're proud of wearing around. Functionality is a key component though and I don't dismiss it. In fact, after my eyeball appeal is over, if something doesn’t offer functionality then I will discard and start the hunt all over. So, the CamelBak's has the visual appeal and most had the functionality however I was having a hard time finding the size, price, functionality options that I wanted in one bag. I began looking at Black Diamond equipment as well and they had awesome functionality and great pricing but the visual appeal was lacking for me. So I went back to what I trusted, Osprey, and I liked what I saw.