Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus – Comprehensive Backpack Review 2025

As a frequent traveler, I understand the importance of having a suitable daypack.

Daypacks are really popular among hikers, especially hikers that love one-day hikes. To make things clear, daypack IS A TYPE of Backpack with several characteristics which I will lay out summarily.  

Daypacks generally have a carrying capacity of 15 – 35 Liters which helps ensure that they are lightweight too. With 15 Liters, you will be able to fit your laptop, water bottle and you squeeze a little extra in between too. A 35 Liter backpack will be enough for a weekend trip provided that you don’t need to pack your shelter too.

Also, daypacks have little or no back support, which makes them less comfortable if you are carrying them for long hours. Without the internal frame, these backpacks are more compressible which allows you to easily pack your things. Other characteristics include the bag being top loading and that they do not usually have padded shoulder straps. Both the Osprey Daylite Backpack and the Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack fit the bill.

Quick Comparison Table

Reasons why you should pick Osprey Backpacks

If you are still looking into which brand of backpack you should purchase, I have dedicated this section for you. Here are the top 3 reasons why Osprey is the brand you should look out for when choosing your backpack.

1. Really lightweight

Some backpacks are really heavy, and they tend to rub against the shoulders. A bag constructed like this would cause your body to feel pain or they may even leave a scar on your body.

Even by reading my article on the Osprey Porter 46 vs Farpoint 40, you can see to what extent Osprey had put their foot forward to ensure that the bag remains as lightweight as possible. The Osprey porter 46 is a 46-Liter bag which weighs only 3.40 pounds, while the Osprey Farpoint 40 is a 40-Liter bag that weighs 3.17 pounds. Given the amount of functionality that is provided by Osprey such as a Stoaway Suspension and compression straps, it is considered lightweight.

Facts aside, I am sure you will be shocked by how light the bag will feel on you. Be it for travelling or the outdoors, a lightweight backpack is definitely one that will ease your burden. If you are really looking for something lightweight, a highly recommended backpack by the community is the Osprey Exos 48 Backpack.

2. Lifetime Guarantee

What can be better than the Osprey’s all mighty guarantee? Quoting their tagline: “Any Reason. Any Product. Any Era.”, that itself is self-explanatory on what they are willing to provide. Osprey will repair any damage for any reason no matter when it was purchased, free of charge.

Still doubtful about their Lifetime Guarantee? Think that it’s still too much fuss?

I can attest that Osprey gives excellent customer service. You just have to send an email to the stated customer service email which you can find here. After sending an email, if it’s a working day, they should get back to you within few hours. Your backpack would be good as new in 4 days’ time.

3. Functionality

Osprey backpacks are designed to meet your needs, no matter what you desire to do with that backpack.

For example, the Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack which is meant for daily use is built with hydration pocket, internal laptop pocket and you can attach any suitable packs if you require more space. All of these functions are capable of meeting the needs of user.

If you are specifically looking for a travel backpack and one which is suitable for a short outdoor trip, the Osprey Farpoint 40 contains all the necessary features such as the lightwire frame suspension, mesh backpanel and compression straps.With all these functions, you will feel comfortable travelling with one of these packs.

Osprey Daylite Backpack Review

The Osprey Daylite backpack is a small-sized backpack that you can use daily or for any short trips. If you want to store more things, you can attach Osprey’s larger packs and travel bags too. Depending on your needs, you can customize the bag however you want.

Color – The Daypack comes in a total of 10 different colors! You can pick either (a) Amulet Purple; (b) Black; (c) Granny Smith Green; (d) Magma orange; (e) Petrol Blue; (f) Primrose Yellow; (g) Real Red; (h) Stone Grey; (i) Sage or (j) Tahoe Blue.

Series – Both the Osprey Daylite Backpack and Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack falls in the Daylite Series. This series is aimed at manufacturing a simple accessory that is capable of attaching larger packs.

The bags are designed to be lightweight, simple, durable and comfortable to carry. Due to the pricing of the bags for this series, the Daylite series has become extremely popular. Both the Daylite and Daylite Plus series are designed to allow you to have add-on packs for easier travelling.

Gender – Let me state outright: That both the Osprey Daylite and Osprey Daylite Plus is unisex (suitable for both genders) 

Characteristics of the Osprey Daylite Backpack

Product Dimension – The item dimension is 9 inches x 18 inches x 9 inches.

Volume – According to REI, this backpack has a volume of 13 liters.

Weight – The weight of the backpack is 1.05 lbs.

Number of Pockets – There are a total of 6 pockets – 3 slip pockets and 3 exterior pockets.

The two side mesh pockets are made to hold water bottles or various other items. There are side clips too. You can clip the bottle into the side clips through the loops on the lids.

While the front pocket comes with a mesh organizer and key clip to help you secure small items. The key clip feature is pretty useful, where it allows you to clip your keys onto it which removes the need for you to look for your keys.

Main Compartment – The bag comes with a large panel-loading main compartment.

Straps – The bag comes with Spacermesh Shoulder straps that is integrated with a handle.

Features of the Osprey Daylite Backpack

Attach larger packs and travel bags – The backpack is designed to let you attach a number of Osprey’s compatible larger packs and travel bags, depending on your needs.

The Packs which you can add are: The packs from the Aether/ Aerial Series, from the Volt/Viva Series, the Ace 75, packs from the Shuttle series, the Sojourn Series, the Farpoint 80 or the Porter Series (the Farpoint and Porter Series is covered here).

Note: You are attaching the Osprey Daylite Backpack at the front of the ‘other’ backpack. To get an idea of what I mean, you can check out the video below. I’ve included videos about the other series so that you have an idea which backpack you can purchase to attach on with the Osprey Daylite. 

Aerial Series

Shuttle Series

Volt/ Viva Series

Sojourn Series

Easy access – You can easily access the main compartment because the bag comes with a large zippered panel.

Interior Sleeves – The bag comes with a multi-function interior sleeve that allows you to put your hydration reservoir or your tablet. The interior sleeve can easily fit your 3-liter reservoir. However, with the 3-liter reservoir fully packed, you may need to remove some items from the main section to let the pack fit comfortably on your back.

Mesh-covered backpanel – The Osprey Daylite Backpack comes with mesh-covered backpanel with slotted foam which helps relive some of the pressure on your back.

The die-cut foam in the backpanel is meant to provide proper ventilation to allow sweat to evaporate. This is vital for comfort too. You can be sure that the backpack is breathable and well-padded.

Hydration Pocket – The backpack comes with a built-in external hydration reservoir pocket.

Internal Laptop Pocket – Complying with contemporary needs, the backpack comes with an Internal Laptop Pocket built for easy and safe storage. The designated storage for your laptop would definitely be helpful.

Chest Straps – The bag comes with adjustable chest straps. Even if you are a short person, the chest straps should be able to remain right under your neck.

Hip Belt – The Osprey Daylite Backpack comes with a hip belt which is useful if you are using it for rock climbing or riding a bike. The hip belt is removeable too, you can stash it somewhere else for safekeeping.  

Warranty

The bag comes with Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee. This Guarantee means that Osprey will repair any damage or defect that is caused for any reason free of charge. This guarantee would apply no matter when the bag is bought. If you are interested, you can read up about it here.

My Thoughts

Excellent for Day-to-Day use – The Osprey Daylite backpack is suitable even if you use it for a 1-day hike or even when you go for a trip to your local mart.

Great for Travelling – The Osprey Daylite Backpack IS DESIGNED FOR Travelling. The add-on packs are meant for travelers to add extra volume when there is a need. The bag is incredibly versatile which makes it an excellent choice for travelling to different countries depending on your needs.

Extremely Versatile – With 10 colors for you to choose, you can pretty much guess that REI wanted to make the Osprey series extremely versatile, allowing everyone to customize the bag according to their own taste.

Even if you are wearing it to work or you are going for a hike, it’s looks and functionality will be able to fit-in. The bag looks really sleek but it is capable of packing all the things that you need.

A Simple Pack – The Osprey Daylite Backpack is designed with the idea of simplicity. It has all the necessary features to satisfy your needs without overdoing on the number of pockets.

Excellent Pack Construction – The bag is really well-made. The zippers are really smooth and feels durable too.

Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack Review

Series – The Osprey Daylite Plus similarly comes from the Daylite series. It is made to fulfil the desire of people that wants a backpack that is lightweight and simple.

Color – Even better than the Osprey Daylite Backpack, the Osprey Daylite Plus comes in 13 colors which is (1) Amulet Purple, (2) Black, (3) Eggplant Purple, (4) Granny Smith Green, (5) Magma Orange, (6) Misty Teal, (7) Petrol Blue, (8) Primose Yellow, (9) Real Red, (10) Sagebrush Blue, (11) Stone Grey, (12) Stone Sage and (13) Tahoe Blue.

Usually, people would go with black because there is no extra charge and black tends to fit into any situation.

Characteristics of the Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack

Product Dimension – The item dimension for this backpack is 14 inches x 14 inches x 15 inches.

Weight – The backpack has a weight of 1.19 lbs.

Volume – This backpack is 20 liters. As for the reservoir, it can hold up to 3 Liters.

Pockets – The Osprey Daylite Plus similarly comes with dual stretch mesh side pockets which provides you an additional option to store your items.

The side mesh pockets can help you carry your water bottles while the front pockets come with a mesh organizer and key clip which helps you secure small items and keep them in one place. The bottle will fit securely on the mesh pockets, so not to worry.

Back Panel – The back panel comes with a mesh-covered die-cut foam that is essential for great comfort and ventilation.

Straps – The Osprey Daylite Plus comes with spacermesh shoulder straps that is integrated with a handle.

Chest Harness – The chest harness should give quite a lot of extra room. However, there is no space to allow you o store the extra slack.

Belly Strap – The bag comes with a belly strap which you can utilize when the need arises. This need usually arises when you are involved in intense physical activities such as mountain climbing. However, the belly strap is pretty small too.  

Do note that the belly strap may be a bit annoying because it does not detach from the bag. You can’t stash it away too when it’s not in use.

Features of the Osprey Daylite Plus Backpack

Large Panel – The large panel loading main compartment gives you easy accessibility to the contents of your bag. This may be due to the easy access to the main compartment which comes with a large zippered panel.

Multi-function interior sleeve – The bag comes with a multi-function interior sleeve that you can use for keeping a water reservoir, your tablet or even your laptop. It should still fit fine even if it’s a 15-inch laptop.

The hydration sleeve can similarly fit a 3-liter reservoir.

Front Panel Shove-it pocket – The front panel shove-it pocket is a great feature that allows you to stash some small items. The front panel / pocket is vertically zippered which allows you to put things easily.

The stuff-it pocket narrows down at the bottom. But you can still store an extra set of clothes. Try to avoid putting something is angular like your ipad or book.

Warranty

Like all of Osprey’s backpacks, they are covered by Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee. Osprey got you covered no matter how bad the condition may be.

Warning

May not fit if you are really large built – If you have a larger tummy or you are large in size (or you are taller than 6’), I would highly recommend that you look for larger backpacks. The straps of the backpack is pretty narrow and small, and this can similarly be said for the belly strap.  

My Thoughts

Great Versatility – The Osprey Daylite Plus is highly versatile as well. You can use it for either your trip to work or a trip to the hill. This backpack is really comfortable to carry, which makes it great for various use.

Suitable even if you are larger built – Even if you are 5’ 10’’, wearing a bag like the Osprey Daylite plus would be suitable. It should look decent and fit you fine. It should fit naturally on your back and it wouldn’t feel either too big or too small.

The only issue you may have with it is the straps because they are narrow and short.

Great Built Quality – The backpack has a very nice built quality. You can be sure that the backpack does not easily get soaked. If you are concerned about this, you can get the Osprey Hi-Visibility Raincover too.  

It’s definitely a bag that feels great to carry on-to and it looks great too. For me, I thought that there are only minimal defects. This bag is definitely up for day trips or day-to-day use.

Excellent for Day Hikes – The bag has all the right compartments to let you store all the necessary equipment and water bottles to go for a day hike. Since the bag fits comfortably on your back, you don’t need to worry too much about having a sore back.

Comparison between Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus

1. Extra Volume

Osprey Daylite – The Osprey Daylite has a volume of 13 Liters.

Osprey Daylite Plus – This backpack has a volume of 20 Liters.

The Osprey Daylite Plus has an extra 7 Liter/ 430 cubic inches bigger as compared to the Osprey Daylite Backpack.

2. Extra Padding

Osprey Daylite – The only section of the bag which contains a structural padding is the back of the bag. If the backpack is not fully packed, it will look a bit wrinkly. The simple elastic internal pocket is great if you are looking for versatility.

Osprey Daylite Plus – It comes with a padding in the inner pocket which is necessary for insulation. The extra padding comes with a clip too which ensures that your things don’t go moving around.

The pocket inside the main pocket for the Osprey Daylite Plus is insulated for your laptop or a hydration pack. The insulation is pretty thick, which should keep things at the right temperature.

3. Extra Pockets

Osprey Daylite – The Osprey Daylite backpack has 6 pockets – 3 slip pockets and 3 exterior pockets (2 side pocket and the front pocket).

Osprey Daylite Plus – The Osprey Daylite Plus has 8 pockets, which is 2 extra pockets. Those 2 extra pockets are:

(1) The zip pocket that runs vertically on the outside of the expanding flap which is great for storing small items like your phone (also known as the front stretch stash pocket);

(2) The zippered pocket above the flap which has a separate mesh compartment which allows you to organize smaller items. It’s definitely something you should consider if you often misplace your keys.

4. Additional Support

Osprey Daylite – The Osprey Daylite backpack is designed to even out your load’s weight distribution while allowing you to move with ease. This can be explained by the use of a simple elastic internal pocket to allow easier movement.

Osprey Daylite Plus – The Osprey Daylite Plus comes with additional support of the die-cut EVA foam padding on the harness. If you are carrying more weight on your backpack, this is something you should consider.

5. Packability

Osprey Daylite – The Osprey Daylite backpacks has a simple design which makes packing really easy. There are sufficient pockets to organize everything and sufficient space too.  

Osprey Daylite Plus – This backpack has an edge because of the extra pockets on the front. The shove-it pocket allows users to stash any items with ease. This makes it much easier for you to organize your items too.

Concluding Thoughts

If you are looking for something that is lightweight and simple, the Osprey Daylite backpack is definitely more suitable. It has sufficient space for your everyday carry items and has sufficient pockets to allow you to organize smaller items.

The Osprey Daylite Plus is something you should look out for it you want something similar but need more space and organization. Generally, the Osprey Daylite Plus is built more solid to ensure that it can support more weight. If you are looking to store more things, the Osprey Daylite Plus would be more suitable.