Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack Review

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What weighs 2.4 ounces, packs into a pocket that measures approximately 2”x2”, and has a carrying capacity of 20 L? I should provide you with a little more time to think on it because that combination of features seems very improbable (no cheating with the photo above).  However, Sea to Summit has found a way to make a tough, ultra light weight, space saving pack, meet the Ultra-Sil Day Pack.

We have had the Ultra-Sil Day Pack for a few months now and have been putting it to the test, on and off the trails.  We have used the pack to lug groceries home from the store and placed a gallon of milk, a jug of orange juice, and numerous odds and ends in the pack.  The pack was definitely uncomfortable when worn as a backpack due to poking edges of boxes and cartons, but we were trying to see how durable the pack was.  Fortunately, the seams didn’t budge and we did not have to cry over any spilled milk.  The Ultra-Sil is made from Siliconized Cordura®, which makes this pack more durable than it looks.  We also toted a laptop and a textbook in the pack on the way to the coffee shop and used it multiple times to do errands on the bikes around town.  We didn’t test the pack in a torrential down pour, but we did get caught in the rain a time or two and the pack was very water-resistant.

In the outdoor world, we used the Ultra-Sil Day Pack as an organizing compartment within our backpack and as a summit pack. The pack features one large main compartment, and can accommodate a shell, water, snacks, and whatever else you may want to throw in it for a quick hike.  The pack weighs next to nothing, which is a bonus when you are wanting to save on weight and want to use it as a “just in case” pack.  The trade off with this pack is that there aren’t any bells and whistles like padded shoulders or an adjustable hip belt/sternum straps.  If you are looking for a serious pack, check out some of our other reviews.  Rather this pack is geared for trips where you might want to leave your larger pack at base camp, you are on a canoe trip and want to take a short hike, or you find yourself unable to bring your traditional day pack on a quick hike while out of town for work.

The Ultra-Sil is a great “just in case” pack and totally exceeded our expectations with its’ strength and versatility.  We were able to stuff the pack into its’ attached stuff sack in less than 1 minute and appreciated the detail that the stuff sack is attached, making it impossible to lose. Once packed away, the stuff sack can be clipped to just about anything with the provided snap or with the use of a carabiner.

Sea to Summit also makes a packable shopping bag that would be great to keep in your purse, car, or work bag for an impromptu trip to the farmer’s market. Sea to Summit states that the shopping bag can resist or carry a load of up to 285 lbs and is made from the same material as the day pack. We didn’t test the packs load limit, but it could easily handle our collection of dumbbells at home, which totals 48 lbs.

The Ultra-Sil Day Pack is affordable with a MSRP of $27.95.  I believe that it would make a great gift for an outdoorsy person that seems to have just about every piece of gear, as it can come in handy on just about any excursion in and out of town.  For more information on the Ultra-Sil Day Pack and other great products, please visit www.seatosummit.com.

Features of the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack

• Packs down small so it easily fits in pockets, purses or luggage
• Simple, streamlined design so it’s light and low profile
• Lightweight 2.4 oz / 68g
• Volume is about 20 Liters
• Siliconized Cordura® for strength and durability
• Bartack reinforced stitching