The Gossamer Gear Type II is a 26 liter day pack in Gossamer Gear’s ultralight pack range. It’s the perfect size for day hiking and large enough to hold the 10 essentials, extra layers, lunch, water, and other stuff for a hike into the front or back country. It’s also light enough to not feel overkill when only hauling a few items on a short walk on a local trail.
The main compartment features a simple drawcord closure and the lid folds over and buckles, and there’s a grab loop on the top. On either side are two stretchy mesh pockets which hold water bottles and any other items that you need quick access to on the go (I tend to have a water bottle in either side, my phone, a map, and a mini tripod in the side pockets). The side pockets are a little high when reaching back, especially when compared to my backpacking pack, but this is a much smaller pack.
There are two zippered pockets integrated into the pack, one in the lid and one against the front of pack (which Gossamer Gear refers to as a “Napoleon” pocket). Both are very flat and pretty small, I tend to put my wallet and headphones in the top pocket and map or permit in the front pocket. You could probably put a phone in one of the pockets but nothing bigger than that.
The back of the pack has a very thin foam pad on the inside and I find that the pack naturally sits off of my back (when using the hip belt) so I haven’t had any issues with getting too hot with contact between my back and the pack, despite the fact there’s no mesh. The shoulder straps have a padded air mesh which is all day comfortable to wear with the loads this pack can hold. The sternum strap keeps them in place.
The hip belt has two stretchy zippered pockets integrated, one on either side. The backs of the pockets are lined with the same mesh as the straps and are very comfortable. The stretch material is similar to that of the side pockets and they are well sized, I can easily store a few bars and snacks in the pockets to eat on the go without having to take the pack off. The belt is removable, it’s attached via a slider, although I always hike with it on.
The pack has a couple of loops sewn into either side designed to allow lashing additional gear to the outside of the pack. When I ordered the pack I also got some shock cord, hook clips, and cord locks to thread on the sides to compress the bag a little when empty and secure extra layers if the bag filled up. My previous daypack frequently ran out of space and I had to stash my jacket under the lid but in practice the Type II easily holds all the gear I take on a day trip and I’ve never needed to use the shock cord.
The features I haven’t used are ice axe loop or the hydration bladder pocket/routing loops on the straps (I prefer to use water bottles so I know how much water I’m drinking/have left).
I bought this pack for the extra space and side pockets compared to my previous pack and it hasn’t disappointed, there’s very little that can be improved on this pack for day hiking, it’s my go anywhere and everywhere pack, I take it on hikes from a few miles to 20+ miles. I love this pack.