Where it all began
Back in November
of 2013, I was looking for a daypack to purchase for my upcoming study abroad
trip. I wanted something to use as my daypack that was large enough to fit my
DSLR, extra clothes, plenty of snacks, rain gear, etc. Completely unaware that
packable backpacks existed, a friend recommended to me the RipPac Packable
Daypack from Eddie Bauer. Already a fan of Eddie Bauer, a leading creator of
premium outdoor clothing, accessories, and gear for men and women, I went ahead
and made the purchase. Here’s a quick overview why:
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| Figure 1.1- A Full Pack |
The Eddie Bauer
RipPack Packable Daypack is a uniquely designed backpack meant for easy and
efficient traveling, whether that means traveling across the country or just to
the grocery store. Created using durable fabric, its spacious design includes
various exterior pockets, a large main compartment with space for a laptop, and
comfortable straps for wearing. When not in use, this pack conveniently folds
up into its own pocket for easy storage (which could easily be the best feature
of this backpack). However, because
of its packable nature, there is no frame and when the pack is not full, you
risk loosing large items stowed in the exterior side pockets. But for $30 you
can purchase this backpack from Eddie Bauer and choose from five stylish
patterns. And with Eddie Bauer’s unbeatable guarantee, it’s pretty difficult to
say “no”.
The RipPac Packable Daypack continues to exceed my expectations after a year of frequent use. I find myself choosing this pack for a weekend away, or most recently, a way to hold my awesome finds from the Cranberry Festival in Warrens, WI. This pack purposely serves many purposes in my life—keep reading to find out why.
Where this backpack soars
Comfort
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| Figure 1.2- Mesh backing and shoulder straps |
For a lightweight
backpack, the RipPac Packable Daypack does not lack in comfort. With lightly
padded mesh backing and similarly designed shoulder straps (see figure 1.2), carrying a fully
loaded pack isn’t bothersome. I’ve brought this backpack along on several day
trips packed full, and I was never uncomfortable. Additionally, the shoulder
straps are made adjustable to help compensate for different body types.
Design
Eddie Bauer
rightfully demonstrates they have a solid design by introducing their backpack
in new colors year after year. For 2014, the RipPac Packable Daypack comes in
five colors: Clover, Dry Smoke, Olive Drab, Purple Haze, and Surf—designs to
serve both males and females of all ages.
In addition to its
variety of colors, what you’ll love about the RipPac Packable Daypack is its
size. The common assumption about packable daypacks is that they lack the
capacity to hold big items, but this Eddie Bauer design looks like a regular
sized backpack and can fit a regular sized load.
E.B. RipPac
Packable Daypack dimensions: 18.5"H
x 10.5"W x 8.5"D
Standard sized
backpack dimensions: 16"-18" H and 12"-14" W and
4"-5" D
Durability
Packable
backpacks are designed to be lightweight and easily portable. Often times to
compensate for the backpacks small weight, the design must fall short in
durability. Rising to the challenge, the
Eddie Bauer RipPac Packable Daypack balances weight and durability perfectly
featuring fabric made of 210-denier ripstop polyester. Let’s take a closer look
at what that means.
Denier measures
the strength of the type of fabric used. To keep objects lightweight a manufacturer
will design using a smaller denier. To put that into perspective, stockings are
60-denier. This demonstrates that the RipPac Packable Daypack uses fabric thin
enough to remain packable but strong enough to support a full pack.
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| Figure 1.3- Look closely for crosshatch pattern |
Ripstop is a very
common type of fabric that is designed to withstand ripping. Its fabric is woven
with reinforcing threads in a crosshatch pattern (see figure 1.3). Thus, the featured 210-denier
ripstop polyester of the RipPac Packable Daypack means for a lightweight
backpack it’s fabric is very durable.
Functionality
The best thing
about the Eddie Bauer RipPac Packable Daypack is that it packs down into its
own zippered pocket (see figure 1.4) when not in use and can expand to more than 1,200 cubic
inches (20 liters) when needed (see figure 1.5).
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| Figure 1.5- Full-sized pack |
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| Figure 1.4- Packed into pocket |
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| Figure 1.6- Full open pack |
When in use, the
exterior of the daypack features two mesh side pockets, perfect for water
bottles or items you need quick access to. The rest of the exterior features
two additional zippered pockets (quick access), one of which serves as the
compartment the pack folds into when not in use. Lastly, the design includes
four plastic covered loops on the front of the pack meant for attaching small
items via carbineers or for making a shock-cord system if you have shock-cord available.
The interior of
the pack features one main compartment with a large pocket meant to fit a 13in
laptop. The rest of the main compartment can easily fit an average-sized DSLR
camera bag, a spare change of clothes, and some snacks.
Weight
Weighing in at
10.0 ounces (283.5 grams), the RipPac Packable Daypack is the perfect travel
accessory if you’re in need of an extra form of storage. And because of its
size, you won’t have an issue finding a spot for it in your luggage. Even if
you aren’t using this pack for travel, it can be kept in your vehicle in case
you need an extra grocery bag, sleepover sack, or gym bag without taking up
space.
Value
Purchasing a
stylish Eddie Bauer RipPac Packable Daypack would cost you $30 from any Eddie
Bauer store. And with every purchase, Eddie Bauer extends their 100%
unconditional lifetime guarantee, meaning if you aren’t satisfied, you can
return their product for a full refund. If this isn’t the easiest purchase you’ve
ever made, I don’t know what else is!
Where this backpack needs improvement
Functionality
Being a packable
backpack, the thin fabric makes the pack’s structure flimsy when it is not
packed full. If I carried only a few items in the main compartment of the pack,
I found that water bottles in the side mesh pockets would fall out if I bent
over or set my bag down. Be aware of this issue if you are nervous about
potentially losing your things.
If you are
planning on using this backpack for outdoor recreation, note there are no
sternum and waist straps to even out the weight of the pack. Being a
lightweight design, the RipPac Packable Daypack is certified to carry a max of
20L. At that capacity, you are carrying just small loads so the lack of
additional straps shouldn’t be an issue.
Security
One of the
potential downfalls of this packable daypack is its lack of security. Most
backpacks designed with theft prevention in mind tend to have covered zippers
or zippers on the underside of the shoulder straps. While the Eddie Bauer
RipPac Packable Daypack doesn’t feature either of these designs, its main
compartment zipper has two ends, which are large enough to be locked together
using a small padlock. As for the
other exterior pockets, just be conscious about what valuable items you choose
to store in them.
-Katie Northup
About the Author
Katie Northup is
a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stout studying Professional
Communication and Emerging Media. Her emphasis and professional experience is in web content management, web design, and web development.
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