DavoColo

Mountain Hardware made this one very nearly perfect. Slightly beefier shoulder straps (these seem a little frail, and dig in a bit too much) would complete the picture.

Along with the Bullet, perhaps the most perfect small day pack every conceived, Black Diamond's other "perfect" pack is the slightly (5L) larger Hollowpoint (2007-2008 design). Though it goes without saying for a Black Diamond product, the workmanship here is impeccable. I particularly like the well-thought-out dimensions: Though this is a top-loader, you can still reach the bottom of the pack without emptying it first. The body of the bag is wide enough to give you elbowroom when reaching inside, but narrow enough still to give your elbows room to swing -- on the trail, on the ski slope, or racing from one end of an airport to the other. And on that subject, one place this bag really shines is as a travel pack. The small compartment on the outside fits travel documents and accessories nicely (though by big hands would appreciate a longer zipper). The inner compartment is big enough for a good supply of quick-dry shirts, pants, and shorts -- enough for a month in South Africa (World Cup 2010, anyone?) or Southeast Asia or Hawaii -- basically anywhere you don't need multiple layers of bulky cold-weather clothes. And it fits airline carry-on size regulations easily so you don't have to trust it to the airline baggage manglers. In sum, it's a comfortable pack. A stylish pack. A tough pack that you could clip onto a rope and drag up a rock face. A well-sized and thoughtfully dimensioned pack. And, yes, the little whistle on the sternum strap is cute, too.

As noted by others, it's not the most comfortable pack for long distances. And the handles are small and painful for carrying any great distance. But it's easy to pack, simple, tough. A very good rope bag. Perhaps an even better travel backpack.

Imagine incredible Arcteryx quality control applied to something much like the stuff-sack-and-nylon-straps ultralight rigs I've been home-making in my basement for many years. For this one, Arcteryx uses absolutely top-of-the-line materials (especially, a class of siliconized nylon heavier than the usual stuff so you can abuse it a little, and waterproof zippers), puts a first-class daypack harness on it, omits the entirely unnecessary but commonplace top flap in favor of a drawstring (instant access), and puts a very usefully sized front pocket on it. Instant classic. You can leave home without it if you like, but it's so incredibly light and compressible you might as well leave it in the trunk of a spur-of-the-moment outing. The price ain't chump change, but this model has so many top-level touches on it, and uses such expensive materials, it's a pleasure just to look at and a decent value. It's a *little* boxy for my taste (I'm used to something a little longer and closer to the back), and I'm still looking for a more subtle color choice, but I won't argue further with the designers. See one in person and appreciate Arcteryx for trying something against the current grain of backpack design -- for making *one* model lighter, simpler, cleverer.