Note from Day Undefined:
A good backpack can make a big difference! But we know that everyone has their own preferences and price points. Sarah reviews various features of this small backpack by Black Diamond, which she recommends, but we encourage you to explore different models, too!
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Where to find this product:
Here is where we found it:
REI - Black Diamond Bbee 11 Pack
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Product Review by Sarah: (meet our team)
This small backpack was a gift from a friend I’ve gone for many long walks and hikes with. When I’m heading to work for the day, or for a long trip out of town, I’ll take a big, bulky backpack with extra padding for back support, several different compartments and one designated compartment for my computer, and multiple straps and buckles for better weight distribution.
When I’m going out for a walk or a hike, I don’t want to bring a big backpack, so I’ll usually reach for a cheap, small one – like a small sack with drawstrings that I’ve gotten for free at a conference, or a little leather backpack with thin, loose straps, that has begun to fall apart after more than a decade of use. Often, my friend and I will have to stop walking to adjust a strap that has fallen off my shoulder.
Now, I’m glad to have a small hiking backpack that feels just as sturdy as the large Osprey backpack I use for work and travel. It has one compartment, and on the inside it has two extra pockets – one on the front side with a zipper, and one slot on the backside, without a zipper. So far, I’ve found that this is all I need, for an afternoon walk. I’ll usually put my phone and wallet in the zippered side pocket, and band-aids in the slot without a zipper, so that if I fall and need supplies, I can get to them quickly. In the one main compartment of the backpack, I’ll pack granola bars, a hat and sunglasses, a water bottle, possibly a camera, a book and reading glasses if it’s Sunday morning and I’m planning to spend an hour reading under a tree.
This backpack even comes with straps that can extend and buckle around your waist and chest, to help distribute that extra weight. I’m glad it was a gift – I have seen small, well-made, new backpacks sold for between $50 and $70. I didn’t want to make a big purchase for a small backpack, but now that I have it, I’m very grateful for it. I can just focus on walking, hiking, without pulling on insufficient straps that dig into my shoulders, or fall off while I’m on the go.
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Video Demonstration:
Sarah demonstrates using the Black Diamond blue small backpack on a hike in the desert, along with her Trail Trekking Poles.