The award for best clamshell hiking daypack goes to HMG Daybreak 22
Redesigned and significantly improved for 2025, the beloved HMG Daybreak 22 is the new best ultralight clamshell pack on the market. Users will enjoy its exquisite external storage suite, surprisingly low weight, ease of access to the main compartment, high water resistance, and impeccable durability. This pack is optimized for hiking, great for adventure travel, and an excellent choice for all use cases except laptop storage.
- Weight: 19.2 oz
- Price: $229
- Materials: Dyneema Composite Hybrid, Dyneema Stretch Mesh
- Internal / External Volume: 22L / 4.5L
- Recommended Accessories: Water Bottle Sleeve, Shoulder Strap Pocket, Removable Pocketed Hip Belt
- Peers & Competitors: HMG Elevate, ULA Ultra Node, Zpacks Bagger, Osprey Daylite Plus, Gossamer Gear Loris
- Pros: Ultralight. Versatile. Durable, waterproof fabric. Great pockets. Perfect size. Easily accessorized. Great looking.
- Cons: Mediocre laptop carry. Expensive. Waterproof zippers are prone to long term failure.
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Expanded Pros
Ultralight: Coming in at just under 20 oz, HMG Daybreak 22 checks the ultralight box, albeit just barely. While 16 oz is the sweet spot, 19.2 oz is totally acceptable, and half the weight of the most popular day hiking pack on the market, Osprey Talon/Tempest 22.
Versatile: Daybreak 22 is designed for versatility, and that goal is achieved. It’s as great for hiking as it is for travel, urban adventure, or running errands; this pack does it all!
Durable waterproof fabric: Thanks to the magic of waterproof Dyneema, the contents of your pack are well-protected from rain and abrasion. While not submersible, nor seam taped, this pack can keep its contents dry in rain for hours on end. Ounce for ounce, Dyneema is stronger than steel, and you don’t need to worry about rips or tears. It even has Dyneema Stretch Mesh around the outside front, which is much more durable than traditional stretch mesh. All in all, this pack is quite burly, given its low weight.
Great pockets: Daybreak 22 is drenched in pockets for an excellent suite of sub-compartment storage options. This includes a large front zipper, interior removable zipper, and the trio of front and dual-side stretch mesh pockets, in addition to external paracord for strapping. All that to say, this pack keeps your gear well organized and easily accessible.
Perfect daypack size: Its 22L size is the perfect volume for day hiking and everyday use. That said, it might be a bit small for day trips where a full set of heavy duty rain gear and large puffy is required.
Easily accessorized: HMG sells great backpack accessories, and we highly recommend at least one bottle pocket for front mounting hydration without the need for a bladder + tube. Beyond that, the pocketed Contour hip belt would be our next look for serious hiking usage, followed by the shoulder strap pocket if that’s where you like mounting a phone.
Great looking: Nothing beats the aesthetic of fresh Dyneema. HMG Daybreak 22 is sure to draw the eye and get compliments.
Best clamshell style UL pack: if you’re seeking a clamshell style hiking pack because it’s easier to access the main compartment, you’re in luck! This is the current best ultralight clamshell in our arsenal.
Expanded Cons
Does not protect laptops well: While Daybreak 22 does have a full size internal laptop sleeve (fits 17” screens), the pack has minimal external padding and no inside or underside padding. Furthermore, the laptop sleeve is not floating, meaning it extends all of the way to the bottom floor of the interior. As such, your laptop will make unpadded direct contact with the floor when set down, especially if at an angle; the corners will bash. Daybreak 22 can store your laptop, but many other packs will do a much better job of protecting it from bumps and bruises.
Waterproof zippers are prone to long term jamming: While waterproof zippers are the right choice for this pack and overall desirable and worth having, they do have downsides. In my extensive experience, waterproof zippers are more prone to jamming. Zipper failure is for sure going to be the most common failure mode of HMG Daybreak 22, given how durable and reliable the rest of the pack is. And to be clear, this is true of all waterproof zippers, and in no way a specific issue with Daybreak. Simply put, roll-tops are more waterproof and longer lasting (though more fiddly to open/close)
Expensive: There’s no way around it, $229 (plus multiple $40 optional accessories) is expensive. Many popular daypacks from mainstream brands like REI and Osprey cost less than half as much.
How to Choose it
Do Choose HMG Daybreak 22 if:
- You want an all purpose backpack that’s especially great for hiking
- You live in rainy climates
- You appreciate good external storage
- You demand the very best gear, budget be damned
- You prefer a clamshell to roll top
Do Not Choose HMG Daybreak 22 if:
- You want to use it as a primary laptop carrying bag (the sleeve is full size but not well-padded)
- Shopping on a budget (many high quality, much cheaper packs exist)
- Lightest daypack possible (if you want the lightest, you can find ones as light as 12 ounces)
HMG Daybreak 22 Vs the competition
2025 Edition Vs Previous Version of Daybreak: The 2025 Daybreak is a major improvement on the original, first released in the late twenty-teens, and priced similarly. The new version replaces static Dyneema external front and side pockets with Dyneema stretch mesh, offering a much more secure hold on contents. You also get a large front-access zipper that did not exist on the original, as well a removable internal storage zipper pocket. And the whole thing is two ounces lighter. If you liked the original, you will love the 2025 version.
Vs HMG Elevate: Compared to Elevate, Daybreak is a bit heavier and less water resistant (because clamshell instead of roll-top, and not seam taped). However, it is much easier to access the main compartment, and has far superior external storage, including a bigger front mesh and full size front zipper.
Vs ULA Ultra Node: Compared to ULA Ultra Node, Daybreak 22 makes accessing the main compartment easier in exchange for lower water resistance and potential future zipper jamming. Node offers better and more protective tech storage, and a larger front mesh pocket. These two are our favorite EDC packs.
Vs Zpacks Bagger: Zpacks Bagger 25 is another ultralight clamshell, but beyond that, they’re quite different. Daybreak has better external and internal storage, and a beefier zipper. However, Bagger has a nice sit pad back panel, zipper-intead-of-mesh on the front pocket, collapsibility, and is quite a bit lighter.
Vs Gossamer Gear Loris: Compared to Gossamer Gear Loris 25, HMG Daybreak 22 is equally as heavy, much more expensive, slightly lighter weight, has better external storage, and is much more durable and water resistant. Between these two, we prefer the HMG Daybreak. Loris comes in fun colors though, which definitely has appeal.
Vs Osprey Daylite Plus: Compared to Osprey Daylite Plus, HMG Daybreak is significantly more expensive, and a significant upgrade. It has better materials, better water resistance, better external storage, and pretty much everything. That being said Osprey Daylite is still a solid pack, and a much better value.
HMG Daybreak 22 Review Conclusion
Choose the HMG Daybreak 22 as your next hiking, EDC, or adventure travel pack and you will not be disappointed! It is the best clamshell-style ultralight daypack on the market, made with best-in-class materials and a best-in-class external storage suite. Avoid only if you’re shopping on a budget, or intend to use this primarily as a laptop carrying bag. Happy trails!
