Morgan Scott November 12, 2019 Outdoor & Tactical

Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus Hands-On Comparison – What’s the difference?

Morgan Scott November 12, 2019 Outdoor & Tactical

The Osprey Daylite and Daylite Plus are two of Osprey’s most popular daypacks thanks to their durable construction, light weight and affordable pricing. But what’s the real difference?

This Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus comparison is for anyone who need help choosing between the two for their next lightweight daypack.

Whether you need an ultralight backpack for hiking or a little more room for daily carry – we dive deep and explore all of the details so you can discover which Osprey backpack is the better choice for your needs.

Quick Specs

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	Osprey Daylite	Osprey Daylite Plus
Dimensions	~19″ H x 9″ W x 9″ D	~19″ H x 9″ W x 10″ D
Volume	13 Liters	20 Liters
Material	210D Nylon Double Diamond Ripstop 400HD Nylon Packcloth	210D Nylon Double Diamond Ripstop 400HD Nylon Packcloth
Internal Sleeve	Non-padded elastic sleeve	Padded sleeve
Frame Sheet Measurements	17.5” H x 8.5” W	17.5″ H x 10” W
Front Storage	None	Shove-it pocket, side zip pocket
Price	Check the latest price on Amazon	Check the latest price on Amazon

Video Review

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Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus Side-by-Side

Size and Carrying Capacity

At first inspection, it’s no secret that the Osprey Daylite Plus is the larger backpack of the two. According to Osprey’s official measurements the Daylite measures in at 18(H) x 9(W) x 9(D) inches while the Daylite Plus is slightly larger at 18(H) x 10(W) x 9(D) inches.

We found that when actually measured both backpacks had a height closer to 19” and the widths vary by an inch depending on how you pack the bags. 

A big difference between the Osprey Daylite and Daylight Plus is in their carrying capacity. The Daylite includes a modest carrying capacity of 13 liters which is great for quick hikes or as a light daypack.

The Osprey Daylite Plus has more storage room at 20 liters which makes it more suitable to also be used for light travel in addition to hiking. This extra capacity can be found in the height and width of the main compartment. Both backpacks have about the same main compartment depth.

Pockets and Compartments

Starting with the main compartment, the Osprey Daylite features one large open pocket with a single elastic sleeve made out of the same material as the internal lining. It’s a thin pocket with no extra padding.

You could store a hydration bladder in this pocket here but there is no hydration passthrough so hydration bladders are regulated to the back pocket (more on this below). 

As for tech storage, Osprey says you can store a tablet in this sleeve but with the lack of padding we would be wary of storing anything too expensive. We found that a 10” iPad Pro fits just fine in the internal sleeve and a 13” Macbook fits snugly.

The lack of padding isn’t surprising considering Osprey wants to keep the Daylite as lightweight as possible. At 1lb in weight, it’s very light!

The main compartment inside the Osprey Daylite Plus is also one large compartment but with a key difference… a padded sleeve.

Again, since Osprey wanted to keep these backpacks as light as possible, you are not going to find a lot of padding. The back panel is pretty thin and there isn’t much padding on the sides or bottom. But the padded pocket panel is made out of foam and it even has a clip on top to secure the pocket.

Like the original Osprey Daylite, the Daylite Plus can only comfortably carry a tablet or a slim laptop 13” or under.

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On the front of both the Daylite and Daylite Plus you will find an organizer pocket for storing small items. Both of these pockets are exactly the same and feature two slip mesh pockets and a key clip. This front pocket is only about 9-inches deep which makes it great for storing small items.

The most obvious difference between the Osprey Daylite and the Daylite Plus is this front shove-it pocket on the Daylite Plus. This is a big feature that really sets the Daylite Plus apart from the smaller Daylite since it allows you to quickly store items without having to fidget with zippers.

The Daylite Plus’ shove-it pocket can be expanded using the side compression straps for more room for medium sized items. You probably can’t fit a jacket or shoes in this pocket, but a pair of gloves, large headphones or a bike u-lock can fit just fine.

Below the shove-it pocket on the Daylite Plus you’ll find an additional vertical zip pocket. This pocket is great for storing items you need quick access to like a phone or wallet. This pocket is one more feature that can only be found in the Daylite Plus.

On the sides of both the Daylite and Daylite Plus you’ll find mesh pockets that can be used for water bottles. If you take a closer look you’ll notice that both backpacks have different pocket shapes. 

The Daylite Plus has deeper side mesh pockets and we found no issues with water bottles staying in place. The original Daylite on the other hand has a tapered mesh pocket design that did our water bottles no favors. Because of how the pocket gets slimmer at the end, we found our water bottles threatening to fall off whenever the backpack was worn. 

A solution to this issue is to use the side compression straps on the Daylite to keep the water bottle in place, but this is not an ideal solution to poorly designed water bottle pockets. But if your water bottle is tall enough, it is a viable workaround. 

The last pocket to explore in this Osprey Daylite vs Daylite Plus comparison is the back panel pocket. This pocket can be found right behind the frame sheet and includes a small plastic clip for attaching your hydration bladder. Aside from the pocket being wider on the Daylite Plus, these pockets function exactly the same on both bags. 

Material and Construction Comparison

Let’s compare the materials and construction between the two backpacks. 

Both the Osprey Daylite and Daylite plus include a removable foam frame sheet along the back panel. These frame sheets are incredibly flexible to allow the bags to contour to your body when worn.

The only difference between the two frame sheets is their size. While both frame sheets are 17.5-inches in height, the Daylite includes a narrower frame sheet at 8.5-inches wide while the Daylite Plus includes a wider frame sheet of 10-inches.

When it comes to materials both backpacks use Double Diamond Ripstop on the front panels and 400HD Nylon Packcloth on the bottom of each bag and throughout their bodies. Because of this both backpacks feel exactly the when it comes to quality of materials and overall construction.

The only real difference in materials that you will find is in the shoulder straps. While the Osprey Daylite uses spacer mesh, the Osprey Daylite instead uses a die-cut EVA foam. Both materials are incredibly lightweight and do a great job at contouring to your body and we did not notice much of a difference when wearing either backpack.

When comparing the shoulder straps themselves, it is worth mentioning that the shoulder strap width on the Osprey Daylite Plus are wider than the ones found in the Daylite. The shoulder straps on the Daylite Plus start at 3-inches in width while the Daylite shoulder straps start at 2.75 inches. They both taper down to the same size.

The rest of the backpack’s construction is more similar than different. Both backpacks have the same exact zipper pulls, adjustable sternum strap with an integrated whistle, removable hip belt with 20mm webbing and a spacer mesh shoulder strap design that doubles as a grab handle.

Which backpack is better?

Osprey Daylite

Buy on Osprey Buy on Amazon

Osprey Daylite Plus

Buy on Osprey Buy on Amazon

Choose the Osprey Daylite if… you just need a small and lightweight backpack for hiking or to use as a daypack. 13 liters is large enough to carry a hydration bladder, some snacks and a light sweater. The Daylite was designed to just be a simple pack that can be attached to your larger Osprey backpacks – and as a lightweight daypack it’s a great option.

Choose the Osprey Daylite Plus if… you want your hiking backpack to also double as a travel or daily use backpack. Not only does it have a larger 20 liter main compartment, but it also includes a padded sleeve for a tablet. And the extra pockets on the front really do come in handy when traveling or commuting. 

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