By Una Baufala March 6, 2020

I don’t really like packable daypacks, because so many are super-thin and weird-looking. But not this one.

OK, first of all – what is a packable daypack?

A packable daypack is a lightweight daypack made of a thin yet durable material. As the name suggests, this kind of daypacks can be folded and packed inside themselves, and put away in your main luggage. Some daypacks are super thin and lightweight, and when packed are tiny (the size of a fist), but some – not so much.

The Waterfly packable daypack falls into the second category. But it’s still lightweight and compact. And it doesn’t take up much space – it is as big as a smallish cosmetics purse.

The Waterfly packable daypack actually has a proper-backpack-look about it. It’s way more than just a packable and super thin sack that hangs from your shoulders almost like a plastic bag.

Despite being lightweight, the daypack feels durable, and materials seem of good quality.

WATERFLY Packable Daypack – A Practical and Versatile Backpack

Technical Details

Size: 20 L
Made of: water resistant polyester.
Dimensions: 18.5” x 9.5” x 6” (48 x 32 x 13 cm).
Minimum dimensions (when packed): 8” x 6.4” (20 x 15 cm).
Weight: 0.49 lb (0.22 kg).
Color: Black / Gray

Versatility

The second best thing about this backpack (after the packability) is its versatility.

The Waterfly packable daypack can be used:

As a daypack during your trip;
For college;
For commute;
As an extra piece of luggage;
As an every-day bag;
As a diaper bag (not the perfect option, but still can be used as one).

If you are using it for a commute or college, note, that as it’s a packable daypack, it doesn’t have much padding. This backpack is great for light essentials such as notebooks, pens, etc. If you want to carry your laptop, put it in a protective case first, as the daypack only has an unpadded sleeve in the main compartment.

Material and Features

The daypack is made of polyester which is lightweight, durable and water resistant (but not waterproof!).

The shoulder straps are made from breathable mesh and have a slight padding.

The Waterfly daypack features:

A reflecting strap at the front;
Two side compression straps;
A durable top handle.

Compartments

Despite the fact that this Waterfly daypack is very light and packable, it has several compartments and pockets that will help to get your stuff organized.

The bag has:

Gusseted Velcro top pocket;
Zippered bottom pocket (used for storing the daypack when its folded);
Two mesh side pockets;
Main compartment with double zipper
Sleeve for a laptop / notebooks / thin binder in the main compartment (unpadded). 13 inch MacBook Pro in its protective case fits in the sleeve.

How to fold the backpack

It’s super easy to fold the Waterfly daypack. There’s a special compartment into which it can folded.

When the daypack is unfolded, this compartment can be used as a pocket. It’s perfect for storing your small travel essentials.

How to fold the backpack?

Open the special compartment at the bottom. Fold the bag in half so that the shoulder straps are trapped inside, and then fold the bag into the special bottom compartment from behind. Close the zipper. Flatten out the pouch.

To unpack it, just open the zipper and smoothen out the daypack. Close the bottom compartment with the double-sided zipper. Use the bottom compartment as a pocket.

Waterfly foldable backpack - folds into this compartment — The backpack folds into the bottom compartment.

Bottom line

All in all it’s a great backpack for the price and for the purpose it was mainly designed for. I pack it in its own pouch and put in my main luggage or backpack. At the destination I unpack it and use as a daypack for daytrips, or as an extra piece of luggage when there is no space in my main bag anymore (after buying souvenirs).

Pros

Easy to pack.
Quite sturdy for this kind of backpack.
Slightly padded shoulder straps made from breathable mesh.
The design of the daypack is good.
Has a separate sleeve for a laptop / notepad / thin binder.
The side mesh pockets aren’t flimsy and aren’t microscopic. A decent sized bottle fits in any of the pockets.

Cons

As it’s not super thin (unlike some of the super-lightweight and super-thin packable daypacks), it’s also not the most compact backpack ever. But it’s not really a problem unless you are really short of space. If you are but you still want to take this backpack with you on a trip, just buy a small carabiner and attach it to the outside of your main backpack.
I don’t really get the purpose of zipper/Velcro top pocket. The Velcro flap can be removed (with the zipper), and the pocket stays open all the time.