Finding a balance between storage and portability has been a struggle for campers, hikers, and really anyone who spends time outdoors. Getting the storage you need and the portability you want always seems to be a tradeoff. We were intrigued with the Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Travel Day Pack because of its extreme portability and potential for storage. Our hope was that the Ultra Sil would finally bridge the gap between unmatched portability and adequate storage. Here is what we found.
Appearance: It’s stronger than it looks. Being incredibly thin and lightweight, one would think it would rip, tear, and the attachment points would be weak. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Ultra Sil Travel Pack is made of Siliconized Cordura for strength and durability. It also features reinforced stitching on all stress points so you won’t worry about the straps coming apart. On top of the great construction, the Ultra Sil is stylish and comes in great, vibrant colors.
Functionality: Functionally this pack has to travel and store well in order to win us over. While in its packed state, it really is too big to put in your pants pocket but in a jacket or purse you wouldn’t even know it was there. Still, you get a functional travel pack that literally fits in the palm of your hand. For such a portable pack, you can store a surprisingly large amount of gear. The Ultra Sil isn’t going to replace a large storage pack but for traveling or weekend trips, you will have more than enough room for the essentials.
Ease of Use: Taking the Ultra Sil Travel Pack from stored to unfurled pack is incredibly easy. We were initially concerned, as you might be, with how easily it goes back into the storage pocket. It’s like rolling a sleeping bag up and fitting it back into the travel slip. It’s always harder to get it back in than taking it out. The Ultra Sil Travel Pack, on the other hand, is incredibly easy to store. Once the pack is out of storage, there is nothing to put together or fumble with. It instantly turns into a nice day pack that is ready to be put to use.
Value: At $32.95, there are less expensive travel packs on the market. Given the packability and ease of use of this pack, a few extra bucks gets you into a much better pack. The portability alone makes this bag a great value. Seriously, you can easily store this pack in a pocket.
