Daylight Backpack

$120

Ready to Ship

The Daylight Backpack is the go-to 17L ultralight bag for everyday carry, hiking, or as a packable backpack inside your larger travel bag.

Color & Material

Exterior Color:
Burnt

Interior Color:
Dusk

Exterior Material:
Ballistic

Interior Material:
210 Cerylon

Upcoming Swatches

Black Ballistic/Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon

Made in Seattle

Lifetime Guarantee

Carry-on Friendly

Description

When it's time to go — to work, on a hike, or on a trip — our Daylight Backpack will be your solid, ultralight, and true companion. With a tablet or laptop and a light sweater/jacket, you're off to work, with room for a few last-minute groceries on your way home. Or, pack a bit more clothing, a water bottle, and the other eight essentials: you're set for a hike. And because it's so light and packable, you can carry it inside your larger travel bag (Techonaut, Aeronaut, or a rolling suitcase of your choice), and you'll have it with you as an everyday carry at your destination, whether it's exploring the museums of D.C. or the street food stands of Mexico.

No padding on the back panel keeps bag ultralight and rollable
Exterior front zippered pocket that securely holds various smaller items
Main compartment has 2 overlapping, open-top, elasticized interior pouches on the back panel
2 O-rings in the exterior front zippered pocket and 3 O-rings in the main compartment for hooking on optional additional organizer pouches
Adjustable, 2.5"/65 mm padded fabric shoulder straps that will keep you feeling supported
Webbing hanging loop/grab handle
Removable waist belt

Dimensions
11.8" (w) x 17.3" (h) x 5.1" (d) / 300 (w) x 439 (h) x 130 (d) mm

Weight
630d Ballistic: 1lb 2.0 oz / 510 grams

Volume
17 liters / 1000 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

1x 8-inch Black Webbing Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap
1x Black Zipper Pulls w/ Plastic Ends (8-Pack)

Total O-Rings
5

(3 in the main compartment
2 in the front pocket)

Exterior
bluesign® certified High-Tenacity 630 denier Ballistic nylon

Fabric Lining
bluesign® certified 210 denier Cerylon 6,6 Ripstop nylon

Zippers
#5 YKK coil zippers with plastic sliders

Straps
Contour 1/8" / 3mm shoulder straps (#4 Closed Cell Foam)

Components
Tough Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Reviews

4.9

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars

Based on 290 reviews

95%would recommend this product

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290 reviews

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Brian O.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
1 hour ago
Bought For Myself
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Comfortable and lightweight, for professional travel and tourism
This summer I needed a lightweight backpack that met the following criteria: (1) would hold a 14-inch MacBook Pro in a padded sleeve; (2) would pack easily in a 25-inch roller bag, without taking up much space or weight; and (3) would look professional, without lots of exterior pockets, straps, etc. The Daylight Backpack was perfect for that role. For conferences and library research, I put my laptop, charger, and a few other essentials in the main compartment, and umbrella, water bottle, and sundries in the outside zip pocket. For tourism, the laptop stayed home and my binoculars, sunglasses, raincoat, and other useful stuff went in the main compartment.
I have a few other bags that would have worked, including an Osprey day pack (lightweight but doesn't look professional), a Bihn packing cube backpack (lightweight but no padding on straps and not exactly professional either), and a Matador ultra-light waterproof backpack (very lightweight, but no padding on straps, and black, which isn't great in the sun). The Daylight, with its simple lines, looks much better than the others (important when taking the bag into museums and stores) and had more structure and padding than the second and third. And it looked pretty similar to the small, low-profile backpacks that a lot of people (mostly men, but some women too) carry in Paris and Helsinki these days, so it doesn't necessarily scream "tourist!"
For every trip, I consider carefully the bags I need, but I'm pretty sure that the…
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Bonnie S.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Compact, Durable
1 week ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Compact, Durable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent commuter bag
The Daylight is exactly what I was looking for, no frills and very simple. It is a very streamlined bag and does not bulge at all. I’m very pleased with it. It is also very light which will be great for travel.
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holl c.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Compact, Comfortable
1 week ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Compact, Comfortable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect pared-down work bag
This bag has been great to take in and out of the courthouse—holds everything I need without being too bulky or awkward
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Nancy R.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
1 week ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Exact Perfection
I had a backpack I loved and used for 20 years. Then a began wondering in the wilderness, searching for THE Replacement. I finally found it! The Daylight Backpack is the perfect size and so versatile. I no longer miss my old backpack because I’ve upgraded to a luxury model.
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Anthony C.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
2 weeks ago
Bought For Myself
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Updated Review: From “Meh” to Five Stars — Thanks to Outstanding Service
I left a lukewarm review of this backpack a couple of weeks ago titled “I Fell for the Hype.” The bag just didn’t work for me, and my initial experience left me underwhelmed.
But here’s the update: Tom Bihn's customer service reached out to me directly—and completely changed the game. They listened, responded thoughtfully, and offered a solution that was more than fair. While my original misgivings about the bag itself still stand, I can’t say enough about how exceptional their customer service was.
It felt like a return to the kind of care and responsiveness you rarely see anymore. They went above and beyond, and they put a genuine smile on my face.
For that? Five stars. Service like this deserves it.
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Why People Choose TOM BIHN

Travel-Ready Without the Bulk

Fits under most airline seats and breezes through TSA with lay-flat laptop access.

visible lifestyle^^A person retrieving a drink from the Synik 26 water bottle pocket

Effortless Organization, No Matter Your Day

Smart pockets and clamshell access keep everything visible and within easy reach.

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Built to Last a Lifetime (Literally)

Made in Seattle with premium materials and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Superior Construction. Thoughtful Design.

Every detail is obsessively crafted for function, flexibility, and joy in use—just like we’ve been doing since 1972.

Travel-Ready Without the Bulk

Fits under most airline seats and breezes through TSA with lay-flat laptop access.

Effortless Organization, No Matter Your Day

Smart pockets and clamshell access keep everything visible and within easy reach.

Built to Last a Lifetime (Literally)

Made in Seattle with premium materials and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Superior Construction. Thoughtful Design.

Every detail is obsessively crafted for function, flexibility, and joy in use—just like we’ve been doing since 1972.

Travel-Ready Without the Bulk

Fits under most airline seats and breezes through TSA with lay-flat laptop access.

Effortless Organization, No Matter Your Day

Smart pockets and clamshell access keep everything visible and within easy reach.

Built to Last a Lifetime (Literally)

Made in Seattle with premium materials and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Superior Construction. Thoughtful Design.

Every detail is obsessively crafted for function, flexibility, and joy in use—just like we’ve been doing since 1972.

Made in Seattle, Built to Last

Designed with obsessive attention to detail, the Synik 26 offers unmatched organization, comfort, and durability—whether you're commuting, traveling, or navigating daily life. Built to last, made to move with you.

The BIHN Guarantee

Since 1972, we’ve stood behind every bag we make. If it’s our fault, we’ll fix it—no questions asked. For everything else, we offer honest repairs in the same Seattle shop where your bag was born.

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