The Day Pack…?

Some of you may remember this product as the On-Mountain Pack.

Some of you might be wondering: “What the hell are you talking about?”

Let me explain.

When we were preparing to launch The Weekend Warrior back in 2023, I realized something. As a skier who always brings a backpack on trips, I found that using the Weekend Warrior would mean leaving behind the pack I normally rely on. I didn’t love that idea, so I set out to design a solution.

I’ve always loved packable bags—they’re great for tossing in on a trip just in case. But none of them are built for real adventure. The materials are often flimsy, the designs aren’t rugged enough, and they lack the features needed for demanding conditions.

That’s when I started sketching my own version. I wanted a packable bag made from durable materials, with structure and features that could stand up to on-the-snow activities. This bag would fit into a dedicated pocket on the Weekend Warrior, which would make it incredibly easy to bring along on mountain travel

Original sample of the Day Pack with a hard-shell exterior.

After some early samples, I realized the biggest issue wasn’t the features—it was stability. The bag had no back support, which is crucial for comfort and performance during active use.

Then came the “aha!” moment. I was looking at my sunglasses case and thought, instead of having the bag fold into itself, why not have it fold into an external hard shell? That shell could double as the back support. The bag would open like a sunglasses case, providing the structure it needed.

The Final Version of the Day Pack when packed down into itself. The case becomes the back support when opened up!

We developed the bag, and it was introduced as an add-on during our Kickstarter campaign. But as the season went on, I noticed something: customers weren’t using the bag as much as I expected. In fact, they were noting that while the idea was great, the bag itself simply didn’t hold up. 

After digging through the feedback, I realized that, despite its features, it was unable to compete with a purpose-built ski or snowboard bag that wasn’t constrained by being packable.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still more than capable of holding up for a day on the slopes, but this simply wasn’t its “calling”. 

The Day Pack posing on the slopes.

I took this on the chin and realized that this might be a product we wouldn't move forward with. 

Happens.

Months later, thanks to a review, I made another revelation: I had actually created an incredible product—it was simply mislabeled. A review by Rickety Ski Reviews mentioned that the Day Pack would be perfect for a trip to Europe. That’s when it clicked.

The Day Pack doing Day Pack things on a cool winter day.

I always travel with larger packs, but having something compact to pull out for day-to-day use is exactly what I needed. In fact, I was already using the day pack in this exact way—taking my Weekend Warrior for the trip and then using the Day Pack for walking around town or getting work done.

The Day Pack, as it’s now called, is a huge improvement over traditional packable bags.

It’s water-resistant, rip-proof, has a structured back panel, chest and waist straps, and even padded shoulder straps for comfort. Plus, we added a laptop sleeve, a side pocket for shoes, and a water bottle holder. Yes, all of this in a packable backpack.

If you’ve ever been on a trip where you had to stuff everything into a carry-on, the Day Pack will be a game-changer. It lets you stay prepared for any adventure, and when you don’t need it, it packs down into a compact 4” x 7” case.

The Day Packed packed up and in it’s dedicated pocket within the Weekend Warrior. 

So yes, It didn’t exactly turn out the way I intended. But it’s a damn good bag.