Black Diamond Bbee Pack

I got this backpack as an inbounds ski pack, and for day hikes and short trips. Now I use it for all this, and more. It has become my carry-on bag, my school pack, my biking pack, and most recently, my approach bag. A Nalgene 32oz. bottle can fit on its side perfectly in here, and it has a hydration sleeve to hold any bladder up to and including 100oz. The little loops on the side are great for hanging your climbing shoes off of, or a couple quickdraws. My Patagonia R1 Flash Pullover, Nalgene and harness all fit in here, with room for a small first aid kit, and a light lunch. The fabric is very tough, and has held up great to the everyday abuse I have put it through and is pretty water resistant, holding up to heavy rains on several hikes. The small inside pocket is actually a lot bigger than I thought it would have been, easily holding a cell phone, keys, wallet and a camera! It is about 2/3s the length of the bag, and the material expands a bit to accommodate your possessions. The back padding is minimalist, but good protection from your books or water bottle. I actually can carry my Macbook (13") in the sleeve. My only real problem with it is the lack of back venting. It is only one solid piece of mesh, which really restricts the air-flow during high intensity activity.

I wanted the smallest, lightest pack I could find that would store the biggest load that I want to carry on a day hike -- viz. sandwich, juice box, apple, sweater, windbreaker, keys, wallet. The Bbee is the perfect size. The Bbee is basically just one bag that zippers at the top. Within this main bag, there is a pouch for hydration bladder and a small pocket for keys and wallet. The pocket has its own zipper and a key clip. I selected the Marigold color because I've learned that a light color (like yellow) captures more light within the pack, making it easier to see and locate items at the bottom of a pack. My only criticism has to do with the zippers. Because the pack is so light and insubstantial, one has to hold the pack down while operating the zippers. Only way to fix that, I think, would be to make the pack heavier and more rigid. But then the Bbee wouldn't be the very light pack that I wanted.

Perfect 3-season day pack. Hydration bladder fit well and I managed to stuff a fleece pullover, vest, pant leg bottoms and snacks in the pack easily. I was forced to hang my soft shell from my waist, but that wasn't too big of a deal. The pack fits nicely in my Osprey Atmos 65 pack. Doesn't take too much room and definitely worth it for dayhikes on multi-day trips. Added bonus - the pack is water resistant. I was hailed on, snowed on and rained on during my last trip and the water slid off the pack like water on a duck's back. Would've liked pouches on the outside for a Nalgene. Two small rings on each side to hook stuff onto don't really cut it. Only reason for not giving this a five-star review.

This is a brilliant pack. For climbing, day hikes, and mellow rambles through the verdant realms of this world, this is a beaut of a day pack. The design is minimalist: I carry a 1L water bottle, a lightweight pile pullover, a lightweight rain jacket, a small first aid kit, and a small lunch. The shoulder straps are excellently contoured and comfortable, and the minimalist padding against the back really does work as a barrier between my spine and my waterbottle. What it is not: waterproof, spacious, and interestingly colored. What it is: incredibly comfortable, reasonably sized, feather-light, and brilliantly designed. What I’ve used it for: multi-pitch climbs, day hikes, backpacking (ultralight daypack to bring along), cross country skiing, and international travel (day tours in foreign cities).

I've had this pack since 2004 (I think), and I've taken it all over the world and on all sorts of terrain. I take it on my daily hikes in the foothills in Idaho, and as a carry-on when traveling. My laptop even fits inside so I occasionally carry it for work. My only complaint is that the zipper tabs came off, but it looks like they've changed the design since I bought mine. I've given this pack as a gift numerous times.