RECOMMENDED
Built To Send
U1 Daypack
£179
600g
tough
expensive
Capacity: 19 litres
Materials: VX21 X-Pac composite
Closure: rollover top with 3 buckles
Back: foam panel
Back length: 19.5cm
Waist strap: 2.5cm webbing, detachable
Pockets: internal zipped, internal open pouch
Features: front bungee cord, front daisy chain webbing, ice axe/trekking pole loops
Sizes: 1
Chris says: Over the years, daypacks have become increasingly complex. The U1 – the first daypack from Built To Send – isn’t like this. The brand describes it as “ultra-minimal”. It’s not quite that, but the design is simple compared to most daypacks.
At 600 grams the U1 is very light. The capacity of 19 litres sounds small for a daypack but it can be extended 22 litres by not closing the top – there is a compression strap to hold gear in – and Built To Send’s litres are a little bigger than those of some other companies. I can fit as much inside as in some 25 litre packs.
Materials and construction
The U1 is made from waterproof composite VX21 X-Pac fabric, described as “one of the toughest materials on the planet”. The construction is mono-shell, the only seams being those that attach the back panel and those on the base, which is double fabric, and the only stitching for the front attachment points. This makes the pack very weather-resistant though not fully waterproof.
The back panel and the wide shoulder straps are made from
