ProView – Thule AllTrail 18L Review

I am an avid hiker and adventurer and am always out exploring new trails (or creating my own!). While I am most familiar with Thule for their car racks and duffle bags, I was excited to try out one of their hiking backpacks. 

I took the Thule AllTrail 18L Day Pack on all the trails – on a snowshoeing and sledding trip in Tahoe and on a hike exploring Sonoma County’s newest regional park in Bodega Bay. While it performed as expected in all weather, there were some noticeable features I would like to see changed or added.

Fit/Comfort

The pack is very comfortable to wear with the padding on the back that provides extra cushion. The adjustable chest and waist straps help to distribute the pack weight and keep it in place during active adventures. I found that, although the waist belt was very narrow and flimsy-looking, it definitely made a huge difference when hiking on uneven terrain! I appreciate how Thule incorporated this feature even into the smaller sized pack at 18L.

Look/Style

The pack looks very durable and well-made. I appreciate the earthy toned blue/gray color.

Features

I was honestly a bit disappointed by the overall pack features. I love pockets and I wish Thule had incorporated more into the pack. The one zippered pocket on the top is deep, but not quite wide enough to make it as functional as I’d like for carrying wallets, larger phones, etc. Another small pocket on the outside of the pack would have been helpful or creating an additional sleeve in the interior.

The pack is also not freestanding. While this doesn’t bother many people, I do prefer when my backpack will remain standing when I set it down. This keeps it cleaner when the ground is muddy or wet, and keeps all your water upright to prevent any accidental leaking.

While I appreciated the hydration bladder in the AllTrail pack, I didn’t like the water bottle holders on the side of the pack. A standard sized Nalgene barely slid into the pocket – it is an extremely tight fit and I would not be able to pull it out and put it back in on my own without taking the pack off. The design of these side cups also encroached on the interior space of the pack. With 1 or 2 full Nalgenes on either side of the daypack, there was basically no space left for extra items in the main pouch.

With that being said, I am very glad that Thule added that hydration pouch feature. For a small pack, the Thule 18L can certainly hold its weight in water. The pouch for the hydration bladder could easily hold 2+ liters of water. I tested it with my Osprey 1.5 L, which fit the design of the pack very well.

I also appreciated the added rain cover, which fit perfectly and worked like a charm to keep everything dry. This was definitely a great bonus to have, as many everyday packs or smaller hiking packs don’t provide this. 

The trekking pole attachment on the side of the pack was also a nice feature for those who love hiking with the extra support!

Function/Performance

This pack is great for the functions as advertised: hiking, travel and everyday use. For anything longer than a short jaunt or frontcountry adventure, this pack would just be too small to carry necessary supplies. However, this pack is great for local day hikes, commuting to work, or exploring a new town.

Durability/Construction

The material feels solid. When purchasing this pack, you are certainly getting a high-quality backpack that will last a VERY long time. This product is also Bluesign-Certified, which shows Thule’s commitment to creating environmentally-conscious products.

The Final Word

The Thule AllTrail 18L Daypack is a durable, reliable pack in all weather conditions. It fit the bill for my casual snowshoeing adventure in Tahoe and local day hikes in the Bay Area. While I appreciated the rain cover and the comfort of the streamlined design, padded back panel and hip belt, I was disappointed by the pockets, especially the quick-access side pockets designed for water bottles. With that all being said, I will definitely continue taking this pack on more everyday adventures.

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