Lily by Mountainsmith eco-friendly backpack

Mountainsmith Lily Eco-Friendly Backpack— the perfect backpacker and outdoor enthusiast’s pack made from recycled materials.

I’ve written this before, but it has always seemed to me that a paradox of modern travel is that the very people who often love the earth the most (and strive to take care of it), are the very same ones who up their carbon footprints when hitting the road to see it.

I was especially surprised when I started a search for eco-friendly backpacks on the market, that there were surprisingly few packs out there made out of greener materials.

Enter the Lily by Mountainsmith—a great smallish sized back made from recycled PET. I learned during a month-long backpacking trip through Panama that the lighter your pack the better when on the move—and the Lily’s perfect 31.2 Liter size made it big enough to fit all your essentials without being too big to weigh you down (plus, it only weighs 2.8 pounds).

Since being able to find your stuff when it’s all shoved into one bag is also important, I really appreciated the extra pockets. The pockets on either side are big, and the front compartment has lots of smaller pockets to help you stay organized. There are even two water bottle pockets large enough to hold up to a 24 ounce water bottle.

The shoulder and abdomen straps feature extra padding for added comfort. The Lily pack is also designed specifically for women–meaning it fits me better than most unisex packs do. It even features has a safety whistle, which you hope never to use, but is there in case.

The Quick & Dirty:
Where you can get one:
Mountainsmith Lily Recycled Fabric Backpack $109

Why it Rocks:

• Dual density foam shoulder straps and elastic sternum strap with a bite valve catch
• A molded foam back panel with a Delrin hoop frame
• Vertical front and side pockets with pass-through sleeves with zipper access
• An internal sleeping bag compartment and a draw-corded storm collar
• Made from 420d Velocity nylon fabric with 840d Ballistic nylon reinforcements

Seat-of-the-pants rating:

All in all, the recycled Lily is a great pack for anyone who’s looking for a small pack for extended travel, or a large daypack, and I Mountainsmith seems to be leading the way with eco-friendly backpacks.

Looking to buy? Here’s where you can get one:
Mountainsmith Lily Recycled Fabric Backpack $109