Osprey Talon 22
The Talon 22 has been in Osprey's line for the best part of twenty years and is still made, which is unusual enough to be the main thing worth saying about it. When a pack survives that long with the same name, it is because the shape was right.
What it is. A 22-litre daypack with a proper frame sheet and a real hip belt, light enough to forget and structured enough to carry 8 or 9kg comfortably. It sits in the gap between a soft school-style bag and a proper hiking pack, and it is the size most people actually need for a day out.
The features that earned it the reputation: a tensioned mesh back panel that keeps air moving, stretch side pockets you can reach a bottle from without stopping, an ice axe loop and pole attachments that stow flat when unused, and a hip belt with pockets big enough for a phone.
What has changed: it has been revised several times and there is now a women's equivalent, the Tempest, on the same frame. Osprey's all-mighty repair guarantee also still applies, which is worth more than most features: they will repair or replace a pack regardless of age.
Size honestly before buying this one. 22 litres is generous for a summer walk and tight if you carry a camera and a spare fleece. The same pack exists at 33 and 44 litres, and a great many people buy the 22 and then wish they had the 33.
Try it on loaded. Osprey sizes by torso length, not height, and getting that wrong is the only way to be disappointed by this pack.
Part of the guide to backpacks and daypacks.