Moment Everything 17L Daypack Review

Some people want a dedicated daypack for each reason. You may have separate bags for travel, daily use, and hitting the gym. On the other hand, you may prefer buying just one bag and using it for everything: travel, as a daily driver, and a camera bag. With the Moment Everything Daypack, it seems pretty clear they’re aiming for versatility over specialization.

There are two sizes available, and we’re testing the 17L version, which Moment says is for the “ultralight packer.” That certainly seems to fit our style, but how does it vibe with our needs? Keep reading to find out.

External Components

The Everything 17L Daypack is made with 420D nylon ripstop with DWR that’s very abrasion- and tear-resistant and, obviously, has some moisture resistance. That makes it great for commuting on foot, dashing to the door in the rain, taking a weekend hike, or jetting off to a new destination on a plane.

The water resistance keeps moisture at bay, while the abrasion resistance helps it survive when you toss it in the trunk of your rental car or into the corner of your hotel room and when your dog uses it for a nap. Oh yeah—did we mention the coating should repel dirt, lint, and pet hair? Whether you’ve got Fido or Figaro, or both, at home, you’ll be happy to know that your coworkers won’t know the exact shade of their fur when they check out your bag at the office. One Pack Hacker pooch did his best to put this to the test, and our sample is still fairly pet-hair-free. We say “fairly” because, while the main material resists fur, the back panel mesh does not.

The Everything 17L Daypack is very straightforward, without any extra attachment points or designs, just the Moment brand name stitched in all caps in a contrasting color at the bottom of the bag. Well, it’s contrasting if you have the Workwear colorway like ours, a mustard-yellow with reddish-brown accents. The Black colorway, however, is all black, all the time, so if you like to fly more under the radar, it may be more your style.

There is a slender carry handle made with stitched webbing. It’s not super cushy, so you probably don’t want to carry it that way for very long, but it fits nicely on a hook for easy hanging at the end of the day. If you’re taking a trip and packing the rest of your gear in a piece of rolling carry on luggage, there’s a pass-through strap on the back to slide over the handle.

While it’s great at keeping the weather and dirt out, getting into the bag via YKK zippers is pretty easy. There’s an AquaGuard model on the rear laptop compartment, and fabric welts conceal the main compartment and front pocket zippers. All of the external zippers have loop webbing pulls to make them easy to find and grab, although we find the fabric welt is large enough that it can occasionally help them hide. This mostly happens with the main compartment, and we’re not entirely sure why; we just know that sometimes it’s hard to find the zippers. Hopefully that’s an us problem, not a design flaw, and you have no issues.

Rounding out the materials are the Woojin Hardware plastic adjusters on the shoulder straps. They work well, staying in place without being too hard to move, which is always a good shout for a strap adjuster. There are elastic keepers on the straps, as well.

Speaking of straps, let’s get to the harness system. The undersides of the shoulder straps and the back panel all feature a good amount of padding that’s not too stiff or soft. This Goldilocks cushioning is covered in breathable mesh, and an air channel runs down the center of the back panel for the ultimate in aeration.

There aren’t any extra sternum straps or waist belts—after all, this is only a 17L pack—but the shoulder straps curve slightly inward to be comfortable around various body types. If you really want a sternum strap, go for the slightly larger 21L bag, and you’ll get one!

Fit Notes

The Everything Daypack has the same vibes as the backpacks you’ve been rocking since kindergarten, but that’s not to say it’s just for kids. Rather, it’s what you wished your school backpack was. And hey, if you’re taking classes now, you’re in luck!

The curved shoulder straps are thick, but they work as intended: they feel good on users of different shapes and sizes. It may seem simplistic, with a lack of bells and whistles, but sometimes simple is best!

While the shape is that of a basic school bag, the colorway and design give it a grownup aesthetic. We really like the color combination on the bolder Workwear colorway, but if you prefer flying under the radar, the Black is more understated.

Inside The Pack

Even with just a 17L capacity, the Everything Daypack has different compartments for organizing your gear. We’re going to start at the back this time, where that water-resistant zipper protects a laptop compartment. It opens horseshoe-style adjacent to the back panel with a dual-sided zipper so you can get at it from either side of the bag.

Inside, there’s a nicely padded sleeve for up to a 14-inch laptop, with a slightly less padded sleeve in front of that for a tablet. On the opposite side are a few slip pockets: two on either end that are wider for pocket notebooks, cords, or a wall charger, and two in the middle for a pen, pencil, or stylus. The organization is at the top of the compartment, and while there is a little space in the middle, it’s best used for folders or other thin, tall items, as the pockets and sleeves obstruct your view of the bottom.

On the right side of the bag is a travel water bottle pocket that can fit a wide range of bottles, from skinny all the way up to a Wide-Mouth Nalgene. That type of bottle actually seems to work better, as it sinks nearly all the way into the pocket, as opposed to taller, thinner bottles, like a Standard Mouth Hydro Flask, that can slip around. While the pocket includes a fabric gusset and elastic at the top, it doesn’t hold tightly to slimmer bottles.

Turning to the front, a vertical zipper on the left side opens to a large quick-access pocket. Indeed, it takes up much of the front panel, so it’s larger than a simple slip pocket, yet it’s still the best place to toss gear you need to access often, like your phone, wallet, keys, and passport, to keep them close at hand.

However, the organization in the pocket faces toward the vertical opening and, thus, also opens vertically. That’s OK with the larger zipper pocket, which contains a key clip on a leash and is also a good spot for your minimalist wallet so that your cash and cards don’t accidentally slip out the side. Above that, though, is a side slip pocket. While you could slide your wallet in here, it’s hard to get out because it’s rather deep. Instead, it’s a good place for a battery bank or something similar in size and shape. Tossing smaller or skinnier gear inside doesn’t work well, though, as they nearly always fall out when the bag is vertical.

Moment says the orientation of the bag’s opening allows you access to the bag while it’s still on your shoulder, but that only works if it’s on your left side and you swing it forward to your front, not if it’s on your right. Score one for the Lefties!

If you don’t mind rocking the Everything 17L Daypack on your left shoulder, you can also access the main compartment through the side. The zipper opening is an upside-down J, with the short side starting above the water bottle pocket and extending all the way down the left side of the bag. More on why that’s convenient for travel photographers in a moment.

There’s minimal organization in the main compartment. A large zipper pocket is against the front panel where you can lock down smaller gear you don’t have stashed in the front or laptop compartments. It’s wide enough to accommodate several travel size bottles, sunglasses, snacks, or even a small toiletry bag if you’re heading out on an overnight trip.

Along the left side of the back panel, you’ll find two elastic loops where you can attach the Moment Everything Camera Insert 4L to carry your photography kit. It unzips to face the left-side opening, so you can grab your gear easily when a heron comes to land right in front of you during the golden hour. You wouldn’t want to miss that shot, and you won’t have to with this setup. Again, as long as you don’t mind swinging it to your front from your left shoulder.

Even with the Camera Insert inside, there’s a few inches of space left along the right side and the top for other gear like a packable jacket, a slender packing cube, or a picnic blanket.

If you’re not carrying a camera kit, don’t worry. This is still a great travel daypack for you, too. That’s because the main compartment is quite open and spacious, with room for books, packing cubes, a small cooler, or whatever else you want to carry. It’s quite roomy for a 17L backpack, making it a great personal item bag for the plane, an everyday carry to the office, or a hiking or overnight bag.