After Years Of Searching, I Found The Perfect Run Commute Backpack
You won’t believe what it is.
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For the last several years, I have run commuted to work on and off. Run commuting has been a perfect way to get some extra miles in my week without adding hours to my schedule.
Run commuting has allowed me to gain an extra 24 miles a week.
I have tested out several backpacks over the years. I’ve spent hours at REI trying to figure out if the balance of weight in a pack is just right and won’t hurt my shoulders over the long haul.
If you decide to take up run commuting ask yourself these questions:
- What are you carrying? Laptop, change of clothes, toiletries, water, food?
- How much space will you need to comfortably carry all your stuff? This is important as a pack that’s too big can have the stuff inside bounce around quite a bit. Usually the larger the pack, the more uncomfortable it is to carry.
Here are the packs that I have tried over the years and what my winner is.
Osprey Talon 22
Size: 20–22L
Osprey packs are a classic for hiking. Built with great ventilation and weight distribution, this pack feels great the moment you put it on.
With the size being 20–22L, this pack may be a little large for most run commuters.
This pack felt a little too big for me. Also with the lack of a detachable hip belt, its essentially a requirement to have it clipped on every time you run.
While it’s nice to have a large pack if you are carrying a lunch and clothes with you on your runs.
The lack of a laptop compartment also became a deal breaker for me. Sure you can fit a laptop inside of it but it having a laptop compartment feels like it adds a layer of security.
I decided to pass on this for future run commuting.
