Mountain Designs Gecko Daypack: Tested
The daypack is ubiquitous in the great outdoors. Any short adventure means bringing gear, water and food, and a daypack is the perfect balance of load-lugging with comfort and – in cases such as this Gecko from Mountain Designs – a full list of features designed to make carrying a day’s worth of gear comfortable.
Design
The Mountain Designs Gecko measures 50cm tall, 28cm wide and 21cm deep. In short, it looks great, and backs up its notable styling with excellent design features. The exterior material, on the body and the base of the pack, is notably thicker and tougher than what you’d expect on a 30-litre (L) daypack – and this is a good thing, providing assurance for owners that this all-day load lugger will last years. It does make the pack slightly heavier than others in this segment, weighing in at 1130g, but we’d take the increased durability any day. That tough outer fabric includes a DWR (Durable Water Repellency) treatment, and for additional protection against water ingress there’s an inbuilt rain cover.
Impressively, all the buckles have an over-built look to them (especially the two that secure the lid), adding even more assurance of longevity – as does the tough hand strap atop the lid and the use of YKK zips. The main compartment, once you’ve unclipped the lid, is designed for easy access thanks to the use of a drawstring cinch closure. There’s also room for a hydration bladder inside (plus two external side pockets for water bottles and snacks) and even space for a laptop up to a screen size of 16 inches. That laptop space is accessed via a zip atop the padded back, which also includes a ventilation channel down its centre to keep sweat to a minimum for the wearer. There’s an additional zip-accessed storage compartment (with internal pouches) at the lower section of the pack for keeping gear close to hand, a robust grab handle, some cool webbing loops, and more storage in the zipped pocket in the lid.
The Gecko harness is well-designed, with added padding in the shoulder straps combined with a contoured design aimed at ensuring optimum comfort levels for the wearer. There’s the usual (removable) hip strap, plus a chest strap – a welcome standard feature. Add side compression straps (two each side), and there’s no shortage of ways to make the pack comfortable. Its load feels nice and secure on your back.
In the field
The Mountain Designs Gecko has seen plenty of use since it arrived in Aus Geo ADVENTURE’s Gear Shed and, regardless of the size/shape of the wearer, it has been able to be configured using the shoulder (and other) straps and adjusting loads to ensure high comfort levels.
The pack’s 30L volume is just right for a daypack, in our opinion. Go bigger and it becomes heavier and a bit more cumbersome, whereas if you go smaller – say, down to 20L – it’s harder to fit all your essentials inside. The Gecko has been used mainly for short hikes/day hikes but also as a commute bag for a week, where it was fully loaded with lunches, laptops and additional apparel. In all circumstances, the Gecko has performed with aplomb; it simply gets the job done when it comes to comfortably carrying all the gear you need for the day.
The large main compartment’s drawstring opening is super easy – and quick – to use. Meanwhile, having the additional zipped compartment at the back has allowed us to stow more fragile gear away from larger items in the main compartment. Being able to opt for a water bottle (or two), thanks to those side compartments, rather than faff around with a hydration bladder, has been a welcome asset, too. Even though we’ve managed to avoid being caught in wet weather, we did pull the rain cover out, just to check it more than anything. The pack’s outer fabric has lived up to its appearance, with a few drops and drags across rougher ground having no effect on it.
The final word
The Mountain Designs Gecko presents as a no-nonsense, feature-rich daypack that’s equally at home being used as a commute bag as it is being stuffed full of spare hiking gear, food and water. The standouts of the
Gecko are its robust exterior and efficient interior design; the one large compartment is so easy to access, and the extra external stowage sections are also straightforward, so it’s never any hassle to use.
For those looking for a robust, cleverly designed daypack – at a competitive price – the Mountain Designs Gecko is definitely one to add to your shopping list.
RRP: $150 See Mountain Designs for more info.
