I had realized before buying the Kompressor Plus, that it was not designed and built with a high comfort level in mind. The padding and thickness of the …
Marmot Kompressor Plus 20
It’s simply one of the lightest daypack I’ve ever used.
The Kompressor Plus is a modern looking, minimalist and well thought out backpack. It would best suit people who engage in various activities such as hiking, running, bike ride-ing and traveling. It has handy features that make life easier and fits everyone when used as a simple daypack. For me, it’s a little expensive especially when compared to similar daypacks, but with the Kompressor Plus, you get that fascinating and accurate minimalist build and it truly provides everything you would need and would expect from a light daypack. If you can imagine yourself using the Kompressor Plus for multi-purpose activities after reading this review, and you want to make sure that your money has been well spent on a backpack, I would personally recommend buying the Marmot Kompressor Plus 20L backpack.
In Action: Marmot Kompressor Plus 20L
Honest & Personal Review
*How It’s Calculated
How We Got The Results
Comfort
I had realized before buying the Kompressor Plus, that it was not designed and built with a high comfort level in mind. The padding and thickness of the straps and fabrics are low which causes some uncomfortable pressure e.g. on the shoulders and neck if carrying a heavy load. A bulky load is okay but try not to load it with too heavy gear, as it will cause you some discomfort in the long run. So the comfort is nothing to complain about but neither something to applaud for.
Specifications
Weight
The Kompressor Plus gets a 10 out of 10 regarding weight. It’s simply the lightest daypack I’ve ever used in the daypack category. The fact that it weighs only 13.05oz (370g) gives you the opportunity to use it for various activities such as running, biking or traveling. When stuffed into itself and brought along for longer expeditions you’ll never even know its there.
Main Features
Versatility
The only daypack that could be considered strictly as a secondary backpack because of its ultralight and minimalist build. When mention secondary backpack I’m talking about it can serve you like a full-size backpack for shorter trips. The hydration bladder slot and other handy features can be used for a variety of purposes but the downsides are e.g. that it isn’t water resistant and bad ventilation. You could prefer other daypacks for more particular activities. But for most general activities it will serve different purposes efficiently.
Build Quality & Durability
As mentioned before the cons of the light minimalist design is the quality and durability of the pack. Putting it down too many times on a rough surface will cause the Kompressor Plus to deteriorate quicker. But if treated with caution and placed on soft surface e.g. grass or moss it could extend the lifetime of the pack. Daypacks shouldn’t be so expensive, that you would be mad about scratches here and there after using it a couple of times. Nature is, of course, a hazardous and rough environment so most of the time deterioration of a backpack with this kind of a minimalist build is bound to deteriorate quicker than more complex and advanced backpacks.
Pros
Cons
FAQ – Marmot Kompressor Plus 20
Comparison Table – Light Daypacks
| Light Daypacks | Price | Rating | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marmot Kompressor 20 | $69.00 | 63 | #4 |
| Deuter Speed Lite 20 | $75.00 | 65 | #2 |
| Osprey Talon 22 | $102.00 | 71 | #1 |
| Osprey Daylite Plus 20 | $60.35 | 64 | #3 |
| Patagonia Black Hole Cinch 20 | $79.00 | 58 | #5 |
Author
Stephen John
Founder, Tester & Editor
Stephen is the founder of Backpackfanatic. Besides managing daily operations he also edits, designs & tests products.
