Minaal Daily 3.0 Review
The Minaal Daily 2.0 is the very first bag I reviewed for Pangolins with Packs back in 2017 (!), so naturally it holds a sentimental spot for me. The Daily 3.0 was released in 2021 alongside its upgraded Carry-on bigger brother. In this review I take a look at what’s changed and whether it’s worth purchasing or upgrading, given the huge plethora of backpack options that have popped up in the last couple years.
Disclaimer: The Daily 3.0 was provided as a sample for review from Minaal. Nevertheless, we do our best to publish our honest opinions, both positive and critical, as we would any bag we purchase personally. This review may also contain Amazon affiliate links.
At a high level the Daily 3.0 functions very much the same way as the Daily 2.0. It’s lightweight, it’s got good organization, and has pretty much the same features that allow you to use it in the same scenarios as you could with the Daily 2.0. After using it for a couple months mostly for everyday carry and as a personal item for air travel, there isn’t anything that different to write about in terms of capability and features. This is mostly a good thing — the Daily 2.0 is an excellent bag that has held up extremely well, and my usage of the 3.0 indicates that at minimum, the bag’s performance has been preserved, and likely increased.
Minaal has published a very clear and engaging deep dive on the differences between the 2.0 and 3.0. Definitely check that out if you’re considering getting either. For this review, we’ll focus on what I liked about what changed, as well as what I would’ve wanted to see in a new version.
What’s Changed
“Picton” Fabric
Minaal says that this new fabric is made from recycled polyester yarns, is Bluesign-certified, and uses a non-toxic water resistant coating. In short, it’s a more sustainably produced textile that boasts improved performance in terms of tear strength, water resistance, and abrasion.
I didn’t really notice any issues with the 2.0 fabric, so in all honesty these upgrades are pretty marginal. In terms of hand feel, the new fabric does look and feel more “ballistic”-like (I.e. smoother vs textured) and durable. It sheds pet fur and dirt better than the 2.0 fabric.
Shoulder Straps and Back Panel
There is a significant and noticeable improvement here. The foam feels stiffer and spongier compared to the 2.0. They’re slightly thicker, yet still thin and wide enough to distribute the weight nicely and for a bag this size they don’t need to be thicker.
The straps can be stowed into the back panel like the 2.0, but it’s much easier to do it with the 3.0. Instead of having a fixed stitch in the center at the top of the back panel to create two openings, there is just one large opening with a button snap in the middle. With the extra opening space, shoving the straps into the back panel can be done more quickly. I’m skeptical the button snap was necessary though, as it can become undone without too much force and even when it does I can’t really tell.
An added bonus is this pocket without the fixed stitch in the middle can now be used to store a water bladder!
Speaking of the back panel, it’s still made of foam but it’s denser and slightly more stiff. Additionally, it has custom molded indentations that are maybe supposed to be air channels? But they’re quite shallow so I don’t expect them to do much. Nevertheless, it’s a nice premium touch and looks neat.
Behind the foam back panel there’s also an HDPE sheet with some cutouts to provide more structure. It’s not super rigid so it will still easily conform to your back, which is nice. Of course, once you have a laptop inside that will override the flexibility of the frame sheet.
Secure Pocket on Back Panel
This is a totally new pocket on the 3.0, and it’s meant to be a secure place for a passport. I can confirm it is sized well for my wallet, a Bellroy Note Sleeve. It’s depth reaches to just about the middle of the back panel. Once my wallet is in there, I can definitely feel it against my back when wearing the bag. It’s not uncomfortable since it’s still behind the foam, but it’s very noticeable. I guess that’s also good since if someone were to try to access that pocket, you’d feel it.
Top Handle
The top handle now has some cushy padding in it, so it’s more comfortable to carry in hand. A small change, but big impact given how frequently I carry the bag this way.
Logo
The logo has been updated for a more fresh and minimalistic style, and I do like it! It’s clean and elegant and more subdued than the pop of blue on the 2.0. I won’t say it’s “better,” as I also liked the two-shaded blue accent, but I appreciate the visual evolution.
What’s the Same
As I mentioned at the beginning, the Daily 3.0 works very much the same as the 2.0. It’s still got a very flappy front panel, which isn’t my favorite, but is great when you really need to pack the bag flat to fit in a larger bag. It also helps keep the bag lightweight.
The organization and pocket layout is pretty much identical. The “DeviceNest” laptop and tablet sleeves are the same and that’s great, because there was nothing wrong with them before and have the flexibility of top and side access. The DeviceNest is one of Minaal’s signature innovations that works quite well.
I was however a little disappointed that the tech organizer pockets in the laptop compartment were the same, because I really don’t know what I’m supposed to store in some of those slots and they’re pretty loose. Because they’re opaque it’s also impossible to see what’s inside.
The document sleeve has the same issue where there’s no additional foam/flat sheet to provide structure, so papers and folders can get wrinkled and rustled based on what you’ve packed in the main compartment. I would’ve liked to see some structure between the laptop and main compartments to remedy this.
The interior lining is all black so not the best visibility if you’re trying to hunt for something. I think a grey would’ve been better and would still maintain a subdued aesthetic.
Internal water bottle holder is also the same. It’s nice but also takes two hands to stick a water bottle in because it’s floppy. It also can’t accommodate large bottles. Another note is that when you have a bottle in it, the zipper of the bottom zippered pocket gets obstructed and is harder to access. I’m not sure how critical this holder is, and I don’t think I’d be complaining if it was just removed altogether since it takes effort to utilize.
Same great padded side handle. The handle is comfy but after experiencing the aluminum stay on the EVERGOODS bags, I can’t help but pick out the bowing that happens on bags without it. Not a big deal, it just looks sloppy.
Integrated rain fly. Some people hate on rain fly’s, but I think they’re great. The bag is probably good enough to handle drizzle, but anything more and the rain fly gives you a lot of peace of mind. Even with Aquaguard zippers and sail cloth fabric, moisture will still get through seams and zippers that aren’t totally closed. The fact that the rain fly is built-in means you’ll always have it when you need it.
Summary
Is the Daily 3.0 worth upgrading to if you have the 2.0? In my opinion, probably not. While there are a number of quality-of-life improvements that make the Daily 3.0 a better bag for sure, none of them really address the “bigger” personal critiques I had with the 2.0 (floppy front panel, large pockets where everything sinks to the bottom, and complaints with the tech compartment organization).
Is the Daily 3.0 worth getting as a new day pack?
- The biggest barrier here is price — at $289, I think it is a bit of a hard sell given other bags on the market. It’s a premium price for a bag that is certainly built well, but has a more casual and subdued vibe (obviously my subjective opinion). Fortunately, there is a used/refurbished marketplace to purchase gear secondhand.
- On the other hand, if the Daily 2.0 is any indication (which I believe it is), this bag will last a long time. It is intentionally not overbuilt like a GORUCK or TOM BIHN or EVERGOODS bag, but it is also a much sleeker and lightweight day pack than any of the other brands’ flagships. It has fared and worn much better than some other day packs I’ve used in its weight class (e.g. Able Carry Daily, Day Owl, Millican).
- This might be the best travel day pack that can still pass as “packable” because of how flat it gets, while still providing good structure and padding that pretty much all packable bags lack (not without reason, those can become quite compact). While the organization isn’t perfect for me, it’s still very functional.
While the Daily 3.0 is not oozing with the latest wave of materials like X-Pac or Challenge fabrics or Fidlock hardware, it’s one of those seemingly no-frills bags where the more you use it, the more you like it.
Thanks for reading our review! As always, send us a note on our Instagram with any thoughts you have!
