REASONS TO BUY
Microfiber lined pocket
Durable fabric
Dedicated laptop sleeve
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks a hip belt
Small water bottle pockets
Limited versatility
Cotopaxi Moda 20 Review
A stylish and functional daypack capable of being a commuter pack or going outdoors on the trails
Credit: Cotopaxi
RELATED: Best Daypacks of 2023
Our Verdict
The Cotopaxi Moda 20 is a dedicated daypack made for the urban user. Featuring a laptop compartment with organization pockets, a microfiber-lined interior pocket, and a durable fabric, this pack hits the mark for many looking for a commuter bag. However, if you are looking for a more technical outdoor feature set, this pack may not be for you. Without a hip belt and with smaller side pockets, this pack may not meet your storage or versatility needs on a trail. The daisy chains and separated laptop sleeve do provide options making this an ideal work-to-crag bag where you don't need to worry about chalk or climbing shoes in the same compartment as sensitive electronics.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cotopaxi Moda 20 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $110.00 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $139 List $139.00 at REI | $60 List $59.95 at REI | $65.00 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $40 List $39.95 at REI |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Microfiber lined pocket, durable fabric, dedicated laptop sleeve | Comfortable and stable, intuitive and functional design, modular set-up, utilizes recycled materials | Lightweight, only includes essential features, comfortable suspension for the weight | Simple, lightweight, versatile | Affordable, minimalist design, lightweight, super packable |
| Cons | Lacks a hip belt, small water bottle pockets, limited versatility | Non-adjustable frame, large size for minimalist outings | Uncomfortable with heavy loads, lacks durability | A little small, lacks high-end features | Few extra features, thin shoulder straps and hip belt |
| Bottom Line | A stylish and functional daypack capable of being a commuter pack or going outdoors on the trails | Top comfort and stability make this pack the right fit for hauling your gear on any outdoor excursion | This pack is an excellent value, providing all-around performance for light and fast activities at a bargain price | A simple and lightweight hiking backpack that serves a dual purpose with a laptop sleeve | A simple pack that's easy on the wallet, ultralight, and super popular |
| Rating Categories | Cotopaxi Moda 20 | REI Co-op Traverse 32 | REI Co-op Flash 22 | Osprey Daylite Plus | REI Co-op Flash 18 |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Versatility (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Cotopaxi Moda 20 | REI Co-op Traverse 32 | REI Co-op Flash 22 | Osprey Daylite Plus | REI Co-op Flash 18 |
| Volume | 20 L | 32 L | 22 L | 20 L | 18 L |
| Measured Weight | 25.0 oz | 41.0 oz | 14.0 oz | 20.6 oz | 9.5 oz |
| Back Construction | Mesh and soft foam | Contured, foam pad | Removable foam pad | Mesh over vented foam | Simple foam pad |
| Hydration Compatibility | no hydration sleeve. | Internal hydration sleeve, hook and loop attachment point | Internal hydration sleeve | Internally accessed sleeve, holds up to 3L, bladder not included | Internal hydration sleeve |
| Hip Belt | N/A | 1 3/8" webbing, countoured padding, ventilated outer layer | Broad, not padded. | 3/4" webbing, removable | 3/4" webbing, removable |
| Number of pockets | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| Description of Pockets | 1 cinched main compartment, 1 zippered front, 2 mesh side, and 1 internal microfiber lined zippered | 1 main combo top-loader/side panel zip, 1 internal mesh w/ overlap closure (inside of lid), 1 external zip on top of lid, 2 mesh side bottle w/ button closure/expansion, 2 oversized hipbelt zip | 1 main compartment, 2 mesh side bottle pouches, 1 side zippered pocket, 1 top pouch | 2 stretchy mesh side, 1 interior padded laptop sleeve, 1 back zippered with internal mesh dividers and key clip, 1 back expandable waterbottle, 1 back zippered. | 1 cinched main compartment, 1 outer zippered |
| Materials | 840D Hypalon, 630D Hypalon, 150D ripstop polyester | 300D recycled ripstop nylon | Nylon | Nylon | Nylon |
| Outside Carry Options | Front panel and shoulder strap daisy chain | Trekking pole lash points, ice axe attachments, daisy chains,attachment loops, compression straps | Tool loop and bungee holder | Side compression strap | 1 exterior daisy chain, ice-axe loop |
| Whistle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key Clip | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other Notable Features | Suspended laptop pocket | Steel frame w/ 1 internal stay, hydration tube holder on shoulder strap, included rain cover, water bottle pockets angled forward to allow on the go access | Removeable foam back panel doubles as sit pad, removeable sternum, removeable Packmod bungee | Compatible as an attachment to other Osprey packs | Removeable foam back panel doubles as sit pad, removeable sternum and hip belt straps |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
If you are looking for a colorful backpack for your urban adventures that can double as an adventure pack, check out Cotopaxi Moda 20. It carries light to moderate loads securely without a hip belt, and a designated padded laptop pocket and a simple cinch closure make it quick and easy to find your gear.
Performance Comparison
The Moda 20 is a colorful and vibrant pack, sure to catch eyes on or off the trail.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Comfort
This pack's back panel padding is rather thick and flat, lending itself to carrying moderate loads, but it lacks much ventilation. It features a frameless design, but with two layers of padding and a laptop, it doesn't feel thin. The shoulder straps have solid width and firm padding allowing this pack to comfortably carry loads up to 25 pounds. If your goal is to carry loads greater than 25 pounds, we'd recommend looking for a pack with a more robust suspension and a hip belt.
This pack has a simple back panel design with thick padding and no hip belt.
Credit: Jacob Clark
The Moda 20 is a one-size-fits-most style pack, but does have quite the range of adjustability allowing it to fit smaller to large frames with ease. While the pack can be cinched down tight and close to the body to reduce bouncing, it lacks a hip belt and still has quite a bit of bounce on faster hikes and runs.
Comfortable padding on both the back panel and shoulder straps give a great ride with no need for a hipbelt
Credit: Jacob Clark
Weight
This pack definitely slants on the heavier side of the spectrum for its feature set but has some carefully placed robust fabric, likely adding to its overall durability. At nearly 1.25 ounces per liter, this pack is filled with padding, features, and solid construction, but if light and simple is your goal, other packs might better serve those needs.
The thick, durable fabric is right where it is needed on the bottom and front of the pack, but adds to the overall weight.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Versatility
Due to the heavier and more urban design of the Moda 20, it lacks some of the versatility of the other daypacks in this lineup. The pack is comfortable and can work well on day hikes out in nature, but is tailored to urban environments. Featuring a microfiber-lined pocket for sensitive electronics, a top-loading zipper, and a dedicated padded laptop sleeve with organizational pockets, it does its intended job well.
The Cotopaxi Moda 20 also works great for bike commuting or a simple gym or crag climbing pack. This small size and top=loading design make it easy to load essentials and keep a few items separated for organization, or just keeping away from chalk and dirt.
The nice wide top-loading design makes digging through to find your gear quick and easy.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Ease of Use
The Moda 20 is a relatively simple pack with a clear features pack with some nice touches for the urban setting. Its laptop sleeve is well padded with large zipper pulls and bright interior colors to help find any items. It has two daisy chains fixed to the outside running down and is great for clipping keys or shoes to it.
Durability
This colorful pack by Cotopaxi isn't just easy to find but is also built with heavy-duty 840-Denier Hypalon on the bottom and back for greater durability. The fabric sheds water well, but as a cinch top, it isn't that waterproof or resistant. The sides are made of a slightly lighter weight 630-Denier Nylon and the top and internal pockets use a 150-Denier poly ripstop fabric. Despite being a heavier pack for its class, the thicker, more durable fabric in key placements has this being a bag one you could abuse for quite some time.
The Cotopaxi Moda 20 pack has thicker fabric than most other daypacks we tested, making it heavier but also likely more durable.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Throughout our testing period of the Moda 20, the bottom and front could withstand water and abrasive surfaces like rocks and tree bark in stride, showing little wear and continuing to perform.
Value
The Cotopaxi Moda 20 is a simple pack designed for the urban setting, but also has the ability to hit the trails. At its price point, it is quite a durable find and worth the investment.
The Moda is a colorful pack ready for urban or outdoor adventure.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Conclusion
For durability and price, this simple and specialized urban pack is worth a look. The clean colorful design will catch your eyes and serve urban your needs. Other packs are more versatile and lighter, but for a unique design and color palette, Cotopaxi delivers with the Moda 20.
—
Jacob Clark
You Might Also Like
Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by Testing.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
Learn More