Cotopaxi Tarak 20L backpack – Del Día: a versatile pack crafted from repurposed materials

The Tarak 20L backpack is a proud member of the Del Dia family that’s designed primarily with multi-pitch climbers and backcountry skiers in mind, as well as making for a great daypack for the hiking trails too.

Certified B Corp and sustainability powerhouse Cotopaxi is a leading light in the outdoor industry. A decade on from when founder Davis Smith set out to create a brand that focussed on doing good things for society, today the brand is highly lauded for its continued fight against poverty across the world. Not only this, it’s become renowned for its approach to sustainability, earning the top ‘Great’ rating from fashion watchdog Good On You, ahead of the likes of Patagonia, the North Face and Fjällräven.

Take, for instance, its Del Dia Collection. These are products made using left over fabric from other companies’ production runs. As this fabric comes in all the colors of the rainbow, so to do the Del Dia products. Each individual item is unique, as the factory worker responsible for each piece is given creative control over the colorway. Pretty neat.

It’s not perfect, these unique items are manufactured in the Philippines, so by the time they arrive at the store in London, New York or Sydney, they’ll have had a bit of a leg up from the petrochemicals industry. However, this is currently true of pretty much all mass-produced outdoor gear. What Del Dia represents is a step in the right direction.

First impressions

I love a splash of color. The Tarak 20’s Del Dia random rainbow of joy made me smile as soon as I laid eyes upon it. Knowing that it was completely unique added certain sense of ownership too. This was mine and mine alone – superb.

Perception is interesting. Can something this playful in appearance also be a proper tool for the serious (but fun) business of hiking, climbing and mountaineering. Well, as I got to grips with the pack, I started to notice some thoughtful design features. At its core, this is a simple and relatively small pack, with a main compartment, small front pocket, storage in the lid, an internal mesh security pocket and a hydration sleeve. Yet the needs of climbers and mountaineers have been considered with multiple gear lash loops, compression straps and an elegantly simple ice-tool system.

Meet the reviewer

Alex Foxfield

Alex is a qualified Mountain Leader and former President of the London Mountaineering Club. He enjoys all forms of mountain adventure, whether its hiking, scrambling, trail running, mountaineering or climbing – he's happiest in the high places. An expert on outdoor gear, he revels in testing the latest innovations in kit.

Sustainable design with one-of-a-kind colorways

The main fabrics are a durable 210D ripstop nylon, putting the pack in the same league as something like Osprey’s Mutant packs but falling short of the hard-as-nails, 400 to 600D of the Berghaus MTN Guide 45. However, both the aforementioned packs are admittedly more expensive and not quite as sustainably designed. As we’ve already covered, these fabrics are taken from remnants from other production runs, keeping them out of landfill.

Unfussy features

Weighing in at 562g (20oz), this is one of the lightest daypacks we’ve tested when it comes to hiking, though there are lighter climbing packs around. Cotopaxi has kept the gram count down with clever design and a nothing-you-don’t-need approach.

For example, where most climber’s packs have toggles for securing an ice axe or two, the Tarak takes a more stripped back approach. The bottom of the pack features an extra-durable bucket of fabric for the head of the axe, while the two pairs of compression straps do the rest.

The chest harness strap can be configured to suit your form. It attaches to wired runners on the shoulder straps in the same manner as seen on Osprey’s Hikelite and Highlander’s Ben Nevis packs, which was a concern for me as I’d managed to break this attachment during the test period for both. You'll be glad to hear that I haven't managed to do the same with the Tarak... yet.

As mentioned, there are multiple lash points along the back of the pack, while there’s also a chain of them running down each shoulder strap, a really welcome feature that provides versatility.

Storage

The Tarak doesn’t feature any side or back stretchy mesh pockets, nor are there any little compartments on the hip belt. It’s a much more minimalist pack than all of that, a quality that should appeal to climbers. There is, however, a spacious main compartment with a hydration sleeve down its back and a zippered mesh security pocket. It’s a top-loading pack, with a draw cord opening that gets protected by the lid.

The lid is secured via a nicely crafted hook rather than a buckle and is designed with securing a coiled rope in mind. There’s a small zippered lid pocket too, handy for small items that you may want to hand. At the back of the pack is a relatively small, zippered compartment. It’s big enough to fit a topo map or modest guide book, though I don’t see why it couldn’t have been longer, as it only stretches halfway down towards the pack's base, which feels like a missed opportunity.

In the field

I tested the Tarak through the winter season, taking it on wintry hikes and low-grade mountaineering days. I'm looking forward to taking it multi-pitch climbing in the warmer months too and, if I stumble across any new revelations while testing, I'll be back to update you all on this review.

I’m someone who likes to go fast and light, so there are many aspects of the Tarak 20 that I adore. It's simplicity is a strength up to a point – there's nothing here that I don't need. It's compact and light, so I always feel fairly agile while wearing it too and it doesn't hinder me when squeezing between rock faces and the like. It's also perfectly comfortable, though I'd imagine it'll be a little stuffier during the summer months than a daypack sporting a suspended back panel. But I have mixed feelings about these anyway.

Not many backpacks these days come without some form of external mesh pocket. I quite like having soft flasks to hand while exploring, usually stored somewhere on a pack exterior. The Tarak doesn't really give me this option, which is one aspect I'd perhaps change if I was handed the keys to the Cotopaxi kingdom.

I'm gonna pop my woolly winter mountaineering hat on for a moment: it seems a shame there isn’t a larger capacity version for winter adventures. It’s great that ice axe attachments have been considered but for the kind of remote Scottish freezing season outings I enjoy, I usually need much more storage space for all my winter kit and emergency items. However, it’s a double-edged sword, as I do like that the Tarak forces a more essentials only approach to packing and I end up being lighter on the trail because of it. Give me a 50-liter pack and I’ll fill it with stuff I don’t really need – I’m sure I’m not alone here either. Anyway, a larger version would be nice.

Another feature I’d have welcomed is a mesh helmet holder, which could have been designed to slot into the lash chains down the back of the pack, holding my climbing helmet in place. Of course, I had the option of threading a helmet’s strap through the loops, though it then bounced around a bit as I walked. Given the pack's low capacity, the ability to secure the helmet on the outside would have been great.

All in all, this is a minimal and versatile pack that should be applauded for its sustainable design and flair. It may not be as fully featured as some, nor be quite as tough-as-nails as a high end pack – but then, I've got so excited about its repurposed materials and its elegant simplicity that I've almost forgotten about the price. As a daypack, it really does represent excellent value. So, kind on your wallet and kind on the planet. And, well, that's half the battle, isn't it?