>>1079520No backpack at all, just a bag of around 15l (german army assault pack, similiar to the usmc buttpack).
And even that is mostly empty unless I'm collecting wild fruits (which is the reason I carry it in the first place, in winter I carry no bags at all for daytrips), most gear (canteen, water filter, flare / pepper gun, knife) goes on my belt. mainly because backpacks make me sweat like an ox.
whether 35l is to much depends on what you put in there. Some questions to help you along:
Do you carry water in your pack / part of it on your belt / only a filter to drink from streams?
By day trip, do you mean sleeping at home before and after, or do you have to carry a sleeping bag / blanket to sleep in some trailside hut or hostel?
Do you eat on the trail? If so, do you cook (and thus need a cooker + pot)? do you carry your food with you / collect it on the wayside / buy on the trail?
what emergency gear do you carry (flares, first aid kit, emergency blanket / bag, radio, bear spray etc.)?
Do you carry a change of clothes in case you get wet, sweaty or dirty? A second pair of shoes? Rain gear?
