Yeti is well known for the rugged, go-anywhere ethos that it applies to its products. From hardened coolers to adventure-ready drinkware, it’s not the sort of outfit to do things by halves. Now, Yeti has turned its attention to commuter backpacks with this – the Ranchero. 

Designed to tackle the everyday, the Ranchero has been packed with features to make those usual commutes and trips to the office a little easier. But, in typical Yeti style, it has been crafted with loads of rugged touches to ensure that it delivers time after time.

On the flip side, you could see it as a handy daypack to take along with you on shorter hikes. It could even be a family base when you’re going on a weekend away. 

But whereas Yeti has largely carved out its own space in the worlds of coolers and drinkware, the commuter backpack segment is a busy one. The American brand, therefore, doesn’t have the same kind of advantage that it usually has, which is why the Ranchero needs to be really good in order to stack up against the competition. We’ve been testing it both at home and abroad to see how it gets on and whether or not you should be considering it. 

Sphere Score

For

• Rugged construction
• Decent fit after a few wears
• Lots of storage options
• Laptop sleeve feels secure and easy to access
• Good range of colours

Against

• Zip construction is almost TOO rugged
• Top pocket becomes hard to access when the bag is full
• Feels oddly shaped to begin with
• Ideally needs to be laid out flat to get into main pocket easily

Tech specs 

• £275
• 27-litre capacity 
• Pull-to-open RipZip feature
• Water and abrasion resistant with Tuffskin material
• 15-inch laptop sleeve 

What does the Yeti Ranchero have to offer?

The Yeti Ranchero daypack has a thoroughly rugged construction. Things start with the TuffSkin material, which provides a water and abrasion-resistant finish that will prove handy when commuting or travelling in general. Unlike the Panga, the Ranchero won’t provide a completely waterproof option, but it’ll certainly put up a good fight in the rain. 

The Yeti Ranchero that we’re testing is in a 27-litre capacity, but you can also get it in a 22-litre configuration if you’re after something a little more compact. The difference between the two is that the smaller bag gets an internal laptop sleeve, whereas the larger Ranchero has a dedicated laptop pocket instead. The latter is great as it means you can access your laptop independently of the main compartment. 

Three colourways are there to choose from with the Ranchero – Cape Dark Taupe, Black and Olive – but if we know Yeti, then there are likely to be even more shades to choose from on the horizon. Currently, they’re all pretty subdued but do help to maintain a lower profile, which could be a good thing when you’re travelling through busy cities. 

The primary opening for this ruggedly designed rucksack is via the main RipZip access point at the front. This Y-shaped design allows you to open just the top section of the bag for a quicker dive-in point, or open the entire thing so that you can make the most of the space.

Yeti has also included its Groundcontrol base which helps the bag to stand up on its own, while this toughened section won’t fold in, either.

At either side of the back you’ll find nylon exterior pockets for water bottles, too, and we’ve found that they’ll happily accommodate a standard 18-ounce Rambler bottle. 

Comfort-wise, there’s also an attachable chest strap which can help spread the load of the bag. Plus, an elasticated rear strap can allow you to attach the bag to the wheels of a trolley case. 

Wearing – what is the Yeti Ranchero like?

First off, the Ranchero – like so many Yeti products – gives off a decent sense of rugged dependability from the off. The build quality is good, with that hardened exterior of Tuffskin material making for a rucksack which feels built to last. The zipper handles have a solid design, too, and there’s a decent amount of padding at the back. 

When you’ve got the Yeti Ranchero daypack on your back, we found – at least for the first few wears – that there’s quite a pronounced concave to the backpack which means it sits a little strangely. It’s almost like a t-shirt riding up a little high.

However, we’ve estimated that this is down to the rather rigid material as, after a few more wears, it has softened up and become a lot more comfortable.

The optional chest straps make a big difference because at 27 litres, you’ve got a lot of capacity – and therefore potential weight – to work with. 

Accessing the pack is a breeze and we’re glad that there are several pockets. The top section is ideal for items such as passports, headphones and cables, though it can sometimes be a bit tricky to access when the Yeti Ranchero daypack is fully loaded. Items in the main compartment can ‘push’ upwards and compress that top pocket, but it’s only happened once or twice when we’ve been trying to maximise the amount of kit we’ve taken with us. 

The zipper mechanism is robust, too, and we’ve been quite prone to simply unzipping the very top section of the bag rather than the entire length of it. When we’ve chosen to do the latter, it’s sometimes easier to lay the bag out on its ‘back’ and use it almost like a traditional duffel bag. That said, the hardened base of the Yeti Ranchero daypack is great for when you’re out and about and need to take a break – it won’t let the bag fall over and means there’s no chance of all of your gear falling out when you’ve stopped. 

The bottle holders are a highlight, too. Even when you’ve got fully topped-up bottles, they hold them snugly in place and you’re never worried about them sliding out, even when you’re reaching over for something low down. A variety of lash-off places on the bag – including a handy clip inside that top compartment – mean you can keep items such as keys safely attached to the bag when you’re on the move. 

To finish

Yeti’s Ranchero feels like a fine addition to this brand’s range of backpacks. It’s not so much of a travel pack – though Yeti pitches it more as a commuter-friendly model – but it won’t shy away from cross-continent journeys if you need it to. 

While the rather rigid design can make it feel a little odd to begin with, bide your time with the Yeti Ranchero and we’re sure that it’ll soon become a go-to backpack option.