What is your recommendation for a small backpack?
When I'm in the mountains I use a Mystery Ranch Crewcab pack.  It's expensive and it works well. But for local hunts where the stand is hung and I'm only hunting about 2 hours I need a smaller pack. I have a badlands but it's too stiff and it takes three hand to pull the zippers shut.
Tedd

Primos Bowhunters vest

I use my daughter's old book bag from elementary school.......works excellent!

Catquiver solves ALL the problems: pack, quiver, and keeps flething dry

comes in many sizes and flavors

I had the same problem with my badlands back. Now I'm using a kuiu icon pro 1850.
But for what you are talking about I always used a camelback or Gregory etc many bike back. They work awesome. Are light weight and work like a champ.

I use a Badlands with no zipper problems.  

You can probably pick up a medium sized inexpensive pack at Walmart that will do the job.

Any cheap backpack from Wal-Mart is good enough for me to tree stand hunt with. Its only going to hang on the tree beside me, no need to spend much on it. Long distance backpacking is a different matter.

Day one pack has no zippers, nice little pack.

I have a couple crooked horn outfitter packs that I use. They are nice and quite and have plenty of room for a day pack.

I only use a day pack when I turkey hunt, because I carry my ghillie in it. Mostly I just use a haversack from Asbell.

Day one. Dead silent. I don't carry my hang on on my back anymore. I carry my little Lone Wolf on my hip. Good little system that works for me.

I also love my catquiver.  Plenty of room for all I carry, though it can be tough finding that little thing I need in the large pocket.  That said the three pockets in mine let me separate my major categories of stuff, like calls and scents, pruning and paper and less used items and gloves , mask and arm guard into pockets I know where to look.

Camel back. Small strong and can hold some water to wash your hands after you field dress your deer

It seems every year I try to solve this problem by going minimal. I stuff stuff in my cargo pockets. I also, every year abandon this before walking out the door. I just can't get all I "need" in those pockets!

I use a Sitka fanny pack when it is warm and I only need one spare (warmer) top,  I go to Sitka day pack when the temperatures drop enough to need a down vest.

I have a fleece Cat Quiver VI that I just love ... very quiet, you can put lots of stuff in it or almost nothing if you wish. Chest strap and a good waist strap. Three main compartments and three waist compartments on the right with a water bottle pouch on the left.  Keeps your stuff organized so your not rummaging around your pack looking for something. Very comfortable pack and the zippers work great.

I do not use with the quiver attached, just the pack. It also has a hanging strap loop

Um, for 2 hrs I'd use my pockets.

I use a Haversack.  Most of my whitetail hunting is two to eight hours. I wear a couple of different pant options so having everything in the Haversack keeps it to a dress,grab and go process. My Haversack is a Bison Gear but you could do well with Asbell

I have an old fleece fanny pack that I got for a dollar. It works great and keeps me from carrying too much junk with me. That's just for hunts that last a couple hours though.

check out the Rancho Safari Catday V. It is fleece for quietness while wearing it, has lots of pockets, nice zippers and lots of lashing points for other gear.

I no longer hunt from a tree stand. And most of my hunts are half days on the weekend. I started using a cheap Haversack last season. A $7 swedish gas mask bag. I get everything I need for the day in that bag. I still wind up carrying too much!