k way transit 75 travel pack

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K-Way Transit 75 Travel Pack - Like New

Product information

0.0 out of 5.

Only used once.

The K-Way Transit 75 is a serious travel bag, which can easily compete with the best in the world. The zip off daypack is perfect size for hand luggage or sightseeing. The back is designed using the Air Vantage System, which encourages ventilation - something you will be very grateful for when you carrying 75 litres on your back.

• Photography

TRANSIT Travel Backpack

Description

Product highlights.

• All-Day Comfort
• Built-to-Last
• Hidden Passport/Travel Wallet Pocket

Hidden Airtag Pocket

• 5L of Expansion (Sizes are max capacity.)
• Laptop & Tablet Sleeve

Dual Quick-Draw Side Access

Horizontal luggage pass-through.

• Accessory Strap Attachment
• Weather-Resistant Material

Specifications

• Volume: 35L
• Weight: 4.1 lbs (1.9 kg)
• Dimensions: 19.5"H X 11.5"W X 8.5-10.5"D (49.5 X 29.2 X 21.6-26.7 CM)
• Volume: 45L
• Weight: 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg)
• Dimensions: 22"H X 12.5"W X 9-11"D (55.9 X 31.8 X 22.9-27.9 CM)

Trip Length: 3 to 5+ days

TRANSIT Travel Backpack is ideal for:

All Day Comfort

Patent Pending WORRYLESS™ Locking Zipper Pullers

5 Liters of Expansion

Hidden Passport Pocket

Laptop and Tablet Sleeve

The WANDRD Ecosystem

Stowable Shoulder Straps

Overview Video

Take a look at the TRANSIT Travel Backpack. 

Can you fit a camera cube in the TRANSIT Travel Backpack?

Both the Essential and the Essential Plus Camera Cubes fit in the TRANSIT Travel 35L and 45L Backpacks.

Are the TRANSIT Travel Backpacks waterproof?

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TRANSIT Carry-On Roller

WANDRD Tote Backpack

Travel Wallet

Customer reviews.

• 5 Stars 58 Reviews
• 4 Stars 6 Reviews
• 3 Stars 1 Review
• 2 Stars 0 Reviews
• 1 Star 0 Reviews

Well designed travel backpack

A little heavier than I expected, but boy the backpack is well thought out. It’s reminiscent of the hexad but much more designed for carrying on your back as the former was a half duffel.

Glad I took the risk and get it, gonna be using it for my smaller video shoots and traveling backpack.

It's a great bag

It's perfect for simple travel packing with a camera.

Thanks developers

This is the best that I've used.

It's nice and comport to use!

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Heimplanet Transit Line Travel Pack Review

Durable, environmentally friendly, and urban focused. Despite minor nitpicks, the Heimplanet Transit Line Travel Pack is quickly becoming one of our favorite backpacks.

Video Review

Our verdict.

Save time. Get access to brief summaries of our reviews so you can browse and make decisions more efficiently.

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• Great design in terms of both aesthetic and function. Everything comes together really well.
• Well thought out components and functionality that work well in practice.
• Liter independent compartments make for easy packing.
• Although innovative, the Hypalon attachment system is a tad clunky.
• Shoulder strap tightening mechanism takes a while to get used to.
• Hip belt not padded and doesn’t distribute much weight.

Technical Details

Carry-on compliance.

View 116/145 Airlines

Disclaimer: We take the measurements of the bag provided by the manufacturer and compare them to the allowance listed on airline websites. This should be used as a guideline rather than a rule. Bags can change size as you pack them out, and every airline's interpretation of compliance is different. Just because a bag is listed as carry-on compliant here doesn't mean that the airline will interpret it that way.

Like the Look

Polled on Instagram

660D Polypropylene

Weight (lb)

3.66 lb (1.7 kg)

21 in x 13 in x 7 in (53.3 x 33 x 17.8 cm)

Notable Materials

Hypalon®, YKK Zippers, Polypropylene, Nylon, Polyester, Aluminum

Manufacturing Country

Laptop Compartment Size

Warranty Information

Terms & Conditions

Full Review

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Heimplanet is a tent and backpack company known for their adventure travel and outdoor focus—not exactly a brand you’d expect to find us reviewing… But we’re pleased to announce that they now have a backpack designed with the urban traveler in mind.

Released via a successful Kickstarter campaign , the Transit Line Travel Pack has been developed as a bag that “combines functionality, durability and sustainability.” Heimplanet is making a bold statement with this pack, aiming to create “the last bag you will ever need.”

That’s a lofty goal that we can get behind! But can they pull it off? We put the Travel Pack through two weeks of testing to find out—read on to see how those claims have held up.

Materials & Aesthetic

At the time of this review, the Travel Pack is available in just one color: “Castlerock Grey.” We love subtle, minimalist designs so we’ve been digging this muted color. The low-key gray helps this pack blend right in to a modern, urban environment.

The heathered gray color coordination is created from the two materials that make up the exterior of the pack—specifically, 800D Nylon and 660D Polypropylene . Heimplanet describes this combination of materials as “the heart of the Transit Line,” which was developed for both durability and sustainability.

They even go so far as to say the material will outlast the strongest of military-grade fabrics. Will that statement stand the test of time? We’re honestly not sure—after all, we only tested it for two weeks—but we can confirm that this is some seriously durable stuff. But it does beg the question… if it truly outlasts military-grade fabrics, why isn’t the military using it?

They call this material “Dyecoshell Fabric,” referring to the fact that they dope dye their fabric—which is a sustainable, more environmentally friendly way to dye fabrics. Building tough backpacks that also protect the environment? That’s something we can definitely get behind, so kudos to Heimplanet for going the extra mile there.

One minor downside of this material is that is does pick up some dust, due mainly to the shade. A lot of packs are prone to this, so it’s not a major issue—unless you’re deathly allergic to dust, in which case it could be a very major issue.

Side note: At the time of creating this review we had an Instagram poll about whether or not our audience likes the look of this bag. The results? 47% said they liked the look and 53% said they didn’t! Clearly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—but most of us at Pack Hacker do like the look of this bag.

We often run polls like these, so if you’d like to take part in the next one, hop on over to our Instagram account and hit follow.

Continuing with the long list of materials featured in this pack, we’ve also got some “rubbery” Hypalon attachment points for the hip belt and sternum strap. They form a kind of “modular” strap system, which we will discuss in more detail later in the review.

On to the zippers! If you’ve been following us for any time at all, you probably know what’s about to happen. We’re going to bow down to the YKK gods as we point out that this bag is covered in durable #5, #8 and #10 YKK Zippers . Those #10 YKK zippers are the largest available, by the way—they’re seriously tough and Heimplanet has chosen the water resistant kind.

YKK has never done us wrong, and for that, we thank them. Profusely.

The pockets and main compartments are lined with some polyester lining . It’s patterned with a very “Heimplanet-esque” design on the interior, which is made up of pentagons and hexagons. It reminds us of their tent designs, which is likely where the pattern comes from.

There’s also aluminum hardware in use on the hip belt attachments, which is very durable, and refreshing to see compared to the plastic attachments you see on the majority of packs out there. We’ll always opt for metal over plastic, even if it means a slight increase in weight. And finally, the branding and logo is subtle and tastefully done, which is exactly the way we like it.

Overall, these materials come together to create a unique and tight look that we really appreciate. Great looking pack? Check. Now let’s jump into the components and find out how it performs while traveling.

External Components

Kicking off the exterior of the pack are two perfectly padded grab handles—one on top and another on the side. The top handle is great for pulling the bag on and off public transport, and getting it out of overhead bins. The side handle we found perfectly placed for hauling your pack short distances, like a quick jaunt to your gate or moving it around through security inspection.

We were honestly surprised at how minimalistic and low profile the handles are—they pretty much disappear when not in use, blending right in to the design of the pack. At the same time, they still have enough padding to make them comfortable even when you’ve got a ton of weight in the pack. Really nice execution and material choices on these handles.

There’s an ample-sized elastic stretch pocket for a water bottle (we threw the S’well bottle in there comfortably). You could also get an umbrella in there or a camera tripod if you utilize the compression straps, which we’re coming to soon.

One improvement we’d like to see with the water bottle pocket is a little more stretch variance. The size of items that will be securely “gripped” in here is limited by the lack of flexibility, and it’s possible that smaller bottles might slip right out.

There are two permanent compression straps at the bottom of the pack that are attached right below the zipper to the main clamshell. Excellent placement here—the straps are out of the way of the main compartment, meaning they don’t hinder the use of the main zipper, and the clamshell opens up fully.

There’s also an option to attach additional compression straps at the top of the bag using their hypalon attachment system. Aside from the obvious extra compression, choosing to add compression straps here also makes a convenient loop to stuff a jacket into, and you can use it to hold the top of that tripod in place if you’re using the water bottle pocket as a tripod holder—we tried this and can confirm it works pretty well!

Now let’s discuss that hypalon attachment system, which is a unique and innovative part of the Travel Pack design. This system allows you to use the straps in whatever way is most convenient or useful to you, rather than being restricted by the choices of the bag manufacturer.

What it actually comprises of is a series of rubber loops running up and down the shoulder straps, and a few loops on the front of the pack. To be honest, it’s quite hard to describe in text, so we suggest you take a look at the image above.

As an example of how to use this system, you can choose to attach the previously mentioned “upper compression straps” in a way that runs across the front of the pack, creating a front carry strap system that you can hang or clip external items to. These front-straps are pretty common on bags, especially for skateboarders (we’re looking at you, Chrome)—but rarely are you able to customize them to your liking.

This system gives you a lot of modularity, meaning you have the benefit of choosing how you want your pack to function without the hassle of a bunch of extra straps dangling around when not in use. Simply attach the straps when you need them, in whatever way you’d like, and remove them when not in use for a clean look. At least, that’s how it goes in theory…

Although innovative, we found the hypalon attachment system to be a tad clunky, and it definitely takes a bit of practice to get the straps on and off.

Moving on to the harness system, there are some densely padded shoulder straps that are comfortable even with a lot of weight in the pack. They look pretty thin, but they definitely get the job done.

The load lifters—or “Load Shifters” as Heimplanet likes to call them—are great at shifting the weight properly onto your back. Always a welcome addition!

There are also strap keepers for each load lifter and some hypalon you can stuff the additional strap into, meaning you don’t have to deal with any excess flapping around your shoulders.

The sternum strap attaches with an aluminum bar into those hypalon attachments running down the shoulder straps. As we mentioned with the compression straps, it can be kind of a pain to get these in and out.

Heimplanet Transit Line Travel Pack Sternum Strap

In addition, we found that at certain angles the sternum strap can pretty easily fall right out! The version of the pack we have is a pre-release model, so we’ve shared this information with Heimplanet, who have taken our fix into consideration for the main production run. Hopefully, this gets fixed up, because an unintentional sternum strap detachment mid-carry is no fun at all.

Rounding out the harness system is a plastic strap keeper on the base of the straps. This keeps excess strap tucked away—which is a welcome feature for sure—but we’ve found it often gets twisted up and takes a bit of getting used to when tightening up the straps.

We’ve actually noticed a lot of elastic keepers on this pack, keeping all the straps under control and creating a really enjoyable #dangleFreeExperience! We are all for dangle-free travel and wish other packs would go to this length to keep excess straps hidden away.

Taking a look at the back panel, it’s well-padded and features a pass through system for your roller luggage handle. This is a nice feature that’s a nod in the direction of the business or casual traveler, from a company that usually focuses on outdoor and adventure travel.

The pass through system is well placed and also doubles as a strap hider, in case you just want to use those grab handles and don’t want shoulder straps hanging around.

The hip belt—which is really more of a waist strap due to the height of the bag—is removable via those strong aluminum clips we mentioned earlier.

If you’re having trouble detaching the hip belt—or like us, you’re just too lazy to do it because you know how fiddly it is—you can tighten the strap down and sort of hide it away until you want to use it.

One thing with this hip belt is there isn’t a ton of padding to it. So even if you did have a lot of weight in the pack, it’s not going to be all that comfortable. And to be honest, the positioning of this hip belt doesn’t feel like it distributes a ton of weight off of your shoulders anyway. So rather than taking a huge load off, we found the hip belt is better suited to just keeping the pack anchored on your back.

At the end of the day, at 34L this pack isn’t that big—so whether you need a hip belt or not will be up to you and the gear you’re carrying. If it’s not needed, it can be removed and left at home.

Although we have a couple gripes with the harness system, overall it’s a really solid, comfortable carry. If they update the hypalon loop system so the sternum strap is more secure and add a little padding to the hip belt, it would be pretty close to a home run in our book.

Inside The Pack

Starting at the top of the pack, there is a quick access pocket that has ample space for quick grabs—perfect for your passport, phone, and other items you’ll want to reach for as you’re dashing through airport security.

This pocket is closed with a YKK Racquet Coil #5 zipper. Racquet Coil zippers are used on a lot of luggage due to their strong attachment points, so it’s good to know that your essential items will be securely stowed away in there.

There’s another pocket on the side of the pack, which we think is quite cleverly positioned. If you’re wearing the pack on your left shoulder, you can slide it around to the front of your body on that shoulder strap, and the pocket is right there, facing upwards. We like to think we looked super slick and cool every time we did this—but that might just be our imagination. Either way, a nice feature.

Moving on to the main clamshell compartment, we’ve got a #10 water resistant YKK zipper closing it up. That’s pretty much the strongest zipper they make, so your gear will most definitely be safe inside and you shouldn’t have any durability issues.

Unfortunately, these zippers aren’t lockable. This is kind of a shame, particularly for one bag travelers who want to ensure their gear is safe in the hostel or on public transport. Making the zippers lockable would have been a simple addition with a big impact.

The zippers are also water resistant, which is a great choice. That doesn’t mean the bag is waterproof (it’s not) but the extra water resistance is a good addition as it prevents water seeping through the gaps in the zipper, which can be an issue with larger zipper sizes.

Moving on to that main clamshell compartment—this thing opens WAY up, allowing you to organize and access everything inside.

Looking at the back panel first, it features a large, padded, felt-lined laptop pocket with a velcro latch to keep the laptop in place. It’s big enough for even the largest laptops—we fit a 15 inch MacBook Pro in there without a problem.

Below that there’s a smaller pocket for a tablet, which is the same in all other aspects except that it doesn’t velcro shut.

Heimplanet Transit Line Travel Pack Mesh Pockets

There are two elasticated mesh pockets just below that, which are very flat and ideal for storing papers or flat documents, and are tight enough to clip pens on to. It’s interesting to see organizational features near the laptop section—a rare addition in our experience—and we found them useful for anything work-related. However, they aren’t 3D, so don’t expect too much capacity.

Moving on to the other side of the clamshell, we have some lay-flat 3D pockets made from the same mesh material. The good thing about these pockets is that their capacity can still be useful when the main compartment of the pack is fully loaded. The flexibility of the mesh and the 3D design means they’re somewhat independent from the liter size of the main compartment. This a well thought out system that has been executed really well.

The packing of the main compartment is similar to the Minaal Carry-On 2.0 , which they refer to as “scoop side packing.” You simply open the main zipper for full, unobstructed access to the roomy main compartment. We like to use packing cubes—such as eBags Ultralite Packing Cubes or one of the Eagle Creek Pack-It Spectre Cubes range —to maintain organized packing.

Heimplanet Transit Line Travel Pack Horseshoe Access Pocket

Here’s a unique feature you may not have seen before: there’s a horseshoe zipper at the top, on the front of the pack, which opens up to allow you to reach into the main compartment and grab essential items rather than opening up the full clamshell. This is great for when you’re outside and it’s either unsafe or unwise to be opening your pack up fully.

We found this allowed us to be strategic when packing the bag, placing essential or potential quick-grab items near that zipper opening, making them easily accessible while out and about.

At first, it did seem a little clunky—it looks weird when the pack is empty, and also necessitates the weight of an extra zipper. However, in practice we’ve found it to be really great for compartmentalizing all your gear and providing access from both ends. Very smart thinking here that benefits the packer, and a really nice feature that solves a genuine problem.

Overall, we love the internal features of this pack. The capacity of the main compartment isn’t affected by the pockets, and the organizational features are all functional and practical.

Durability & Testing

At the time of this review, we’ve been using this pack daily for about two weeks. We can report that it’s been “so far so good,” and we haven’t experienced any major issues.

Although we’ve noticed a couple gripes with the harness system, there weren’t any durability issues that affected the performance of the pack—just minor nitpicks that affected experience.

Heimplanet uses a bunch of high quality materials when putting this pack together, and they even go as far as to challenge military grade materials to an endurance competition in their Kickstarter video!

We certainly don’t anticipate any major durability issues with this pack and we’re excited to see how it holds up with continued and extensive use.

Usage Timeline

Condition: Excellent

Great aesthetic and durable materials.

No external blemishes or damage. Expect it to keep performing without problem.

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The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks

By Kit Dillon

Kit Dillon is a writer focused on bags and travel gear. He has worked for Wirecutter for a decade and lost count of the number of bags he has tested.

When you open up your favorite carry-on travel backpack, it should feel like you’re opening the door to a well-organized closet or sitting down at a clean desk, with everything in the right place and easy to reach.

This is your moment to center yourself, no matter how chaotic the journey.

What we considered

A 45-liter bag maximizes overhead space but can get heavy when fully packed; 35-liter bags tend to be more manageable.

A bag with a clamshell design opens like a book and is the easiest to pack, but a bag that opens traditionally tends to have more structure.

Ideally, a travel backpack has handles on all sides—especially the bottom—so you can pull it out of overhead bins or from under seats.

Some internal pockets are useful, but major organizing is better managed with packing cubes.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L offer the best combination of features, quality, and durability. Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization. Though these backpacks are great as companion bags for any trip, they’re designed to ultimately replace all of your other luggage and become your exclusive bag as you travel.

This style of packing is not for everyone, but once some people try it, they’re forever hooked. Finding the right bag is a personal choice, though, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we also have picks that are great for people who travel for work , others that are designed to be carried over long distances , and a bag that’s basically luggage on your back .

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, best small carry-on bag for most situations: cotopaxi allpa 35l travel pack, best large bag for most situations: peak design travel backpack 45l, best mobile office: patagonia black hole mlc 45l, best bag for long journeys on foot: osprey farpoint 40 and fairview 40, best bag if you need a large suitcase on your back: tortuga travel backpack pro 40l, other good carry-on travel backpacks, how we picked and tested, the competition.

I’ve been covering aspects of luggage and travel bag design for Wirecutter for nearly a decade, and I have personally researched, tested, and compared hundreds of bags in that time. I personally try to do most of my travel with a single backpack, whenever possible. I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that, and I spent another six months nomadically couch-surfing in New York City.

I reached out to writers who specialize in traveling the world carrying everything they need in a single bag: Eytan Levy, the owner and operator of the Snarky Nomad travel website; James Feess, founder of The Savvy Backpacker ; and Sharon Gourlay, of the Where’s Sharon? travel website. I also spoke with moderators of Reddit’s r/onebag and r/heronebag forums, as well as with Chase Reeves, bag fanatic, reviewer, and owner of Matterful .

We researched and tested bags designed for those who want to travel light and stay flexible while flying, without the burden of checking luggage. For some people, the challenge of cutting down a packing list is intimidating. But if you can get past that initial hurdle, traveling with a single bag is a revelation. With fewer items, you have more time to concentrate on and appreciate the journey.

• When you’re not loaded down by heavy luggage, it’s easy to remain more mobile. And it’s easier to adjust your plans mid-trip. If you’re willing to do laundry on the road, then one bag is all you need to travel indefinitely. At its heart, one-bag travel allows you to discover more—not just about the places you’re going but also about yourself and what you really need day to day.
• Size and weight still matter. If you desire more creature comforts or more gear, or if you plan to be away for a long time across multiple climates, you’ll want a bigger travel backpack . These larger bags tend not to be carry-on-friendly, however, especially in Europe, so be prepared to check them.
• No single backpack is perfect for everyone. Before you make any purchase, consider some basic points. How much can you carry? And where do you usually visit: the city or outback? Travel gear should feel like a welcome companion—there to support you when you need it but unobtrusive when you don’t.

45-liter bag vs. 35-liter bag

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

This durable bag’s clamshell design makes it easy to organize your stuff. And due to its strap design, this bag can be worn on your back or carried in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack is an easy-to-organize, comfortable-to-carry bag for getaways lasting just a few days or a whole week.

It’s one bag that can do it all. This is a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. There are handles on all four sides of this bag, so it’s easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it. It’s also protected by a full lifetime warranty, and it has the build quality to back that up. After more than four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item ) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage I use.

It comes in various sizes, but we think the middle-of-the-road version is the best. Cotopaxi also makes the Allpa in 28-liter and 42-liter sizes. But for us, the 35-liter bag is the best option. At 42 liters, this bag becomes heavy for most people to carry when it is fully packed, and we’d prefer that it had a more-robust hip belt. At 28 liters, the bag becomes a touch small for most people, and its internal organization feels fussy for shorter trips, such as an overnight. Cotopaxi also makes a hip pack , which is designed to fit snugly into the Allpa bag’s front top compartment. It’s a neat little addition to the bag, and it is worth getting if you like wearing fanny packs while you travel.

It’s organized, easy to pack, and easy to carry. The Allpa bag has a clamshell design, so it opens like a hard-sided suitcase—a large YKK zipper runs around three sides of the bag, allowing it to fall open into two halves when unzipped. On the right side is a deep compartment, spacious enough for two large packing cubes or half a suitcase’s worth of clothing (which you access through a mesh zippered flap). On the left, there’s space for one more medium-size packing cube behind a zippered flap. Above that there are two smaller pockets with high-visibility backing—useful when you’re looking for hard-to-differentiate personal items.

It’s secure but still accessible. The Allpa pack has two side-access zippers—great for on-the-go access, especially when the bag is hanging from your shoulder. One of these reveals a flat computer pocket with a padded false bottom; so if you drop the bag, it won’t land on the corner of your computer. The other reveals a “secret” pocket with a hidden zipper and access to the main compartment. All of the main compartment zippers are protected by security loops, which you thread the zipper through at the end of its run. This prevents anyone from subtly or quickly grabbing a zipper and opening your bag when you aren’t paying attention.

It’s comfortable to carry. The Allpa bag’s hip belt—which can be removed while the bag is on your back—is substantial enough that it’s comfortable to wear when you need it. With or without the hip belt, the Allpa bag is comfortable to carry over long distances. However, folks who have longer torsos (over 19 inches) may find that the waist belt sits a little high off the hips, unless you fully extend the shoulder straps. Speaking of shoulder straps, unlike the ones on our other picks, the Allpa bag’s straps are contoured to fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The Allpa pack is made with 1680-denier ballistic nylon, similar to the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . (Denier is a measure of a fabric’s fiber thickness.) It feels similar to a strong canvas, but it has a more prominent weave. This is the type of bag that’s as easy to toss into an overhead compartment as it is into the back of a rusty pickup truck. And it also includes a rainfly, which is unique in this category.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Though this pack is well organized for packing, it’s less ideal as a mobile office. The Allpa pack has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth. This is where a good personal item comes in handy. However, if you want to travel with just this one bag, there are a few nooks you can hide things in. The front organizer is deep enough that you can also fit several small organizing pouches, if you want, or the aforementioned fanny pack.
• We prefer the model without the TPU front. Cotopaxi does enjoy playing around with fabrics and colors. Sometimes the company has released the Allpa pack without the TPU-lined front panel. The TPU panel improves water resistance, but after many years of traveling with our bag, we’ve found that the TPU layering can begin to flake in spots.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight: 3 pounds 5 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: adventurous Colors: assorted

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind. Yet most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility, clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is a good choice for those carrying more expensive gear—especially camera gear. It’s also great for those who prefer a large, backpack-based packing system.

One bag provides many configurations. Some bags in this category are built to do one thing extremely well—be carried on your back. But the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is built to adapt. It’s the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. That’s not the case with the Peak Design: This bag looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack.

It’s expandable, with clever folds and zippers. You can access the bag through a back panel (which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch) as well as a front one (if you unzip the pass-through divider). You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps, which run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters. If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. In this configuration, it will still feel larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for being able to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400-denier nylon and polyester fabrics. It feels tough but not as tough as some other bags we’ve tested, such as the Cotopaxi Allpa.

It has fold-away straps, for easier storage. The Peak Design lets you tuck its shoulder and hip straps away when you’re not using them. But unlike any other bag we’ve ever tested, this pack has magnetic flaps on the back panel that open and close with an almost magical snap. Once you’ve played with them, you’ll wonder why every backpack doesn’t have something similar. A small, childish part of me still gets excited about tucking away the straps when I put the Peak Design into an overhead bin. Although the straps are thin, they’re still comfortable. The hip belt isn’t quite as plush as the one on the Tortuga pack; still, even when the Peak Design is fully loaded, the belt doesn’t pinch or dig into the body.

It’s great for carrying expensive gear. If you travel with a camera, you don’t have to use Peak Design’s camera cubes , but they do make carrying that gear a whole lot easier. The cubes come in five sizes. And if they’re situated properly in the bag with the provided clips, they line up with the Travel Backpack’s side-access flaps for quick access. Caleigh Waldman (a photographer for this piece and, full disclosure, my spouse) took this bag across the country for a wedding shoot. “I want this backpack,” she said after three weeks of travel. “I want to travel with it everywhere. With my cameras. Without my cameras. It doesn’t matter. I want to travel with it.”

• It’s expensive—especially if you commit to the entire system of packing and camera cubes.
• More complexity means more things that can break. The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses. Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty , which should alleviate most people’s concerns. But if you’re particularly hard on your gear and still need to carry as much as possible, you might consider the Tortuga bag instead.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: back-panel loader Style: minimalist and unobtrusive Color: black, sage

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

Combines more organization with a simple interior.

This bag’s split interior makes organizing easy. Those who travel for work will appreciate this bag’s dedicated panels for organizing tech, books, papers, and assorted miscellaneous items.

If you travel often for business and prefer a bag that’s much easier to work out of than most of our other picks, you may like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L . This bag has a front panel and assorted pockets that make it feel like a small traveling office.

It’s built like luggage but organized like your office. Of all the bags we recommend, the MLC (short for Maximum Legal Carry) comes closest to being a suitcase on your back, due to its large size, simple interior, and minimal external features. The MLC is also one of the simplest bags we tested, divided into two leaves (imagine a book with only one page), with a main compartment for packing and a second compartment for document organization and tech storage. The MLC has a built-in laptop compartment that fits 17-inch laptops and is situated close to your back; this protects the computer and keeps its weight closer to your body.

Despite its size, it’s comfortable enough to carry. Most carry-on backpacks of this size, without frames, become somewhat unwieldy when fully packed. Thankfully, the Black Hole MLC bag, like the Cotopaxi Allpa, is a welcome exception to this rule. The MLC has two shoulder straps, a hip belt, and an optional shoulder strap, for easy carrying. When they're not in use, or when you’re checking your bag, all of the straps can be stowed away easily. When fully loaded, the bag was pleasant to carry—not as comfortable as the Peak Design or the Osprey, but decent enough. I wouldn’t want to carry it all day across a city, but I wouldn’t mind carrying it through an airport to a car and to a hotel.

It’s built from high-quality materials, with durability in mind. This pack is made from recycled polyester, and the fabric is woven in a cross-weave that’s very similar to what Patagonia uses in its long-lasting Black Hole series of duffle bags . This is a material I’ve come across a bunch with Patagonia gear, and I’ve tested it thoroughly; it’s very tough. The front of the bag is coated in a weather-resistant TPU, for extra protection from the elements. The bag has large YKK zippers (the industry leader) and smaller YKK zippers throughout. Unlike the Cotopaxi Allpa pack, the Black Hole MLC bag has no security loops.

It comes with one of the best repair programs and a lifetime warranty. Similar to our other picks, the MLC is backed by an excellent lifetime warranty , and we’ve always found that Patagonia’s repair program goes above and beyond other comparable companies.

• We wish the Maximum Legal Carry (despite the name) came in a few more sizes. The 45-liter capacity may be intimidating for some people, and there is no alternative.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 3 pounds 10 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell Style: retro Colors: tan, black, olive, green

Osprey Farpoint 40

For long distances on foot.

A great starter option for one-bag travel, this bag is easy to pack, adaptable to most situations, and sturdy enough to take with you as you travel the world.

Osprey Fairview 40

For long distances and smaller torsos.

A scaled-down version of the Farpoint, this bag has shoulder straps that are slightly lower, to keep the bag’s bulk more aligned with smaller torsos.

Updated in 2023, the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 packs are both built around a hiking backpack frame that’s easy to carry over long distances.

It’s built for travel but designed for hiking. The Farpoint 40 bag is well made, easy to pack, and comfortable to carry over most mid-length distances—such as walking across a city for an afternoon. (For simplicity’s sake, everything we say here about the Farpoint bag also applies to the Fairview bag.) Osprey makes excellent backpacks for hauling around, and its lifetime warranty is renowned within the industry . The Farpoint pack also has an optional messenger bag–style strap, which offers some flexibility when you’re maneuvering tight spaces like subways or crowded city centers.

It’s simple to pack, but not as spacious as it seems. Opening the bag reveals a clamshell design; it’s deep enough to accommodate most large items, yet you won’t have to fumble awkwardly with zippers once it’s time to close up the bag. The feeling you get is not unlike when you’re packing a bit of sturdy luggage, and that’s something we love about bags like this one—especially when you use packing cubes . Osprey says this bag, when fully packed, can carry 40 liters. But after using the Farpoint bag for a few years, we’ve decided that its rounded shape seems to cut into that theoretical packable space more than other bags do. In practice, the Farpoint pack’s available space is closer to—but still less than—that of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L .

It’s the easiest bag to carry among our picks. Like all Osprey bags, the Farpoint 40 has very comfortable shoulder straps. The years of design and consideration Osprey has put into its hiking backpacks are quite evident in the Farpoint 40. After more than seven years of long-term testing this bag, we’re still surprised by how great it feels to wear when fully packed. Crucially, the straps of the Farpoint 40 stow away neatly behind a zippered panel. However, when you’re using the shoulder straps, the design forces you to also use the hip straps. Though this isn’t a huge issue, if you prefer a sleeker look or would rather have the option of using shoulder straps without hip straps, the Cotopaxi Allpa pack is more flexible, and it lets you hide the waist straps while the bag is on your back.

The Fairview 40 has the same features, in a scaled-down size. The Farpoint 40 and the Fairview 40 packs basically have the same design, but the Fairview pack is made for someone with a more-diminutive torso. It’s also slightly lighter. However, it has the features and durability of the Farpoint bag. It also has the same hip belt and adjustability. On both, the chest-strap clip is also equipped with a small security whistle that’s surprisingly loud. It’s a handy feature for anyone traveling in unfamiliar environments.

• For a smaller carry-on travel backpack, this one has little to not like. However, we do wish Osprey would trade some of the sleeker contours for a little more interior space.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight (Farpoint): 3 pounds 3 ounces Weight (Fairview): 3 pounds 2 ounces Main compartment access: front-panel loader Style: active Colors (Farpoint): green (Gopher), gray (Tunnel Vision), blue (Muted Space), black Colors (Fairview): blue (Winter Night), red (Zircon), blue (Night Jungle), black

Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L

A suitcase to carry on your back.

For dedicated single-bag travelers, this water-resistant, durable bag is easy to pack and to travel with. And it’s comfortable to wear over endless miles—as long as you don’t mind the heavier weight.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L maximizes packing space in a bag that’s durable, water-resistant, and customizable to fit most torso lengths (there’s also a 30L version ), with plenty of organizational features to suit any digital nomad.

It’s like a suitcase, with backpack straps. The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L is built to occupy the maximum carry-on space available. It’s a nearly perfect blend of backpack and luggage. On the outside, its tear-resistant sailcloth and sealed zippers provide ample protection from sharp objects and the elements. Opening the main clamshell zipper reveals a cavernous interior and a few organizational features that make the bag a cinch to pack. The front panel is a particular standout, great for keeping track of electronics and chargers. Of all the bags we tested, the Tortuga strikes the closest balance between the carrying comfort of a hiking backpack and the space and organization of a piece of luggage.

It’s as easy to pack as luggage. When it comes to packing, the Tortuga pack has a soothingly minimal interior, as any good suitcase should. In addition to the bag’s cavernous main pocket, its interior lid has a large vented panel. The panel is too narrow to hold additional packing cubes, but it’s great for holding light jackets or doubling as a dirty-laundry bag (if you’re really committed to one-bag travel). The Tortuga is available as a 40-liter pack (the maximum space for a carry-on bag), which we tested; there is also a 30-liter version, which is compliant with some intra-European flights. The more-diminutive version is a decent choice for weekend travel or for minimalist travelers—but for those uses, we prefer the space-saving profile and extra internal organization of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L bag.

It’s very customizable. The Tortuga pack is the most adjustable model we tested, thanks to its adjustable torso length, shoulder straps, and waist-belt system. The adjustable strap system lets you manipulate the location of the shoulder straps (video) to fit a wider variety of body sizes, in both the 30- and 40-liter versions. Of the packs we’ve tested, this one (with its included load-adjuster straps at the top, to prevent the bag’s weight from sagging toward your lumbar region) is the best at distributing its weight (4½ pounds when empty—roughly 1½ pounds more than most of our other picks, except the Peak Design ). The hip straps are removable if you need, but the shoulder straps are not stowable.

• Its straps don’t stow away. Some people, especially those who are hard on their gear, may consider not being able to remove or stow the shoulder straps (as they can with our other picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa ) a disqualifying factor. But after years of testing, traveling with, and occasionally checking our bag, we haven’t had an issue. However, if these mysteries beneath the airport also make you nervous, you might prefer our picks with easy-to-stow straps, such as the Peak Design.
• It's heavy. We’ve also fielded complaints from some testers who said that older models of this bag were too heavy for them to carry, even with the padded hip belt and adjustable straps. The additional padding does add weight. At 4½ pounds, this latest Tortuga bag is more than half a pound lighter than it used to be—the difference is noticeable—and it weighs the same as the equally large Peak Design pack. But if you think you would struggle carrying this model, we strenuously encourage you to consider one of our more-manageable picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L.

Capacity: 40 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: minimal, with a rigid construction Color: black

If you want to travel like a backpacker but also fit in at a board meeting (and you have the budget for it): Consider the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . This bag’s reputation for durability, adaptability, and a low-key aesthetic make it a favorite among many dedicated one-bag travelers. And after testing it, we think it’s a great bag too. That said, for the bag to really stand out against other backpacks—and to take full advantage of its carrying adaptability—you need to buy the internal frame , the hip belt , and (if you’re traveling with a suit or jacket) the shoulder strap . On a bag that already costs $330, all of this adds up. Everything about the Tom Bihn bag (the fabric, the zippers, the quality of construction) feels like an upgrade from other bags, but it’s simply too pricey, and its design is too rarified and specific for most people. The biggest flaw, from our perspective—apart from the price—is that the Tom Bihn bag lacks a dedicated laptop pocket. In its place, the company sells laptop sleeves (a fine version if you don’t have one) that clip into the bag’s central compartment. Not everyone needs a dedicated laptop pocket, but we prefer the more secure feeling of bags that do.

If you want a budget pick (but only when it’s on sale): The eBags Mother Lode Travel Backpack (our former budget pick) is still your best budget option, if you can catch it on sale for at least half off the list price. It’s not comfortable enough for trekking long distances on foot, but there are plenty of external pockets for organization, a laptop sleeve (which holds the weight of your computer high up on your shoulders), and an easy-to-access main compartment. This pack also has the largest capacity of any bags we tested, expanding to 65 liters—well beyond any airline’s regulated 45-liter limit. However, the bag’s casual-to-basic looks might not be to everyone’s taste. In 2024, eBags raised the price of the Mother Lode to $200. We have seen it on sale for $100, and in our opinion it’s worth getting only at the sale price.

We’ve narrowed our specifications for a great bag to the following list of features, ordered from most relevant to least:

• Front- or back-panel loader or clamshell opening, for the main compartment: As with any good piece of luggage, with this type of bag, you should be able to open it and see everything you’ve packed. When you have a bag with a panel-loading or clamshell design—rather than a traditional, top-opening design—you can pack and unpack it just as you would a suitcase.

• Backpack strap comfort and design: You never know when you’ll be walking farther with your bag than you’d intended. The more comfortable and well designed the straps are, the easier traveling will be. “Ideally, you want a bag’s shoulder straps to adjust to the angle of your shoulders,” said Eytan Levy of Snarky Nomad. “Good shoulder straps are the difference between an easy trip and a hard trip.”
• Hip-belt comfort and design: A hip belt transfers heavy loads from your back and shoulders onto your hips, letting your legs—not your back—bear the brunt of the weight. Just having a waist belt is a plus, but having a padded and sculpted one—especially on bags with over 40 liters of volume—makes a world of difference.
• Material quality: Durability is critical for any type of luggage, but especially for a backpack that will be your only bag. Most bags worth considering are made of nylon, which resists abrasion more than polyester fabrics of similar density. Spending more, however, can get you exotic, light, and strong materials, such as Dyneema or sailcloth.
• Weight: Once the bags arrived, we weighed each one ourselves. Most of the bags weighed within a few pounds of one another. But unless you’re very strict with yourself, by the time you’re packed for a two-week journey, all bags are going to feel equally massive, even if one is just 2 pounds heavier than another when empty.
• Stowable straps: These are nice to have, but they aren’t absolutely necessary. “The more often you need to check a bag, the more often you need to hide away the straps,” Levy said. “But if the straps are tough enough, it doesn’t matter.”
• Accessory pocket layout and design: Some people will love an accessory pocket that has a specific space for everything; others may find that feature constricting and unadaptable. We prioritized bags with simple designs that guided our packing without constraining us.
• Style: This is purely subjective. We preferred bags that had a minimalist exterior style, but not all of our picks will please everyone. Most of the people we spoke with, however, preferred not to stick out like a tourist wearing a large, colorful backpack, if they could avoid it.

During testing, we flew across the country with these bags, took weekend trips to nearby cities, lived out of them on extended trips, and tried them locally in our daily routines. We also packed and unpacked each bag, using a standardized set of weeklong travel necessities and accessories, to see how well the internal organizational features (or lack thereof) aided or got in the way of efficient packing.

This is not a comprehensive list of all of the carry-on travel backpacks we have tested. We have removed any models that have been discontinued or that no longer meet our criteria.

The Away Outdoor Convertible Backpack 45L is a rare miss from the Away team. This bag is resoundingly average for the price. Although it’s made from excellent materials, the bag is let down by its overall design, which lacks any kind of structure or attention to comfort. There are better options.

The cheap, no-frills Cabin Max Metz bag is intriguing for the price. Any bag at this price should almost be considered disposable. That said, if you need a simple bag that costs less than a seat upgrade, this might be the way to go—unless you can pick up the eBags Motherlode bag for under $100, which we think is a better deal at that price.

The GeniusPack Travel Backpack is the only model we came across that tried to fit a suit into a travel backpack. Though some people might need that, we think those who have to travel with a suit (or clothes that require pressing) would be better off with a piece of carry-on luggage . GeniusPack now offers a second version of this bag, but our conclusion hasn’t changed.

For certain people, the GoRuck GR3 is almost worth the cost. It’s strong and simple and covered by an iron-clad repair guarantee. The removable hip belt is comfortable to wear, and it’s good at displacing the weight of a 45-liter backpack. This is a decent bag. After testing it, however, we weren’t thrilled with the internal Velcro lining for compatible Velcro packing cubes. Velcro isn’t great: It wears out, it’s difficult to keep clean, and it clings to dirt. That might seem like a small thing, but for the price, this bag should feel perfect.

The Minaal Carry-On 2.0 was designed to be a backpack for business people. But if you’re carrying it for business, you’re probably wearing at least a blazer, so you wouldn’t use a backpack in any case. If you’re a business traveler who falls more on the casual end of the business-casual spectrum, and you’re not on a budget, this is a well-thought-out pack. But we think our picks are more versatile for world travel, and they come at a better price. Minaal has since introduced a 3.0 version of this bag ; our thoughts about it remain the same.

The Osprey Sojourn Porter 46L is a slightly larger sibling of the Farpoint pack. The Sojourn Porter bag is about 2 inches longer, and it pushes right up to most airline limits. If you don’t mind possibly having to check your bag at the last minute, this would be an excellent alternative to the Farpoint pack.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Chase Reeves, Matterful.co , phone interview , October 10, 2018

Addison Ryan, moderator, r/onebag , email interview , September 8, 2018

Lindsay Lorraine Calderón, moderator, r/heronebag , phone interview , September 28, 2018

Meet your guide

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

Further reading

The Best Travel Backpack

by Geoffrey Morrison

For trips ranging from a week to multiple months, the Osprey Farpoint 55 and Fairview 55 carried everything we needed comfortably.

The Best Buy It for Life Backpack (Please Don’t Call It Tactical)

by Kit Dillon

A buy-it-for-a-lifetime backpack should last you for years of heavy use. But as with all investments, you need to decide if it makes sense for you.

Wirecutter’s Favorite Bags, Totes, Backpacks and Carryalls

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Whether you’re going to school, work, the gym, the store, or on vacay, you need a bag. Here’s the Wirecutter-recommended carrying gear we love most.

The Best Laptop Backpacks

by Zoe Vanderweide

A great laptop backpack protects your tech, is comfortable to carry, and looks good, too. These five bags are our favorites for wrangling your workday gear.

The Best Carry On Backpacks For Travel (Updated for 2024)

My favorite travel backpacks from 5 years of testing.

This best carry on backpacks for travel post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on a link, we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Please read our full policy below , thank you for your support!

The Best Carry On Backpacks For Travel – Complete Buyers Guide

If you want to see all the best carry on backpacks for travel in the same place, you have come to the right place. This is a collection of my favorite travel backpacks after years of testing. I started One Bag Travels in 2018 and have since tested hundreds of packs, these are my favorites.

If you’re looking for a Duffel Bag , this is the post for you: Best Duffel Bags For Travel

For more options, I have compiled a handy filterable Comprehensive Travel Backpack Spreadsheet .

What’s included in best carry on backpacks for travel?

• Bags are in the 25-35 liter range. These bags will all easily fit as a carry-on for most major airlines, while some are small enough to use as a personal item. Not all bags in this list will comply with all airline carry-on regulations. Check this dimension chart and your airline policy before you fly.
• Bags are convertible, meaning they can be carried multiple ways. They should have either an over the shoulder strap, top and side handles, backpack straps, or a combination of these.
• One-bags are intended to be mobile and versatile, not cumbersome. Included are clam-shell style, top-loading, and tri-fold backpacks. No rolling luggage is included in this list.

My favorite travel backpacks in alphabetical order:

Able Carry Max Backpack

Cost: $278 Capacity: 30 liters Dimensions: 20.5” x 12.5” x 8” (52 x 32 x 20 cm) Style: Panel Loading Weight: 3.79 lbs (1.72 kg) Laptop: 17” Materials: VX-21 X-Pac (blue color), 1000D Cordura Nylon; YKK Zips; Duraflex hardware Origin: China OBT Reviews: Able Carry Max Backpack (YouTube); Able Carry Daily Plus (YouTube) Shop: Able Carry Max

Able Carry has created some incredible designs since their inception in 2018. The Hong Kong based company has a focus on sleek, functional, high quality travel and EDC backpacks, using some of the best materials (X-pac fabric and YKK zippers). The 30 Max Backpack size opens up into a large clamshell style, giving you access to a large main compartment. Good interior and exterior orginaztion for small items, an exterior water bottle pocket, and luggage pass through sleeve make the Max Backpack great as a minimalsit carry on, or a larger personal item bag.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Small

Cost: $229 Capacity: 28 liters Dimensions: 19″ x 13″ x 7.5″ (48 x 33 x 19 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 3.62 lbs (1.64 kg) (X-Pac fabric) Laptop: 15.6” Materials: 1680D Ballistic Cordura ® Nylon or VX42; YKK Zippers OBT Reviews: Aer Travel Pack 3 Small ; Travel Pack 2 Review , Aer vs. Minaal 2.0 Shop: Aer Travel Pack 3 (35L) Aer Travel Pack 3 Small (28L); 3 Small X-Pac Fabric

The updated smaller version of their bestselling Travel Pack. Aer Travel Pack 3 small is lighter and smaller, better suited for minimalist travel. It’s compressable so can double as an EDC pack, but with a clamshell style opening that makes it great for travel. The Travel Pack 3 comes standard with tough 1680 ballistic nylon. For a slightly lighter, more waterproof version, check out the X-Pac fabric.

Bellroy Transit Backpack

Cost: $259 Capacity: 28 liters Dimensions: 20.8″ x 14.2″ x 7.5″ (53 x 36 x 19 cm) Style: Panel Loading Weight: 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) Laptop: 16” compartment Materials: YKK #8 Aquaguard zippers; Leather accents Fabrics: Black = Dura Nylon; Nightsky = Baida Ripstop; Ranger Green = Baida Nylon OBT Reviews: Bellory Transit ; Shop: Bellroy Transit Backpack ; Bellroy Transit Backpack Plus (38L)

Two words: minimalist elegance. The Bellory Transit Backpack epitomizes the simplicity of a well made travel backpack. Comfortable enough to carry long-distances, yet still large enough to hold all your clothes and a 15″ laptop. Use it as a weekend bag, or a full-time travel backpack for the skilled traveler. If you need something a little larger, the Transit Backpack Plus has a nearly identical style but with an increase of 10L capacity.

Cabin Zero ADV Pro 32L

Cost: $146 Capacity: 32 liters Dimensions: 18.1″ x 12.2″ x 7.9″ (46 x 31 x 20 cm) Style: Panel Loading Weight: 2.0 lbs (0.92 kg) Laptop: 15.6” Materials: 500D Ripstop Nylon; water-resistant coating OBT Reviews: Cabin Zero ADV Pro 32 (YouTube); Blog Version Shop: Cabin Zero ADV Pro 32L

Cabin Zero always impresses me with their ability to create a high-quality, comfortable, well designed packs at reasonable prices. The ADV Pro has a classic top-load design, it’s priced as a budget backpack, but the carry system is excellent, and the pack is extremely well made. The downside being that it has a rather small laptop compartment.

Cabin Zero Military 28

Cost: $95 Capacity: 28 liters listed (<25L tested) Dimensions: 15.7″ x 11.8″ x 5.9″ (40 x 30 x 15 cm) Style: Panel Loading Weight: 1.9 lbs (0.85 kg) Laptop: 15.6” Sleeve Materials: 500D Ripstop Nylon OBT Reviews: Military 28 YouTube ; Classic 36 Youtube ; Military 28 Blog Shop: Military 28 ; also a similar design but larger the Classic Plus 32L

Cabin Zero is a British company that focuses on simple, lightweight bags, but with features upgraded from your basic budget backpack. The Military 28 is one of my favorite minimalist packs because it’s very well made for the price, it has an extremely simple design that maximizes volume, while also keeping a comfortable carry system.

Cotopaxi Allpa 28

Cost: $170 Capacity: 28 liters Dimensions: 19″ x 12″ x 9″ (48 x 30 x 23cm ) Style: Clamshell Weight: 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) Laptop: 13” Materials: TPU coated 1000D polyester, 840D ballistic nylon paneling, YKK Zips OBT Reviews: Allpa 28 Review ; Allpa 35 Review ; Packing Demo Farpoint vs Setout vs Allpa ; Shop: Allpa 28 ; Allpa 35 ; Allpa 42

Cotopaxi is a unique brand with a unique look. The Allpa is wonderful travel bag with excellent interior mesh compartment organization and a comfortable carry system. The interior pockets mean your gear stays separated without the need for packing cubes. The thick rubberized exterior fabric is extremely durable, and they offer many fun colors to choose from.

Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 26

Cost: $299 Capacity: 26 liters Dimensions: 19″ x 12″ x 8″ (48 x 30 x 20 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 3.38 lbs (1.53 kg) Laptop: 17″ dedicated compartment Materials: 420 denier high tenacity nylon 6 OBT Reviews: CTB 26 (YouTube); CPL 24 (YouTube); CAP 1 and 2 Pouches are great also Shop: Evergoods Civic Travel Bag

Evergoods is known for making well-designed urban and outdoor gear with the highest quality materials. I’ve taken their bags all over the world from Croatia to Jordan and I love their simplicity and ruggedness. The smaller bags easily doulbe as an EDC pack, with great laptop protection. The 3D pockets means your gear doesn’t compete for volume which makes for easy packability.

Knackpack Series 2 Expandable (Medium)

Cost: $265 Capacity: 24-35 liters (expandable) Dimensions Unexpanded: 19″ x 12″ x 4.5″ (48 x 30.5 x 11.4 cm) Dimensions Expanded: 19″ x 12″ x 9.5″ (55 x 36 x 24 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 3.0 lbs (1.36 kg) Laptop: 15″ dedicated compartment Materials: 420 denier high-density nylon; PU water-resistant coating; YKK Zippers OBT Reviews: Series 2 ; Series 1 vs 2 ; Convertible Duffel ; Expandable Sling ; Medium vs Large (Series 1) Shop: Knackpack Large , Also Knackpack Medium (17-31 L), Knackpack Small (16-29 L)

The Series 2 improves on an already great design. Sleeker and more organized than the original, the expandable design removes the need to carry a separate daypack. The Medium size is a modest 24 liter travel backpack, that expands out to 35L if you pick up extra gear on your trip. Remove your gear at your location and it doubles as an EDC daypack with great tech organization and lots of easy to access pockets.

MEC Outpost 35

Cost: $139.95 Capacity: 35 liters Dimensions: 22″ x 13.4″ x 6.7″ (56 x 34 x 17 cm) Style: Duffel Weight: 2.76 lbs (1.25 kg) Laptop: 15″ Materials: 70D ripstop nylon OBT Reviews: MEC Outpost 35 (YouTube) Shop: MEC Outpost 35 ;

Osprey Porter Sojourn 30

Cost: $175 Capacity: 30 liters Dimensions: 17.5″ x 14.6” x 10.63″ (44 x 37 x 27 cm) Style: Duffel Weight: 3.1 lbs (1.41 kg) Laptop: 15” sleeve Materials: 1680 ballistic polyester; 460 ripstop nylon; YKK Zips OBT Reviews: Osprey Sojourn 2023 Update ; Osprey Porter vs Sojourn Shop: 2023 Osprey Sojourn Porter 30 ;

Think backpacking backpack turned travel bag. The Osprey Farpoint 40 is a favorite among hiking enthusiasts that enjoy travel. The bag is very functional, however lacks some of the features that make it strictly a travel bag. The large clamshell style large gear compartment is great for holding your clothes. The front has a laptop compartment that is light on organization for smaller items. However backpack straps are some of the best in this category and make carrying your gear comfortable.

Pakt One V2

Cost: $285 Capacity: 28 liters Dimensions: 18.9″ x 11″ x 9.8″ (48 x 28 x 25 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 2.8 lbs (1.27 kg) Laptop: 16” internal sleeve Materials: Recycled nylon; YKK zips OBT Reviews: Pakt One V2.0 Shop: Pakt One V1 ; Pakt One V2

If you’re like the carry style of duffels, but the organization of a clamshell suitcase, the Pakt One does a great job of filling both these roles. It’s simple, looks great, and comes with a ton of internal and external organization. A lay-flat, suitcase-style main compartment makes packing a breeze without the need for packing cubes.

Patagonia Mini MLC

Cost: $199 Capacity: 45 liters Dimensions: 22″ x 16″ x 9″ (56 x 41 x 23 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 3.6 lbs (1.66 kg) Laptop: 15” Materials: Polyester ripstop, TPU laminate Shop: Patagonia Black Hole® MLC®

The Patagonia MLC 45 is a classic favorite among one-bag travelers, it’s even better with Black Hole Fabric. It’s a rugged, clamshell-style bag that converts to a backpack with shoulder strap carry. The main clamshell compartment holds your large items, while an easy to access front zipper pocket allows you to neatly organize your smaller items.

Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L

Cost: $149 Capacity: 32 liters Dimensions: 22″ x 10.5″ x 6.8″ (56 x 27 x 17 cm) Style: Top Load Weight: 1.8 lbs (0.81 kg) Laptop: 15” Materials: 300D Polyester Ripstop, TPU Laminate Shop: Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32

Peak Design Travel Backpack 30

Cost: $299.95 Capacity: 35-45 liters (Expandable) Dimensions: 22″ x 14″ x 9″ (56 x 36 x 23 cm) Unexpanded Style: Panel loading Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) Laptop: 16” x 11” x 1” (40.6 x 30 x 2.5cm) Materials: Weatherproof 400D and 900D nylon; EVA foam; metal components OBT Review: PD Blog Review , YouTube Review , PD vs Outbreaker , How to Pack PD Travel Backpack, PD Travel Accessories Shop: Peak Design Travel Backpack

The modular design and great organization make the PD Travel Backpack one of the best carry on backpacks for travel. Custom packing cubes fit perfectly in the bag, as well as a whole slew of useful cubes and pouches . Cons? The shoulder straps are thin for such a large bag, and expandability is limited.

REI Ruckpack 28

Cost: $139 Capacity: 40 liters Dimensions: 24″ x 13″ x 10″ Style: Top load Weight: 4.2 lbs (1.90 kg) Laptop: 15” Materials: OBT Reviews: REI Ruckpack vs Osprey Farpoint , Ruckpack vs Farpoint Video , REI Ruckpack Blog Review , Ruckpack Video Review Shop: REI Ruckpack 40

The REI Ruckpack 40 is a top-load style travel bag with fabulous stow-away backpack straps. This bag is more of a backpacking backpack that converts to a travel bag. The water reservoir can double as a laptop sleeve. While the top loading style popular with backpacking, has an extra-long zipper that allows more accessibility for travel.

Thule Aion 28

Cost: $159.95 Capacity: 34 liters Dimensions: 20.5″ x 12.2″ x 9.1″ (52 x 31 x 23 cm) Style: Top Load Weight: 2.8 lbs (1.25 kg) Laptop: 15.6″ Materials: 800D nylon Shop: Thule Subterra 34 , and Thule Subterra 30

Tom Bihn Synik 30

Cost: $300 Capacity: 34 liters Dimensions: 20″ x 13.4″ x 8″ (51 x 34 x 20 cm) Style: Top Load Weight: 3.0 lbs (1.36 kg) Laptop: 15″ Materials: 525 nylon, 420 ripstop, or 400D Halcyon Shop: Tom Bihn Synik 30

A new bag from Tom Bihn and already a favorite over at r/onebag . Designed for the urban explorer who doesn’t need much more than a laptop, a few electronics, and a small stash of clothes. The front organizational pockets are almost legendary, with the uncanny ability to store a ton of gear without affecting the capacity of the main compartment.

Tortuga V4 Travel Backpack

Cost: $179 or $199 Capacity: 35 or 45 liters Dimensions 35 : 21.5” x 13.5” x 7.5” (55 x 34 x 19 cm) Dimensions 45: 22″ x 14″ x 9″ (56 x 36 x 23 cm) Style: Clamshell Weight: 3.4 lbs or 3.9 lbs (1.54 or 1.77 kg) Laptop: 17” Materials: 900D polyester with DWR coating, YKK zips OBT Reviews: Tortuga Setout 35 Review , Setout 35 YouTube , Outbreaker vs Setout , How to Pack the Tortuga Setout , Osprey Farpoint 40 vs Setout 35 Shop: Tortuga Setout Men’s , Setout Women’s Version , or Smaller Setout Divide

The Tortuga Setout Backpack is a clamshell style travel bag with comfortable backpack straps. One spacious main compartment holds the bulk of your gear. Smaller mesh inside pockets help with organization. Round out the bag with great features like the lockable zippers, hide-away backpack straps, and water bottle holder.

ULA Dragonfly

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Excellent list! In my mind, I always thought there was the Osprey Fsrpoint and the Tortuga Setout. Now I’m seeing that there are many, many options, even within my budget. Thanks for taking the time to make this list.

Thanks, glad you like the list! There are a TON of carry on backpacks out there, so many great choices.

[…] The Best Carry On Backpacks For Travel (Updated 2020) […]

[…] The Best Carry On Backpacks For Travel (Updated 2022) […]

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The 14 Best Carry-on Backpacks of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

These spacious and comfortable carry-on backpacks can easily replace a suitcase.

In This Article

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• Our top picks
• Others We Liked

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Travel + Leisure/Joy Kim

Skip the stress of checking in a bag or lugging a traditional carry-on suitcase around an airport by adding a carry-on backpack to your travel gear. Practical, functional, and hassle-free, a carry-on backpack can fit up to a week’s worth of clothes, depending on your wardrobe and packing prowess. Whether you’re backpacking through Europe or embarking on a weekend getaway, this style helps make your trip as efficient and enjoyable as possible.

We tested dozens of carry-on backpacks and evaluated them based on traits like capacity, comfort, durability, and design. First, we tested the backpacks in our New York City lab and utilized our airplane set complete with row of real plane seats and overhead storage bins. We then took them out into the world for six months to further test each bag on a variety of trips. From rugged to sleek styles, we tested plenty of carry-on backpacks ranging in design and size that impressed us.

Best Overall

Cotopaxi allpa 35l travel pack.

• Capacity 5 /5
• Design 5 /5
• Durability 5 /5
• Comfort 5 /5

The backpack has an unstructured style that makes it easy to pack clothing and accessories, plus a plethora of thoughtful features catered to frequent travelers.

There isn’t a designated water bottle holder.

Salt Lake City-based outdoor gear brand Cotopaxi builds brightly colored clothing and accessories to last. The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack earned our top pick as the best carry-on backpack with its perfect performance in all categories of our testing. We loved its high capacity and thought the unstructured style was ideal for wedging clothes into every corner, maximizing packing space in the clamshell-style compartments. The shell is made of a TPU-coated 1000D polyester with a rubbery feel, and although it feels resistant to liquids, the backpack comes with a rain cover to ensure that your belongings stay dry while traveling. Handles on all four sides of the backpack make it easy to carry and lift into an overhead bin from any angle. The only downside to the bag is that it doesn't have a water bottle holder on the sides, so you'll have to carry one or try to fit it in the top pocket in the front.

We think this durable Cotopaxi bag will remain in excellent condition no matter how many times it hits the road, as it was not damaged at all after we repeatedly tossed it onto the ground. The rubber texture also seemed easy to clean and resistant to liquid spills. After six months of regularly using the bag, we found that it's the perfect size for long weekend trips and helps keep all of our items organized and easy to access. Both stylish and functional, this backpack can even be made one-of-a-kind by choosing the surprise colors option when purchased through Cotopaxi’s website.

The Details: 35 liters | 20 x 12 x 8 inches | 3.8 pounds | TPU-coated 1000D polyester, nylon | Padded laptop sleeve

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + leisure / Jhett Thompson

Best Convertible

Away f.a.r. convertible backpack 45l.

• Design 4.5 /5

We love how comfortable it is on your shoulders and back thanks to the soft materials and cushioned shoulder straps.

At nearly 22 inches tall, this pack may be too long for those with shorter torsos.

You'll be surprised by just how spacious this backpack is. The main compartment opens up like a clam shell for easy access to items that allowed us to fit an entire four-day packing list with ease — plus a few extra items. There are multiple large compartments, compression straps, and a few pockets in this backpack that are ideal for organizing clothes, gear, and accessories. While the 45-liter backpack can grow heavy when completely filled, the padded shoulder straps are supportive and keep you comfortable when walking for long periods of time. Plus, the convenient duffel handles allow you to switch up your carrying style if you do grow fatigued.

This backpack also sports a well-padded laptop sleeve that protected our testing laptop when we threw the fully packed bag off a counter three times. There was also no sign of rips, scuffs, or tears in the bag's fabric after our tests. This water- and abrasion-resistant backpack would be perfect for avid travels who are looking for a sleek backpack to take them from city explorations to camping adventures.

The Details: 45 liters | 21.7 x 13.6 x 9.5 inches | 3.32 pounds | Water-resistant

Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim

Best Budget

Asenlin 40l travel backpack.

It’s spacious and comes with three packing cubes to stay organized while traveling. 

After six months of use, the bag is scuffed up with noticeable scratches.

Perfect for travelers on a budget, the Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack impressed us with its packing features and comfortable fit. We thought the bag provided excellent organization thanks to the interior and exterior compression that provided extra room for packing. The backpack comes with three different packing cubes in small, medium, and large. We also like that this backpack includes both a suitcase strap and a handle to hold it horizontally. The backpack itself also features straps inside and a laptop sleeve to easily hold down items and pack electronics.

The design didn’t blow us away like those from some of the more costly brands, but it does have a laptop sleeve and a water bottle holder. We also liked the flexibility of being able to wear the Asenlin as a backpack, hold it like a briefcase, or use the trolley sleeve to slide it onto a roller suitcase’s handle. However, a bigger adjustment range for the chest strap would have been ideal. During our durability tests, the backpack didn’t scuff or show signs of damage. We think this budget pick is well worth the low price for those looking to get a durable, comfortable, and spacious carry-on backpack. 

The Details: 40 liters | 18.5 x 12.5 x 9.5 inches | 2.7 pounds | Polyester | 17-inch laptop pocket

Best Traditional

Samsonite silhouette 17 backpack.

• Design 4 /5
• Durability 4 /5

Thanks to its clamshell design, it’s like a suitcase without wheels.

Some of the straps weren’t intuitive to use.

The Samsonite Silhouette 17 Backpack is ideal for travelers who like the structure and sleek, minimalist style of a traditional suitcase but want the portability of a backpack. We love that this bag opens like a suitcase, making it easy to access everything inside. There was plenty of space leftover after packing the backpack, and the classic clamshell opening allowed for easy access to items in the compression-strapped main compartment and the zippered pockets on the inside of the front flap. All of the interior and exterior pockets, including the water bottle holder and padded laptop sleeve, are useful for traveling. You can convert the backpack to wear as a duffel bag or a briefcase, and it has a rear strap to place on a rolling suitcase if desired. The straps were easy to adjust, and it felt like the weight was nicely distributed thanks to the structured style of the backpack. There was a small scuff on the bag after we tossed it on the floor during our durability tests, but the contents of the backpack remained unharmed. When flying with the bag during our six-month testing period, we found that it easily fits in airplane overhead bins and under the seat. Overall, it’s a backpack with the features of a well-compartmentalized suitcase and much more.

The Details: 13 x 20.5 x 10.5 inches | 3.31 pounds | Polyester, recyclex | Padded laptop pocket | Convertible straps

Best for Photographers

Peak design travel backpack 45l.

• Value 4.5 /5

You can access the main compartment on the bag from four different exterior zippers.

This is one of the most expensive backpack on our list.

This 45-liter backpack has a main compartment that is spacious enough to fit clothes for at least four days, and its expansive design is helpful for packing bulky items like jackets and shoes. Placing the clothes and shoes into the bag during testing was efficient and simple thanks to a removable divider sleeve and compression straps to hold everything down securely. Designed with photographers in mind, this backpack functions similarly to a camera bag . It can fit camera cubes, and it has four points of entry to the main compartment, allowing travelers to quickly grab clothes or accessories without unzipping the backpack. There is a padded laptop sleeve and stretchy side pockets for water bottles or a camera tripod. 

Peak Design didn’t let any space go to waste on its backpack, so even the hip belt has a small pocket on it for storage and can be packed away when you’re not looking for extra support. It’s also easy to adjust all of the straps to prevent weight imbalances and pinching. Made of weatherproof and water-resistant recycled nylon, the bag held up perfectly after we tossed it on the ground, showing no signs of scuffs or damage — exactly what you want in a durable backpack . Although the price of this bag is steep, it comes with plenty of helpful features for travelers, and the stellar performance leads us to believe that it would last a long time. 

  The Details: 45 liters | 13 x 22 x 9.5 inches | 4.8 pounds | Nylon, polyester | Laptop sleeve | Expandable

Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Best Compression

Tropicfeel shell backpack.

• Comfort 4 /5

It can be converted from 40 liters for traveling to 22 liters to use as a daypack. 

The handle on the top of the bag wasn’t as comfortable to hold onto as we hoped. 

We love this backpack’s thoughtful features geared toward all types of travelers. The Tropicfeel Shell Backpack has the ability to store up to 42 liters worth of clothing for a weekend or week-long trip, but you can also use it as a 20-liter backpack for day trips, sightseeing, and everyday use. After regularly using the bag for six months, we found it to be incredibly sturdy and durable. We had no issues fitting our full packing list and found that there was plenty more room thanks to the variety of buckled straps that allow you to adjust the size of the bag. You can loosen the front buckle to allow the roll-up opening flap to expand to fit more items, and there is a kangaroo pouch at the bottom of the backpack that provides an additional six liters of space for shoes or other items you want to keep separate. There’s also a padded compartment in the back of the backpack that can fit laptops up to 17 inches long. We thought the backpack was comfortable to wear after adjusting the shoulder and waist straps, but we found that it might take some effort to get the buckles into your desired setting. 

The Shell Backpack didn’t show any signs of damage throughout testing, and the material is weather-proof. For travelers looking to add upgrades to their backpack, the brand has an organization system and accessory pouches that you can add on for additional fees. If you need an all-in-one backpack, we think this backpack’s versatility makes it well worth the higher cost. 

The Details: 20-42 liters | 12 x 20 x 7.5 inches

Best Organization

Topo designs global travel bag 30l.

Topo Designs

• Capacity 4 /5

There are tons of pockets and a laptop compartment to help you organize your belongings.

After six months of use, we noticed the bag can feel quite heavy if packed full.

Packing for a trip can often feel tedious, but the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 30L helps make it easy and efficient. We loved how convenient it is to store a laptop up to 15 inches in the padded compartment in the back of the bag, and there are two front pockets for easy access to a tablet or phone charger. There are a ton of compartments and pockets that offer plenty of options for staying organized with small or loose items in the absence of packing cubes, with places to stash cords, travel documents, electronics, water bottles, and more.

The adjustable shoulder straps and straps that go across the chest and waist help evenly distribute the backpack's weight, making it more comfortable to carry around, although we noticed during our long-term testing that the bag can still feel heavy if you pack it completely full. The 100 percent recycled nylon material felt durable and would likely stay in good condition over time. 

The Details: 30 liters | 12.5 x 20 x 7 inches

Best Customizable

Roam the continental.

• Capacity 4.5 /5
• Comfort 4.8 /5

You can choose from four colors to customize the shade of the front, back, sides, and straps of the backpack. 

The laptop sleeve isn’t padded.

Customized luggage can be hard to come by, but Roam’s The Continental backpack makes it easier than ever to build the carry-on backpack of your dreams. The front, back, sides, and straps of the bag can be red, green, black, or blue, or you can keep the backpack all one color for a monochromatic look. We were a bit worried about the light colors when we first got our hands on this bag, but after four months of traveling, is has no signs of wear and tear, there are no stains or loose threads, and everything is still in good shape. We were also impressed by the exterior pockets to stash headphones, snacks, chargers, water bottles, or anything else you could need whether lounging in the airport or mid-flight. The bag is made with a lightweight, water-repellent fabric and YKK zippers so it easily handles temperamental weather while traveling. Spacious and easy to access, the front flap opens wide so packing the bag with clothes and shoes was a breeze, too. The laptop pocket in the back could easily fit a 17-inch device, but it isn’t padded, so you may want to store your computer in a case to be on the safe side. 

The Details: 26 liters | 17.75 x 14 x 8 inches | 2.4 pounds | Water-repellent fabric | Laptop pocket

Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao

Best Expandable

Nomatic travel pack.

• Capacity 4.8 /5
• Comfort 4.5 /5
• Durability 4.5 /5
• Value 4.8 /5

The expandable zippers add an extra 3.5 inches of space which increases the capacity to 30 liters.

Some of the pockets feel unnecessary.

The Nomatic Travel Pack is the ultimate versatile carry-on backpack thanks to its expandable zippers that add an extra 10 liters of space. Ideal for an overnight trip or a long weekend getaway, the bag has a variety of pockets and compartments to efficiently organize shoes, clothes, accessories, and technology. While the number of pockets on the interior was a bit overwhelming at first, travelers who like to be extra organized will appreciate the designated padded laptop sleeve, sunglasses case, discrete passport pocket, and plethora of slip and zippered pockets in the main compartment. The handles and padded shoulder straps are comfortable for carrying the bag, and the small-to-medium size of the backpack makes it super comfortable to carry since it doesn’t feel bulky or heavy. We used this bag on a variety of international trips throughout four months of testing, and it still looks new, despite rough handling and being shoved under airplane seats.

The Details: 20 liters (expands to 30 liters) | 18.5 x 12 x 6-9.5 inches | 4.16 pounds | 16-inch laptop pocket

• Travel + Leisure/Jessica Juliao

Matein Travel Backpack

• Durability 4.3 /5

It has several compartments for keeping clothing, shoes, tech, and accessories organized.

The materials feel a little lower in quality than other backpacks we tried.

If you’re not ready to invest in a pricier carry-on backpack, you can always dip your toes with this functional and spacious one for under $60. This 40-liter backpack has one large main compartment that can fit several tops, bottoms, and a toiletry case without any issues. We particularly love the separate footwear compartment to prevent the bottom of your shoes from coming into contact with clean clothes and that storage can even fit pairs up to size 12. In addition, there is a laptop pocket and a large front pocket with spots to put items like phone chargers, headphones, and other small accessories that could get lost easily. Compared to the pricier bags we tried, this one feels a bit lower in quality, but none of the nylon fabric tore and scuffed during our durability tests, so we still think this bag has a good lifespan ahead of it. 

The Details: 40 liters | 20 x 13 x 8 inches | 2 pounds | Water-repellent nylon

Best for Hiking

Kühl eskape 25.

The 25-liter capacity makes this backpack versatile for an airplane or the great outdoors.

It takes some adjustments to get it to fit comfortably on the back.

This rugged carry-on backpack from Kühl is the perfect option for travelers embarking on an outdoor adventure. The smaller size of this bag is its greatest strength since it can easily fit enough clothes for a weekend trip, or you can use it as an adventure pack for day hikes or camping trips. There are a variety of thoughtful features for hikers including a stowaway hip belt for extra support while trekking, load-lifting shoulder straps, and the bag is made with durable TPU-laminated nylon. Plus, the chest strap slides up and down the shoulder straps so travelers can get the most comfortable fit for their upper body. We found that it takes some extra effort to adjust all of the straps for the right fit, but once you do, the bag is comfortable to carry for long periods of time. For even more versatility, the bag has a padded laptop pocket and a variety of other small and large zippered pockets to stay organized if you’re commuting or traveling for work. 

The Details: 25 liters | 20.5 x 9.5 x 12.5 inches | Waterproof nylon | 17-inch laptop pocket

Best Waterproof

Tortuga travel backpack.

This bag is basically a suitcase without wheels thanks to its large capacity and clamshell-style opening.

The bag can feel a bit heavy to carry when it’s fully packed.

If you’re traveling somewhere with a rainy climate, you’ll want a carry-on backpack like this one from Tortuga that can ward off the elements. It’s made with the brand’s 100 percent recycled and waterproof Shell200 or “sailcloth” material to protect your belongings and prevent bad weather from putting a serious damper on your trip. During a rainy overnight camping trip, the Tortuga Travel Backpack essentially sat in a puddle for hours, yet none of our gear or clothing inside got wet at all, and the bag was easy to clean with just a wet cloth.

This is a seriously spacious bag at 40 liters, so we found that you can seamlessly fit a week’s worth of clothing (or more) between the two clamshell compartments. Because of the split style of the bag, packing it up is hassle-free since it’s easy to see exactly how much space is left on each side. And if you run out of space in the main compartments, there are top, front, and side exterior pockets to store a laptop, accessories, water bottles, and more items that you’ll want to have handy while traveling.

The Details: 40 liters | 21.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 inches | 4.5 pounds | Waterproof sailcloth | 16-inch laptop pocket

Travel + Leisure / Taylor Fox

Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack

This lightweight backpack has a sleek and contemporary design that comes in several earthy colors.  

It has a smaller capacity than many backpacks and can only fit a day or two of clothes.

If you’re looking to travel in style, Everlane’s The ReNew Transit Backpack is the perfect fit. Functional and contemporary, we found it to be best suited for weekend trips because of its smaller capacity. The bag fit all of the packing items during testing, but it would be difficult to fit much more in the main compartment. The ReNew Transit was comfortable to wear thanks to its lightweight polyester material and compact build. The front flap of the backpack has an external pocket for smaller items, and it folds over to attach magnetically to the front of the backpack. During our durability tests, the front magnets stayed securely together, and the body of the backpack didn’t get crushed or damaged. We liked how it can fit under an airplane seat, making it a versatile backpack for traveling with or without other pieces of luggage. There is a laptop sleeve in the back of the bag as well as a water bottle holder on the side and a front zippered pocket below the folding magnetic lock. With four earthy tones to choose from, this is a bag to fit all travel style preferences. 

The Details: 27 liters | 12 x 17.5 x 7.25 inches

Best for Foot Travel

Osprey fairview 40.

The compartments and various straps made packing effortless. 

It’s a large bag, but it wasn’t so heavy that it was uncomfortable to wear.

For travelers journeying on foot, the Osprey Fairview wowed us with its spacious interior and comfortable fit. The straps for walking longer distances are really the best part — making your bag feel like you're carrying less since the weight is so well distributed. The bags have the same storage capacity and general style, but Osprey’s women’s backpacks are designed to fit a smaller torso with waist and chest harnesses that sit upward and outward for a more comfortable carry. In testing, the main compartment and mesh zippered pouch on the front flap proved to be spacious. There are two internal compression straps and one external strap that kept belongings secure through our rough handling, so we think the bag would provide sufficient protection if you do need to check it in for a flight. 

We appreciated the padded shoulder straps and back that made wearing the backpack comfortable, despite the weight of its contents. The Osprey Fairview bags have an internal suspension the brand calls “LightWire” that distributes the weight from the harness to the hip belt, and our shoulders didn’t hurt after carrying the backpack since most of the weight shifted to the lower body.

The Details: 40 liters | 22 x 14 x 9 inches

Travel + Leisure /Jhett Thompson

Other Carry-on Backpacks We Liked

While we tested plenty of high-scoring carry-on backpacks, there were some that almost made our list but didn’t quite make the cut due to several weaknesses revealed during testing. 

Bellroy Transit Backpack Plus : We loved the adjustable sternum and waist straps that you can tuck into the bag when not in use, but we think there are better bags out there for a fraction of the price. 

AmazonBasics Carry-on Travel Backpack : It had plenty of compartments for staying organized and the material felt durable, but there weren’t any standout features that made it a must-have backpack. 

Vancropak Carry-on Backpack, Extra Large 40L : This backpack fits all of the packing items, and it even fits under an airplane seat, but our budget pick performed slightly better and it costs less. 

On two separate occasions, we tested carry-on backpacks in our New York City lab to make sure we were creating this list with the best options from trusted luggage brands. For our latest tests, we built a specially designed airplane set that includes a row of real airplane seats and an overhead storage bin. To date, we've put over 34 carry-on backpacks through a series of trials that compared capacity, design, comfort, durability, and overall value. After completing our in-house testing, we sent the backpacks out with our Travel + Leisure editors to give us insight on how they fared during real-world travel. We have been updating this article with long-term testing insights as soon as they become available. 

To test for capacity, we began by packing the bags with three shirts, two pairs of pants, one jacket, one pair of shoes, and a toiletry bag. We noted if any space was leftover as well as how functional the compartments were for organizing the contents packed. We evaluated the overall design of the bags by paying attention to how they fold out, how well the zippers and buckles work, and the functionality of each pocket or compartment. 

Next, we put on the backpacks and walked around for 10 minutes to rate comfortability. The highest scoring backpacks were exceptionally enjoyable to wear with the weight evenly distributed on the shoulders or hips.

Then, we threw the backpacks a few feet or off a countertop to test for durability. The highest-rated bags had no scuffs or tears after rough handling, and the packed items inside remained unharmed as well. 

Our testers had no previous knowledge of the cost of each backpack until after testing was completed. This allowed us to give an unbiased rating of overall values, where the top bags were determined to be fairly priced based on a high-quality performance, especially for the pricier bags. After our lab tests, the backpacks were sent out for real-world testing for up to six months.

Tips for Buying a Carry-on Backpack

Consider under-the-seat versus carry-on bags.

Not all carry-on backpacks will fit under the seat of an airplane, but if that’s your intended use, we recommend checking an airline’s underseat dimensions before heading to the airport. Similarly, with a carry-on backpack for the overhead bin, you’ll want to double-check the airline’s carry-on size restrictions to avoid paying unwanted fees if the bag is stuffed full of clothes. 

Keep in mind what the bag will be used for

For those traveling by foot, a smaller, lightweight backpack would be better for portability and comfort. For those traveling by air, a compression bag or backpack that has plentiful organization could be a better choice so you get the most out of the limited airline baggage space.

During our test, we packed three shirts, two pants, one jacket, one pair of shoes, and a toiletry bag into each bag and often had extra space for more clothes. Many backpacks come with a laptop compartment , but you’ll want to make sure that feature is included before purchasing yours.

Carry-on size restrictions vary by airline, and it’s possible for a carry-on backpack to not fit within some limits. Most bags will have a product details section highlighting the dimensions of the backpack. If you’re looking to fit the bag solely under the seat , you should check to make sure the bag fits the dimensions while it’s packed.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Anna Popp is a commerce writer at T+L, where she reviews travel products and writes the majority of the team's "Travel + Leisure Trusted" articles. Anna owns several carry-on backpacks, including the top pick from Cotopaxi, so she combined knowledge of traveling with just a backpack and the thorough lab testing and real-world insights to put together this list of the best carry-on backpacks.

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The Complete Guide to K-Way Jackets: History, Reviews and Recommendations

The Origins of the Revolutionary K-Way Brand

Before we dive into the features and benefits of K-Way‘s popular jackets, let‘s first understand the brand‘s history. K-Way was founded in 1965 by Léon-Claude Duhamel, who worked in the retail industry in Paris. One rainy day, Duhamel noticed shoppers entering stores completely drenched by the inclement weather. Always one to spot inefficiencies, he conceptualized a jacket you could wear but folds into a pouch when not needed – no more soggy customers!

The key was using lightweight polyamide material that made K-Way jackets thinner yet reliably waterproof. The pouch enabled easy packing, freeing people from carrying clumsy umbrellas and rain gear. K-Way sold over 250,000 units in the first year alone. Even today, the jackets represent Duhamel‘s vision of fashion meeting function. Let‘s review the most popular 2023 styles.

Top Women‘s K-Way Jackets

K-Way offers versatile women‘s jackets for every season and scenario. Below I analyze two bestselling options using criteria like weather protection, breathability, storage and style.

K-Way Lily Thermo Plus Double Reversible Jacket

The Lily jacket epitomizes flexibility with its two-tone reversible design. One side displays a dark blue water-repellent nylon shell. Flip it inside out to reveal a black quilted puffer insulating layer stuffed with duck down for added warmth yet lighter than traditional padding. Both sides are wind and waterproof with front zip pockets to securely hold small items. Expect to pay around $330 for this smart 3-in-1 jacket, available from extra-small up to 3XL sizing.

While customers praise the Lily‘s warmth and dual styling, few complaints cite awkward front pocket placement that restricts movement. Overall though, this remains a travel-friendly choice to combat cooler and wetter weather.

K-Way Le Vrai 3.0 Leon Half Zip Jacket

Prefer neon highlights with your outerwear? Then check out the Le Vrai 3.0 Leon half zip pullover, sold online for approximately $110. Made of waterproof and breathable ripstop nylon, it‘s tailored for aerobic activities like cycling or running. The bright fluorescent yellow trim boosts nighttime visibility while reflective bands provide supplemental illumination.

To prevent overheating, back vents quickly release excess heat. Further handy features include a headphone port, adjustable hood and hem with elasticized cuffs that buffer against wind. Pack it all down into the zippered pocket when skies clear up. Sizes span extra-small through 3XL but a handful of buyers warn the fit runs small.

Top Men‘s K-Way Jackets

Guys can also gear up for stormy weather with K-Way‘s functional yet fashion-forward jackets. Let‘s examine two of men’s most sought-after designs.

Matching the women‘s version, the men‘s white Le Vrai 3.0 Leon shares identical technical specs like waterproof ripstop fabric and midweight insulation to battle light rain and wind. Fold it down into the zippered pocket whenever unused. Priced around $100, it‘s an affordable go-to jacket from size extra-small up to 3XL.

Most reviewers compliment its easy portability perfect for spontaneous travel. A few people warn against wearing it in heavy rainfall though, since the seams may leak over time. But for typical conditions, it holds up well.

K-Way Le Vrai 3.0 Eiffel Orsetto Full Zip Padded Jacket

When just a windbreaker won‘t cut it, upgrade to the Le Vrai 3.0 Eiffel Orsetto. Built with a thick nylon shell and down feather padding, it resembles a high-end puffer coat with its insulation and sheen metallic fabric. Zip up the front enclosure then adjust the attached hood to seal out the elements. Interior pockets provide storage to secure essentials like phones, cash and keys.cost about $325, spanning sizes XS through 3XL.

Fans praise its winter-worthy warmth and water resistance compared to thinner jackets. Some note the slim fit runs smaller than expected though. Also consider spot cleaning only since the fabric shows stains easily without more vigorous washing.

K-Way Jackets for Kids

Don‘t overlook little ones when gearing up for wet weather. K-Way‘s children collections ensure the whole family stays dry in style without breaking your budget.

K-Way Infant Le Vrai 3.0 Claudine Full Zip Jacket

Made explicitly for kids aged 6 months up to 2 years, the Infant Claudine jacket delivers lightweight wind and water protection. It‘s tailored from black water-repellent nylon paired with vibrant neon zippers, plus a back vent panel and elasticized cuffs to lock in warmth. Sensibly priced around just $65, it packs everything tots need into a tiny package.

The roomy cut allows layering thicker clothes underneath during the colder months. And the zipper tag makes it easy for parents to zip up independent kids. No major complaints aside from wishing additional colors were available beyond classic black.

Who Are K-Way Jackets Best Suited For?

After comparing multiple top-ranked jackets across categories, clear buyer personalities emerge:

• Frequent travelers who need lightweight, packable outerwear.
• Commuters walking or biking in unreliable weather.
• Athletes running or training outdoors.
• Parents wanting affordable yet protective kids jackets.

Common motivations include appreciating stylish looks, handy pocket storage and weatherproofing without cumbersome raincoats. People wanting heavy winter coats or advanced performance for mountaineering may find limitations, but K-Way excels for mainstream use. Next let’s examine what customers say.

K-Way Jacket Reviews: A Look at Actual Buyer Feedback

Scouring popular review sites, patterns appear on why customers select K-Way:

Trustpilot Review Summary

• 313 total reviews , averaging 3.4 out of 5 stars
• Praise for fast shipping and quality manufacturing
• Negative feedback on confusing return policies between regional sites

Sample WonderfulWanderings Review Quote

"Hoods on jackets or sweaters are often either too small, causing the front part of your head to get wet after all; or too big so that the wind blows them off really easily. Neither of those problems occurred with the K-Way jacket I was wearing. The hood stayed on perfectly and kept my head dry throughout the day.”

Sample WomenStuff Review Quote

"It is the warmest and most comfortable jacket I have ever worn and, in my opinion, is an absolutely essential item for anyone who likes to spend time outdoors during the winter months. K-Way’s down puffer jackets are undoubtedly an investment and if properly taken care of will last you for years to come.”

The biggest complaints relate to merchandise returns and unclear instructions between regional sites. But regarding product performance and quality, most reviews give high marks across the categories I assessed.

Comparing K-Way Value Against Competitors

We‘ve established K-Way jackets reliably protect against the elements while looking stylish. But how does value measure up to rivals? Let‘s compare to similar outdoor apparel brands:

K-Way Jackets

• Waterproof ripstop nylon shells
• Packable into attached pouch
• $100-$350 price range

The North Face Jackets

• Goose down insulation
• Athletic tailored fits
• $250-$500+ price range

Patagonia Jackets

• Organic fabrics
• Eco-friendly production
• $100-$400 price range

While Patagonia and The North Face products utilize advanced sustainable materials and weatherproof membranes, their costs limit affordability for buyers on tighter budgets. K-Way bridges the gap by delivering core functionality for everyday lifestyles at friendlier prices. Savvy shoppers recognize the value especially for children‘s lines.

Saving Money on K-Way Jackets

K-Way‘s typical jacket prices span anywhere from $100 up towards $350 depending on insulation and fabric grades. But customers can save money through:

Newsletter Signup Discounts – Provide your email to receive subscriber savings

Free Shipping Over $75 – No delivery fees hitting order minimums

50% Off Sales – Check sales tabs for latest markdowns

Timing purchases right means you can capture seasonal designs for as little as 50% off original prices. Signing up for email newsletters also alerts you to short-term promotions.

Where To Buy K-Way Jackets

K-Way operates both official brand websites and authorized third-party retail channels:

K-Way Regional Websites

• K-way.com (USA)
• Kway.us (Europe)
• Kwaycanada.com (Canada)
• K-way.co.uk (United Kingdom)

External Retail Partners

• Backcountry

When browsing different sellers, be aware that merchandise return policies vary. Amazon provides free returns within 30 days for instance, while Backcountry charges $6.95 handling fees. Wherever you buy, keep all receipts and tags if needing to exchange sizes or colors down the road.

K-Way Shipping, Return and Contact Information

Understanding how to navigate customer service helps ensure a smooth shopping experience. Here are key details for orders and inquiries:

Shipping Policies

• Free over $75, calculated rates below
• Tracked delivery in 3-5 processing + 3-7 transit days
• Duties/taxes additional for international orders

Return Policies

• 30 days from purchase date
• Unworn with tags attached
• Returns take 6-10 days once received

Contact Information

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +1 (812) 392-4161
• Expect 1-3 day response times

Following the appropriate regional website’s guidelines speeds up any exchanges or refunds. Know that K-Way does not currently facilitate exchange-only requests requiring new purchases instead.

The K-Way Recommendation: Stylish Jackets Worth Buying

In the over 50 years since its beginnings, K-Way still delivers on founder Léon-Claude Duhamel’s vision of fusing weather protection with fashion appeal. The jackets withstand typical urban use or fast-paced adventures while folding into impossibly tiny pouches. Kids and adult collections share clever touches like adjustable waists and hoods with elasticized openings to lock out rain and wind.

Perhaps most importantly, K-Way designers understand people buying outdoor apparel also want good looks during daily life pursuits. Whether you‘re biking to work, traveling globally or chasing kids at the playground, rest assured K-Way jackets infuse performance with panache at reasonable prices. Consider one a wise investment buying into generations more of wear, foldability and protection from the ever-changing elements.

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Your Complete Guide to Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)

December 04, 2018

Airport Guides

We’re probably not telling you anything you don’t already know when we tell you that “going to the airport” isn’t exactly on everyone’s bucket list. But just like every destination is different, so is every airport. And just as navigating a new city is challenging in and of itself, so is navigating a new airport. How do I get from one terminal to the next? What are the best airport restaurants? Is there anything to do if I have a long layover?

If you’re anything like us, then these are probably the types of questions you have that perhaps you don’t get push notifications for. But never fear, because we have answers to your airport questions with our series of guides to the world’s top airports. Today we bring you the TripIt airport guide to Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) .

Sheremetyevo International Airport is one of three major airports serving Moscow. It's also Russia’s busiest airport, seeing more than 40 million passengers last year. Originally built as a military airfield for the Soviet Air Force, SVO has been a commercial airport since 1959. It has two main terminal areas, the north and south, which are linked by complimentary bus service. SVO is a primary base for Aeroflot and served by many of the major international airlines.

Sheremetyevo International Airport is located approximately 18 miles (30 km) from Central Moscow. By car or taxi, the airport is at least a 30-minute drive from Central Moscow. Public transportation services the airport from multiple public transit stations, but the quickest way to and from Central Moscow is on the Aeroexpress . Located inside the airport, the Aeroexpress takes 35 minutes and transfers passengers to Belorussky Railway Terminal. Additionally, several  car sharing services are available, and car rental operators are located on the first floor of Terminal D.

Travelers flying through SVO will find a number of familiar fast-service restaurants, including Burger King, Subway, Starbucks, McDonald's, and KFC. Other restaurants for on-the-go items include Teremok (Terminal D), Ramen Club (Terminal F), Surf’n’Fries (Terminal F), and Kroshka Kartoshka (terminals B, D, F), which is one of Russia’s largest chains.

Restaurants of the sit-down variety include T.G.I Friday's (terminals D and F), Spaten (Terminal E) for beer and steak, Pyatyy Okean (Terminal F), Phố Phở (Terminal B),  Mama Russia (terminals B and D), Magadan (terminals B and D), Lunch Point (Terminal F), La Pasteria (Terminal D), and Factory (Terminal D). SVO has many more restaurants, as well as a number of cafes and coffee shops, which you can view on the airport’s website . Finally, look out for the caviar vending machine.  

Many of the restaurants listed above—such as Spaten, specializing in beer—double as great spots to enjoy a drink at Sheremetyevo International Airport. Elsewhere, enjoy a selection of Russian beer paired with sausage at Sibirskaya Korona (Terminal D) and  Krušovice (Terminal B), or Irish fare and beer at Guinness Pub&Kitchen (Terminal E) and  The Irish Bar (terminals B and F). Other bars include American Bar and Grill (Terminal B), Forshtadt Altai (Terminal D), O'Learys (Aeroexpress Terminal), and Schofferhofer (Terminal D).  

Like most international airports, Sheremetyevo International Airport has a plethora of shops, including names you’re probably familiar with, like Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, COACH, Swarovski, and Bvlgari. Unique to SVO, however, is its  History Museum of Sheremetyevo , which is located on the fifth floor of Terminal F. The museum features exhibits, aviation paraphernalia and other items that tell the history of the airport. Also unique to SVO is its own spa, located on the second floor of the Moscow Business Lounge (Terminal D), and featuring a number of treatments for men and women. Other airport amenities include shower rooms and a salon in the Arrivals hall on the first floor of Terminal E. If you want to get some sleep, GettSleep is located in Terminal D, featuring individual sleep capsules with flexible hourly rates, free Wi-Fi, shower cabins, a co-working area and more.

Airport Lounges

Sheremetyevo International Airport has no shortage of business lounges, including the Gallery Lounge (occupying two floors in Terminal D), the Matryoshka Lounge (Terminal D), Moscow Lounge (Terminal D), Space Lounge (Terminal E), Classic Lounge (Terminal F), and Rublev Lounge (Terminal B)—which holds the record for longest buffet of any business lounge in the world. Most of these are available free for priority passengers, certain flight statuses and some cardholders. They're available to other guests for a fee. SVO's more prestigious lounges include the Mastercard Lounge in Terminal E and VIP lounges in terminals B, D, E and F.

Use TripIt’s  interactive airport maps  in the app to discover shop, restaurant, and bar locations. You’ll also have everything you need to navigate your way with estimated walk times and step-by-step directions.

Written By:

SPENCER SPELLMAN

Spencer is a seasoned food, drink, and travel writer who has written for publications from Outside Magazine to Travel + Leisure and Los Angeles Times. When he's not traveling, he's perfecting his favorite cocktails in his home bar. He chronicles his adventures (and cocktails) on his travel site, Whiskey Tango Globetrot.

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