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Aer travel pack 3 review | my hands-on, travel-tested thoughts.

I test the new Aer Travel Pack 3 while on the road in Italy to see how it performs in the real world.

Product Reviews

If you follow The Savvy Backpacker, you know I’m a travel backpack dork so I was excited when Aer recently released the latest iteration of their popular AER Travel Pack. So how does the new Aer Travel Pack 3 compare to the older Aer Travel Packs I’ve reviewed in the past (read my Aer Travel Pack 2 Review and Aer Travel Pack Review ) and is the new Aer Travel Pack 3 still one of the best travel backpacks on the market? Let’s find out!

In this Aer Travel Pack 3 review, I’ll cover everything you need to know to help you decide if this is the right travel backpack for your trip.

How I Tested The Aer Travel Pack 3

I believe the best way to test a travel backpack is to actually use it while traveling since you can see how it performs in a real-world environment.

So to review the Aer Travel Pack 3 I hit the road for a two-week trip through Italy—mainly Rome and Naples where I took trains, used public transportation, and stayed in hotels and Airbnbs. For this trip, I also used my Aer backpack as my only piece of luggage so I have a good idea of how this backpack performs when fully packed out.

For reference, I’ve also continued using my Aer Travel Pack 3 on a few shorter domestic trips since this is such a versatile backpack.

Overview Of The Aer Travel Pack 3

Aer is well-known in the luggage community for making well-designed, high-quality backpacks that have a modern design aesthetic—in fact, the Aer Travel Pack 3 is sold at the NYC’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Design Store so it has some designer street cred.

The Aer Travel Pack caters to travelers who want a premium quality carry-on size backpack that is functional and has a sleek, urban vibe.

And the Aer Travel Pack 3 delivers. It’s comfortable, has a ton of smart organization, and the build quality is some of the best I’ve seen. In fact, Aer offers a lifetime warranty on their bags so they obviously believe in their products.

Aer Travel Pack 3 vs. Aer Travel Pack 2

On the surface, the Aer Travel Pack 3 and Travel Pack 2 look very similar but they’re quite different once you dive into the details.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 features multiple design and functionality improvements that make this bag much better than the older Aer Travel Pack 2 (which was already a well-regarded backpack). The most notable improvements are the updated harness system with load lifters (which was my main complaint on the v2), a slight overall size increase, and a few upgraded materials.

The TP3 ditches the old built-in shoe compartment (which I’m glad to see go), and it features new beefed-up hardware, added zipper pulls, a few pocket adjustments, and better cinch-down straps.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Specs

Here are the specs of the Travel Pack 3 ( via the Aer website )

Size and Weight

• Volume: 35 L
• Weight: 4.12 lbs
• Length: 21.5″ (54.5 cm)
• Width: 13″ (33 cm)
• Depth: 9″ (21.5 cm)
• $279 (X-Pac sailcloth exterior version)

Featured Specs

• 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon exterior
• YKK® zippers
• Duraflex® plastic hardware
• Padded, suspended laptop pocket (up to 16″ laptop) 
• Lay-flat main compartment
• Compression straps with magnetic fasteners
• Quick-access top and side pockets
• Load lifters for support and comfort
• Handles on all sides for versatile carrying
• Expandable water bottle pocket
• Hidden smart tracker pocket
• Internal framesheet for structure & support
• Luggage handle pass-through
• Lockable zippers for additional security

My Hands-On Aer Travel Pack 3 Review

I’ve come to really appreciate the Aer Travel Pack 3 after putting it through its paces while traveling through Italy.

Is it perfect? No. But it’s certainly one of the best travel backpacks I’ve personally tried.

So let’s take an in-depth look into all the details and features of the Travel Pack 3 to see what makes this bag excellent and where it comes up short.

Looks and Aesthetics

The first thing you notice when looking at the Aer Travel Pack 3 is its minimalist, streamlined, and utilitarian aesthetics. It has a sleek, urban techy vibe. The fabric is heavy-duty and all the hardware feels sturdy.

I’m a fan of the look Aer Travel Pack 3 because it feels more refined and modern than other travel backpacks. The bag has a more elevated vibe so don’t feel like a typical twentysomething “backpacker” when I’m wearing it. I also appreciate the backpack’s subtle branding—there is a small “Aer” logo on the side of the bag and a tiny one on the shoulder strap.

I prefer the black color option but it also comes in Grey and Olive—personally, I’m not a fan of the gray color but the Olive is interesting. But, I’d always choose black.

The Aer Travel Pack also comes in a slightly more expensive black X-Pac sailcloth exterior that’s more water-resistant and lighter. The X-Pac sailcloth material has a bit of a sheen (I prefer the look of the regular version) but the extra water resistance of the X-Pac sailcloth is certainly nice.

Materials, Hardware, and Zippers

Like all Aer bags, the Travel Pack 3 is a premium product so the materials and finishings used to construct this backpack are high quality—this is also reflected in the $250 price tag. The backpack’s exterior is made from heavy-duty 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon, the zippers are all YKK®, and the buckles, fasteners, and other plastic pieces are made from durable Duraflex plastic. The padding on the shoulder straps and pull handles are thick for added comfort.

The entire bag weights in at 4.12 lbs so it’s not the lightest bag I’ve tested (for reference, the Travel Pack 3 is 35L and the 42L Cotopaxi Allpa weights roughly the same) but that’s one of the tradeoffs when using sturdy materials.

In short, you can tell they didn’t cheap out on the more minor details on the Travel Pack 3 so this is a sturdy backpack that will withstand plenty of abuse (and it’s all backed up with a lifetime warranty).

Harness System and Comfort

The harness system (i.e. shoulder straps) of the Aer Travel Pack 3 is a huge improvement from the previous generation Travel Pack 2—in fact, the old bag’s harness system was a big disappointment for such an otherwise well-designed and premium product.

Looking at the photos above, you’ll see how the Travel Pack 3 now uses a hiking-style harness that curves to fit your shoulders. This helps keep the weight of the backpack square against your back and up on your shoulders so the weight of the bag doesn’t pull away from your body (which causes added stress to your body. The Travel Pack 3 also has load lifter straps that help the steps confirm to your shoulders so it keeps the bag close to your back.

The shoulder straps are well-padded with about a quarter inch of high-density foam which helps disperse the weight of the load over your shoulders. There is also a good amount of mesh padding lining the back that adds more comfort while wearing.

The Travel Pack 3 also features an internal plastic framesheet that runs along the back of the bag for added structure & support.

NOTE: Aer sells a detachable hipbelt for $20 that can be added to the Travel Pack 3. I haven’t tried it but I assume it would make the bag even more comfortable—especially if using the bag for extended periods of time since a hipbelt distributes the bag’s weight from the shoulders to the hips.

Is The Aer Travel Pack 3 Comfortable?

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is a comfortable backpack but any bag will become less and less comfortable as you add weight—the Travel Pack 3 is no exception. That said, the bag’s hiking-style harness system makes it a great option for point-to-point city travel.

External Design Features

The Aer Travel Pack 3 features multiple smart design features that I truly appreciated after putting some miles on this bag.

The bag has three well-padded grab handles (top and both sides) which are great when you’re grabbing your bag from overhead bins, carrying your bag through train aisles, and other times when you need to carry the bag but you don’t want to throw it over your shoulder. The fact this bag has three grab handles is amazing since most bags only have one or two. The bag also has an unpadded strap on the bottom of the bag.

The bag has multiple types of zippers—all of which are high-quality YKK zippers.

The zipper on the laptop compartment has a weather-resistant coating so that will help keep your laptop safe if you get stuck in a rainstorm.

The other zippers on this bag aren’t weather-proofed but they’re still robust and the action on the zipping/unzipping is smooth.

The main zippers have lockable loops that can be secured with a small luggage lock. The zippers also have nice pulls to help make it easier to use the zippers. The previous version of the Travel Pack had zipper-pulls that made a lot of noise but this version has fixed that issue.

One tiny complaint is that the zippers of the main compartment and the front flap look so similar that it’s easy to confuse the two. I wish Aer put different colored zipper pulls to help quickly distinguish the two zippers.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 has redesigned magnetic buckles on the bag’s four cinch straps. These magnetic buckles are pretty genius because you can buckle/unbuckle them instantly, but the magnets are strong enough to keep the straps securely closed.

The cinch straps have also been moved in this latest version so they don’t obstruct the zippers—unlike the previous version where you have to unbuckle the straps to unzip the bag (it was very annoying).

Internal Pockets and Organization

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is loaded with internal pockets and organizational compartments to help keep all your stuff secure and easily accessible. In fact, it might take you a minute to remember where you put your stuff since there are so many places to stash your gear.

Let’s start with the front panel pocket which is full of multiple compartments and dividers. There’s a deep pocket in the back for documents, a zippered pocket for smaller valuables like your passport, and multiple elastic compartments for electronics accessories, pens, and other small knickknacks.

There’s also a good amount of room in this front panel so there’s space for a light jacket, etc.

On the very front of the bag, there’s a small pocket that has a weather-resistant zipper. It’s not a very deep pocket so I use this mainly for thin objects like paper documents, backup phone cables, snacks, etc. This pocket does have an internal key clip so you won’t lose your keys.

There is a super handy quick-access pocket at the top of the bag that I ended up using all the time while traveling with this backpack. The pocket is also lined with a soft and fuzzy fabric so it won’t scratch up your phone or glasses.

The pocket is large enough to hold a wallet, sunglasses case, passport, and phone (or other small items you need to easily grab while on the go).

The laptop compartment, which is protected with a water-resistant zipper, is located on the back of the backpack and it is comprised of a few different pockets.

The padded laptop sleeve can easily hold my 16″ Macbook Pro and the sleeve has a false bottom so your laptop is protected from hitting the ground.

There’s another large sleeve that can hold flat items like papers/folders, etc.

The compartment also contains a small hidden zippered pocket that offers an extra layer of security for your valuables (passport, phone, wallet, etc.).

On one side of the bag, you’ll find a small zippered pocket that can hold something like a passport and the other side features an expandable water bottle pocket. I don’t typically carry a water bottle so I haven’t tested this pocket but it looks to hold a standard disposable water bottle (not sure it can hold a large Nalgene-style bottle). Alternatively, you could put a small travel umbrella into that water bottle pocket.

Main Compartment

The Aer Travel Pack 3 has a lay-flat, clamshell-style opening, and features a single large cavernous compartment that zips completely open—which makes packing quick and easy. As you can see, it’s super minimal so I highly recommend using packing cubes to keep all your stuff organized.

There’s a small zipper pocket in the sidewall of the main compartment and then another small mesh pocket on the flap—so most of the organization is found on the outer front flap that I covered earlier in this article.

Aer rates their Travel Pack 3 as a 35L backpack so this bag can fit a solid amount of stuff but you still need to be selective in how much you pack. In my opinion, this back is geared towards people who want to travel relatively light.

If you’re a heavy packer, I recommend a 40L+ backpack or you could pair the Travel Pack 3 with a smaller suitcase.

Final Thoughts On The Aer Travel Pack 3

So is the Aer Travel Pack 3 a good travel backpack?

Yes. I honestly like this backpack and I found that it suited my travel style very well. I wouldn’t call myself an ultralight traveler but I certainly travel lighter than most. Through smart packing, I was able to fit enough stuff in my bag for about 7 days (including an extra pair of sneakers that I probably didn’t need) so had to do a wash about halfway through my two-week trip.

However, if you can’t pack reasonably light then this Aer backpack probably isn’t right for you since its 35L size is a bit smaller than similar travel backpacks. Check out my guide to the Best Travel Backpacks for my other top picks.

I love the minimalist styling of the Aer Travel Pack 3 since so many other travel backpacks have a “hiking” style that I don’t love.

I found the back to be comfortable so I had no problems hauling it around for extended amounts of time. I also thought the bag’s organization was smartly designed so I was able to access whatever I needed without much hassle.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is also extremely durable and well-made so I have no doubt in its ability to withstand being thrown around.

But the quality of the Aer Travel Pack 3 comes at a price—it’s $249 for the standard version and $279 for the water-resistant X-Pac version.

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Aer Travel Pack 3 Review

Made with bomb-proof materials, smart features, and understated styling, the Aer Travel Pack 3 is one of our most recommended carry-on backpacks.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is a beautifully designed carry-on travel backpack that’s tough, compact, and has plenty of features to keep you organized on your trip.

At 35L, this bag is on the smaller end of the range (45L being the max size for a carry-on backpack), which means the Aer Travel Pack is perfect for short jaunts, minimalist packers or two-bag travelers.

For this purposes of this review, I traveled with this bag as a single carry-on item for a two-week trip to Costa Rica. Yes, I lived out of just this bag for two weeks and had no problem making it work. Granted, I’m a light packer, but if all you need to carry are some clothes and a laptop, this bag fits the bill.

What’s more, at TravelFreak, we’ve tested, rated and ranked more than 150 backpacks, and the Aer Travel Pack 3 scores in the top five for the carry-on category. With an outstanding 9.1 score based on our 39-point backpack rating system , this bag is one of the best you can buy.

In this review of the Aer Travel Pack 3, I’ll dive into my experience with this bag, what it excels at, and the things I wish were a little different.

The Aer Travel Pack is one of our highest-rated backpacks with some of the highest scores in its class. Living up to their slogan, “Travel Every Day,” the Aer Travel Pack is streamlined for carry-on travel, finding the sweet spot of durability, functionality and value.

• Build Quality 9.7
• Comfort 8.5
• Ease of Use 9.2
• Functionality 9.2
• It functions well for one-bag travel
• Durable material brings peace of mind that the bag will not fail you when traveling
• Functional smart compartments that keep you well organized
• Lay-flat main compartment makes accessing your belongings easy
• Sleek design and minimal design
• Attachment points for extra gear on the outside
• The lack of hip straps limits comfort. I’m not a fan of add on options for features that I deem necessary 
• No rain-fly. Probably not the biggest worry but a little extra rain protection wouldn’t hurt
• Lack of larger size options. I'd love to see a 45L version of this bag as well

Who is The Aer Travel Pack 3 for?

At 35L, the Aer Travel Pack 3 is too big to be used as a daily carry, and it isn’t well-suited for hiking. As the name implies, this pack is truly built for travel. Its smart design helps utilize space efficiently and is easy to keep organized.

The Aer Travel Pack is purpose-built as a carry-on backpack for one- or two-bag travel, and that’s where it truly shines.

They also make a Small version of the Aer Travel Pack which clocks in at 28L of carry volume. At 28L, I see this smaller version working really well as a crossover bag with dual function as a travel bag and an everyday bag. On the other hand, the regular sized 35L bag is going to suit two-bag travelers who want to carry more on their back or one-bag travelers who aim to carry less.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Summary

The Aer Travel Pack is streamlined for carry-on travel. Living up to their slogan, “Travel Every Day,” they are specialized in constructing a backpack that can be used “from the office to the gym, or from San Francisco to Tokyo.”

Living out of this bag for a week or more won’t be for everyone. I am a textbook minimalist traveler so if you’re the type of traveler who likes “options,” there is no chance this pack will be able to fit all of your excessiveness (I mean that in the kindest way possible).

If the idea of packing less and carrying less gets you excited, you’ll probably love this bag. It’s for light packers or short trips, not for people who like to bring one of everything, “just in case.”

Here’s what I packed for two weeks of international travel:

• Enough clothes for a week of no laundry
• Packable daypack
• Water bottle
• Chargers & cables
• A few chocolate bars (eight, if you really need to know)

The clothes I packed were mainly made of synthetic materials, able to be rolled up and compacted down to a smaller size. If you plan on packing jeans and big sweatshirts, don’t expect to be able to fit a week’s worth of clothes in this pack.

I packed my camera gear (Canon R5 and 2 lenses) into a sling pack, so I was able to test this bag without the need to carry bulky camera equipment inside. And like that, I was set for two weeks in Costa Rica!

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is made with 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign approved), YKK zippers, and Duraflex plastic hardware.

As I mentioned, this pack is meant for travel, not for rugged adventures, though if coupled with the optional hip straps, it could be easily used for some easy day hikes. As long as you’re not tossing the pack down a slab of granite or intend on testing its water resistance to the extreme, the materials will hold up well throughout your travels.

That being said, I love the overall felt strength of this pack. Aer definitely didn’t cheap out on the materials and it shows.

I suspect the materials on this pack will hold up for many years to come.

The pack lives up to Aer’s minimalist pursuit, offering a sleek look that is a perfect fit for on-the-go travel.

Its low-profile look gives it the versatility of a travel bag, a hiking bag or a work bag without drawing any unneeded attention to it.

One thing to note is that the Aer Travel Pack doesn’t have many colors to choose from. You can get black, grey, olive green, or black X-Pack (a lighter, fully-waterproof fabric).

I personally love black, but for anyone who likes a splash of color in their travel gear, the selection here is a bit disappointing.

The amount of black travel backpacks you see in an airport is abundant, making it easy to confuse which bag is yours. Having the option to stand out from the pack (see what I did there?) could come in handy.

The pack is built for comfort with well-padded shoulder straps, a sternum strap, and an internal framesheet to distribute the load. When it’s packed to the brim, though, it starts weighing on your shoulders, especially if you don’t have the upgraded removable hip belt (I did not).

With no hip straps, I had a tremendous amount of weight on my shoulders which can make a 20-minute wait in line for customs pretty arduous. Walking from terminal to terminal, even more so.

If you pack light with only a few of your belongings, the padded shoulder straps may be able to manage the weight to some extent, but for me, hip straps are a must on any pack bigger than a small daypack.

I don’t care if it’s two weeks of items or a laptop and a jacket. If you’re wearing it for long enough, the pack is going to cause discomfort if all the weight is only distributed on your shoulders. Weight tolerance will vary from person to person, so experiment with what feels best for you and find out what your body can and cannot handle.

The good news is that you can get a padded hipbelt to attach to this bag. The bad news is that it will be an extra cost.

Organization

Some bags have too many pockets, to the point where I can’t remember which pocket I put things in. Other bags have too few, and all my belongings come pouring out as soon as I open a zipper.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 really hit the Goldilocks zone for pockets and felt “just right” for me. It has smart organization features designed to give you a place for everything without being overly complicated.

The lay-flat main compartment allowed me to pack and access my clothes efficiently, the padded laptop compartment felt safe and secure, and the outside mesh pocket made accessing items on the go, quick and as the name implies, “easy”.

The Aer Travel 3 is certainly a sturdy pack. Even before testing it out, I noticed how durable this pack felt. This is definitely not the case with all packs.

There was never a point in my trip that I felt like my bag was at risk of injury.

The zippers on the back get the most wear in my opinion, especially with a bag that’s nearly bursting at the seams, and never once did I feel like my zippers were about to fail.

I would be wary of putting it to the test against anything too rugged but the 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior feels strong and water-resistant enough to hold up against an unexpected rainstorm or some light abrasion.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Features

The Aer Travel Pack 3 comes with an abundance of thoughtful features. There’s a compartment for everything—and nothing more—which adds to the ease of daily use.

Lay-Flat Main Compartment

Looking at the bag, I don’t know how I fit two week’s worth of clothes in there but I did! The ability to unzip the pack fully and carefully place your items definitely increases the functionality of the available space.

I stored a packing cube in this compartment that helped keep my clothes organized. My camera equipment was carried in the WANDRD 9L Roam Sling so the cube was used only for clothing and a few other random items.

What I felt was lacking were internal compression straps to keep everything in place.

So much is getting placed in this main compartment and though the lay-flat zipper makes it easy to open and access, items tend to fall out when there are no side walls holding them in.

Some compression straps to secure my clothes and other items would have been a helpful feature to have and would have brought some added peace of mind when opening my pack.

Padded Suspended Laptop Compartment

With an ample amount of space, padding, and a soft fabric lining, I never felt like my laptop was at risk of damage.

A lay-flat zipper on this compartment would make it easier to access my cables and hard drives that I stored in there.

Also, a few added compartments back here for hard drives or a tablet would make it easier to stay organized.

The amount of cables, dongles and tech accessories that come with traveling with a laptop can feel overwhelming. There is plenty of space in the suspended laptop compartment for all of that so to have some added organization would have helped a ton.

Load Lifters

What are load lifters? Load lifters are two small straps that are attached to the shoulder straps and back of your pack. Tightening and loosening them adjusts the closeness of the bag to your body, allowing for greater comfort and stabilization by decreasing the sway of the pack.

Load lifters may not be a necessity for everyone but they are definitely a nice feature for added comfort, especially if you are traveling with a fully loaded single-carry backpack.

Compression Design

I used the compression straps to secure a tripod which ended up working out really well.

To improve functionality and diversify the use, I would’ve liked to see these straps expand just a little bit more as they became pretty tight when I tried to secure my tripod.

Yes, I realize these straps are not specifically designed to carry things, but I can’t imagine I am the first and only person to use these straps for this.

There are so many traveling creators out there so to have these compression straps perform as a dual functioning tripod straps would definitely up the appeal for a lot of people. An added sleeve for the tripod legs on one of the sides of the bag would be a pretty awesome improvement to see too.

Lockable Zippers

It’s a small detail, but the fact that you can lock the main zippers can be a big deal for some. If you’re carrying valuable items like a laptop, camera, or other electronics, it can add a lot of peace of mind knowing you can secure your bag from unwanted intrusion.

Be aware that it is still possible for thieves to rip through zippers, so it definitely isn’t a fool-proof solution. Locking the zippers of your pack does provide som deterrence for casual thieves though.

Bottom Shoe Pocket

The pocket is relatively spacious as I was able to fit a pair of running shoes and a Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L Collapsible Backpack i n here. A couple of pairs of flip-flops or sandals would also be a reasonable fit.

In normal suitcases, shoes are often placed in with everything else which may be okay at the start of the trip when your shoes are clean, but after hikes and sandy walks on the beach it may not be so ideal.

The ability to separate your dirty shoes from your clean clothes is an awesome feature to have and somewhat of an unexpected luxury in a bag of this size.

What should be noted is that not all shoes will be able to fit in here. As I mentioned, I had a pair of compact running shoes in this pocket but a set of high heels or chunky hiking boots would make it a tight squeeze.

Easy Access Front Pocket

Easy access is the name of the game when traveling with a solo carry-on bag. Regardless of whether you’re in the airport, or caught in a rainstorm waiting for an Uber, quick access to your daily travel necessities is key to staying organized and keeping your items safe.

I really enjoyed the functionality of this front pocket. It was large enough to stow a pair of sandals and organized enough to keep my daily items readily available.

There are various different pockets and compartments within this front access pocket that are suitable for everything from a pen and journal, to a toothbrush and toiletries.

The zipper folds three-quarters of the way down to provide that easy access so you don’t have to blindly dig around to find some of the smaller items you may have stowed in there.

Expandable Water Bottle Side Pocket

Following Aer’s minimalist approach, the compartment seems pretty stealthy, with a vertical zipper that allows it to expand and give you more space for larger bottles.

At first sight, I didn’t think my wide-mouthed water bottle would fit in there but to my surprise, it did with ease.

Though the expandable option adds the minimalist look, I don’t find it all that necessary as it is a topless compartment that smaller items could easily fall out of rendering it only useful for a water bottle.

My other complaint with the compartment is the overall placement.

It is located in the upper middle of the bag which a) makes it harder to reach when it is on your back and b) throws off the weight distribution.

Heavier items should be stored near the bottom of your pack to allow the weight to be distributed on your hips, not your back or shoulders. Water is typically one of the heaviest things you carry, so to have it placed higher up on the pack is less than ideal.

Quick-Access Top Pocket

Throughout your long travel days in the airport, you are constantly transitioning from being on the move to long periods of down time whether it be on a long flight or a layover.

Throughout your day there are several items that will be going in and out of use and the potential to lose or misplace them relatively high.

All too often I am getting ready to board or deboard the plane while doing the “where’s my shit” dance, grabbing for my back pocket to check for my wallet, feeling my seat for my phone, rubbing my hip for my keys, patting down my jacket for my headphones, and bending down low for anything else that may have fallen out while I was in a daze.

A single pocket to keep these items safe and secure would surely help to eliminate that worry and the anxious scrambling to gather my belongings.

Removable Hip Belt (sold separately)

As I mentioned before, the weight of your pack should be distributed on your hips, not your back or shoulders. I can’t help but feel like I am getting taken advantage of when backpack companies are offering hip straps as an add-on option sold separately, as, to me, they are a necessity.

Hip strips not only add comfortability, but also versatility. Some may argue that a city or travel pack doesn’t need hip straps (though I would strongly disagree) but a hiking pack simply cannot go without them.

Not only is it incredibly uncomfortable to hike without hip straps, it is terrible for the body.

With the amount of walking that can go into a day of travel, hip straps are a much needed feature if you don’t want a sore back and shoulders the next day.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Dimensions and Specifications

The Travel Pack 3 measures in at a height of 21.5″ (54.5 cm), a width of 13” (33 cm), and a depth of 9” (21.5 cm). By dimensions, it is a fairly small pack. Most people who I showed this bag to and told them that this was all I was bringing, called me crazy.

The compact size allows it to pass any airline’s carry-on restrictions

Though light in weight weighing in at 4.2 lbs, it can store up to 35 L, allowing plenty of room for what you need.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Alternatives

The Aer Travel Pack 3 won’t be for everyone but there’s definitely a pack out there for you. Here are a few more options that you may prefer.

Nomatic 40L Travel Bag

If the Travel Pack 3’s 35L capacity isn’t enough, Nomatic’s 40L Travel Bag might be a better option. Though 5L isn’t a huge difference, it could just be enough space to squeeze in those few extra items that you were going to have to leave behind.

It’s loaded with 20+ innovative features like a laundry bag, shoe compartment, and an underwear and sock pocket.

It’s made with a waterproof material, not water resistant, so this bag can definitely handle a bit more ruggedness if necessary.

It measures in at 21″ x 14″ x 9″ so it is very comparable in size to the Travel Pack 3 and functions both as a backpack and a duffle bag.

It comes with a waist and sternum strap which is nice to see as not an add on.

Honestly, this pack sounds awesome and may be a potential solution to the Travel Bag 3’s shortcomings.

Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L

The Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L offers a rugged, durable and expandable daypack that is ideal for shorter travel and everyday carry.

It works seamlessly with Peak Designs camera cubes so if you are a digital creator, this might be the pack you need.

It meets international carry-on requirements in the expanded 33L form and the collapsed 27L form.

The Travel Backpack 30L comes with expansive side pockets for tripods, water bottles and other accessories, a padded laptop sleeve, and an enlarged top pocket designed for passports, wallets, and glasses.

Tuck-away shoulder straps and optional hip strap attachments make this pack a winner in my eyes.

Able Carry Max Backpack

The Able Carry Max Backpack is a 30L pack that is built for work, play and travel.

Maybe you’re not looking to utilize your backpack as a single carry-on item and just need it for  some extra belongings. With a little bit less room and many of the same features as the Travel Pack 3, The Max Backpack could be a good option for you.

It fits up to 17” devices and is made with a strong and durable X-Pac fabric and Cordura 1000D nylon.

It provides a 25L main compartment and external pockets that allow for peak organization and the flexibility to “arrange your day, your way.”

It comes with thick shoulder support and ventilated pads to keep your back cool but it does not come with a hip straps, nor do I see an option to add one on.

Aer Travel Pack 3 Final Thoughts

There’s a lot that goes into traveling abroad, most of which can go overlooked in preparation. Having the right backpack and the right compartments not only helps you stay organized but helps you to remember the items you may be forgetting.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 really checked a lot of the boxes for me. As someone who is notoriously disorganized, I felt not only well-organized but also well-prepared to travel with this bag.

For me, what’s more important than functionality, organization, and comfort, is the reliability of the bag. All of these features become less important and the adventure can become much more taxing if a zipper breaks or a strap rips etc.

I felt safe using the Aer Travel Pack 3. I really put this bag to the test by packing more than I probably should have but it was able to hold up exceptionally well. Shoot, maybe I am one of those “excessive,” packers after all?

Though it wasn’t always easy living out of this bag for two weeks, that’s just the game with one-bag travel! Sacrifices are made to travel minimally and to have the safety and security of carrying all that you need in a single carry-on item.

Single carry-on travel isn’t for everyone, but for those who see themselves as a minimal traveler, I would absolutely suggest this bag, hip straps included.

With that being said, the Aer Travel Pack 3 can surely be used for more than just a travel pack. I can see it being a great day carrier for city or on-campus use.

The price is certainly reasonable and the surplus of features packed into a minimal and aesthetic bag makes this backpack a winner for me.

At the end of the day, there is no such thing as a perfect backpack. Though the Aer Travel Pack 3 is no exception, it certainly has a lot to offer.

Aer Travel Pack 3 FAQs

Is the aer travel pack 3 too big.

The Aer Travel Pack 3 is too big for an everyday backpack, but it’s perfect for carry-on travel.

Is the Aer Travel Pack 3 water resistant?

The Aer Travel Pack is made from a waterproof PU-coated fabric, but water can still get through the seams during heavy downpours.

How do you clean an Aer travel pack?

To clean an Aer Travel Pack, use a damp cloth to wipe down the outside and inside of the bag. Let it air dry.

What is the capacity of the Aer Travel Pack 3?

The Aer Travel Pack 3 has 35L of internal capacity.

How much does the AER Travel Pack 3 weigh?

The Aer Travel Pack 3 weighs 4.12 lbs in the Cordura version.

Jeremy Scott Foster

Thanks for the great review. I’ve had this bag as my EDC work bag for 6 months and I’m very impressed with it.

This pack comes in 2 sizes. Any more sizes than that would be completely impractical in the business sense. Every extra size means an enormous extra production cost.

The hip strap and rain fly are sold separately, it’s reasonable to pay extra for these, especially when most customers don’t want it need them.

The 1680d ballistic nylon is extremely strong. You could easily roll it down a granite cliff many times and it won’t tear (sure it will scuff like any material would).

My biggest gripe is not being able to replace the framesheet. I like stiff framesheet so it would be nice to be able to swap it.

I’d also appreciate some anchor zip pull tabs for when I zip up the main compartment (especially when it’s empty).

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Aer Travel Pack 3 Review

The Aer Travel Pack 3 improves the collection’s core strengths with an updated harness system, smoother compartment access, and refined build quality.

March 6, 2024: We updated this review to include additional insights from the last 2 years of testing.

Our Verdict

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• Comfortable harness system
• Just-right built-in organization and open space
• Compartments are easily accessible—even with compression straps fastened
• Magnetic compression buckles can come undone
• Imbalanced side handle carry
• Laptop sleeve's false bottom could be greater (but still works well)

Technical Details

Carry-on compliance.

View 91/145 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

Weight (lb)

4.12 lb (1.9 kg)

21.5 in x 13 in x 9 in (54.6 x 33 x 22.9 cm)

Notable Materials

CORDURA® Ballistic Nylon, YKK Zippers, Duraflex Hardware, Woojin Hardware, X-Pac, CORDURA® Nylon

Manufacturing Country

Laptop Compartment Size

Warranty Information

Aer Lifetime Warranty

Full Review

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It’s no secret that we really liked Aer’s original Travel Pack when we first reviewed it. It was a good one-bag solution for those who don’t want to be overly encumbered with suitcases and bags on their flight (i.e., us). In fact, the follow-up Travel Pack 2 was our bag of choice for our Digital Nomad Packing List — was . Enter the Travel Pack 3, the third iteration of the collection, and it has the unenviable task of upstaging its already-great predecessor. With a long list of upgrades—both subtle and explicit ones—we think it has what it takes to become our new Digital Nomad bag of choice (spoiler alert: it does).

And there are a LOT of these upgrades to cover. The harness system welcomes back some old friends from the original Travel Pack: load lifters. Aer has also added magnetic buckles around the bag, which we’re a bit let down by. We also say goodbye to the shoe compartment, which was in the two previous versions. Plus, the compression straps and compartment openings have been revised to improve access and ease of packing. If you’re a visual learner, check out our Pack Hacker Pro-exclusive video to see exactly how we pack it. (If you’re a pro member and you’re logged in, click here .)

While we’re welcoming some upgrades with the Travel Pack 3, some tradeoffs are tagging along with them. Now, let’s move along with the review and meet who they are. Strap in because it’s going to be a jam-packed one.

Materials & Aesthetic

As you might have already guessed based on the “3” in the name, the Travel Pack 3 isn’t Aer’s first take on the concept. They’ve pretty much nailed their desired aesthetic at this point—an aesthetic that we all dig here at Pack Hacker.

It’s not just the black-on-black color scheme that we like. In spite of the now-larger 35-liter size, Aer has been able to keep the sleek looks. It still has their go-to styling cue of black ballistic nylon, a squared-off shape, and a bisecting zippered opening right at the front. They’ve scaled that design language up and down their product range from pouches like the Split Kit all the way to travel backpacks like the Travel Pack 3. Some design elements may shift from place to place, but Aer’s done well to make their gear stand out from the pack.

We’ll admit, it doesn’t look drastically different from the Travel Pack 2. Unless you put them side-by-side, you might be hard-pressed to tell which bits and bobs are new. If you’re coming from the previous version, there’s nothing majorly different about the visual side of things. But hey, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to get excited about (there’s plenty of that to come later in the next sections). Rather, the lack of stand-out differences versus the previous model is just down to the minimalist approach the brand takes when it comes to design. Put another way, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

On that note, the Travel Pack 3 uses the same familiar material as the Travel Pack 2: 1680D CORDURA Ballistic Nylon. This time it’s bluesign certified, so you know it’s made with safety and sustainability in mind—good for the people making it, good for the environment. It’s an extra tidbit of peace of mind that’s oh-so-satisfying to have. Of course, the fabric still has that abrasion-resistant durability that a heavy denier brings along with it.

If you’re looking for something more eye-catching, the Olive colorway holds a certain appealto us here at Pack Hacker. It just looks a touch more classy and, dare we say, imaginative than plain black. Alternatively, Gray is also an option, featuring 700D CORDURA—it’s a lower denier fabric, but it’s more than tough enough for city use if our short, but generally positive, stint with the Duffel Pack 2 is anything to go by.

Needless to say, the Travel Pack 3 is about as well-built as we’ve come to expect from Aer (read: very well-built). The smaller details of the bag really help tie things together in this respect. The YKK zippers feel high quality, helped further by Hypalon pulls on some of them. On the subject of zipper pulls, the jingly-ness we observed from Aer’s earlier iterations of their gear is practically gone. Paracord complements the metal pulls, and they’re threaded through in such a way that dampens metal-on-metal clacking. The metal pulls themselves are smaller, too.

One of the most notable additions to this new version of the Travel Pack are the magnetic Woojin buckles. Magnets are a joy to use because of the tactile feedback when you engage and disengage them, which is why they’re also great to fidget around with. However, we’re not completely sold on their implementation on the Travel Pack 3, which we’ll cover in the next section.

External Components

Since the Travel Pack 3 is a slightly bigger bag compared to the Travel Pack 2, changes to the harness system are welcome. Not that the Travel Pack 2 was uncomfortable to carry by any means, mind you. Just that, in our previous review, the changes made going from the Travel Pack 1 to the Travel Pack 2 felt like a bit of a tradeoff. We’re, of course, talking about the addition of the (optional) hip belt but the removal of the load lifters.

Now that tradeoff is now effectively nullified. The load lifters are back on the Travel Pack 3 along with the option to add a hip belt, and Aer’s managed to solve one of the reasons they were omitted from the previous Travel Pack in the first place: to reduce the number of dangling straps. The solution is simple enough: strap keepers. Just below where the load lifters are, there are flat loops on the shoulder straps where the extra slack can be threaded through.

What are load lifters anyway? Simply put, they’re straps anchoring the upper portion of the shoulder straps to the top edge of the bag’s structure. Their ultimate purpose is to pull the bag toward your back, lifting some weight off your shoulders and preventing the bag from sagging and creating that sensation you’re being pulled backward. While they may not be strictly necessary on the 35-liter Travel Pack 3, they do make a noticeable difference in carrying comfort.

On the opposite end of the bag are two nylon loops where you have the option to attach the aforementioned hip belt (sold separately) via gatekeeper clips. Like load lifters, a hip belt also helps shift the weight of your pack, but this time to your waist area, which can more comfortably handle the pounds. The strap itself is wide and thickly padded, with a correspondingly beefy side release buckle in the middle.

Like the load lifters, it’s not an absolute must-have unless you really have the Travel Pack 3 loaded to the brim. Side note: when not in use, this hip belt can poke you in the sides if it’s not folded right. Good thing it’s removable, so you can just pack it away or leave it at home when you don’t need it.

Supportive load lifters and a hip belt are good and all, but the basic comfort of a backpack still lies on its trusty pair of shoulder straps. The good news is that the Travel Pack 3’s are just as comfortable to shoulder as we remember them on the Travel Pack 2. In fact, we’d say they’re even more comfortable because side-by-side, the Travel Pack 3’s are a little bit wider and somewhat thicker. However, the latter may be because our Travel Pack 2’s straps are quite broken in.

Nonetheless, they’re very comfortable to wear, especially once you take full advantage of the load lifters and hip belt, even though the Travel Pack 3 has an additional two liters of storage over the previous version. Keep in mind comfort is relative, and your mileage may still vary depending on your body type. For example, those with smaller frames may not feel as comfortable with the wide shoulder straps.

There’s also a D-ring at the top of one of the shoulder straps, which was previously on the left side for the Travel Pack 2 but is now on the right. We’re not quite sure why they moved it, but we’re fine with it on either side, and it is handy to have.

There’s also a sternum strap, and while the vertical adjustment is sliding (and that’s our favorite kind), we’re less enthused with the magnetic buckle. There’s technically nothing wrong with it since it works as intended. However, we do feel it’s a bit unnecessary for a sternum strap compared to a much simpler side release buckle. In our experience, a side release buckle is better because it simply plugs and clicks. Meanwhile, a magnetic buckle needs to be pulled inwards to unclasp, which is slightly discomforting if you have it well-tensioned. It’s a tiny detail, but something we definitely notice in day-to-day use.

Other things to note about the shoulder straps include them not being stowable. We’ve seen this feature on other travel bags like the Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L and THULE Subterra Convertible Carry-On . We don’t find the lack of this feature to be a huge loss since we like having them out and ready all the time for our one-bag trips. It’s a feature that’s more prevalent among bags with multiple carry options, which the Travel Pack 3 isn’t. Silver lining: if you’re looking for this feature in order to avoid dangling straps, there are elastic strap keepers built-in with the sternum and shoulder straps that keep their slack in check.

The back panel remains mostly unchanged from the Travel Pack 2 in terms of design. There are two foam panels with a vertical air channel in the middle. The foam is covered in a mesh fabric which allows the material to breathe and minimizes heat. Comfort-wise, the cushioning does well to make the Travel Pack 3 feel less boxy and flat. For times when the bag isn’t on your back, there’s a strap embedded in the air channel, intended as a luggage pass-through in case you want to hitch the bag to your roller.

Alternatively, there are handles along the edges (top, bottom, and both sides). The top handle is easily the most padded among the four. Our only nitpick is that it’s located far in the middle of the bag. This makes it almost impossible to hang on shallow hooks in restroom stalls (and no, there isn’t a loop between the shoulder straps, either).

The side handles have some thickness to them, and they’re made from slick seatbelt-like material. As opposed to the centrally located top handle, they’re positioned more towards the side of the back panel. This means that when we’re carrying it briefcase-style, the bag leans and feels lopsided. There’s also a plain nylon strap at the bottom, mostly for “pull-it-out-of-the-overhead-bin” scenarios.

Despite the nitpicks on the handles, they do their job well when we need to move the relatively weighty Travel Pack 3 over short distances. We’re talking about moving to another seat in an airport terminal, across your hotel room, or just passing it among your travel companions. If we have any other handle-related nitpicks, it’s that none of them can be used to hang the bag on narrow hooks—the kind you find behind restroom stalls.

On the right side of the Travel Pack 3 is a water bottle pocket that sits flush against the bag. It’s held down by a zipper, another feature carried over from the previous version, which we like. Unzipping reveals the stretchy mesh fabric inside that gives the pocket its expandability. For context, our fairly slender 21-ounce Hydro Flask doesn’t sit all the way down on the non-flat floor, nor is it firmly gripped by the elastic. On the other hand, our wider 32-ounce Nalgene Wide-Mouth fits more snuggly.

Above the water bottle pocket is a D-ring, a carry-over all the way from the original Travel Pack. Fun fact: this was originally intended as an attachment point for a detachable shoulder strap Aer ultimately didn’t implement. The D-ring is still here, though, and you can use it for other purposes like securing the handle of a water bottle or simply hanging accessories like luggage tags and keychains.

Aer made major revisions to the four compression straps, too. We must say these are the most exciting to us because it affects accessibility and ease of packing—two crucial aspects for any travel bag. In the Travel Pack 2, the compression straps went over the zippered openings of the bag; not so for the Travel Pack 3.

There are still four of them: two on each side of the bag. This time, Aer moved the openings further forward so that the straps don’t go over them. Another change is the move to magnetic buckles instead of side release ones. As with the sternum strap, we’re not quite satisfied with these because there are instances where they disengage on their own. However, since there are four of them, and if they’re tightened enough, the issue isn’t catastrophically bad—a minor inconvenience at most. Just be sure you hook any gear to them, as it’ll fall off if they come apart. It’s interesting to note that the Travel Pack 3 Small seems to be less affected by this minor issue, and that may be because that bag tends to be more densely packed than the roomier Travel Pack 3.

One of the main uses of compression straps is turning relatively large travel backpacks into something more daily drivable (i.e., more daypack-like). In this regard, we think the Travel Pack 2’s simpler, more secure compression straps are the better solution (zipper overlap notwithstanding). In contrast, the Travel Pack 3’s larger size and less secure buckles toe the line between daily drivable and strictly travel. If daypack-able is what you’re looking for, it’s definitely worth checking out the easier-to-wield Travel Pack 3 Small instead, or even the Tortuga Travel Backpack 30 —both of which are smaller than the Travel Pack 3.

Inside The Backpack

All of that capacity is put to good use, though. The Travel Pack 3 is packing compartments and pockets—lots of ‘em. We’ve already shown you the water bottle pocket on the right side. In addition to that, there’s also another zippered pocket on the opposite side of the bag.

It’s very stealthy and great for quick-grab items like a passport and wallet. The opening of the pocket itself is fairly shrouded by fabric; you wouldn’t guess a pocket is hiding underneath if not for split in the pack’s material—the telltale sign of a zippered opening. The fabric shroud has enough space underneath to tuck the zipper in, hiding it completely.

Next is the top quick-grab pocket. This is geared more towards fragile or easily scratched items like a smartphone or a pair of sunglasses. Inside, the inner fabric is a soft and thick liner that’s less abrasive than regular polyester lining. The only downside is that the fabric is completely black, so it’s best to avoid putting small accessories like black memory cards in there.

Since the opening uses a self-locking YKK zipper, you can also stash a mid-sized power bank inside and route a charging cable out of it. Simply leave a small hole for the cable and fold down the metal zipper pull so that it stays in place.

If the top and side pockets aren’t enough, there’s still plenty of space inside the front pocket. Its coverage practically spans the entire lower half of the Travel Pack 3’s front, meaning it’s deep enough to stash our folded jacket inside (though this still depends on how packed the main compartment’s pockets are). On the flip side, its depth means that using a pouch is recommended to prevent smaller items from getting mixed up. The only exception are keys since there’s a built-in key clip. We’re happy to report that it’s a solid key clip, too, one that feels way better than the plastic-y ones Aer has included in the past.

Despite the pocket’s depth, access remains quite good. The YKK AquaGuard zipper serves both as a distinguishing visual feature and a water-resistant barrier between the elements and what’s inside. It’s flanked by a pair of nylon tabs, making zipping and unzipping easier, especially when the bag’s tightly packed.

Around the back, the Travel Pack 3 comes with a dedicated tech compartment where you can put your laptop and its accessories. The laptop sleeve fits around our 16-inch MacBook Pro with room to spare. There’s also a false bottom, which is something Aer also added on a second iteration of the Travel Pack 2. However, the laptop sleeve is only raised about an inch from the base of the bag, and we feel this could have been more. The Travel Pack 3 is a relatively large backpack, so we think there’s room for the sleeve to be shifted an inch further upward to add a little extra protection.

There’s also space in the middle if you need to carry a folder of documents around. Near the top of the opening is a zippered pocket for tech accessories. It’s a prime spot to put long laptop charging bricks or a small tech pouch. On the other hand, we use it to stash our packable hat since the pocket is relatively easy to access. Really, with so many pockets in the Travel Pack 3, you’re free to make use of all of them as you see fit.

One neat design element of the Travel Pack 3 is how the upper portion of the tech compartment is wedge-shaped. This allows the back panel to better contour around your upper back and shoulders, most notably when the load lifters are tightened down. It also gives the zippered pocket inside and the top quick grab pocket more space to occupy and minimizes how much they press against each other. You can check out the photo below to get a clearer picture of what we mean.

It’s a very small and subtle attention to detail that really highlights the amount of thought that goes into designing the Travel Pack 3.

The Travel Pack 3’s isn’t out of pockets just yet. At the front is an admin panel that acts as the bag’s secondary main compartment. This is where the bulk of the bag’s organization is allocated. Granted, the pocket layout hasn’t changed much from the Travel Pack 2, but we guarantee you things have been improved.

First, the horseshoe-style opening now goes about an inch lower than the previous version. This keeps items like pouches and organizers more accessible when they’re stuffed into the lowermost area of the compartment. Second, the compartment’s material, stitching, and seams look a lot cleaner. The most noteworthy visual distraction they’ve managed to hide is the piping around the edges. The reinforcement is still there, but it’s now much more integrated and seamless.

There are two liner pockets for items like our MacBook Pro’s charging brick and Magic Keyboard . The row above that is populated by a small mesh pocket in front of two liner pockets flanking a pen/stylus slot. This row is better suited for smaller items we more frequently use, like our AirPods , Magic Mouse 2 , and Field Notes notebook. The topmost zippered pocket is a good storage space for smaller paper documents like tickets, receipts, and travel guides. Behind that is a tablet sleeve that can fit up to a 12.9-inch iPad Pro or similarly-sized documents.

There’s a fair amount of room inside this compartment alongside the vast array of pockets. Our key observation here is that despite the number of pockets, it doesn’t feel overwhelming, nor do any of them feel conflicting. We’ve seen bags like CODEOFBELL’s X-CASE where some of the pockets inside are tricky to access because of its design—not the case with the Travel Pack 3. Organization feels just right, with a lot of options offering storage flexibility.

Last but not least is the main compartment. As we mentioned earlier, the compression straps no longer get in the way of the opening because it’s been moved forward. As a result, the sidewalls of the compartment are noticeably higher than the Travel Pack 2’s. In turn, this means packing is made easier because there’s more bucket space to fill up.

It’s the same design most travel backpacks with a similar clamshell-style opening have. The bag’s boxier design fits packing cubes inside like puzzle pieces. While we do favor the use of packing cubes in general, we’d say they’re necessary for the Travel Pack 3. There are no built-in tie-down straps, nor are there any attachment points to add them. Unless you’re packing clothes tightly, chances are they’ll get tossed around if they aren’t secured in smaller pouches. Aer sells their own line of packing cubes and pouches, of which our choice would be the Aer Packing Cubes V2 and Aer Slim Pouch , both of which fit perfectly in the Travel Pack 3’s compartments. That said, there’s nothing proprietary like special magnets and buckles stopping you to find alternatives that fit just as well.

There’s a small and quite hidden pocket for a smart tracker just behind the top pocket’s liner. It’s very easy to miss unless you move the liner out of the way, though that adds to the security. Our Apple AirTag fits the pocket snuggly, and its opening butts up against the bag’s roof (sidewall), so there’s little chance it will fall out. We like this implementation of a smart tracker pocket, and, more importantly, it makes the Travel Pack 3 feel more in line with the times.

There is also a side pocket along the right side where you can hide some important travel documents like valid IDs, membership cards, a passport, transit card, etc. Since the compression straps are no longer in the way, accessing this pocket won’t be as tricky as it was on the Travel Pack 2.

Lastly, on the lid is a zippered mesh pocket. This one’s big and wide enough for clothes like socks or gloves. Alternatively, it can be used as a toiletry pouch in case you don’t use one (though we highly recommend looking into those). Behind the mesh pocket, there’s a hidden compartment about the size of the entire lid. It doesn’t have much space in terms of bulk, though it is gusseted. This is where we put a towel or even some souvenir t-shirts as a surprise for later.

By far, the biggest feature the Travel Pack 3 omits from the Travel Pack 2 is the shoe compartment. There’s also no built-in alternative like underslung straps where you can hang shoes. The good news is that since the Travel Pack 3 has more capacity, the space is still there if you want to pack a pair of shoes—it’s just a matter of using something like a shoe pouch from WANDRD or Peak Design . Word of warning, though: Any odor that may leak will linger within the main compartment.

If you’re currently on the Travel Pack 2 and like its shoe compartment, that’s really the only major step down with the Travel Pack 3. The rest of the bag’s features are a step up in terms of space, organization, and build quality. The experience just feels much more refined—and Aer just set itself a higher bar to hurdle.

Usage Timeline

Condition: Excellent

• Load lifters are back, and you can slip their slack into loops on the shoulder straps
• Side compression straps’ buckles are relatively low-profile
• Smart tracker pocket is right up against the ceiling, so whatever’s inside shouldn’t slip out
• Digging the small improvements from the Aer Travel Pack 2 like the harness system, cleaner construction, and additional secret pockets
• Magnetic compression strap buckles on the sides have come undone on their own—it’s best not to hang items or carabiners from these
• Great organization options with a spacious main compartment and lay-flat admin area for gear
• Top area of the bag requires a bit of packing strategy with all the pocket options available—it’s hard to utilize every pocket at once, but the contour on the back panel does give more space
• We’ve found that loosening the load lifters can help flatten the straps to the bag for storage under plane seats
• AirTag pocket has proven to be set-it-and-forget-it, which is awesome (so long as you don’t accidentally leave it inside!)
• This is our bag of choice for the updated version of our Digital Nomad Packing List

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Aer Travel Pack 3

Based on 42 review s

The Looria Grade (A - F) accounts for multiple factors, including sentiment, helpfulness, and more. Learn about our sources and ranking.

• Great for travel
• Packed well
• Comfortable to wear
• Good value for the price

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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 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. We are currently testing a new, lighter, and less-expensive version of this pack—aptly named the Travel Backpack Lite 40L —and will report back soon.  In the meantime, if you think you would struggle carrying the Tortuga, 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.

Wirecutter’s Favorite Bags, Totes, Backpacks and Carryalls

by Truth Headlam

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 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.

I Took 5 Trips in 6 Months. My Go-To Weekender Bag Was This Surprisingly Spacious Backpack.

by Elissa Sanci

Struggling to pack for your weekend away? The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L fits so much more than you’d expect.

The Best Travel Backpacks of 2024

Whether weekend road-tripping or jet-setting around the world, you’re going to need a pack to toss over your shoulder. Here are the best travel backpacks for every adventure.

There are a lot of great travel backpacks out there, but not all of them are created equal. A travel pack needs to be comfortable to carry, easy to organize, and durable enough to withstand being toted from place to place.

From hitting the road for the weekend to spending months traveling abroad, we’ve put nearly 30 different travel backpacks through the wringer. We tallied our airline miles, punched our tickets, and put our tray tables in the upright and locked position for close to half a decade now, taking domestic and international flights to as far as Iceland and as close as 30-minute island hops. And while there isn’t a single pack that suits every traveler, we’ve highlighted a variety of designs and price points to help you find the perfect travel backpack.

Choosing a travel backpack can be a dizzying experience, and we’ve shaken down the best to sort through the static. Each pack has seen its time on the baggage carousel, hostel luggage cart, and we’ve even had a few go missing for the full experience. We fully pack and live out of these bags to test them, and in the end, we’re confident that the 15 packs collected here are the best travel backpacks available today. Check in and check them out.

For all your travel pack questions, consult our buyer’s guide , where we’ve laid bare all the essentials. Compare each of the packs using our handy comparison chart , and if you’ve still got questions, check out our FAQ section.

Editor’s Note: We updated our travel backpack guide on May 21, 2024, adding the JanSport Journey Pack as our new best budget travel pack, as well as the feature-rich and burly Able Carry Max Backpack .

• Best Overall Travel Backpack: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
• Best Budget Travel Backpack: JanSport Journey Pack
• Best Carrying Travel Backpack: Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs
• Best Organization in a Travel Backpack: Matador SEG45 Travel Pack
• Best Shoulder Bag: Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L
• Best Commuter-Style Travel Backpack: Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L
• Best Personal Item Travel Pack: TimBuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

• Capacity 45 L (collapses to 35 L)
• Weight 4 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13" x 9.5" standard, 22" x 13" x 11" expanded
• Compartment access Back panel clamshell design with #10 zipper
• Material Weatherproof, 100% recycled 400-denier nylon canvas shell; 900-denier waterproof bottom

• Compresses down to maximum airline carry-on size, and then expands once you’ve hit your destination
• Burly construction
• No details are overlooked in the design
• Side-carry handles are offset in an awkward position

Perfect is a dirty word in product design, but we’re about stumped when it comes to drumming up a quibble about the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45 L ($300). This redeye-ready clamshell design is made to the highest of standards.

It’s made of quality materials, utilizing aluminum hardware and a burly 400-denier nylon canvas — and it easily ticks all our boxes for the best overall travel backpack. The interior of the bag is split into two compartments: a larger main area for storing the majority of your kit and a secondary sleeve at the front of the bag with five zippered pockets. The main pocket also sports a foam-padded laptop sleeve and three more pockets.

One of the more impressive aspects we discovered along the bag’s inaugural leg from Seattle to Anchorage was how easily the straps of the Travel Backpack stow away into the bag. Two foam panels on the back of the bag flip away to secure them and then close with a magnetic closure — very slick. This was our favorite strap-stowage system, with the zippered panels of the Matador GlobeRider45 coming in a close second. We find the Peak Design bag compresses smaller.

Then there are the little details. An ID-size sleeve on the back panel provides all the information should your bag get separated from you. Zipper pulls thread through one another to keep what’s yours safe. And a collapsible system adjusts the bag from a full 45 L to 35 L.

In our review, there’s little about the Peak Design pack that misses the mark. The company leans heavily toward the camera-toting travelers among us, but the 45 L Travel Backpack makes no compromises and works just as well for any user group. The high price is undeniable, but for the scope of the travel pack, it’s a buy-once-cry-once purchase we would make again.

Also available in a 30L size , the range of Travel Backpacks from Peak Design is so well-thought-out that you can practically see the cogs turning in their creators’ heads. We think they make the best travel backpacks on the market.

JanSport Journey Pack

• Capacity 28 liters
• Weight 1 lb., 13.6 oz.
• Dimensions 19.5" x 12.5" x 7"
• Compartment access Zippered top access
• Material 100% 600D recycled polyester + 1680D ballistic boot
• Electronic storage 15" laptop sleeve

• Compact and clean profile
• Plush foam back panel and shoulder straps
• Compression straps on bottom of pack tote around a jacket
• Smooth-running zippers
• Good internal organization
• Laptop sleeve won't fit some large modern laptops
• Water bottle pockets sized for slimmer vessels

At $95, the JanSport Journey Pack does a lot for a little. As a campus commuter, airline personal item, or do-it-all backpack, this pack leverages its lack of specificity to make it amenable to being used on just about any day. Part of a trio of new travel packs from the legendary campus bookbag brand, the Journey surprised us with a more high-end build than expected, and for the money, it made an excellent travel companion.

While the Journey isn’t trimmed out in some of the more boutique fabrics, it is still solidly built and uses the good stuff where it counts, such as the 1680D ballistic boot material that’s reinforced with recycled car windshield liners (news to us). The 600D polyester used elsewhere has a rugged nailhead finish, and shoulders wear well.

The thick EVA foam used in the shoulder straps and back panel is cushy and applied liberally. On the inside, the laptop sleeve is lined with plush tricot material, along with an organizer pocket for stashing your readers or sunnies.

The organization of the pack is similarly uncompromising and is broken down into a spacious main compartment, front stash pocket, small bits and bobs organizer pocket, and a 15″ laptop sleeve — which easily toted our tester’s MacBook Pro safely.

When packed as a carry-on, we were able to stuff in an assortment of layers we might need along the way (rain jacket, warm puffy, hat), along with our headphones, book, travel pillow , and lunch for the flight, and still had space for an empty water bottle or two.

As a 28-liter pack, there’s no alternate sizing available and no hip belt to go along — though, in our opinion, loads this light doesn’t need one. Compression straps are limited, though you do get a set at the bottom of the pack that doubles as a dock for your beach towel, picnic blanket, or rolled-up jacket.

Like the TimBuk2 Never Check , the side water bottle pockets on this pack are really only ideal for thin bottles or flasks, and while we could shoehorn a Nalgene in there, it didn’t look happy.

Compromises aside, for less than $100, the JanSport Journey Pack doesn’t take the easy way out and phone it in with fewer materials or a more simple organizational layout. We had a pocket or sleeve for anything we needed to stash (besides a dedicated passport pocket), and the Journey made for an easy personal item on the handful of flights we took it on — easily stashing beneath the seat. If you’d rather ball out on your big-ticket luggage and just need a travel backpack that’ll plain work, this is the bag for you.

Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs

• Capacity 40 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 7.6 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 14" x 9"
• Compartment access Zippered back panel clamshell design
• Material Bluesign-approved 450-denier recycled polyester

• Supreme suspension system offers the best carry of any pack we tried
• External compression straps limit the volume well
• Comfortably padded grab handles
• Not much internal organization

No stranger to producing supremely comfortable suspension systems, Osprey injected a good bit of its tech into the Farpoint and Fairview packs ($185), which both sport LightWire frames, load lifters, and breathable framesheet and suspension straps. Our Farpoint pack was easily the best load carrier of any we tested and a close contender for the best travel backpack overall.

Far beyond what any of the other travel packs offer, the pack even allows you to adjust the torso length — unheard of in the typical travel pack. Newly updated, these packs have been tweaked to ride the line between traditional backpacks and functional luggage, a claim we can substantiate.

The 40-liter capacity is just about the sweet spot for domestic carry-on luggage limits, and these packs make good use of the space. We could easily pack away a long weekend’s worth of travel essentials into the bag with a little space to spare.

Whereas many other travel packs stash straps away into the body of the pack, the Farpoint and Fairview move in the opposite direction with a deployable strap cover that neatly seals in the suspension for safekeeping when checked. This produces a clean profile that’s ready to be slung around, but it’s not quite as easy and quick as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design Travel Backpacks, as you need to unclip straps to tuck them away.

The interior of the pack is rather spartan, incorporating only one zippered pocket, a laptop sleeve, and two internal compression straps. We would have rather seen a bit more organizational features involved like those that the Matador GlobeRider and Topo Designs Global Travel bags incorporate, but for those who stuff more than pack, the Farpoint and  Fairview may very well punch the ticket.

With one foot on the platform and one on the trail, these packs from Osprey will get you where you’re going and carry a trip’s worth of kit with ease.

Matador SEG45 Travel Pack

• Capacity 45 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13.4" x 10.2"
• Compartment access Full clamshell interior, additional front zippered access
• Material 420-denier nylon exterior, 100-denier Robic Dynatec interior

• Excellent storage organization options
• High-quality, strong, and lightweight construction
• No frame to speak of
• Shoulder straps don’t pack away

Aiming to do more with less, the Matador SEG45 Segmented Backpack ($200) proposes a future free of packing cubes and splits up the bag for you, making the organization of your travel pack a breeze.

The full 45 liters of volume is shared among the five segments (6, 9, 15, 9, and 6 L) and trades volume between the full clamshell compartment and the segments. Each of these segments is accessible via its own water-resistant zippers and can be collapsed as your needs change.

We found organizing by clothing type made the most sense in our own packing, but you could even pack based on the day of the week or the use. The clamshell-accessed main compartment was ideal for holding larger items like spare shoes or quarantining spent outfits.

Known for its overbuilt but lightweight bags, Matador didn’t spare the SEG45, utilizing 420D UHMWPE-reinforced nylon in the pack body, as well as 100D Robic Dynatec weave on the interior. It should be noted that this travel backpack doesn’t have any kind of frame and will rely on being packed well to carry correctly. Because of this, this pack won’t carry as well as bags like the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, so consider packing mostly clothing in the SEG45.

Our testers felt this bag excelled as a travel bag you might deploy once you’ve hit your destination, as it packs away into larger bags so well. Unfortunately, however, the shoulder straps don’t pack away into the bag itself, so you’ll have to wrangle them into place to keep things tidy.

No matter what you’re up to, everything has got a spot to live in the SEG45 . Need a bit less space? Matador offers the SEG28 ($250) for that.

Read Review: Dresser in a Backpack: Matador SEG42 Review

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.3 oz.
• Dimensions 22.8" x 8.6" x 14.5"
• Compartment access Back panel zippered clamshell design
• Material 900-denier recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU laminate

• Multiple ways to carry the pack
• Many different storage and internal organization options
• Burly external fabric
• Doesn’t carry the best as a backpack

Looking to squeeze out every last liter of allowed space? Patagonia named this pack in honor of the cause: the Patagonia Black Hole Maximum Legal Carry-On 45 L ($239). This bag can be carried in a number of different ways, but we found it shined during travel as a shoulder bag.

Borrowing fabric from Patagonia’s line of burly Black Hole Duffels , the MLC 45 is made for the long haul. The 900-denier polyester ripstop is coated in a TPU laminate and feels ready to take on the surliest baggage carrier. We certainly felt no remorse in tossing the bag around.

At 45 L, the MLC is certainly right at the cusp of the maximum allowed size, but thankfully that space is well divided up inside the pack. Inside the main clamshell-accessed compartment is a blizzard of zippers and mesh pockets and dividers. Anything we tossed inside was well-stabilized.

Because there isn’t much of a frame to speak of, the Black Hole MLC doesn’t carry the best when slung over both shoulders and can sag when not entirely full. But over a shoulder with the included shoulder strap, this pack feels great and can be easily accessed on the go. This is one of the only packs in our testing to feature a shoulder strap (the other being the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag).

On top of all this, we greatly appreciate that the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45 L is made with 100% recycled body fabric, lining, and webbing. Perfect for grabbing and going, this pack is ready to move.

Read Review: Patagonia Black Hole MLC Bag Review: An Organized, Carry-On-Size Wonder

Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L

• Capacity 24 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 1.6 oz.
• Dimensions 18" x 7: x 11.5"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell
• Material 840D ballistic nylon 6, 420D HT nylon

• Functions as both a laptop backpack and suitcase
• Well-structured and protected
• Full panel loading access
• Limited colorways

With an understated look that betrays the truly impressive fit and functionality inside, the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L ($279) doesn’t need to brag — it knows it’ll tote your kit through the worst of your travel or everyday commutes without missing a beat. This bag is our newly anointed best commuter-style travel backpack.

From a fabrics and materials standpoint, it’s clear that someone at Evergoods truly nerded out when they brewed up this bindle. The 840D ballistic nylon 6 that makes up the exterior of the pack is burly (errantly spilled coffee wipes right off), and complements the thick #10 zippers and spacer-mesh back panel. Even the Evergoods logo is low-key: a simple 2×2” patch on the front of the bag with a slash. That’s it — and we dig it.

Bar none, the Civic Panel Loader has the best laptop sleeve we’ve ever encountered in a backpack, and that’s saying something. The side-accessed zippered aperture can hold a 17” Macbook Pro, and nestles into a fully padded space at the rear of the pack.

This sleeve is suspended from the bottom of the bag, as we’ve seen in many forward-thinking bags, but goes a step further and protects the laptop from the side with an aluminum stay — the primary functionality of which is to support the side handle on the bag. Genius.

The high-polish finish on the CPL24 feels reminiscent of the attention to detail we loved about the Tom Bihn Synapse 25, but we ended up enjoying this pack even more for a simple reason: side carry. The broad handle on the side of the pack is reinforced by that aluminum stay, and it creates a perfectly supported carry for jostling through crowded terminals.

On the interior of the pack, two large pockets are subdivided with a few smaller sleeves and pockets, which are oriented to be accessed with the bag on its side. We carried this pack for a month straight of remote work, lugging it to coffee shops and co-working spaces, and it supplanted all other packs we’ve used previously.

“It’s hard not to love a pack that makes your life easier,” says Senior Editor Nick Belcaster. “This pack does that. Laptop, headphones, notebooks — a whole lot goes into the pack without a care.”

Up there with Nomatic, GORUCK, and Tom Bihn, Evergoods is certainly among the pack-makers that put intelligent design and smart material choice above all else. The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L is the final word when it comes to a travel pack you can carry every day. We certainly do.

Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

• Capacity 27.5 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 9 oz.
• Dimensions 18.9" x 11.4" x 5.9"
• Material 420x2000D Cordura nylon, 135D polyester

• Dang good looking
• High-quality trim and details, including anodized G hooks and supple webbing
• Supper cushioned back panel
• Exterior expandable water bottle pocket is a bit slim
• Pack straps don't stow away.

Pulling off a good expandable backpack can be a tough task, with fabric accordion folds often taking up valuable real estate on the interior when collapsed in lesser bags. Not so with the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), which takes a simple backpack shape and elevates it with premium materials and design to create one of our favorite travel backpacks for tucking under an airliner seat.

Unlike a lot of the pure-function rectangular bags in our lineup, the Never Check is a real looker — easily one of the best styled in our testing so far, and we’d have no qualms about bringing it along as a business bag. Small details like rubber-covered zipper pulls, anodized G hooks, and supple webbing keep it looking sharp. The 27.5-liter size is just about dead-on for most airline ‘personal item’ size requirements, and this bag easily slides under a seat.

The main compartment is accessed through a clamshell zipper on the front of the bag, which is gusseted to hang open while you’re loading it up. During the few national and international flights our Senior Editor Nick Belcaster deployed the bag on, this was easily enough space for everything you might want during a plane ride. And for everything else, a front pocket is lined with multiple drop and zip pockets for organizing small gadgets like chargers or keys.

The back panel of the Never Check is a plush ½-inch of comfortable foam, and combined with the equally padded shoulder straps made for a very nice carrying bag. The straps unfortunately do not stow away, but on a lower volume pack such as this, it’s a much less useable feature in our opinions. 

And finally, one of our favorite features: the wide laptop sleeve. This 15” opening is generous enough to accommodate the larger laptops of today, and is suspended from the bottom of the backpack to ensure bumps don’t turn into bruises.

Just like the name suggests, the Never Check Expandable Backpack provides a svelte solution to bringing a bag with you during airline travel — or even just to the office. Its clean profile and attention to detail impressed us, and it would make an excellent work-to-weekend bag.

Able Carry Max Backpack

• Capacity 30 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 14.4 oz.
• Dimensions 20.4" x 12.6" x 7.9"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell design
• Material X-Pac and 1000D nylon face fabric, ripstop 420D nylon interior

• High-quality fit and finish with top-shelf materials
• Dedicated work compartment is well organized and padded
• Shoulder straps and back panel are cushy Zotefoam
• Fits 17" laptops
• No hipbelt can be nice for storing, but needed for heavy carries
• On the higher end for travel pack pricing

Sporting many of the same features and functionality as the leading travel packs in our review, the Able Carry Max Backpack ($278) leaves little on the cutting room floor, decked out with ultra-durable Cordura nylon and X-Pac materials to pull together a travel pack that you could kick, throw, or loft across the airport to no ill effect. This is one tough pack.

At 30 liters, the only thing not ‘Maxed’ out on the Max is the capacity, which lands at less than the maximum legal carry-on size for most domestic airlines, but will be ideal instead for those who are operating with a little more room in their checked baggage, freeing up the Max for the important stuff. We also find slightly smaller packs such as this fly much easier on worldwide flights, where carry-on sizes can be a bit more diminutive.

That space is wisely dispersed, organized, and split between the laptop and main compartments. The laptop sleeve won’t hold any remote worker back, as it will host up to the 17″ mondo laptops of the modern age. It is flanked by an accessories pocket lined with four stretchy pockets for swaddling your chargers, cords, memory cards, and wireless mouse.

The main compartment leaves the organization up to you and is accessed through a broad clamshell opening that gives you full access to the entire space. A couple of packing cubes won’t go to waste in this space, and while Able Carry doesn’t supply the straps themselves, a couple of daisy chain webbing loops run the length of either side of the interior, meaning you can wrangle unruly items if need be. The back panel tucks away a few more zippered pockets, and a water bottle pocket also collapses away when not needed.

On the exterior, the Max is crisscrossed by seatbelt webbing on almost every facet, which will appeal to those who are looking for a modular pack for attaching and switching kit around as it’s needed. The VX21 X-Pac material is a rough and tumble weave that might not have the slick finish of the canvas on the Peak Design Travel Backpack but is easily as weather and abrasion-proof. We also highly appreciated the 1000D Cordura nylon on the boot of the pack, which made shuffling it around a worry-free exercise.

There are a lot of high-quality travel backpacks in the 30-liter space, and while most all will get the job done, it’s the construction of the Able Carry Max Backpack that keeps drawing us back to it. The stitching on this pack is exact and plentiful and works to hold a number of high-quality materials together in a thoughtful design.

Fully loaded, we did sometimes wish for a removable hip belt to help shoulder the weight a bit, but only the most jammed-full load-outs elicited this desire. For anyone after a dialed-in travel pack, the Max lives up to the name.

Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack

• Dimensions 22" x 12.8" x 11"
• Material 420D UHMWPE-reinforced ripstop nylon, 100D Robic nylon mini-ripstop

• Incredible density of pockets and sleeves
• Tough UHMWPE outer fabric can be tossed around
• Shoulder straps tuck away in a novel and smart manner
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit tight
• Price is up there

With a pocket or sleeve for pretty much everything, the new Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350) gives the Peak Design Travel Pack a run for its money when it comes to the best overall travel pack. 

Our Managing Editor raved about the GlobeRider after serious testing where she pretty much lived out of it for 3 months: “If you travel often and look for crucial components like internal and external pockets, laptop storage, and backpack and hip straps, consider the Matador GlobeRider 45. It’s a unique design in that the [pack] seems to have it all — every feature I’ve needed so far, both living out of it and in my travels — in a pretty packable size.”

What impressed us most was the way the GlobeRider was able to balance both an eye-watering amount of organization and versatility, and burly durability that ensures that this pack won’t shy away from tough travel conditions. In total (and we double-counted) there are 19 individual pockets on the pack, in all types of stretch mesh, zippered, and collapsible configurations. When good organization is key, the GlobeRider reigns. 

On the back panel of the GlobeRider, one of the more novel stowage systems we’ve seen packs away the shoulder straps and hip belt for when you want to slim down the bag. Two zippered panels — similar to the structure of the Peak Design packs, save for the closure — envelop the straps when not in use, and provide a lump-free panel for toting around. 

When it comes to downsides, the GlobeRider doesn’t miss much. The laptop sleeve aperture is a bit small at 9.5”, which in today’s age of mondo-screened computers may be limiting to some with larger devices. There also is no ability to convert the pack to a shoulder bag like the Patagonia MLC does, which can be handy when moving quickly through the airport.

Dang-near the top of the list, the Matador GlobeRider 45 would be an excellent choice for anyone who practices one-bag travel, or desires to have a place for everything in their journeys. The price does sting a bit, but based on the long-term testing we’ve completed so far, we’ve seen no indications that this pack will fade away anytime soon.

Read Review: I Lived Out of This Backpack for 3-Plus Months: Matador Globerider45 Review

Thule Aion 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 3 oz.
• Dimensions 13" x 9.1" x 20.5"
• Material Waxed P600 polyester canvas

• Maxes out on carry-on-compliant space
• Internal roll-top TPU bag separates the clean from the to-do laundry
• Waxed canvas exterior has a classy look
• Centered side handle carries well
• Well-cushioned back panel
• No shoulder strap stowage option
• No hipbelt on a 40L is pushing it

Better known for their roof boxes and racks, it’s fair to say that Thule knows travel, and the addition of smart, organized, and comfortable travel packs like the Thule Aion 40L ($200) makes all the sense in the world to us. This pack is a finely-honed bag for international and local travel alike, and is decked out in some high-class materials.

Like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC pack, the Aion 40L aims to go for the maximum allowed capacity, and at our measurements (21.5” x 15” x 8”), the pack slides in just half an inch less than the normal 45 linear inches typically allowed. That’s efficient. The space is split up into two main compartments and a laptop sleeve, with the larger opening with a full clamshell zip.

This inner compartment hosts a few zippered pockets and internal compression straps, but the star of the show here is the integrated TPU rolltop bag. This sack can be used to cordon off your liquids (and easily presented for inspection), as well as separate your pile of ‘to-do’ laundry. This reminds us of the ActiveShield compartment in the Gregory Border Traveler pack, but we enjoy the removable aspect here even more. 

Round the back of the pack, the spacer-mesh swaddled laptop sleeve rivals the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader , and has an additional sleeve for items like tablets, notebooks, or chargers. The back panel itself is impressively cushioned (one of the more luxe in our testing) and that extends to the shoulder straps. 

Unfortunately, there’s no shoulder strap-stowage system here, so you’ll have to wrangle those yourself, and while we typically enjoy the lack of a hip belt in smaller travel packs, the absence in a 40-liter pack is a little puzzling. Fully loaded, the Aion could certainly benefit from one, and while a separate sling bag can be added to function as one, you’ll need to fork over $50 for it.

Ranking high up there with your Peak Designs and your Ospreys, the Thule Aion 40L nails the style and material departments, and with a full 40 liters of space on board, has all the room to pack for your week-long trips — no roof box required.

Osprey Archeon 30L

• Weight 3 lbs.
• Dimensions 20.5" x 13" x 11.4"
• Compartment access Zippered top-access
• Material 840D ballistic polyester with carbonate coating

• Extra-tough exterior fabric with carbonate coating
• High-polish details such as seatbelt webbing straps
• Mini-wing hipbelt tucks away easily when not needed
• Smart internal storage pockets that lay flat when not needed
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit too snug
• Compression straps lay over the main zipper

First off, one word: Rugged. The Osprey Archeon 30L ($250) is a high-end build that spares little in the material department, and looks dang good while it’s at it. The 30-liter size makes this bag weekend travel-ready, and we greatly appreciated the fit and finish.

The overall design of the Archeon reminds us a good bit of the Peak Design Travel Bag (certainly the all-waterproof exterior zippers and curved side-entry pockets), but it’s the exterior fabric that really impressed. The 840D ballistic polyester is coated with a carbonate polyurethane coating, a bolstered recipe that increases durability by a magnitude over traditional PU coatings. In testing, we wore out before putting a dent in it.

The pack itself breaks down into two main compartments, with the main pocket opening behind a curved clamshell zip (we did have a little trouble with the zipper passing behind the exterior straps. Removing them fixed that). Inside, three expandable tech pockets tuck away all of your small kit, and do a good job of keeping things tidy on the interior.

On the exterior, Osprey doesn’t disappoint when it comes to suspension straps, which are comfortable, adjustable, and stashable. The mini wing-style hip belt earns special praise on packed flights, where we find traditional hip belts to be a hassle to store, and combined with the slick shoulder-strap stash pocket, the Archeon converts to minimal mode in under a minute.

Something the Archeon certainly could use, however, is a slightly larger aperture into the laptop/tech compartment. As-is, the zipper doesn’t quite extend down far enough to truly open up the pocket, and as such it can feel a bit like rummaging around in the dark looking for cords and chargers in the bottom of the pack. Extending these zippers down to the middle of the pack would seem to fix the issue, and we hope a later iteration might address this.

Nonetheless, we were still impressed by the Osprey Archeon 30L . There’s also a 40-liter version if you’re looking for a max-capacity carry-on, and even a smaller 24-liter for kicking around coffee shops day-to-day.

Read Review: Hack Carry-On Rules: Osprey Archeon Kit Gives Power Back to Passengers

Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.4 oz.
• Dimensions 22.5" x 14" x 7.5"
• Material 1000D recycled nylon, 400D recycled nylon, 210D recycled nylon, 1680D recycled ballistic nylon

• Overbuilt design with tough materials and chunky zippers
• Plenty of organizational pockets
• Bright interior
• Not the cleanest strap stowage

Chunky zippers, an overhead-savvy profile, and multiple ways to sling it over your shoulder: The Topo Designs Global Travel Pack ($229) has honed in on much of what we love in a travel backpack.

During a recent trip from Seattle to Southern California, we were heavily saddled with the maximum the airline would allow. But this pack made use of every inch of space and reached the allowance of what we could check as our carry-on. The 40 liters of internal capacity is broken down into a series of dividers and pockets, which made condoning off things like electronics from the rest of our kit easy. And the interior of this pack is a cheery canary yellow, which helps with ease and visibility.

On the exterior of this pack, three separate carry styles are available to get you through the concourse in whatever way you choose. We found the full-featured backpack straps to be our go-to, which even sport load-lifters for a comfy carry. This suspension system does tuck away for when you might want to check the bag, though we found the hipbelt to be a bit tricky to fully retract.

Rounding out this travel-ready backpack is a tough build that makes use of 1000D recycled nylon and heavy-duty zippers, and we had no qualms with tossing this bag around during our trip. Perfect for anyone who subscribes to the one-bag travel ethos, the Global Travel Pack from Topo Designs makes the grade for those who want the most out of their carry-on.

And if you’re only going to be away for a short trip, the Global Travel pack is also available in a 30L capacity .

Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack

• Capacity 28 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 4 oz.
• Dimensions 19" x 12" x 9"
• Material TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester, 840-denier nylon paneling

• Burly exterior material holds up for the long run
• Plenty of zippered mesh storage pockets
• On the heavier side
• TPU-coated nylon can feel grabby

The Allpa 28L Travel Pack ($170) will change the way you travel. It’s sleek, durable, and able to fit an incredible amount of stuff in a small space. The zippered mesh pockets keep clothes organized. And the compression straps maximize what you can pack.

The tough polyester and nylon construction can take a beating without any signs of wear. And we appreciate that the externally accessed, padded laptop sleeve makes pulling out your electronics at security checkpoints a breeze. There’s also a small outer compartment to keep essentials at hand.

You can completely tuck away the backpack straps and carry the pack like a briefcase, or wear it comfortably as a backpack. We’ve stuffed this pack to the gills countless times and have never had a problem with the zippers. Light rain showers or spills roll right off the TPU-coated exterior, but for legit rainstorms, just pull out the included rain cover.

The Allpa also comes in 35L, 42L, 50L, and 70L capacities. As our editor noted in the 42L review , “Building on its fun and functional ethos, Cotopaxi beefs up its bestselling product. The Allpa Travel Pack earns big points for clever design, clean aesthetic, and a surprising number of handy — and hidden — features.”

Yes, the Cotopaxi Allpa packs are an investment, but anyone who travels regularly will find it a worthy one. These powerhouse travel backpacks are sturdy, versatile, and built to last.

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

• Capacity 25 L
• Weight 1 lb., 13 oz.
• Dimensions 13.4" x 20" x 9.1"
• Material 400-denier Halcyon, 420-denier nylon ripstop

• Many different fabrics and color schemes are available
• Built to last design and materials
• Removable webbing hip belt
• Suspension doesn’t pack away
• Side wing pockets are a little awkward to access

Refined and clean-looking, the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($250) is a high-end travel backpack we just can’t stop staring at. It just looks that good. Made of burly textiles and zippers, this pack was built to stand the test of tough travel and come out shining on the other side.

The Synapse 25 is the larger version of Tom Bihn’s Synapse 19 , a popular backpack made for daily carry. The bump in volume is appreciated in this travel-oriented version and is doled out in one large compartment as well as a set of pockets on the front of the pack.

We found all the pockets easily accessible, save for the side wing pockets. While these were excellent for the organization of smaller bits and bobs, the openings were a bit awkward to jump into.

Topped off by a cushioned suspension (the foam is a half-inch of supple EV50), this travel backpack didn’t weigh us down on long days of travel when fully packed. And when we wanted to go light, even the webbing hip belt was removable. In terms of the ability to bop around town as a daily driver, this pack is up there with the TimBuk2 Never Check (we liked the back panel on this pack the most).

Along with being carry-on compliant, the Synapse is also one of the few bags on our list that are compact enough to fit under most airline seats without hogging too much precious legroom.

Osprey Nebula 32 Daypack

• Capacity 32 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 1.7 oz.
• Dimensions 19.2" x 12.2" x 11.4"
• Material 420-denier recycled nylon

• TSA-compliant laptop sleeve
• Many options for organization
• Water bottle pockets fit 32 oz. bottles
• Need to release two buckles in order to unzip the main pocket all the way

When it comes to backpacks, Osprey has put in the time — and it shows. The Nebula 32 ($140) feels like all the brand’s most popular packs morphed into one. Most of all, we love how it seamlessly goes from city streets to trails.

This backpack can do it all, whether you’re hauling your laptop and books around town; water, food, and layers on an easy hike; or all of the above and then some for a weekend away.

The internal storage pockets are great for organizing all of your things for easy access. And while the Nebula 32 is top-loading, the main pocket opens up wide enough so you won’t have to unload everything to get to the one thing you want at the bottom. The sternum strap and hip belt are comfortable as well, especially when carrying a heavy load.

On smaller volume packs like this, sometimes design concessions need to be made to accommodate all the functionality, and on the Nebula, it’s in the side compression straps. Like on the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, the compression system of the pack overlays across the main compartment zipper, meaning you’ll need to undo some straps before rifling around in the storage area. Not a deal breaker, but a little annoying when the TSA line starts to back up behind you.

Overall, the Nebula 32 won’t disappoint if you make it your go-to smaller-volume travel backpack.

Travel Backpack Comparison Chart

How We Tested Travel Backpacks

The staff of GearJunkie is a hot-footed bunch, restlessly plodding across the country or around the globe in search of adventure and whatever else comes our way. And we have a lot of stuff, which necessitates having a travel bag or four in the stable.

Surely any old bindle will do in carrying your kit around, but having a travel backpack that is dialed into the needs of travel can turn a stressful situation into a manageable one. We’ve been testing travel backpacks since 2019 and have put the market slice through the wringer on thousands of miles of travel to weed out the best of the best.

Senior Editor Nick Belcaster has a zeal for international travel, and he leads up our current travel pack testing, logging almost 10,000 flying miles in the last year alone. From Iceland to Utah, Belcaster has carried these packs and lived out of them for weeks, relying on them to support back-to-back travel excursions.

In testing, we looked for a number of features in our travel backpacks, including overall capacity, carry style, durability, and aesthetics. It’s important to think about how you’ll use your travel pack, and as such, every pack on our list is carry-on compliant for the worst-case scenario.

We know no trip will be like the next, so we took a broad swath of the travel backpacks on the market in order to create a list that will suit many different travelers. Packs in hand, over our shoulders, or on our backs, we hit the four corners and tested the best travel backpacks of 2024.

Curious about what we pack in our travel backpacks? We’ve penned up a list for both domestic and international trips .

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Travel Backpack

Travel backpack user profiles.

The International Jet-Setter: The term ‘One Bag Travel’ is no stranger to you, and you’ve just about got your life distilled down into 45 liters of space. If international travel is your bag, then a backpack that’s up to the task will be essential to see you through to further time zones.

Efficiency will be the name of the game here, and going with a pack that is dang-near the carry-on maximums for international flights will mean you can make it through without checking a bag. Look for near to 45-liter packs with plenty of organization baked in, as well as a comfortable (and stashable) carry system.

For international travel, the bag we reach for most often had to be the Peak Design Travel Backpack , with a razor-thin second place going to the Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack . For an emphasis on organization, the Matador SEG45 splits up the volume well, and if you’ll be schlepping bags around a long way, the Osprey Farpoint & Fairview Packs have all the Osprey suspension we love.

The Weekend Warrior: Maybe it’s a work trip, and maybe it’s just for fun, but it’s only going to take 2-3 days total, and you’ll need a bag that can pack it in. For weekend excursions, we find packs in the 25-35 liter range work well for the minimalists among us, and the 30-40 liter range for those who like a bit more options.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 is easily one of the most stylish packs in our review, only slightly edged out by the Timbuk2 Never Check , and both make the grade for a single overnighter in a foreign locale. For a bit more space, you can’t go wrong with the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L , a fun pack that is a lot tougher than the multi-colored exterior would let on.

The Commuter: No flight involved! Duty calls, and sometimes you’ll need to lug around a bit more kit than the old briefcase can allow for. Commuting with a travel backpack is a great way to stay comfortable on longer rides, as shoulder and handbags are cumbersome over the long run. Focus on a bag with a more traditional backpack shape that puts an emphasis on ease-of-access, and is in the 20-30L range.

For bumping around town, we’ve come to love the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24 , which not only lugs our remote office around with ease, but also looks pretty slick doing it. The drawstring opening here is a huge boon for quickly stashing a jacket, and the tough exterior fears no weather forecast. For a budget just-get-it-done choice, the JanSport Journey Pack will make it happen for less.

The right size pack for you depends on a few things. First, where are you going? And, how long do you plan to stay? Winter travel often comes with more gear, so you’ll need to pack extra layers. Longer trips often require larger bags.

That said, your personal packing style will be the most important factor. We know minimalists who happily travel for months with only a single backpack in tow and others who want the largest travel backpack possible in addition to a totally stuffed duffel bag . One method isn’t better than the other, but knowing your style is helpful when choosing a bag.

In general, we’ve found that something in the 28-45 liter range is ideal for comfort and packability. Many packs will also offer a compression system to allow you to limit the overall volume of the backpack. We’ve seen many different ways to accomplish this, but the most effective by far were the button snaps and expanding zipper of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Packs toward the 40-45 liter range will be your carry-on bags of choice, and the 45-liter Peak Design, Patagonia MLC , and Matador GlobeRider are perfect for maxing out your allowed space. The 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs give up a little internal room for the luxe suspension system they’re carried with.

Packs in the smaller end of the range, from around 25-30 L, make better personal items, and the TimBuk2 Never Check , Tom Bihn Synapse , and Patagonia Black Hole backpacks all fit snugly underneath an airliner seat. These small bags move through a city gracefully and look more like everyday carry backpacks than traditional luggage.

What good would a bag be if you couldn’t get into it? From a simple drawstring to a thicket of Velcro and zippers, there are plenty of ways to keep your bag closed while you’re on the go, but not every one will be amenable to travel.

Zippered Clamshells: Most travel backpacks will use a clamshell-style design that opens up the backpack like a suitcase, allowing you to pack intentionally as opposed to stuffing things in. Oftentimes, an internal strap system will help keep your items contained while you’re on the move.

Packs with this clamshell design may also opt to add internal dividers to the main storage area, and make these dividers removable — should you need the entire storage area uninhibited. For packs without internal dividers or straps, consider adding a few packing cubes to keep your items organized.

In addition to the rear entry, some backpacks will offer additional entry points through the top or front of the pack. This can be helpful when you need to quickly retrieve something like a passport from your bag, without the need to totally spill the contents. The majority of packs in our review close in this clamshell manner, and a few of our favorites are the Peak Design Travel Backpack , Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs , and Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack .

Zippered Top-Access: Much like many traditional backpacks, zippered top-access packs load and unload from the topside, and generally only offer one point of entry/egress into the pack. For this reason, packs of this flavor are generally left packed during travel, as digging around for something at the bottom can be a hassle.

Bags of this stripe, including the uber-nice Tom Bihn Synapse 25 and expandable Timbuk2 Never Check , most often make better personal items over carry-ons, as their smaller volumes make for easier searching within.

Drawstring Top-Entry: While not quite as common as a zippered clamshell or top-access pack, drawstring top-entry packs can make for very quick and easy access to your kit if you’re on the move. These packs will integrate an extended fabric collar to the top of the storage area, which can be compressed when needed, or overstuffed with bulky items like jackets.

Carrying Options

There are plenty of ways to lug your kit to your boarding gate, but not all of them will be comfortable for everything. Over-shoulder backpack straps can support a good bit of weight but typically will need some type of frame to truly be supportive. The Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs were the best-carrying packs in our testing, owed largely to the wire frame and Airscape mesh back panels, but we also enjoyed the carry of the aluminum frame stays on the Matador GlobeRider.

A shoulder strap travel backpack, like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L , can be slung across your body and provide a great amount of accessibility on the go. Don’t expect to carry too much weight this way, however.

And then there’s the classic suitcase style, easily towed anywhere. It’s good to note many travel backpacks will have stowable straps to better streamline the pack for a trip through an X-ray machine or stowed under a seat. The strap storage design of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L impressed us most of all, utilizing magnetic closure flaps to pack away the shoulder and hip straps neatly.

Pockets & Organization

There’s an organizational saying: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” And we couldn’t agree more. Keeping track of everything while you travel is key for organization. And while more pockets always seem better, there is a threshold where having too many simply becomes more places to misplace things. Instead, we recommend packs with three to six pockets.

The Cotopaxi Allpa and Topo Designs Global Travel Bags both have ingenious inner organization systems complete with large zipping “pockets.” It has just enough space to find room for everything but not so many compartments that you’ll be hunting all day for your misplaced passport. For even more organization, the Matador SEG45 splits into five different segments that are accessible from the exterior of the pack.

Bringing along a laptop is a necessary evil for some travelers, and having an incorporated laptop sleeve in your travel backpack can keep it safe during travel. Most laptop sleeves will be padded with some type of foam and nestle in close to the back for maximum protection. In order to be TSA-compliant, a laptop sleeve will need to fold entirely flat away from the pack to be scanned.

Because flying with liquids over 3.4 ounces is prohibited in the U.S., carrying all of these items in a separate toiletry bag can make your foray into the screening line a breeze. Many of the packs on our list incorporate many external pockets where such a bag could be stashed and produced when needed.

Travel luggage takes a beating, so durability is a top concern. Luckily, gear manufacturers realize this and are making increasingly burly yet portable packs. The fan-favorite Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L pack is made with a 900-denier ripstop nylon outer with a TPU laminate for extra durability. It’s nearly indestructible, water-resistant, and versatile.

If you’re traveling somewhere with inclement weather or if your pack needs to double as a climbing bag or hiking pack, durability is extra important. And it’s worth paying more for a backpack that is water-resistant.

Space Efficiency & Carry-On Compliance

Astute observers will note many of the packs in our review sport a rectangular shape, which is certainly due to designers aspiring to create a more space-efficient pack. This isn’t to say that more shapely packs won’t make it happen, but when you’re struggling to make every liter of space count, maximizing dimensions matters.

Carry-on luggage is any bag that you plan on bringing into an airplane and storing in the overhead bins. Because space is limited, airlines dictate the maximum size that any carry-on can be. In the U.S., the most common size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). However, this is just a rough guideline; some airlines differ from these dimensions, and you should refer to their information directly.

In general, these dimensions provide a travel backpack with around 40-45 liters of internal volume, so buying a pack that’s as close to that as possible will provide the most space allowed. Many of the packs on our list have the ability to compress to a smaller size, such as the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L .

Be mindful as well, that any protrusions from your travel pack such as shoulder straps or handles will also need to fall within the maximum allowed size. Many travel backpacks today incorporate some type of strap-stowing ability, such as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design packs, the zippered cover of the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, and the hybrid zipper/panel of the Matador GlobeRider 45. All of these provide a more streamlined profile that should both hit the mark, and fit better into overhead bins.

Travel backpacks run the gamut of prices — from affordable to downright pricey. There are a number of factors that play into what you get for the money.

Budget-Minded Travel Packs

Travel backpacks, as a category, are generally a bit pricer than your average luggage, as they incorporate tough materials that can put up with extensive wear over the lifespan. Travel is tough on bags, so it’s unsurprising that even budget travel backpacks will cost you around $100-150.

These packs often will incorporate more traditional architectures such as a zippered top access, as opposed to the more complicated (and spendy) full-zip clamshell designs. For example, the JanSport Journey Pack ($95) is pretty much your average school bag.

Volumes, too, will be a bit limited in this price range — added material adds cost. The 32-liter Osprey Nebula ($140) is about the best price-to-volume ratio you can get.

Mid-Range Travel Packs

Mid-range packs make up the bread and butter of travel packs, and can be had for around $150 to $200. These designs are often more of the full carry-on variety, and aim to capitalize on permitted volume as much as possible. The 45-liter Matador SEG45 ($200), Patagonia Black Hole MLC ($239), 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview ($185), and Topo Designs Global Travel Bag ($229) all shoehorn in just about as much space as a friendly gate agent will let you get away with.

For the price, you also get a good variety of functionality that makes travel easier, such as stowable pack straps, interior segmented pockets and sleeves (done excellently on the $170 Cotopaxi Allpa ), and an external compression system that limits the space your bag takes up. Some packs, like the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), don’t exactly hit these parameters, but instead make up for it in high-quality design and materials.

Premium Travel Packs

Above $250, you’re likely paying for premium materials or a to-the-hilt design that leaves absolutely nothing on the cutting room floor. The Peak Design Travel Backpack ($300) is a great example, and utilizes super high-quality nylon canvas, custom aluminum hardware, and supple seatbelt material webbing in its build, as well as fitting in just about every conceivable feature you could want in a travel pack. The same can be said of the Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350), which uses high-tech UHMPWE-reinforced materials and sports a total of 19 pockets.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($250) is a bit of an outlier, as it commands a high dollar amount not for the extreme amount of space it offers or amount of features, but for being a hyper-customizable, hand-made bag that uses the nicest textiles available, as well as the best zippers, webbing, and foam in its design. If you’re a fan of the finest materials, this is your daily driver pack.

What Is One Bag Travel?

The ‘One Bag Travel’ ethos and travel backpacks go hand-in-hand. Simply put, to travel in one-bag style is to be minimalist in your luggage choices, and only take what you can carry onto the plane/train/pack animal. Not only does this do away with the fuss of deciding what exactly to bring along with you, but it also allows for breezing through airports — skipping the need to check baggage, wait at baggage claim, or fear for lost luggage.

In order to most effectively travel with one bag, be sure to read up on exactly the baggage size allowances provided by your transportation. This can affect both overall size and weight, and having an expandable pack is a large benefit here. In this way, you can carry just enough to skirt through under the limit, and then expand the bag when you’ve hit your destination for more breathing room. If you aim for a 35-40 liter backpack, you’ll be right on the money for one-bag travel.

Finally, remember that this bag is going to be the only item of luggage you’ve got, so ensure it’ll be comfortable enough for the long haul. Look for padded back panels and hip belts that’ll transfer the load correctly, and if they stash away — all the better.

Our team unanimously agrees that the best travel backpack is the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . It’s extremely durable, and it offers plenty of organizational pockets to stash your kit away in. The clamshell opening makes packing a breeze, and we really appreciated the unique shoulder strap storage options available to turn the pack into a stripped-down bag that would slide into any overhead compartment.

The best size bag for traveling depends largely on your travel itinerary and mode of transport. The Cotopaxi Allpa packs range from 28 to 42 liters.

The 28-liter option makes for a compact and comfortable backpack that easily fits in overhead airplane compartments. The 42-liter option is a bit more like carrying a duffel bag on your back, but it still manages to fit in overhead compartments. It’s a great option for maximizing carry-on capacity in backpack form.

While both have their place in travel, a backpack can offer some advantages over a suitcase. Since they’re much more portable, backpacks can be brought to many more places where a suitcase won’t work. Suitcases can be your large load carriers, but a good travel backpack gives you the freedom to strike out on daily adventures.

Travel backpacks absolutely can be carry-on luggage, given they meet the size requirements. In the U.S., the most common maximum size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). But this is only a common size, and different airlines will have different specifics. Consult with your airline specifically to determine what they allow.

While different body types will find different travel packs comfortable, we can all agree that a good support system and ample foam make for a comfortable carry. In our own testing, we found the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 Travel Packs were by far the most comfortable due to their plush suspension systems.

Because many different airlines operate a slate of different planes, there isn’t a standard under-seat luggage size, although there is an average: 16 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches. Some airlines allow personal items larger than this, but you should consult with their customer service for specifics. Our favorite personal item-sized travel pack was the Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack , which, at 24 liters compressed, easily slides under a seat.

The Best Laptop Backpacks of 2024

Whether you’re headed to the office, class, or even the trailhead, here’s our top picks for the best laptop backpacks of 2024.

The Best Daypacks of 2024

We tested the best daypacks of 2024 with options for every budget. Top picks include Osprey, Cotopaxi, and more.

Hailing from the hemlocks and hanging mosses of Washington State, Senior Editor Nick Belcaster is an adventure journalist following threads of stories across the West. Cruelly stolen from the alpine swales of rural Wisconsin at a young age, Nick made do ascending the snows and granite of the North Cascades while completing a journalism degree. A long stint on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018 codified a life bent on sleeping on minor slopes and picking devil’s club out of his shoes.

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Travel Pack 3 Small

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The carry-on travel backpack that keeps you moving

The Travel Pack 3 Small is a versatile carry-on backpack designed for traveling smart. It features a streamlined design and smart organization so you can skip the baggage carousel and stay on the go.   Move Smarter™.

Product Details

• 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign® approved)

• YKK® zippers

• Duraflex® plastic hardware

• Soft woven lining for a premium look and feel (bluesign® approved)

• Padded, suspended laptop pocket with soft lining (fits up to 16" laptop) 

• Lay-flat main compartment for spacious storage and easy packing

• Compression straps with magnetic fasteners for stability and security

• Quick-access top and side pockets for small valuables

• Load lifters for support and comfort

• Handles on all sides for versatile carrying

• Expandable water bottle pocket

• Hidden smart tracker pocket

• Internal framesheet provides structure and support

• Attachment points for a removable hip belt (sold separately)

• Luggage handle pass-through

• Lockable zippers for additional security

• Imported

Length: 19" (48 cm)

Width: 13" (33 cm)

Depth: 7.5" (19 cm)

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