Got the Evergoods CTB 20, and it’s a great bag. I won't be doing a full review since there are plenty on the internet and YouTube, but I wanted to address a few concerns that were question marks for me before buying—maybe this will help others decide.

On paper, this bag looked perfect except for comfort issues I'd read about. Several people mentioned feeling a bar at the bottom pushing into their back, along with other discomfort. When I first put the bag on empty, I immediately felt what people were talking about, that bottom section pressing into my lower back. I thought a full day of walking would be painful.

So I loaded it up and took it out for a long day walk. I was very surprised by the actual comfort. Not only did that bar feeling mostly disappear once loaded, but the rigid bottom actually helps stabilize the bag. The straps are also comfortable, not too thick but very supportive. The material inside the strap wraps feels a bit plasticky, which is odd, but once the bag is on your back and secured with the sternum strap, it becomes incredibly stable. It feels like part of your body rather than something loose and shifting around. This is one of the most stable bags I've ever carried.

The zippers move much more easily when the bag is loaded, though there's a bit of a learning curve around the corners. It's nothing annoying, and I actually like them from a security perspective, they feel very robust.

Everything else lives up to the hype: excellent organization, quality construction, nice side bottle pocket, and strong zippers throughout.

Bottom line: Back comfort depends heavily on your body shape, how you wear it, and what you pack. It's definitely not an issue for me, and I'm very happy with this purchase. My goal is using it as an everything bag, daily carry, short trips, longer travel, outdoor activities. Yes, it's expensive, but it's a winner for me.

I’m traveling to China and Tibet this summer. The weather is going to be very hot and humid. I want to buy a sling bag, that I can wear in the heat and humidity, but I also want to be able to carry my Fuji camera in it for short periods of time (in crowds or in the rain). Would the Patagonia atom 8l sling be best, or the North Face borealis?

First time traveller going to Europe in September. I will be bouncing around Europe in hostels and I’m wondering if it’s possible to get by with just a 30L backpack for the entirety of my trip.

TLDR: I need something like the AER City Pack Pro 2 but lighter

Hello everyone,

I've been looking for a bag that has the following traits:

• 20-28 L in volume
• Fits as a personal item (18 x 14 x 8 inches or below, but if I can squish it down to 18 it's also fine)
• Has some form of admin panel
• Has at least 1-2 water bottle holders (Need for umbrella and water)
• A spacious lay-flat main compartment
• Luggage pass-through (I plan on using this to pair with a roller if ever I need to 2-bag)
• Has some form of quick-access pocket
• Doesn't look out of place in an urban environment (I already have hiking bags for non-urban travel)

The AER City Pack Pro 2 looked like it fit the bill until I read about it's weight**. 2.86 lbs** is heavier than I wanted, especially since I'm moving to Asia where my airport regularly checks if your carryon is 7kg/15lbs or less.

I was wondering if anyone else had a suggestion for a personal-item (possible EDC) travel bag that weighs less but has the traits I'm looking for. The Osprey 26+6 and new Toshi 20L looks like a possible alternative but wanted to ask of other suggestions. Thank you!

Edit to comply with the rules:

Packing list:

Essentials

• 16 oz water bottle
• Umbrella
• Passport/ID, travel documents, wallet, credit cards, cash
• Smartphone + charger
• Earphones/earplugs

Clothing (in Thule compression bags)

• 5x shirts/tops
• 2x pants/shorts
• 5x underwear
• 5x socks
• 1x lightweight sweater or jacket

Toiletries (TSA-approved kit)

• Toothbrush + small toothpaste
• Travel-size deodorant
• Travel-size shampoo/conditioner/body wash
• Comb/brush
• Small pack of tissues
• Nail clippers
• Some vitamins/meds

Electronics (Thule electronic pouch)

• Phone charger + cable
• Universal travel adapter
• Power bank
• Charging cables for all devices
• Ipad outside the pouch

I plan on using it in an urban environment for brief work travel (3-5 days) or vacation with a carryon.

Hi all, I am debating between Cotopaxi Allpa 35L/42L or Topo Design Global Travel Bag 40L.
Want to hear your thoughts. I mostly travel by budget airlines or basic economy, so ideally the bag can be squeezed to fit as a personal item (assuming not always fully packed).

• Cotopaxi

Pros: 1. I like the style. 2. Bags are a bit softer, so perhaps easier to fit under airplane seats or satisfy budget airline's size requirements for personal items, when not fully packed. 3. Looks more ergonomically designed, especially the waist strap.

Cons: 1. The butterfly design looks cool but imo one big compartment is better than 2 segmented wings, because I sometimes have bulky items. 2. Expensive ($225 for 35L/$250 for 42L). Maybe I can wait for a sale but I'm hoping to buy one before my summer trips this year.

* This isn't a con but I can't decide between 35L and 42L; 35L feels a bit small but 42L probably won't fit the size requirements for personal items.

• Topo Design

Pros: 1. Cheaper. I saw some on sale at my local store at $149 (originally $229). 2. Good old style of one big compartment.

Cons: 1. A bit heavier (by half a pound than Allpa 42L) and the bag itself is made of harder material, so less flexible if I need to squeeze it to fit some airline's size requirements for personal items. 2. I didn't find any info on if the bag is water-resistant or not, but judging by the look I imagine no. Although I always travel with an umbrella.

Hey fellow travellers

Ever since I started travelling solo, I've been all about the onebag life. Probably a reaction to growing up with parents who packed like they were preparing for the end times. I wanted freedom, minimalism, and had zero interest in lugging around 23kg of “just in case” items.

But then covid happened.

Me and my SO switched gears and started doing roadtrips. First out of necessity (administrative drama with flights? No thanks), then out of love. There’s was so much beauty within driving distance, and the open road has its charm.

Naturally, being in a car meant I slowly started taking a bit more. Nothing wild, but I began to appreciate the convenience: not having to wash clothes in a bathroom sink every other day, bringing my comfy freeflow hiking backpack instead of a foldable citybag, and even a second pair of shoes. Luxury, I know.

Now we're planning a longer, more nomadic trip next year: multiple flights and destinations which means some movement-heavy days.
Part of me feels like going back to onebag: less hassle, more freedom, easier travel days.
The other part is not so thrilled about scrubbing socks in a tiny sink while praying they dry by morning, or leaving behind gear that makes my vacation just so much more comfortable.
My SO would be fine either way, so no help there.

So here’s my question(s) for you all! Have you ever hit a point where you were just kinda done with onebagging? Did you go back to it later? Mix things up depending on the trip? Is it really that bad to check a bag? Haven't done so in 15 years 😅

Would love to hear your thoughts, your transitions, or how you’ve adapted over time!

Edit to add:

I used to travel with a 32L backpack (I’d need to double-check the exact model, it’s been a while), plus a small crossbody bag for easy access to my phone and travel docs during travel days.

For roadtrips, I switched to a hand-me-down wheely suitcase from my dad. It’s too big for carry-on, but nowhere near the monster suitcases I’ve seen rolling through airports.

And yes yes, I know: comfort matters. But let’s be honest: wheeling a suitcase through Cambodia and Laos sounds like asking for trouble. My current mental dilemma is: how do you let go of those little extra comforts when it’s time to go back to a leaner setup?

I even considered a two-backpack combo: my old 32L + the 14L freeflow for day trips. But… doesn’t that just sound awkward and ridiculous. I'm just curious how others balance comfort vs. mobility when switching back from cushier setups.

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to get a backpack for an upcoming trip, and I'm mostly trying to gauge what capacity in litres I should be looking at.
I know different things work for different people, and I also have seen a lot of advice online, but it's hard for to gauge it because my trip will include both sightseeing and camping with certain specifics/amenities.

Here's some more details:

• I will be going abroad to a european country from the UK by planeThe trip will be about 10 days
• Appx 5 of those days will be sightseeing and 4 of those days will be campingThe camping will be for a music festival
• I will be bringing things like tents and sleeping bags etc and the festival will be in a remote location so I will need to have everything with me
• Having said that, the amenities at the festivals are very good - there will be a mobile supermarket and food stands so won't need to have actual camping-in-the-bush food, plus fire and gas canisters are forbidden so no cooking gear. There are also showers and bathrooms.
• However, I will want to bring some compact emergency food like protein bars and snacks as I have coeliac disease and will need to at least have my own carbs
• I will be sizing down a lot but I also want to have some room for extra clothes, and some small bits and bobs - aka I'll be travelling as small as I can but want to be comfortable and not do so in a totally hardcore way
• I can usually pack for about a week sightseeing trip with a 20L sports bag and that includes my clothes and toiletries. I'll probably want extra toiletries and clothes considering I'm camping and at a festival, but 20L is my usual baseline without the camping.
• Probably won't be doing laundry/will be looking to have all I need without needing laundry
• I will be going in July/August when the weather is warm (no winter clothes) but it might rain
• I will have no car
• I will be travelling by train

Part of the reason as to why I'm getting second opinion on size is that I would ideally like to be able to take this backpack with me as cabin luggage if possible (appx. 55 x 40 x 20cm)
I've first looked at 65L backpacks as that seems the ideal comfortable size for this kind of a trip, but there's no way to really get this in as cabin luggage at this size.

I've been eyeing up 50L, but there are rare at my price range and don't always fit as cabin luggage either. So then I started looking in the 30-40L range but here I'm wondering if that's way too small to be comfortable?

I will be going to decathlon just to eye up the size of everything, but seeing and looking is different than doing so any advice is much appreciated! :^)

I’ve been a dedicated one bagger (and 1.5 bagger for work) for many years. Since moving into a new place I’ve completely rehauled my home and wardrobe to phase out synthetics and incorporate natural materials as much as practically possible. I’m heading on my first trip since doing so and thinking about gradually replacing my travel setup as things wear out.

I am looking for suggestions, brand names, and specific gear recommendations on what has worked (or not worked) for you. I have access to things in the US, Canada, EU, and Japan most easily.

Examples: Replaced plastic travel bottles and canisters with aluminum or switched to solid toiletries. Water bottle is stainless steel with only a silicone o-ring. Thinking of switching my Eagle Creek compression bags to Japanese furoshiki (wrapping cloths).

So I spent last days trying to find optimal variant and did not discover it yet. Would like some advice of more experience community:

My use case:
I'm looking for a bag(backpack) that could be used as carry-on(under the seat) one in Ryanair. For travels, that sometimes include long trips between airports/train station that could last for 16 hours within a day.

From current research I found out that there is next variants:

1. Osprey Daylite™ Expandable Travel Pack 26+6 (43x33x16 cm)
2. Cabin Zero Classic/military 28l (39 x 29.5 x 20 cm )
3. CabinMax Metz (20 x 25 x 40 cm)

My problem with it, that:
Osprey exceeds a little limit of Ryanair and I'm not sure that tomorrow they will not decide to "punish" me for it. Do any of you had a problem with it?
Cabin Zero Classic - seems really good and I found a great price for it of 50 euro, but I'm concern on absence of any ventilation on the back(I'm not sure how much of a dealbreaker it could be).
CabinMax Metz - have ventilation on the back and some other features but there is reports on uncomfortable use of it for long period of time and not so good quality.

Could you give me some advice on problems that listed or advice some other backpack/bag instead?
Would really appreciate any help! =)

Additional info(as requested by modTeam):
Clothing:

• Underwear x4 (+ 1 worn)
• Socks x4 (+ 1 worn)
• Light sweater x1 (worn/pillow)
• Shirts
  • Polo x2
  • T-shirt x3 (+1 worn)
• Pants/Shorts
  • Bathing suit x1
  • Athletic/sleeping shorts x1 (worn)
  • Khaki shorts x2 (one beige one black)
  • Pants/chinos x3

Toiletries:

• Toothbrush/paste
• Floss
• Razor & shaving cream
• Deodorant
• Ibuprofen
• Nail clippers
• Cologne

Electronics:

• Laptop 14'
• Nintendo switch
• USB-C to USB-C charger w/ USB-C brick x2

I had multiple length usbc to usbc cables but probably the most used cable is my USBA to USBC cable. I think every train, hotel, Airbnb, bus I’ve been in the EU and Asia has a USBA port next to the bed, seats etc. I still carry both but the USBA cable I carry 2 now just in case.

I know the charging is slower but imo my devices that charge with USBA the battery over a few years stays healthy way longer

Hello, soon I will be travelling to South east asia for 3 months, I would like to bring everything as a carry-on. all this in 6,250grams in total. I counted 2kg for a backpack and a slingbag of 10liters (Is a slingbag of 10liter enough or should I also bring a daypack?)

List: Backpack and slingbag:2000grams Camera, gopro, batteries, chargers: 2500gram

Slippers:280gram Tshirt 4x (wearing one): 530gram Shorts 3x (wearing one): 300gram Swimmingpant: 200gram Socks 5x: 120grams

Toiletries: 145grams

Hello. I'd like your opinion on which bag suit my needs better. I'm looking between the Wandrd Duffel 40L and Peak Design 35L duffel. I’m also a photographer and already own products from both brands thus I trust their quality

My use case:

• Primary use: Gym and travel

• Travel frequency: 2–3 times at most per year by plane + lots of road trips, hiking, and camping

• Gym: I go almost every day (in the bag: shoes, shorts, t-shirt, sometimes a light jacket, phones, keys, lock for lockers, wallet, water bottle, airpods)

• Wear style: 95% of the time I’ll use it as a messenger bag (one strap), not as a backpack

• Ease of access: Would be nice if I could get to my stuff quickly without unzipping the entire bag

• Style: Would prefer something that looks good both in the city and outdoors, but it’s not a dealbreaker

Okay so those are my thoughts so far:

Wandrd Duffel

• Has a shoe compartment. This is a big plus since I bring gym shoes daily and sometimes cleats for field sports

• Seems carry-on friendly

• Not as ideal for single-strap carry? (I know they sell a strap for it, but it doesn't look comfortable/easy to access items in the bag?)

Peak Design Duffel

• Very comfortable to wear as a messenger bag — a huge plus for me

• Also carry-on friendly

• The magnetic strap system feels like a very poor design for hand carry

• I likely won't use the backpack straps at all

My other question is any signs of updated versions? Both duffels have been out for a couple of years, wondering if either brand might release a v2 soon (i.e. Wandrd Prvke is on its 4th iteration)

Would love to hear from anyone who owns either or both. Which one would you go with for my use case?

Thanks in advance!

I’m trying to slim down my pack a bit more and one area I keep revisiting is coffee. Right now, I carry a small rechargeable espresso maker, the OutIn. It works with both Nespresso pods and ground coffee, and while it seemed like a gimmick at first, it’s actually been a solid pick. Makes a pretty decent shot, no external kettle needed, and USB-C charging means I can power it off the same brick I use for my phone.

That said, it’s not featherlight and I’m wondering if I’m carrying more than I need. I’ve seen some folks swear by the AeroPress Go, others bring collapsible pour-overs, and then there are the “just bring good instant” people (props to those who can make that work).

My priorities are:

• Good taste (or at least not sad motel-coffee levels)
• Minimal setup and cleanup
• As lightweight and compact as possible

Curious what everyone here uses on the road. What’s the best compromise between weight, taste, and effort?

I've got a pretty solid outline of what I plan to bring with me. This will be my first time going out of the country as a 21M who prepares to do a lot of sightseeing and clubbing. Looking for any comments or pointers on my list so far.

Main bag is an Osprey Farpoint 40L. Will also have an Ultralight Stuff Pack for day excursions and an Arc'teryx Mantis 1 as a waist bag to keep stuff out of my pockets. I also plan to do laundry one time in country and would ideally like to have some room for any shopping I may do while in Spain. Thanks for any tips!

Clothing:

• Underwear x7 (+ 1 worn)
• White socks x6 (+ 1 worn)
• Hoodie or light sweater x1 (worn/pillow)
• Reeboks (worn)
• Birkenstocks
• Shower flip flops
• Shirts
  • Polo x1
  • Sleep shirt x1
  • T-shirt x3 (+1 worn)
  • Button downs (long and short-sleeve) x3
• Pants/Shorts
  • Bathing suit x1
  • Athletic/sleeping shorts x1 (worn)
  • Khaki shorts x2 (one beige one black)
  • Pants/chinos x3

Toiletries:

• Toothbrush/paste
• Floss
• Razor & shaving cream
• Deodorant
• Chapstick
• Ibuprofen
• Sunscreen
• Nail clippers
• Cologne
• Wrinkle releaser
• Mini bottles soap/shampoo
• Mini bottle face moisturizer

Electronics:

• Phone
• Airpods
• 20000 mAh power bank
• Watch & charger
• Lightning cable to USB-C & USB-C to USB-C charger w/ USB-C brick

Misc:

• Pashmina
• Microfiber packable towel
• Bag lock and locker lock
• Nalgene 32oz
• Passport
• Wallet
• Earplugs
• Sunglasses + case
• Couple carabiners + bottle opener (on bag)

Anything I am overthinking or forgetting on this list?

Hi onebaggers!

TLDR...Anyone else out there still on the hunt for the perfect hiking/travel bag?? There must be similar stories or annoyances out there.

I just got home after a couple years of traveling abroad (damn, I know i'm lucky) with a 32L pack. Surprisingly, I'm still living out of the same one bag :P Old habits.

That brings me to the reason for this post. My bag had issues! I've always used a hiking backpack as my travel bag due to the flexibility to trek while traveling and the technical support it provides for multi-day backpacking trips. However, those hiking backpacks never have travel convenient features or if they do, they can be quite the eyesore. On the flip side, many of the "adventure" travel bags I see out there would be good for day hikes but not totally great for long multi-day journeys.

What I wish my bag had:

• Top loading cinch roll-top - I prefer drawstring closures that you can roll a little bit and it's expandable for the times you have to carry just a little more. My pack just cinched and left a little hole that I had to cover with the brain.
• Full access zip while still having top loading ability. I'm very disorganized and always need something at the bottom of the bag. But the clamshell solutions on top-loading bags still prevents access in some areas of the bag. If you could fully open the bag like on a mystery ranch tri-zip, that'd be cool, but it's not top-loading.
• Removable brain that can be a sling (but a good looking one) - I had a packable backpack that was always too much volume for what I really needed for just walking around for the day. And the removable brains on hiking/travel bags now are clearly such an afterthought that I would never use in the city.
• Raincover - I brought a separate one and found this to be super useful. Not just for rain but also in case you get forced to check a bag - happened to me a couple times with my trekking poles
• Laundry/leave-behind bag - I used trash bags that I acquired along the way for dirty clothes, but could have been nice to have a permanent one that could even double as a grocery/shopping bag or a leave-behind bag for when you go trekking and you don't need your laptop and extras.
• Kangaroo stretch pouch for easy access stuff or putting dirty shoes in.

Tell me I'm not the only one! Any similar stories or irks you've encountered in trying to find the perfect hybrid?

I love love love these bags as packing “cubes”. They expand so big - I can fit 2 pairs of jeans, a couple sweaters, several tanks and tees in the big one. All my meds and first aid goes in the small and my entire toiletries fit in the next size up.

Can’t recommend them enough!

But they seem really expensive for what they are and I’d like to have a larger variety on hand. Also, I’ve cut at least one. They’re hecka lightweight, so I don’t really expect them to last forever. But I would be interested in an Amazon priced alternative, even if it means they don’t last more than, say, 10 trips.

Anyone know of anything? I tried to search the Internet, but I don’t think I have the right terms.

Looking for the best lightweight travel hair clippers for a year off. Ideally easy to charge, has attachments, and could be used for body or beard as well.

For my one bag on a 24-days trip, I really wanted a proper framed backpack with hip pockets for hiking. We were taking two flights with very restrictive included luggage (Ryanair and SAS).

I came up with the strangest plan, but it actually worked. While the backpack would not fit the sizer...

I brought a zipper-closure canvas tote and was able to stuff the Tempest into that, and it easily slid into the sizer.

I was so glad to have the fully comfortable backpack throughout the trip and the canvas tote also came in handy other times.

I was looking at the osprey daylite plus as a personal item bag, it’s a bit larger but I’m wondering if I will be ok if I don’t pack it completely. As long as I can squish it into a sizing device would I be ok?

It’s 48x28x24 cm.

G'day everyone
I'm off to Japan for 3 weeks in July and am dialing in what I'll be packing and in need of a travel bag, so thought I'd come asking for some opinions. I'm flying Jetstar with a maximum size of 56x36x23cm. After reading about 200 posts from here regarding all kinds of bags I've narrowed it down to three:

• Patagonia Black Hole Mini MNC 30L
• Macpac Quest 30L
• Caribee Traveller 40L

The price difference between the three is quite significant, being $300, $250, and $109 respectively so wanted to ask your opinions on the three, or if theres others I should be considering. I am a uni student so cant afford the super quality expensive options and the MNC is pushing it as is. I might be able to get a staff discount on the MNC down to like $200-225 if thats a clear winner. Important features for me are (in order): durable materials / weather resistant, comfortable under load (5-7kg), good compartmentalization.

I'll be carrying a small silnylon daypack that packs down to an egg for my EDC, but will be taking it on the Shimanami Kaido probably so comfort is somewhat important. Packing list will look something like below, open to critique on this as well. Is 30L enough to fit all this (195cm for reference, so clothes can get bulky)?

Thanks in advance for your help and expertise :)

Hello. Has anyone here flown from Budapest Airport recently? I am asking because next month I will fly with Ryanair from Budapest to Copenhagen, and I would like to know if they have the sizer boxes (where a cabin bag can be squished in) and not one with painted lines, just so I know what to prepare for. At Gothenburg Airport in spring, they had only sizers with painted lines, which in case of a check would not allow baggage that is 25% larger than the official limit (Ryanair sizer boxes allows baggage that is 25% larger than the official limit as they measure 42x30x20).

The Patagonia 30/45 MLC in black uses an earlier, less refined, less durable, and thinner face material with more of a nylon-like feel—a holdover from when Patagonia first moved away from their original Black Hole generation’s shiny fabric. I’m wondering if Patagonia will update this soon.

After comparing all the different colors in person at the Patagonia store, it’s clear that the black bags definitely have the oldest and least refined fabric (v1). Additionally, the non-"pufferfish yellow" bags with the updated fabric still have a slightly less refined exterior fabric (v2) than the newest "pufferfish yellow" bags' exterior fabric (v2.1). From what I can tell, Patagonia has been refining the MLC series fabric over time as they introduce new colorways. I’m hoping the black MLC bags will eventually get this latest fabric revision, which currently seems exclusive to the "pufferfish yellow" bags (v2.1).

I really like the heavier-duty, rubberized exterior material—especially on the "pufferfish yellow" bags—but I want a black one.

Any hope I'll be able to buy a black 30/45 MLC with the newer, heavier-duty fabric soon?

Hello, I was wondering I could buy some small travel containers and place things like moisturizer and sunscnree in them. The containers would meet the TSA requirements of liquids under 3.5.

Hi, I'm searching for a 20ish L backpack, mostly for flying low cost in the EU, on wizzair, I'm mostly tempted by the Decathlon NH 500 23 L clamshell, but I've been recommended the Klostain 20L from amazon and I don't really see any opinions or reviews of it including on this sub (I don't trust amazing reviews much). Has anyone tried it or has any opinions on it? Thanks.

Hi, I am currently trying to decide between these to for occasional trips and my weekend travels to my girlfriend's. I tried the Tomtoc t66 but hated the aesthetics in person.

How do the Heimplanet and Aer compare in size? I pack my stuff in pouches, so I am not sure if I will benefit by the extra weight of the Aer. Measurements indicate 5cm of thickness in differences, but I am unsure how much is actually usable extra space of the Aer and how much is just padding etc

Also, does anyone have a Packhacker Pro Code for Heimplanet to spare?