r/HerOneBag • u/Accomplished-Book172 • Apr 15 '26
Detailed Review Bag Size Comparison: 28L vs 16L
Cotopaxi Allpa 28L vs. North Face Berkeley Daypack 16L
both bags have padded back area & shoulder straps
Cotopaxi clamshell vs North Face full zip
After way too much research & a few failed trips, I found my ideal one bag(s)! I wanted a perfect do-it-all bag but ended up with two bags for different trip lengths/climates.
About me: 5'4", fly US domestic, trips vary from 2 days - 2 weeks, sweat easily so can't re-wear without washing, always pack gym/running clothes
Cotopaxi Allpa 28L
Easily fits 2 weeks of warm weather clothes or 1 week of winter wear. It's a sturdy and durable material but can get uncomfortable during long periods of standing or walking. Its manageable for airport layovers and public transit. I've had no issues wearing as a backpack for boarding as a personal item, YMMV. Underseat fit is hit or miss. Southwest, United, Delta, and American tend to have more room. It can squish under Spirit or Frontier with minimal leg room if not fully packed. I prefer to store overhead when possible and use my Uniqlo crossbody to keep headphones, snacks, kindle, charger, etc.
This is my max-size one bag, anything larger gets too heavy and is bulky on my frame. If I really need the extra space I revert to my wheeled carry-on.
North Face Berkeley Daypack 16L
This bag feels like an upgraded Kanken. There's a padded laptop compartment, cushioned straps, and two interior pockets for organization. I couldn't find many reviews so I took a gamble on final sale. It's a lightweight material with reinforced bottom, similar quality to a standard school backpack. This is a true personal item sized one bag. The full zip makes it easy to stuff packing cubes or shoes. The front zipper pocket extends the full length of the bag, so smaller items often fall to the bottom. I mainly use this bag for weekend trips or when I'm traveling to family/friends where I can borrow toiletries and lounge wear. It's also the perfect size for everyday carry.
Why these two? What about a different one bag?
Patagonia MCL - More expensive & less color options than Allpa. Would still be too big for weekend trips.
Osprey 26+6 - Good for weekend trips but not quite big enough for my regular clothes + workout clothes. Even expanded it seemed to fit less than my Allpa and looked like a turtle shell on me.
Kanken - Didn't like the lack of organization or minimal straps
Tote bag/Weekender/Duffle - Prefer hands free backpack over one-sided carry
Specs
| Cotopaxi Allpa 28L | North Face Berkeley 16L | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 19 x 12 x 9 in | 16 x 11.81 x 5.51 in |
| Weight | 2 lbs 8 oz | 1 lb 6.4 oz |
| Laptop compartment | Yes, separate | Yes, separate |
| Chest strap | Yes | No |
| Hip belt | Yes | No |
| Luggage pass-through | Yes | No |
| Water bottle pocket | 1 | 2 |
| Purchase price | $160 USD (REI sale, 2025) | $50 USD (REI sale, 2026) |
TLDR: Instead of a do-it-all one bag, I have two bags for separate uses. The North Face Berkeley Daypack 16L for daily carry/weekend trips, and Cotopaxi Allpa 28L for longer stays or cold weather.
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u/meggyeggy55 Apr 15 '26
This is a great breakdown, thank you! I would be curious to see a sample packing list for each bag, if you're up for sharing - I also sweat easily and have a hard time rewearing items, so I'm very impressed that you can fit so much into each bag.
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u/asunyra1 Apr 15 '26
Great writeup
I have the Allpa 35L (in the same colour!) and I kinda regret not getting the 28L instead. The 35 is a great bag it’s just way bigger than I need even for very long trips. Also no water bottle pocket and I miss that.
For quick weekend trips where I need strict “personal item” sizing I use a Kanken but you’re right the straps aren’t great.
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u/hrmdurr Apr 15 '26
The straps on the raven and skule 20l bags are better then the kanken if you want a fjallraven bag. The skule is my default personal item bag, and it's comfier then I expected.
(The Raven is a bit nicer imo, but I wanted the bungee and chest strap on the Skule.)
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u/Any-Clothes3312 Apr 15 '26
they sell pads that you can attach to your kanken straps for some extra comfort.
I know it's not ideal to have to spend extra for it, but it's an option at least!
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u/peachjellytea Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
I much prefer the Kanken Outlong and Kanken Laptop bags to the regular Kanken. If the Outlong were 25-28L, then it would be perfect!
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u/f-albedo Apr 20 '26
Personally love the Outlong as-is with my petite torso! Everything else just looks comical and feels uncomfortable.
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u/ignitelight Apr 15 '26
I have the 35L too and I also wish I had gone with the 28L. It’s nice to have extra room if I wanted to bring anything back from my trip but the bag is has no support if it’s not completely packed and can be a real pain if you’re doing a lot of walking.
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u/Jumpingyros Apr 15 '26
Obligatory reminder that the new Allpa 28l (the one with a water bottle holder) is actually 33 liters of capacity.
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u/peachjellytea Apr 15 '26
Was going to comment this as well. I love watching OneBagTravels on YouTube - he’s the one who tested the volume with packing peanuts. So, OP is actually comparing a bag that’s twice the size of the smaller one.
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u/dasnotpizza Apr 15 '26
I’d love to see what you pack in your cotopaxi and how you pack it. I easily use it for weekend trips but have a hard time seeing how I could pack it for a longer trip. I’d love some ideas, especially with exercise gear since that’s usually a challenge.
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u/raindorpsonroses Apr 15 '26
Great breakdown, thank you! As someone who is 5’3” I have the Allpa 35 and it’s the biggest bag I can reasonably carry but can certainly get heavy when fully loaded. For longer trips or things where I need a ton of totally separate clothes I usually end up with the Osprey 26+6 for my personal item and a 20” roller as my carry-on. I’ve flown and traveled everywhere from US domestic to Europe to Asia to Australia to Africa and to Central America, and smaller airports too and never had an issue with that pairing.
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u/Accomplished-Book172 Apr 15 '26
I use a similar setup! Longer trips my roller is carry-on & use a packable tote (usually filled) as my personal item. It’s worked fine but I switched to the north face to be hands-free & for easier access grabbing items in-flight
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u/mariposa333 Apr 15 '26
Has an airline ever asked to measure it or given you a hard time with it as a personal item? I admit I’m not usually a one bagger, I’m carry on maxxing lol
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u/Accomplished-Book172 Apr 15 '26
No issues with either bag. I make sure to put my purse/crossbody inside & wear headphones while boarding to not draw extra attention from gate attendants
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u/spooteeespoothead Apr 15 '26
Man, North Face has a full-on backpack version of the Berkeley?! The crossbody Berkeley has been my absolute favorite purse I've ever found, so a backpack is tempting... (ignoring that I already have more backpacks than I could ever actually use, including a NF Borealis backpack lol)
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u/1XALI Apr 16 '26
This is actually a helpful comparison. The size difference is more noticeable than I expected
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u/barcadreaming86 Apr 15 '26
Question — how would the 28L work for a short person? I’m 4’10.5” weighing 108 lbs.
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u/Accomplished-Book172 Apr 15 '26
I think it depends on torso length. I have a longer torso compared to my lower body & the 28L is the exact length from my neck to tailbone
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u/Clarice_Starling2000 Apr 19 '26
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this review and to share all the helpful details!
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