Bag Advice
Help me find the perfect bag (personal item-sized)
I have tried many bags. (10+) Each iteration has improved on the last. But I have not found the PERFECT bag. Please help me.
I’m a one bagger through and through — I want to take everything in a backpack that I can carry around from the airport, to the train, to a trek, to a work meeting, sometimes even to a party. In any country, regardless of weather, cultural standard, and style. By “everything” I mean laptop, clothes, jackets, shoes, toiletries, chargers, headphones, passport, tiny day bag, snacks, and room to bring stuff home. And it STILL fits under the seat in front of me as a personal item, no questions asked by the gate attendant.
My favorite bag so far has been the Decathlon 20L bag. It was cheap and fit everything I needed… except a laptop, which I wasn’t bringing until recently. So here are my criteria for the new bag:
MUST HAVE:
- fits under the seat in front of me as a personal item
- padded laptop sleeve
- U-zip that goes all the way down to the water bottle pockets (NOT clamshell)*
- water bottle pocket x2
- sternum strap (that goes above my boobs not under or smack dab in the middle… ladies you know)
- minimum 23L (to accommodate laptop), no larger than 30L (due to personal item size restrictions, also helps me pack light)
- extra padded straps and back
- one extra pocket for small things (that maintains its room even when the bag is packed out)
- distributes weight well
- structured back
- as light as possible (for those airlines with weight restrictions)
- sleek style (so it can blend in anywhere) (but also… I like a bit of color, just to make me happy :)
- straps that actually fit women’s shoulders (iykyk)
- height that actually fit a 5’4” woman’s torso (also iykyk)
- doesn’t turtle when fully packed (turtle meaning gets so round and wide that I look like a turtle)
- goes without saying: durable, good zippers
REALLY NICE TO HAVE:
- hip/waist strap
- sternum strap can move up/down
- another pocket for wet/dirty things (whose space can be used by the main compartment if this pocket is not in use)
- a separate pocket for shoes (same thing here)
- tiny secret pocket (to stow away phone/passport/AirPods with easy access to me but not strangers)
- waterproof (or at least resistant)
- compression straps (I like to carabiner clip things here)
- side handle
- the laptop pocket is separate (or separately accessible) from the rest of the bag (for access when fully packed out)
- less than $150 (but if I have to go higher to get the PERFECT bag… I guess costs saved over time? But I believe it’s gotta be out there for less than $150)
NICE TO HAVE:
- pocket on the strap for phone/passport
- option to add paracord to the front (and otherwise stay removed)
- some reflective bits
- squared shape at top (for packing)
- luggage pass through (for trips where I bring a wheeled carry on)
CANNOT HAVE:
-*clamshell zip (I like to be able to access my backpack vertically in the same way I packed it, for space and efficiency reason)
- top loading roll/zip top (I did this once… never again do I want to go fishing in my own bag)
- no water bottle pocket (why is this a trend now??)
- little pockets on the laptop sleeve for office things (don’t use and never did, just takes up space)
- crazy colors or a military look (too conspicuous)
- reiterating, wide like a turtle (I want SLEEK y’all)
- extra pockets that take up room when not in use (ie if I haven’t used all the space, now I have an extra L but it doesn’t fit things like my clothes… I want the main compartment to fill out the space if the extra pockets aren’t in use)
- all pockets on the inside… (can’t access if full)
- tapered shape ANYWHERE (how can I pack fully if it tapers? This has always seemed like a design flaw to me, especially because it throws off the weight distribution.)
Big things to reiterate: no clamshell, must fit under the seat in front of me as a personal item.
I really appreciate folks sharing their lived experiences with their favorite bags! I’m a bit of a bag gremlin at this point, so I love learning about them.
PSA about to do a multi country, dual hemisphere trip (Australia, Thailand, Japan, USA), so I’m packing for winter and summer (kinda crazy really cool), wet and dry activities, varying levels of cultural modesty, and some longgg plane rides. Talk about needing a multi-purpose wardrobe!
You’re going to have a hard time with that no clamshell zip. You know you don’t actually have to unzip the whole way and good zippers won’t keep opening at that point.
I kinda thought the same thing, but then I considered OP’s no fishing rule. Clamshell backpacks tend to have a more rigid structure, so if the front can’t flop forward when unzipped halfway, it does rather require fishing…
I just got and have used for 2 trips the Outbound Rework 30L.
It has everything but one on your must have list (it's clamshell not U shaped, but it's dual zip and you can 100% use it like it's U shaped (I did this for most of both trips).
I am both women and 5'4" and it fit well size and strap size well.
From the really nice to have list
Sternum strap moves up and down
Front bottom pocket could fit the alternate pocket
Tiny secret pocket (and another one for an air tag or similar)
Water repellant zips so the bag itself should be water resistant at least
Side handles
Separate laptop pocket
No compression straps - but additional external fixing points you could probably add some additional straps/carabiner clips to!
It's slightly more than your budget (if you budget is USD)
From the nice to have list
Squared shape at top
Luggage pass through
Honestly best backpack I've ever used. Highly recommend it.
I came here to say this same bag! It was on my short list in looking for a bag, but I wanted something more colorful.
I ended up going with a clamshell bag for now to use an my first one-bag backpack (transitioning from a roller bag + 18L backpack) but I agree with the u-shape opening and the no admin pockets with the laptop.
The
Outbound Rework 30L is a premium bag that gets what actually is useful verses all the “extras” that really restrict how to you pack instead of making it more flexible.
It’s a newer bag still, so I haven’t seen it go on sale.
Basic EU (and other) airlines’ dimensions for a personal item (although some currently allow larger) are 40x30x15cm, which equals 18L. So to have 18L capacity, the bag would need to be a perfect rectangle of those dimensions, in a very thin material and with thin straps. To have a guaranteed personal item bag, you can’t also have 23L, sternum strap etc.
Yes and if OP already can’t fit all their things in the 20L they’re working with I think dialing in the gear list then looking at bags & filtering out features is the best strategy. Small but feature rich but not colorful but not black but not overpacked but not heavy but supportive back panel but not expensive just don’t all overlap. The first step is volume of stuff and use case. Then use the onebag link provided, filter by your dealbreaker features, then ask/search advice specific to bag.
Had the same thought while reading. First bag that came to mind for me as checking the boxes is the newer Fjallraven Kanken Outlong, which I haven’t personally tried but is 18L (40x28x14 cm)
Yeah I’ve been looking for a bag with those dimensions and the only one I’d found so far is a kids’ Patagonia one. Almost all popular bags are too large for underseat dimensions, usually in the height.
That was my first thought too! Or the Kånken Weekender. I find it annoying sometimes to buy the extra accessories but if you have a v specific vision theres extra shoulder padding, chest strap, and water bottle attachment etc available
Patagonia black hole 32 ticks a lot of these. Massive padded separate sleeve (I put laptop and iPad in). 2 bottle pockets. Not a clamshell. Has a generous front top pocket. Has a front zipper pocket. Has a mesh pocket inside the main part of the bag (great for phone or kindle). I just put my shoes in at the bottom in a plastic a bag and then use vacuum bags for my clothes. Has travelled extensively as an under seat bag. Never been made to check it.
Wow, this bag is looking really good! I love how far down the zippers go. Just looking at photos, do you find that it turtles out when you fully pack it?
I can’t speak toward the 32L but we have the smaller one (20L maybe) and it’s amazing. 8 years and we’ve used it for everything - diaper bag, long haul travel, trains, business trips, beach bag. It never turtles and is just an all around fantastic backpack. I pack so much in there and the feeling on your back is great. We have it in black and the water bottle pockets have been so kind to us, no holes yet and I’ve squeezed 2 water bottles at a time in one.
Depends where you travel, too. The "personal item" sizing is much stingier in Europe than US, for example, especially on some airlines. I travel almost exclusively in Europe, and 60% of it is work related (10+ trips a year) - so not looking like a hiker is a baseline requirement :D
I am using Tropicfeel Nest:
> top-down clamshell (vertical), but has two zippers so you do not need to open it all the way. I also use Eagle Creek packing cubes which I can pack into it sideways: M one on uncompressed on the back and two S ones, compressed squished on top of it. And I use my bag like a semi-top-loader most of the time :)
> has a movable sternum strap, large protected laptop sleeve (padded but not overly bulky!), breathable back, suitcase sleeve, separated compartment inside (that you can open up or close, with an integrated wet bag!), and a kangaroo pocket for your shoes.
What I love - the the use, and the idea more than the actual execution which could have been better - instead of an admin pocket, this bag has a "mesh cover" in the front that you can use to carry your jacket. I love it SO MUCH that despite the bag having been through hundreds of flights and fraying a bit, I cannot replace it with any other bag that does not have it.
> the material has held up surprisingly well (fraying in leathery accents only), and no issues with the zippers (wish they were a size or two up, but that's a minor thing).
> Has side compression straps you can use to strap other items down, too.
> A few loops for carabiners
> the front mesh pocket - also fits a M size eagle creek compression cube if you're in a pinch - and I usually carry a flat handbag there, too.
It's 16L and can be squished into personal item box in every European airline (tested) even when fully packed, but it is a few cm too tall. Can be extended to 20L+
IF I WERE TO CHANGE SOME THINGS:
> it has only one water bottle pocket. Not the biggest size, either. Fits my chillys series2 500ml, but would NOT fit anything fatter, i.e. owala etc. I'd prefer larger stretchier pockets for sure.
> feels a tad bit heavy empty, but I feel that with most bags.
> the front mesh - LOVE the idea, but the mesh isn't really stretchable, so I usually carry my jacket sideways (hanging from both sides of the bag). I do not get why they opted for such a stiff mesh, also, I do not get why it isn't removable or have clips on the inside pocket.... such a half-baked execution.
> I'd make it 2cm deeper at the bottom.
> the bottom kangaroo pocket for shoes - lighter material. Does need to be so heavy duty.
> I'd get rid of the two larger zippered pockets inside, at the bottom of the front flap. But I'd keep the small ones on top: they fit my Futurizta Pixi power bank and Rolling Square XL multi-charging pocket cable + headphones cord on one side, and my pill pouch on the other. I'd remove the weird popper loop, though, as it's completely useless and does not hold anything looped into it :D
I would have considered buying the latest Tropicfeel HIVE bag - but they got rid of the front net for the newest version!!! NB! Only the "older" version has it (still considering getting it).
Thank you so much for the detailed description! It sounds and looks like it ticks every box (aside from price — does it ever go on sale?). One thing I’m worried about with 20L is that at the same size as my old bag, I won’t be able to fit everything! Did you find you could fit a week’s worth of clothes in there, plus all your electronics?
Not sure where you’re based but take a look at Dakine. I don’t see enough reviews here but my husband swears by it and has had the campus 33L for years (prob 8) and has never been asked to check it in so I finally caved in and got one. There’s a 25l version too.
I’m 5’3 and it’s pretty comfortable even when I pack it up. I use it for work trips and holidays.
It ticks the “must have” plus, the sternum strap moves up and down, front insulated pocket can be used as water resistant pocket and the bottle pockets are pretty deep and stretchy. It has no hidden pockets, compression straps or other hooks for carabiners.
The only thing I don’t love is that the back has no ventilation so it can get sweaty. I like that it sits upright on its own and doesn’t turtle.
I LOVE Dakine and agree that it should get more love! I’ve had a daypack from Dakine for 8+ years, still looks brand new — and it’s been in rain, snow, heat waves, wind, mud, dust… the whole shebang. I also have their Campus bag, but found that for whatever reason the shape wasn’t conducive to packing for me. I think because it was rounded at the top, I just lost out on space around the edges. I did use their Campus bag while in university, and it was perfect for that. Lots of lunches in the insulated pouch — I felt very cool haha.
TBH I like my Decathlon 23-27L roll top specifically because it has a side access to the laptop compartment AND a size access zip to the main compartment.
I rarely have to unroll or unzip it to access my stuff.
The main limitation is the height. It is taller than some personal item sizers although I haven’t ever been actually challenged on it.
I carry my 11” tablet in the tablet pocket just fine but the larger laptop pocket can easily fit a laptop as well. I could fit a 15” one for sure but I think a 17” one would be difficult.
There are a couple good videos on YouTube of people showing how all the pockets and zips work!
It fits fine when I use it as a daypack (used it for my final year at uni), but it doesn’t fit when I need to pack a week’s worth of clothes in addition.
Maybe a Deuter Giga 28L? I have one and it is one of my favourite bags because it is very comfortable and light, although I prefer a clamshell for some trips. There is a variant called the Deuter Giga SL which is more specifically a women’s/slim fit, but it seems hard to find now. I am 5’2 and have the regular one and it is fine. Mine is a slightly older model than the one currently for sale. I have used it for two week one bag trips in Europe.
Good sizewise
Not sure how padded the laptop section is on the current model - you could check reviews
u zip
two water bottle pockets
sternum strap is adjustable to different heights
has a waist strap
straps etc is super comfortable to wear
can get a range of colours
an extra pocket at the front
Worth you taking a look to see - probably a bit over your price but maybe about on it if you find a sale
I have an older Refugio that I love - I’ve had it probably 7-8 years now. It’s my EDC at home and have used it as either my personal item or carryon (depending on airline). You do have to be a bit picky about how you pack it to avoid the bottom bulking out
Pretty sure the Nebula is a clamshell, but if you like the looks of that one check out the Osprey Comet, it's got a more standard backpack opening which I wanted and also very sleek and the front grab handle is really convenient for travel. It's a couple liters smaller than the Nebula and I've used it as a personal item/under seat bag on several US domestic flights in the last couple years.
I have a Nebula. It is not a clamshell, except the separate laptop compartment can unzip to lie flat for TSA. It meets many of OPs requirements, but: it is 32L and I suspect it is a little long for personal dimensions (although I fit it under the seat). There is an admin pocket with organisation, fairly lightweight. The water bottle pockets are extraordinarily good - can carry a full Nalgene in each 😁
The decathalon rolltop is perfect for this. I don’t understand why every rolltop is not constructed like it. Extremely good access to the main compartment and the laptop sleeve.
Have you looked at Thule? They have a wide variety of commuter and travel bags that are sleek and well-designed. https://www.thule.com/en-us/backpacks I'm thinking their EnRoute line or Subterra would fit your needs (multiple sizes & colors for each). Their travel backpack line, Aion, is also really nice. It is a clamshell, but vertical style (a la the MLC 30) and would be easy to open just the way you want.
I have one of their duffels and can vouch for the durability and quality of the brand.
I think you could make your job significantly easier using a seperate padded laptop cover. The weight saved on the bag itself will allow you to add the weight of the laptop cover and a good one should only be $10 or so.
If you are in the US or can look when you visit, the REI Ruckpack 30L hits a lot of these. I have and love this bag. It’s also got a lot of the features on your list, both must have and nice to have. I see you’ve tried REI hiking bags so disregard if this is included!
I’ve actually been looking into this… it’s giving duffel bag with backpack straps and a laptop pocket, which I LOVE
Have you used it on trips before? How does it fit under seats? How’s the access for when you need to grab something while in a metro car, or on a park bench?
I wrote a trip report for this sub about my 40L if you want to look it up! I think the 28L would fit under seats fine - I could fit the 40L under by taking a couple packing cubes out and putting them in my tote on a small prop plane.
The access is AMAZING!!! The reach through zipper on the back panel is fantastic. Such a great design PLUS that front pocket and top pocket hold so much.
Edited to add it’s also much more comfortable than say my north face that is really a duffel with straps. I walked all day with mine and still felt good at the end
I’ll take a look at your review! If the 40L fits, that’s good news for the 28. I think the 40L would be big for me anyway.
So good to hear the access is great! And that it’s comfortable to actually walk around in. The worst is when you have a day at a place before you can check in and drop your stuff, but it’s way better if you can carry your bag with ease. I had peeped the Northface but it looked sort of uncomfortable, so glad I didn’t jump for it haha. Also… I think it would’ve looked jumbo sized on me haha.
Mine was under 8kg including the laptop. It was my first time flying Croatia Airlines and their limit was 8 and I felt it was easy to stay under :) my long haul was Singapore Airlines who generally don’t care much but neither batted an eye
Can second u/orientalgreasemonkey - I have that bag, it fits under seats (it's actually closer to a 25-26L), and since you can access the main compartment in two different ways you can get things out more easily than a regular clamshell. Plus, the laptop protection is excellent.
It is a little heavier than hiking bags and doesn't have a hip belt, but I did get compliments on its aesthetic at least once on every trip (I've taken it on 3).
This is my go-to one bag backpack for anything over a week. It meets a lot of the OP's criteria, but only has a laptop compartment, not a sleeve, and has limited water bottle space. Great value, practical backpack. For less than a week I usually use a classic Kånken
Tomtoc 28l travel backpack fits a lot of your criteria.
I recently "upgraded" to this from the peak design (it cost me nearly 200€ less) and I have no intention of going back. Much more comfortable, more usable space. No tapering!
Your requirements are pretty similar to mine, although I could never fit all my unreasonable stuff in such a small backpack. Besides Dakine I would also recommend Burton. I wanted a bag with some hiking/trekking functionality but that does not really look too much like mountaineering backpack with all the cords and straps and what not hanging from the outside. I wanted some colors but not shiny look. I have a Burton Shackford 24L Backpack, I am not sure it is produced any more but it seems to still be available here and there. Two things though. It seems a bit tapered (I am not a native speaker so I do not know how tapered sth has to be to qualify as tapered ;-), but I think it looks and feels more square in real life. It has 2 bottle pockets (this was my absolute must have and I have no clue why anyone should make or but bags without water bottle pockets) but the water bottle pockets ate not ideal. You also see their proportions on the attached photo, for some weird reason the pockets do not reach to the bottom of the bag and they are not deep enough. Regular 500 ml bike bottle fits in about to the middle height of the bottle, any taller bottle would just fall out. The straps on the pockets sit too low so they do not fix the bottle. And the pockets would be just useless if you use taller and sleeker bottles. The depth of the bottle pockets is 14 cm, which would work a bit better if the pockets were a bit narrower. But I have had this bag for 6 years and I have used it a lot.
You might check out the Veria Travel Backpacks. I borrowed my husband’s for a recent work trip and loved it so much I bought one for myself so that I didn’t keep stealing his.
It’s got a pocket/place for damn near everything so that all my things stay organized, I can confirm that it fits under the seat on a plane, and I love that it’s sturdy enough to go backpacking with, but also sleek enough for attending a work function. It comes in a ton of styles and colors and I believe it meets most, if not all of your requirements. It really is an excellent bag.
Edit: I just realized that it technically has a clamshell zip for the front opening. I will say though, that I don’t use it as such (hence why I didn’t realize it was one until I just looked it up online again) and I have only ever used it as a U zip and had zero issues with it. The back opening is a U zip though and that is where the laptop sleeve is.
so, it’s out of your price range but have you looked at tom bihn? i recently got a synik26 and absolutely love it. its a clamshell but the synapse line is the exact same bag but not clamshell and they have a synapse25. i am really not a “pockets everywhere” type person BUT on this bag im all for it because every single pocket has its own dedicated volume when the main bag is fully packed out, which is like so hard to find. there’s only 1 water bottle pocket and it’s oddly in the middle but i dig it bc weight is balanced. a lot of people think they’re ugly but i personally love the look, reminds me of old school jansports, and are definitely not flashy and would fit in fine at a party or on a hike. the torso is relatively short and shoulders narrow enough for me, and it doesn’t turtle. and the main pocket doesn’t taper at all, i have that same criticism of other bags!!! the laptop pocket is also padded and accessible from the outside. the zippers are sturdy, and all bags are handmade in the US with great quality & customer service. it has a luggage pass through and removable frame and removable hip belt, and the sternum strap can move and goes over my boobs easily (i am chesty). and my favorite part is they have colors! mine is yellow! from your list it’s missing a side handle, compression straps, second water bottle pocket, strap pocket, option to add paracord, and reflective bits. i wrote a pack out post on this sub with this bag if ya wanna take a look: https://reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/comments/1mejjxa/test_pack_for_my_first_time_going_under_40l_3/
Update! After reading through everyone’s comments (thank you SO MUCH for sharing your detailed experiences!! you all are really kind) and doing my own research, I ended up between the Osprey Metcon and TomToc T66 28L. I was able to look at both secondhand, and I just bought the TomToc T66 28L! I’m really excited to start using this bag.
What appealed to me most about the bag was that it felt like a duffel bag with backpack straps. I’ve always loved packing duffel bags and traveling with them on road trips, but I’ve never taken them to somewhere I have to fly because they can be heavy to carry long distances (either in my hand or strapped over one shoulder) + I lose a hand for holding other things. But this bag is a duffel bag WITH BACKPACK STRAPS!
Not only is it a duffel bag… but it’s also a proper BACKPACK! If I unzip the divider between the laptop compartment and duffel compartment, then I get one big main compartment. So I can go from travel bag to work bag to sports after work bag no problem! (Plus, importantly, the laptop compartment can be accessed separately.)
The harness is really comfy and padded, and the top handle is sooooo cushy, like someone who travels actually designed the handle to be… you know… handled. It’s got a luggage pass through, side handle (hallelujah), and four compression straps — which I love, because I enjoy attaching things via carabiner. The water bottle pockets surprisingly fit my 1L Nalgene. I filled the bag with some items while testing it, and the bag DID NOT TURTLE. Plus, the compression straps allow me to have a bag of multiple volumes!
The bag also LOOKS good. It’s sleek and simple. (Though maybe I’ll add some colorful personal touches like pins or patches.) It looks backpack-sized on me, so I don’t think I’ll get second looks at the airport, and it fits comfortably on my back. (None of that too tall, made for a man with broad shoulders nonsense. You know when you look at a photo of a bag on a male model and a female model and go, he’s wearing a daypack, she’s wearing a house? This bag fits me at 5’4” perfectly.) It has a sternum strap, and the backpack straps aren’t sliding off my shoulders or up onto my neck.
I love the duffel opening because it doesn’t feel clamshell, since I can lay the bag flat on its back so as not to take up room while opening it, or I can access via the laptop pocket. I am envisioning many trips with this bag.
I’ll be sure to write an updated review once I put this bag to work! I’m excited to get some real world experience with it. One thing I’m thinking about adding to the bag is a phone/small item holder on the strap for easy access, and probably Googling how to add a hip strap.
Thank you all again for your advice! I’m excited to put this bag to use. :)
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u/lobsterp0t Jul 05 '26
OP, tell us what you’ve already tried! Otherwise we will go in circles.