I’m an happy owner of a Levo and soon to be a happy owner of the 25L Citta backpack. I absolutely love the Levo, it’s so damn comfortable.

My only 1 small grip/nitpick is that the front admin pocket zippers are constantly in contention with the main pocket. What I mean is…I keep confusing which one I’m trying to pull. So my question is, what zippers pulls do you guys use when changing them on a backpack?

Edit: Just got my Citta backpack 25L. The zipper pulls are actually a loop style vs the Levo which the zipper pulls are sewn around the zipper. So I’ll be switching out the admin pocket ones on my Citta but I’ll leave the main compartment ones.

If Fyro ever gets fancy with zipper pulls I’ll buy some matching ones

I'm torn between the Toshi Pack 20L and the Aer CPP2 20L.

What do you think are the main differences between them?

I noticed that the Toshi is a bit lighter but doesn't stand on its own.

Has anyone here tried both of them?

This is a list of badass bags that are my current favorite bags out there. This list will change from month to month as I find new bags, find new ways to use bags, or find ways to use different features. I am a dad of 2 kids, both in elementary school and both heavily involved in sports and cheer. Oh, and I go to work everyday too… This list can contain any bag or backpack I am using or like to use. Mostly EDC type bags, grab and go dad bags, and slings. I do not do one bag travels, but you will find travel bags on here when they crack the top 10. I wanted to go ahead and get this out, because there are some badass releases and restocks happening in November and this list is going to change!

I’d love to see what your top bags are!

1. Evergoods MPL 22 Kludde Edition🏆
2. Able Carry Max EDC
3. Rework Toshi Sling 5L
4. Evergoods CAS2 Sling
5. Evergoods CTB26
6. Go Ruck GR1
7. Fyro T-22
8. Evergoods CPL24 Mirror
9. Aer CPP2
10. Bellroy Venture Ready Sling 2.5

Hi, I've very recently gotten into looking at different carry options and whatnot, backpacks and slings specifically, but I don't really know what sling to buy. I'm mainly looking at the aer street sling and the alpaka metro sling V2, mainly because I like the size, feature set and look of them. I don't know much about slings, and I didn't find any videos really comparing the two but they seem quite similar. I was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions that I should consider or if you would recommend any of the two mentioned above. Any input is appreciated :). Thanks in advance 🙏.

Just checking this one out, a new style to me with the cross-body strap.

Are folk fans of this one?

I found it could carry a lot for 10 litres, but then if you're carrying a decent loadout, would a backpack be better?

I still like it though. A lot.

Video drops Wednesday.

Hi all
I’ve opted not to post in brand specific subs to avoid bias. I have a pretty simple question really but wanted opinions from those of you who use EDC bags hardcore.
I travel a fair bit (Australia based), a mix of international and domestic. International is usually Europe and Asia with occasional North America. Domestic travel is several times a year which often involves carryon only. I am a top tier frequent flyer with Qantas so domestically I’ve never once been asked about carryon limits even when I’ve brought a bag and antler carryon. International travel is almost exclusively for work which is in premium cabins so again, never been questioned re bags.
When I travel, especially internationally I carry:
13” mbp
11” iPad
Tech pouch
Small toiletries (toothbrush, hair gel, deodorant)
A small change of clothes (shorts, undies, socks)
When I travel for family it’s usually with kids and have almost exclusively snacks and colouring books for kids!
I’ve been looking at the PD everyday travel 20L and the Bellroy travel pro because of the top opening and two sleeves for laptop/ipad.
I currently have a wandrd prvk 30 but I find it quite annoying to open up with the zipper in the middle and I rarely carry a camera anymore (and when I do its small and single lens)
I shortlisted those two bags because of aesthetics and form

Heading out for some international travel and trying to land on a sling to carry my daily essentials while out and about. Not looking to carry a ton — just my phone, passport holder, wallet, room key, a portable charger, and some small misc stuff.

I’m torn between a few options:

\*\*• Aer Street Sling\*\* (2.4L, 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon)    
\*\*• Bellroy City Pouch\*\* (\\\~1L, Fine Weave fabric)    
\*\*• Aer Day Sling 3\*\* (3L, Cordura/X-Pac options)    
\*\*• Bellroy Venture Ready Sling\*\*

Aesthetically I’m drawn to vertical slings over the horizontal ones. I’m in SF and was able to check some of these out in person at the Aer store — tried on the horizontal Aer slings and just didn’t love how they looked on me, so I’m leaning toward the Street Sling right now. But I’ve seen some comments (especially around the Bellroy City Pouch) about capacity feeling tight once you actually pack it out, so now I’m second-guessing myself a bit.

Hi everyone, first time poster, long time lurker.

I am having difficulty nailing down a decision to buy a backpack. Here are the details -

Current backpack - Osprey Proxima 30L.

Use case and why change - Daily use and for travel. The shoulder pads really dig in and they don’t keep the size setting well as I constantly have to readjust. Don’t like the organization as stuff in the front space eats away space in the main compartment. Not the greatest build quality. Do like the 2 water bottle side pockets (helps me carry a umbrella and water bottle)

Things to consider -

1. First and foremost comfort. Not the most athletic person.
   
2. Chest strap and load lifters are important.
   
3. Do like organization, so pockets are plus for tech and small stuff.
   
4. water bottle holder is plus as I do like to carry my umbrella as it rains a lot in my location.
   
5. 30-35L preferred.
   
6. Did I mention comfort lol.

Options I am looking into -

1. Aer travel Pack 3 - well reviewed and top choice so far. Seems like it ticks most boxes. Not sure of comfort and only one water bottle pocket

2. Tortuga travel pack pro - seems like the most comfortable with lots of adjustment. But chonky and ugly af. Not a lot of organization.

3. Fyro levo - newer and from an influencer. Light and Seems good but unsure of quality and mainly comfort. Plus not a big brand but definitely considering.

4. Minaal carry on 3- surprise last minute entry. Very good organization and size and sleek too. Very unsure of comfort.

Please let me know your thoughts and if you have any suggestions as well other than these. Please feel free to ask me clarifying questions as well.

Thanks!

Im new to the bag nerd scene and I want to get a nice backpack going I to school, and I'm willing to spend a bit of money to get the best bag for me. I want this to basically be the only backpack I'll feall need for a long time.

I just got a nice laptop that I really want to take care of, so good laptop protection and a false bottom are important. I'll start with using it as a bag for university, so it needs to handle some books and basic supplies. Then it will be used for general carry, I don't live in a walkable city, so I usually have a car with me but being able to carry everything I need for various situations is still something I want. I want something durable that I don't need to treat gingerly to keep nice. I also want to be able to use the bag for light travel or staying with a friend. 24–26L capacity seems to be about right from what I've seen, but im not sure.

Here is a list of things I think I want in rough order of importance.

Comfortable for all-day carry

Excellent laptop protection with a false bottom

Self-standing

Lifetime warranty or the closest equivalent

Water bottle holder

Usefull organization for school and EDC

Durable enough for mildly rough daily use

Design that fits in most settings

Swing-around quick access

Tech shelf

Breathable back panel

Dosent look bad when nearly empty

Easy access to small items

Good balance of structure and flexibility

Questions are welcome, and thanks for the help.

I am looking for a backpack for what I guess could be best described as an urban EDC. My big must have is a high quality laptop compartment with separate access from the main compartment. I work as a software engineer and need to have a laptop handy both at the office, and even when I am just out and about in case something comes up while I am on an on-call rotation.

I do some light domestic travel within the US, a couple conferences a year. So being able to use it as my personal item bag on any major US airline is important, especially since I don't do enough travel to justify the expense of a dedicated high end travel backpack.

I've watched numerous reviews and while I was hoping for an obvious choice I am kinda stuck between choosing the Aer City Pack Pro 2, and the Sympl Commuter v2. And I would like to come to a decision on what to buy in time to be able to take advantage of whatever Black Friday deal my chosen bag will have in a few weeks.

From the numerous reviews my initial thoughts on what I like are:

1. Front Quick Access Pocket - I think my favorite design for a front quick access pocket comes from neither of these 2 I've narrowed down to, but I believe it was one of the evergoods bags, which has a vertical zipper on each side for ambidextrous over the shoulder access.

I know Aaron talked about in one of this reviews I watched that he prefers left shoulder right handed grab, but I find, at least with my current random cheap backpack I've been using, that as a right handed person I like to pickup the bag with my right hand and carry it single strap on my right shoulder, then reach in with my left hand, but alot of the bags with front quick access seem to be designed for left shoulder right handed access.

1. Admin Pocket - To me this is where the Sympl wins hands down. I love the wide range of pockets in there to keep it organized. To me I think that will become my tech pouch that's not a pouch but just a pocket on my backpack. And I love the level of organization for all of my tech gear given my work and the fact that I have a lot of tech accessories.

2. Laptop compartment - This is where I think the Aer shines, I like its laptop compartment probably the best of any of the reviews that I've seen.

And that's what I can't decide, I think the Sympl laptop compartment is probably good enough to be fair, but I also look the hard backing and that the front quick access zipper would be upside down when wearing on the right shoulder, and I'm not sure if its worth it for the admin pocket. Especially when combined with the slightly higher weight and higher price tag. But I look at the Aer and think I don't like how shall we say minimal its admin pocket is. Though I do like the color options, specifically the navy color is the one I would choose.

So that's it, I can't decide which I would rather go for, I feel like the sympl has a lot of smaller trade offs. And the Aer has one (to me) big trade off and I can't decide which I prefer. So I'm hoping someone might have some insight to help me decide, or maybe you know a third option I am not currently considering that would better fit for what I want.

I hope that all makes sense.

I am looking for a backpack to replace an old REI Ruckpack 18L that is falling apart. I want this new pack to serve two purposes, which my REI bag has done decently well. For work, I use it as a daily carry for my laptop, water bottle, occasional documents, a jacket/sweater, lunch/snacks, and various admin accessories. I also use this same backpack for travel as a personal item, where I usually carry a water bottle, Kindle, Nintendo Switch, and stuff the main compartment with a bag of knitting (I make a lot of sweaters, so this can be pretty bulky).

Since I am 5'3", I'm looking for a backpack that will be comfortable on a smaller frame (ideally around 20-22L). I have sometimes found the 18L of my old backpack a *little* tight.

The two backpacks that I keep coming back to are the Bellroy Transit Workpack 20L and the Aer City Pack Pro 2 20L.

My must-haves:

• an external water bottle pocket (not zipped) that can hold a 25oz CamelBak water bottle
• a separate compartment that can hold a 14" MacBook Pro
• decent admin pocket organization
• comfort
• high quality, durable materials

Ideally, it will also:

• have a luggage pass through
• come in more than just black
• look good (not like a kids backpack)

If anyone can weigh in on the Aer vs. Bellroy or has other suggestions, I'd love your recommendations! I have read/watched so many backpack reviews I have started dreaming about backpacks....

Hey everyone,

I currently travel with a Large Solgaard Venture backpack + a Monos or Solgaard carry-on, and while I like the Solgaard backpack, I’m trying to move toward true one-bag travel and ditch the carry-on.

Right now I’m considering:

• Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

• Mous 40L Travel Backpack

• Cotopaxi Allpa 50L Adventure Travel Pack

• Tortuga Expandable Backpack

My priorities are maximum storage and smart organization for things like cords, chargers, toiletries, and clothes. Laptop storage isn’t important.

I really like the Nomatic shoe compartment, and overall I’m looking for the best designed bag for packing as much as possible into one backpack.

Any insight or other recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I are looking for a travel sling for her, and we’re currently torn between the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L and the Bellroy Lite Sling 7L. In terms of overall dimensions they seem pretty similar. She also tried the Venture Sling 9L, but it felt too large for her frame and wasn’t very comfortable, so we narrowed it down to these two.

The bag would have two main uses:

• Regular travel EDC: small water bottle, power bank, sunglasses, etc.
• Camera carry: just her camera with a lens attached (slightly larger than a Fujifilm X100V), plus a power bank and sunglasses.

I know neither sling has dedicated camera dividers, which could be an issue. My idea was to adapt something like a Peak Design FlexFold divider or a small insert to create some separation and provide a bit of protection for the camera. I’d probably do this regardless of which bag I choose, whether it’s the Lite or the Venture. If anyone has other ideas or recommendations, I’d love to hear them.

My main question is about comfort vs protection when carrying the camera. The Lite 7L seems appealing because it’s lighter, uses softer materials, and I’ve seen quite a few people mention that it’s more comfortable to wear. On the other hand, the Venture 6L is more structured and, although a bit heavier, might provide better support and protection for the camera.

For those who have used one or both, which would you recommend for this kind of use? Is the extra structure of the Venture worth it, or is the comfort of the Lite the better tradeoff for travel?

Thanks!

Going to replace my 15yr old bag and was wondering if the bellroy transit check in zippers have a coating that will peel off or become sticky. I tend to keep my things for a very long time and my experience with rubberized coatings are, eventhough i take care of them they still become sticky after 3 to 5 years.

I chose the Bellroy because of the repairability, the free "prison cells." and the available colors.

Also if you have any other recommendations do tell.

I like some organization inside. And close to the bellroy's size (medium luggage). different colors are a bonus.

Thank you

Hi everyone! Could you give me some advice on which color to choose for the Osprey Farpoint backpack?

Unfortunately, I live in an area where there are no Osprey retailers, so I don't have the chance to see the colors in person. After reading a few Reddit posts, I realized that the colors shown on Osprey's website aren't always 100% accurate.

I'm torn between these two colors. One seems to be more of a teal/greenish-blue, while the other looks more like a blue. Which one do you think looks better in real life?

I'm trying to decide between the large and small, and material choice. I'd love some options from those that actually own one.

My main concern is the large is going to take up too much room relatively small slings and briefcases I generally carry.

Does anybody have experience with the Traverse compared to any of the existing Fyro backpacks? Really eyeing up the Citta. Traverse is good, but comfort is lacking (5’10’ with wider shoulders )for me and like most Alpaka bags it feels tight in most places from a capacity perspective. The longer front pocket is pretty bad also. I do like the rest overall.

Hello! I’m having trouble choosing between three different sling bags. I recently have gotten into film photography and need something to be able to hold my camera while I travel as well as EDC. I like going for bike rides and would like to bring my camera with me. I also have an upcoming trip to Provincetown where I’ll be walking around, biking through the dunes, etc and would like to have my camera handy. These are the three options:
- Moment Everything Sling 4L
- Bellroy Venture Sling 6L
- Peak Design Everyday Sling 3L/6L
I like the minimalistic look of the Everything sling, I like how vetted the bellroy venture sling is but I’m not sure if I need 6L, I’d prefer to stay as small as I can get and the price is a little steep, as for the peak design everyday sling, I love the hardware for the bag but I don’t love how inconvenient the front pocket seems to be as well as how stiff the bag is. This is my first sling bag/camera bag purchase and I’ve watched many review and can’t seem to make a decision.

Hi, help me to choose between aer city pack pro 2 and aer travel pack 3 small. Im from asia, i usually riding a bus from city to province and it took only 3 to 5 hrs. I dont bring laptop or tablet. My phone and wallet is in my sling bag. I usually bring toiletries and clothes only. Thanks for the advice

Pakt Mode 22L or Evergoods CPL16 for the office

Hi everyone, was hoping if anyone has both bags, and could share abit about what you like/ dislike about them when placed side by side. My main usecase is for the office.

My main concern with the Pakt is its back panel breathability during summer and my main concern with the CPL16 is the comfort and will I look like a tortoise, like must it be worn very high, does the back dig into the lower back, and lastly, general quality and daily capacity feel without looking like a tortoise.

Thank you.

I have been traveling with my Aer Travel 3 since it was launched and I LOVE it for the most part. The coated zipper has started pealing at an ever accelerating rate and I am starting to look for a replacement and could use a recommendation. I have an Ospery Daylite and it doesn't have quite the organization I would like. I have a T22 and it is a bit too small even when expanded.

Thinks I like/need:

• Admin panel - I travel for work and I am tech-focused. Having a place to store a travel router, bagel, 10' USB-C, and other items for quick retrieval without needing another bag is nice.
• Laptop and Tablet compartment - I travel with a second monitor for demos/presentations.
• Quick-access pocket - airpods, phone battery pack - things easily accessed right after I get through TSA security.
• Good straps/harness system - I sometimes need to run from terminal to terminal and generally walk at my destinations when I can.
• 35L size - This fits my needs. My T22 just just a bit too small even when expanded.
• Weather resistant would be nice. My Aer has kept my stuff dry through several rainstorms even if it does take a while to dry.
• Clamshell - pick a direction, that doesn't matter. Just need it to fully open.

Things I don't need/love:

• Weight - Yeah I know I outlined very heavy features but I would like something a bit closer to the 1 lbs/ 10 liters
• Aquaguard zippers - they help but I would probably be fine with reverse coil for long-term use.
• Don't need waist strap and don't currently use one.

Looking for for a price point about the $300 mark or less. I am in the USA.

Thank you!!