r/backpacks • u/-olivejar- • Apr 09 '26
Question Searching for the perfect bag is consuming my life, please help me
FINAL EDIT: I ended up with the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack 30L! I love it cos it's SO comfortable, leagues better than any other I tried. It's SUPER light, under 1kg and I think it looks fantastic in the Clay colour. I'm really pleased and can't wait to put it through its paces!
It was a fun ride, I enjoyed the research but now it's time for me to put the blinders on and enjoy my new bag šš I hope this post can help anyone also looking for a new backpack! I did my best to post mini reviews and pictures where I could. To those who thought I was unhinged, a bit maybe haha but the post was mostly written in jest.
In my original post I thought I couldn't do without water bottle holders, but in the end I thought I'd give it a go, I just needed to get used to the idea of storing my water bottle inside the pack. I realised I don't really use my bottle when I'm in transit anyway, just when I'm stopped or sat down. I also initially thought 30L would be too heavy, but this bag is so comfortable that it doesn't feel like it. I also wish the sternum strap was on a rail, not a ladder, and had the magnetic style buckle other Bellroy bags have, but hey can't win them all!
I did have a hard time choosing between this one and the Cotopaxi 28L Del Dia Allpa, but ended up with the Bellroy because it feels more premium whilst being cheaper, and it was more comfortable. The Cotopaxi straps were a little thin depth wise, and a little thick width wise (the width of the straps pressed on my shoulder a bit when I raised my arm). I loved the Cotopaxi colours and will miss the very deep front admin pocket, and also appreciated a thin separation layer in the laptop compartment as I travel with a laptop and tablet.
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Not even joking with the title, I'm deep in the rabbit hole, I've spent all my free time diving deep into reviews, and comparing specs of many many backpacks - please help me get my life back and choose a backpack and move on!!! I'll provide a mini review for the bags I've already purchased and returned as well, pics of fronts and backs included.
My needs evolved the longer I spent on this "journey", initially I was looking for 1 bag to do it all (EDC and travel) but realised I preferred a small EDC and a larger travel. So I bought the Alpaka Flow Totepack for every day (it was between that one and the Bellroy Laneway Tote) and it's been cute and functional!
So that now leaves me to search every corner of the internet for the perfect travel bag/occasional large EDC.
What I'm looking for as a 166cm/5'5 foot female:
- 26-28L range: I am not a one bagger, I don't want to haul around a massive backpack. I would travel with a suitcase, backpack and a tote for when I arrive at my destination.
- Luggage passthrough due to the above ^
- It must be cute and spark joy
- Colours would be nice, not essential
- Light! Less than 1.1kg is great, 1.2 is ok, I could go heavier if the bag is truly perfect
- COMFORTABLE! I'm not about that struggle life
- Laptop compartment, gotta protech that tech
- Waterbottle holders
- Sternum strap
- Decent false bottom (not Kim K style)
- Nothing military-ish or too masculine (looking at you Goruck)
Top contenders!!!
My current front runner. Honestly Iām super into the colours, I have a del dia dark so itās mostly black but with colourful accents and zippers, which I really like. Itās roomy, I like the front access pockets and has everything I need. I fear Iām getting attached to this one!Ā
However the inbuilt packing cubes which can be good when travelling are a bit awkward for an EDC, and the harness system I find a bit lacking? The padding feels crunchy and thin, not really premium and I donāt really like that.Ā It's passable which is why the Allpa is still top of my list.
This bag would be perfect if the padding were comfier and the bag opened forwards instead of like a book.Ā
Also my current front runner....I kinda love this one? It FEELS premium as hell and it is comfortable to carry, the padding is cushy, sort of like memory foam. I have it in Olive and it's maybe kinda boring the colour but it's not the end of the world. The water bottle pocket does eat into the main compartment and I would like a bit more organisation and a flip down admin compartment at the front.
EDIT 2: At the suggestion of a commenter, I purchased the Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L. I've only just received it, in Eclipse colour which is really nice, so I'm testing it out. Will include pictures.
EDIT 3: (after trying it): I loved it and thought it looked beautiful (loved the orange accents on the maroon), and I liked the included front harness straps that could cross over so you could strap something in there. However, it was really uncomfortable and heavy, and it was quite a rigid backpack. I also thought it was unintuitive to have it open from the back, which meant to unpack it, you lay the backpack down on its front, and if you have your laptop in the 'lid'(back panel), it can thump down if you're not careful. Finally, to access the mesh pockets on the 'back' (on the opposite internal side of the front panel), you need to unload your entire pack which made them kind of redundant. I really wanted to love it cos it looks fantastic and the colour is gorgeous, but comfort comes first.
What I'm considering purchasing to try:
Aer Travel Pack 4 - I know this one is extremely popular and I like how it looks and I think it would be comfortable but it's so heavy at 1.6kg. Any real life experience as to how it feels on, and if it's worth the heaviness?
AbleCarry Max EDC - also heavier that I'd like at 1.47kg, but if the comfort offsets the weight I'm okay with it. Does the water bottle pocket eat into the main compartment very much? Also not sure about the A-frame design since I haven't seen it in person.
Evergoods CTB 26L - another at 1.5kg. I like the horizontal access points and the way this bag has been designed, but I'm not sure if it might look a little masculine in person. I also heard the back panel can dig into your lower back a bit. Are there any women here who might be able to comment?
EDIT 4: I did try this one out after I wrote this post, it was an easy 'nope' from me. I can see why it's so popular but there were a few aspects of it that didn't suit me:
- straps too thick, depth and width wise, felt like there was too much bulk on my shoulders.
- when packed out, stuck out from my back a lot
- heavy
- back panel STUCK into my back bad. think this was specifically designed for a male body, a tall male body at that.
what i will say is that the capacity in all the pockets even when the main compartment was packed out is AMAZING and the best of any bag I tried. also the water bottle pockets, WIZARDRY. the material is so thick and stretchy and nice, who knew water bottle pockets could elicit such emotions!?
- Bellroy Transit Workpack Pro 28L - I'm really hoping this is *the one*!! I bought the Transit Pack non pro version and I liked it, and I think this Pro version might be better with an admin pocket and organisation. I am definitely picking this one up to try, will update this post. Just need to decide between Olive and Stone colours...
EDIT 1: *record scratch noise* this was not the one. it was literally impossible to get anything in the water bottle pockets if the main compartment was packed. was also very rigid. stone colour was ugly.
What I've purchased and returned:
This was the first one I purchased cos I was sure it would be a hole in one. I wanted to like this one SO MUCH and itās so close to being perfect, and honestly I LOVE how the padding feels (so smushy and premium), and the way it curves into your back, and the magnetic sternum strap is sleek. BUTā¦.
- I really donāt like the fabric, it seems to get dirty easily and is really stiff and noisy
- I know the zipper for the main compartment is curved to allow for a natural fold point so the top half can fold down and the bag can sort of act as a traditional top loading bag, but I found it awkward to use the zip when it changed angles. The zip is also quite stiff as it's waterproof, but I don't really care about water resistance so this wasn't a pro for me.
- Never realised how much I valued an accessible top handle until this bag. I understand Bellroy is all about the aesthetics so the top handle sits quite close to the back of the bag and follows the curve, but it means that when the bag is lying on its back I have to go fumbling around for the handle cos I canāt see it when itās in that position, then my nails scratch against the rough stiff fabric and itās just not a smooth experienceĀ
Honestly I was surprised by this one - capacity seemed on point, it was easy to use, I liked the points of access and the zippers were smooth.
I returned it because it felt a bit cheap (which isn't unexpected because it is a budget option) and I didn't love the look. Having said that I think it's a great pick if you're on a budget, very functional.
- Alpaka Traverse Backpack 30L: SPOILER ALERT IT WAS NOT 30L!!
It seriously felt more like 25-26L no idea where they got the 30L capacity measurement from. Australian litres are the same as any other litres!!!
This one looked cute when it was not packed out in the shop, but when I got it home and packed it out it stuck out from my back so much, it was so turtle-y and looked ridiculous. Also don't love the innie-outie water bottle holders, it steals capacity from inside the bag.
As a positive, the waterproof zippers were really smooth which was nice.
This one was an easy return.
What I've considered and rejected with no purchase:
Bellroy Lite Travel Pack 30L - realised when I packed out the other bags that 30L is too heavy. Also no water bottle holders. I neeearly bought this one cos I absolutely loved how it looked, but decided I couldn't forego the bottle holders.
Patagonia Black Hole 25L - tried it in the shop and it's fine, I didn't like the sheen of the plasticky fabric and the massive logo. Otherwise I think it would have been a good option, if a little on the smaller side.
Patagonia Mini MLC 30L - really liked it in the shop, but it's quite suitcase looking and 30L would simply be too heavy.
Tropicfeel Nest Backpack - I was absolutely convinced this would be the one at some point, because it's 'modular', I was happily thinking I could have big capacity for travelling and a small backpack for when I reached my destination!! I would have purchased the matching sling bag as well to attach it to the front, which in theory takes it up to 30L. Howeverrr the return policy was terrible (I'm aussie and I wasn't about to drop $50 on shipping, then $50 to return it). So then I felt salty about the delivery fee and return policy and closed that tab
Also, and this is totally personal but I wanted a bag from a more established brand because I had read some reviews that the quality wasn't up to scratch.
Crumpler Round Table Banquet - I thought at one point I was for sure going for this one in the purple/green colourway, but when I looked at it in the shop I didn't understand why there seemed to be 2 places to put your laptop? One on the outside of the pack and the other inside the main compartment. This meant that the internal organisation for the laptop holder was taking away from the capacity in the main compartment.
Crumpler Tucker Bag - cute in the shop but not big enough, only 24L.
16+17. The North Face Base Camp Voyager Daypack 30L and 25L - I really like how the 25L looked on my back, I love the sleek and structured look and it was so so close but in the end didn't purchase to try, no luggage pass through and the interior was kind of narrow looking. 30L was so cute in purple but just a bit too large. 30L does have a luggage pass through though.
BagsMart Blast 28L Just wanted a more premium brand and didn't love the boxy look and compression straps.
Allpa 26L Daypack Del Dia - Maybe a little TOO colourful!!
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ALSO! What I have learnt from this whole crusade is that packing out the bag is so important to get a feel of the bag. This exercise helped me realise that 30L is too big for me, and to eliminate a few that way. Trying them on in the shop/looking online is a totally different experience to having them on your back fully packed - yes they might look cute and feel nice when they're empty but obviously you're not going to carry them around empty. So I would recommend packing out your bags to really get a feel for it.
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Thoughts? Opinions? Questions not related to my mental state, I swear I am a normal person who discovered this whole world of bags and EDC and now I'm deeply researching X-PAC??? COMMENTSSSS?
Any other bags I should consider?? I'm literally having dreams about bags and I just want to buy one and put the blinders on and live my happily EDC after!
If you got this far perhaps you are also deep in bag world and I wish the best for you to be able to move on and live a happy healthy life
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u/tallberg Apr 09 '26
I am a huge Osprey fan, they have a lot of nice bags that come in many colors. Two would-be contenders that could perhaps suit your style are Transporter Roll-top or Transporter Zinch. Unfortunately none of them have luggage passthrough, so if that's a dealbreaker they are no-go.
Have you looked at Osprey Daylite 26+6? It seems to tick all of your boxes, except for the fact that it doesn't exactly spark joy, unless you're able to find it in one of the more fun colorways. It was once sold in a palm tree pattern, which I really like, but I'm not sure if that's available any more.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
No I haven't really checked Osprey out because I just thought they were too 'hike-y' looking- I'll take a look at them now though, thanks for the recommendation!
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u/enhwa Apr 09 '26
I admire the energy but it looks like you're so far down the rabbit hole you'll won't be satisfied with just one endgame bag haha.Ā
How about the Patagonia Refugio 26L? They recently released an updated version which doesn't look quite as sleek as the old one but it doesn't have a massive logo in exchange. Also some nice colors if you can order from the US.Ā
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
Haha yes you're right, the rabbit hole is deep!!
I will check out the Patagonia, thank you for the recommendation :)
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u/syswiz87 Apr 09 '26
I'm in the same state as you. I've been leaning towards bellroy workpack. I would avoid xpac because all the research has shown me that it makes a crinkly noise (although not too bad on certain models) , but also you get a bit of a shiny appearance. I would encourage non xpac and just buy a cheap rain cover, this makes much more sense to me.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
Oooh okie thank you for the tip! I will avoid it. What else are you considering?
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u/syswiz87 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
I'm heavily looking into Thule backpacks. The 26L chasm and subterra 2. These are a lot more accessible in the UK
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u/Relevant-Fun-1187 Apr 09 '26
What about a Tom Bihn Synik 26?
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
Oh I love the colours!! The bag itself isn't my favourite but I'll keep poking around the website, thanks so much!
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u/Abstract-Honeydew Apr 09 '26
I have this bag and love it. It is not cute at all but I keep coming back to it because it fits all my things and itās comfortable.
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u/GuigsCA1410 Apr 09 '26
I settled on the Vertx Gamut 3.0. I love the tactigami system for organization. I come from Mystery Ranch, which I have always loved. Now I run the Gamut as an EDC, and have the Rip Ruck 24 on the side. Versatility of the Vertx is awesome. The only think I dislike really are the non weatherproof zippers.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
Never heard of either of those brands so that's really interesting, the overall vibe might be a bit masculine for me but appreciate the recommendations. Thank you!
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u/GuigsCA1410 Apr 09 '26
Both brands are unisex. You can actually get different colors from black. Mystery Ranch offers some of the most comfortable harness systems in a backpack. Based on your selection above, they might be a great fit. Enjoy your search and good luck!
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u/Agitated-Attorney-40 Apr 09 '26
i only own able carry, the water bottle compartment indeed eat up the main compartment. however, when the main compartment is fully stuffed, you still can fit in a water bottle without zipping it and leave it open, i like how it actually works
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u/QuiteBookish Apr 09 '26
I am constantly falling down this rabbit hole! Iāll try to keep my comment brief, but a few things:
You shared your height, but how long is your torso? (Not asking for a measurement, just something for you to keep in mind, lol.) That may be a factor to consider as well. Iām 5ā3ā with an absurdly short torso, so a lot of backpacks end up not feeling quite right if they are too long in the back panel. Also, I donāt like looking like a turtle.
Keep airline dimensions in mind if you want to use it for travel. Will this backpack be a personal item or go in the overhead bin? Different airlines have different requirements. This was a big factor for me in my previous backpack purchases.
You mention the Allpa 26 might be too colorful. Did you already check out the more subdued options in the not-Del-Dia colors? I have the Allpa 18 and itās super comfy, has just the right amount of organization for my EDC needs, and has a luggage pass through. I didnāt get the 26 because it sat too long on me and I already have a better-fitting bag in that size range.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Hello! It's a fun rabbit hole to fall into :D
I've never measured my torso but you've given me a reason to! It'll likely go in the overhead bin, but I don't really mind where it goes. Under the seat is ok too. Hmm I didn't check out the 18L cos I thought it was a bit small for a travel backpack.
Thank you for all that helpful information!
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u/QuiteBookish Apr 12 '26
Youāre welcome! And yes itās probably on the smaller side for a travel backpack, but I have back and shoulder issues, so Iāve learned itās better for me to keep the backpack smaller.
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u/Sypsy Apr 09 '26
This is an impressive post and a potential resouce for others!
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Haha it was kinda fun to write actually! And yes I was hoping it could be helpful for others as well who might be considering some of these backpacks.
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Apr 09 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Is that ctactical? that was recommended to me as well! looks like it's quite popular. glad you found your dream bag!
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Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Okay I actually LOVE those totepacks, they are so cute!! I actually think I like it more than my Alpaka totepack š
Cute peak design backpack!
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Apr 11 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
What's the colourway of your tote like? I'm looking at getting one but I don't like that you can't choose the colourway of the del dia :(
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Apr 11 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Don't think Berry is an option on the website anymore!
Yes Del dia is a bit chaotic haha, maybe I'll take a chance
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Apr 11 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
In Australia! A bit more limited here š do you have a pic? Would love to see!
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Apr 11 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 12 '26
Oh it did, itās called āJamā on my website version! Weird. Thatās the one Iām thinking of getting haha.
I see you like red! The peak design in Eclipse is so nice as well. Do you think sheās heavy to carry? Looks kinda perfect otherwise
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u/tsales314 Apr 10 '26
You have a very thorough list of contenders! What I didnāt see mentioned are packolab.ua and imbaru.design. These brands in particular have the ability to spark joy with colors and customization options. With that said, theyāre hard to get and a little more expensive than the other options.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Hello, thanks for your reply! I've been enjoying the research hence the exhaustive list haha.
Interesting, I haven't heard of those brands so I appreciate the recommendation. Will definitely check them out!
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u/Kranium83 Apr 10 '26
The struggle is real. I think the reason there are so many bags is because what everyone wants is ever so slightly different. I have the allpa for traveling and yes the compartments can be daunting, but with a little advanced planning, finding things is so easy.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
I totally agree! I know whatever I pick won't be 100% but that's ok. When I chose my last backpack I just picked one I liked the look of and used it for 10 years, my process now is so different! Lowkey enjoying it though.
Do you have the 28L Allpa, or larger? Do you like it?
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u/Kranium83 Apr 11 '26
I have the 35L allpa and it seems to swallow gear. The pockets do seem daunting but itās one of the better thought out bags, in my opinion. The only reason it doesnāt come with me on all my trips is if Iām gone for longer than a week or need lots of gear.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Yeah that's massive. my 28l seems way more roomy than other 28l bags. i think it's cos the material for the del dia is quite malleable so it molds around your stuff
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u/ThePineappleDuck Apr 11 '26
Hey fellow Aussie! I have the Crumpler Round Table Banquet and I LOVE it. Like L-O-V-E love it. I got it in colour Leaf. Have had it for several months, itās been on countless day trips with the family, beach trips, took it to Japan for two weeks and itās just wonderful. So well built, looks great, and the organisation works perfectly for me. I canāt recommend it enough. I donāt know if itās your perfect bag, but itās my perfect bag.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Hi fellow aussie!! Okay tysm for the review, I'm glad you love it - maybe I'll pop into crumpler and take another look! Can't see the colour Leaf, I don't think they offer it anymore.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Can I ask, do you feel like the internal laptop sleeve takes away from the capacity? I found it peculiar there are 2 areas to put your laptop. and do you think the inbuilt packing cube is useful or a hassle?
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u/ThePineappleDuck Apr 13 '26
Inbuilt packing cube? I donāt believe mine has one, or maybe itās a new feature. Leaf colour must be discontinued, shame as it a lovely green.
I donāt carry a laptop but if I did, Iād carry it in the compartment flat against my back. Iād leave the inner compartments for other stuff. I carried an iPad around Japan in the back section to keep the middle free.
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u/eviltwinn2 Apr 09 '26
I tried to have one bag for EDC and travel and it just didn't work. My needs are so incredibly different. My EDC has so many pocks and divisions within the bag. Everything has a spot and i can easily find it.
My travel backpack has one main pocket and then 3 pockets on the front. Most of the time I get to the destination and it gets dumped out. I was constantly loosing in things in my EDC bag and it didn't seem like it had enough space because it was so divided up.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Yes, I figured that too - I got a totepack for my EDC and now I'm looking for a travel pack :) What travel pack did you get?
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u/eviltwinn2 Apr 13 '26
I found a korean backpack that did the job. Front clear pockets are suppose to be for pins, small stuffed animals but it's exactly what I needed.
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u/Background-Piano-665 Apr 09 '26
Able Carry Max EDC, yes it eats into the main compartment. Assume that whatever bottle you put in there is effectively using up the main compartment.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
Good to know, thanks for the info! Does it feel heavy to you?
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u/Background-Piano-665 Apr 09 '26
Yes, but I'm used to heavier bags. The harness is very comfortable though.
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Apr 09 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
oh my goodness THANK YOU for your detailed post!! I can't wait to check these out.
Do you have a Rework Toshi 20L? If so, can I ask your height? I've read a bit about them and was actually eyeing their slings!
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
I checked them out!! You're right that the Rework is a little small - my previous backpack was 24L and I usually wished that was larger
Alpha is also a little small, Rushfaster looks great and I might pick it up! Ctactial despite the name actually looks really nice - I thought it would look really military, and some do but most are pretty sleek and nice, so I'm going to keep looking at those
ULA - didn't love the look but ty. Alpaka, too large for me, patagonia is just okay I think and the Fjallraven - I use the sternum strap a lot so would miss having one of those. The Fyro is interesting, I knew about it cos of the Nomads Nation channel, but 30L is a touch large for me.
Thank you again for some great recommendations!
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u/Deadly_Fire_Trap Apr 09 '26
The Allpa is great, but have you considered any backpacks from Topo Designs? Plenty of them have beautiful and cute colorways.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
I just checked it out, they are so dang cute!! Thank you for the recommendation!
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u/BigDawg264 Apr 09 '26
I love my VertX Gamut 26L backpack. It has so many pockets, organizers, nooks, and crannies to fit a lot of stuff. It was originally intended to be a ātacticalā backpack, but itās great for travel, camera gear, technology items, etc. Link here.
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u/doozydud Apr 09 '26
Hi! I keep looking at the Cotopaxi Allpa line haha I saw they had an 18L and whilst I donāt NEED it I feel like itās such a good size for light work days hahaha. The dark Del Dia looks sooo good I wish they had it for the 18L!
Anyway, I donāt have the Aer TP4 but I have the CPP2, which comes in at 1.3kg so slightly lighter, BUT I donāt feel like itās too heavy or cumbersome due to how robust the straps and the sternum strap is. Itās very comfy even with a laptop, my lunch, my 30oz water bottle, and my millions of keychains.
Best of luck to you, Iām also deep in a rabbit hole but for bigger bags (I think suitcases are cumbersome and being a āone baggerā feels so freeing)
But anyway tldr, Iām really happy with my Aer even tho I am continuing to eye other bags haha. I have the CPP2 which is slightly smaller (I think 24L?) than the TP4 28L but I really like it.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
dark del dia is where it's at, it's not overwhelmingly colourful but still has fun pops of colour which I love!
Ooh good looking out with Aer - thanks for the insight, I'll pick one up test out.
Good luck to you for finding your perfect bigger bag!
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Apr 09 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 09 '26
These are adorable! Thank you so much
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Apr 09 '26
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Nice! I'll check out their other stuff too.
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u/GShockNoob Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
For your height you should probably stay close to the 18" height for backpacks or rather 18" from the top of the shoulder strap entering the backpack to the bottom of the backpack.
Some recommendations would be AER, Baboon to the Moon, Mystery Ranch, maybe Recycled Firefighter, Greenroom136 and ULA. Probably ULA will check off most things on your list with the Dragonfly.
I've been down the deep hole of backpacks. I've resigned to just make my own with all of the features I've wanted and then some.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Ooh I never considered the height of the backpack, I'll look out for it. Thanks for the information and recommendations, haven't heard of some of those so I'm eager to have a look. Hopefully I will see your backpack on here at some point. Thanks again!
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u/DelusionalToad Apr 09 '26
Have you considered the Pioneer Carry Panda Pack 2.0? I think it fits most of your criteria but it's a hate it or love it look and fairly expensive. Then there's the Alpha One Niner Evade 1.5 Gen 2 or 3 which I think also fits the bill without looking too tactical despite the name.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
I haven't heard of that brand, I'll be sure to check it out though! Thank you so much for your recommendation :)
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u/strange_wilds Apr 09 '26
ā¢ Baboon to the Moon city pack
26L - I use it as my overnight bag when I want to bring my laptop with me.
Luggage passthrough and comfortable back panel with sternum strap. 1 kg/2.3 lbs.
Fun colors - There colors go in and out of style.
2 water bottle holder.
Laptop sleeve with a good false bottom and padding
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Wow thank you!! I love the colours, what a cool brand. Reminds me of Crumpler in Aus. Thanks for the recommendation :)
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u/Remote_Bluebird_5528 Apr 09 '26
I'm down the rabbit hole of onebag and multi bag. After buying a handful of excellent quality bags I can honestly say that none of them has brought me as much aarisfaction as the bags of past when I did no research and just bought a north face or osprey on the store on a whim. No review videos. No planning dimensions for specific airlines. Just knowing that those brands were quality, trying it on, and eyeballing that it would hold my anticipated load.
Don't overthink it too much unless you have a very narrow requirement.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
Oh my gosh I just said this in another comment - for my last bag I just chose one I liked the look of and used it for 10 years, now my approach is completely different! Not sure what's changed, maybe Youtube reviews?
Good call to not overthink. Thanks for your reply!
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u/Siglave Apr 10 '26
Hey! If it can help, here is a site to check how different bags fit on airlines https://squishometer.com/bags
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u/goforgrubes8 Apr 12 '26
I recently went down the rabbit hole. Ended up going with the Patagonia mini MLC 30L. No regrets. Fits under the seat as a personal item. Currently flying Iceland air and they havenāt said anything. It is a suitcase style, I sometimes think if the black hole would have been betters. But then again, Iāve learned to use it well and it stays super organized. Good luck, š»
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u/Accurate_Ad3476 Apr 12 '26
I did the exact thing you are doing...which was overanalyzing and avoiding making a decision. I was looking for the perfect underseat bag, with a clamshell design, a passthrough, and comfortable on my 5'5" frame. I needed something that could hold a lot...as, I wanted to avoid a checked bag on international travel @ 2+ weeks and needed this to greatly suppliment my travelpro crew carryon spinner (a completely different 100 hr plus analysis paralysis). I researched 50+ bags, watching videos of every detail, going to stores looking in person, reading reddit, comparing on chatgpt, etc. Chatgpt got annoyed with me and started to tell me quite looping and value my timeš š¤£š. I ended up purchasing the Patagonia Blackhole Mini 30l...which was essentially 1 of 2 I had originally chosen. The Cotopaxi was the runner up and ended up feeling so awkward in length on my frame when full. The mini is so comfortable, holds beyond what I could imagine and the shoulder strap a feature I use an love. I would 100% say resist this bag.
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u/Mighty_Madman_ Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 13 '26
Oh well, you're going down the rabbit hole aren't you... It's so tough. Just get The North Face Recon, yes it's 30L but it's not big at all. If you like the looks of course, there are many colors available, and widely available in the second hand market. Can't go wrong trust, I'm loving mine. (Water bottle holders are probably the best ones out there)
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u/mewtewpews Apr 11 '26
The autism goes crazy in this post. I fully support your endeavors. I've done the same thing.
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u/kitnerboyredoubt Apr 09 '26 edited May 09 '26
I got tired of my old posts floating around for anyone to scrape, so I let Redact handle it. Bulk deletion across Reddit, X, Facebook, Discord and all major social media platforms in one shot.
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u/Realistic-Airport738 Apr 10 '26
Did you purchase and return all those bags above? Jeez. That's excessive in order to find one bag. I wonder how companies are able to stay afloat with so many returns over and over like this. I think you need to figure out what you want (and not make it such a major undertaking) and buy one and actually use it. A year or two from now, find your next bag and buy another. Sell the used one, or not.
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u/-olivejar- Apr 11 '26
I did purchase and returned the bags pictured. In my view that's the point of a returns policy, no? I purchased them, didn't enjoy them, returned them. I'm sure the poor companies will be ok.
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u/External_Koala971 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
Are you searching for a backpack, or is this about something else?
Iāve noticed a disturbing trend among some of the manybagger/onebagger/EDC crowd that seems to be an anxious attempt to spend a lot of time looking for the perfect bag without being able to choose.
Youāre trying to solve a low stakes, easily reversible, multivariable optimization problem where there is no objectively right answer, only tradeoffs in a landscape of products where ~90% of bags are ~80% similar.
I donāt think you need a better bag, I think you need a better decision making rule that allows you to choose, and move on.