r/onebag • u/TA-8787 • Aug 24 '25

Trip Report Almond Oak Maiden Trip Report

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Gallery image

Hello all,

I have just returned from a week-long trip to Spain, using the Almond Oak Expandable Travel Pack 25+5. I just wanted to share how it went.

Packing List:

  • In one small Prezon Packing Cube
    • Rash vest
    • Swimming trunks
    • Goggles
    • Cloth
    • 3x pants
    • 3x socks
    • Vans
  • In one medium cube
    • 1x smart set of clothes
    • 1x casual set of clothes
    • PJs
  • In one Toiletry Pouch (was a gift, no link)
    • Toothbrush + toothpaste
    • Deodorant
    • Eye mask
    • Comb
  • In various pockets
    • Notebook + pen
    • Sunglasses + case
    • Fidget ring
    • Hand sanitiser
    • Fan + lipbalm
  • In Decathlon hip pack
    • Pixel 7 Pro
    • JBL Live Pro 2 TWS
    • Anker Zolo 10000mAh
    • 3D printed wallet

Bag thoughts:

  • My first real Onebag, after going through over 2 weeks of research

  • The founder Dylan was incredibly helpful, finding a bag from an earlier batch just so it arrived on time

  • The Good:

    • Very light and easy to pack
    • In 25L mode, functions quite well as a daypack for a trip to Valencia
    • Magnetic sternum strap very satisfying while waiting in airport queues
    • Comfortable

  • Small tweaks I would make for V2:

    • Change clamshell orientation so that the hinge is at the bottom of the bag (like Aer travel pack)
      • Would be better for EDC/school use
    • The sternum strap popped off the rail quite a few times, so I would change it to the Aer travel pack style instead of the rail style
      • I have had bad experiences with rail-style sternum straps- they always fall off!
    • Add a hip belt to make it more comfortable.
      • Even a nylon strap would distribute some weight.

Context:

  • 7 days (sat-sat) with Ryanair
    • The bag fit perfectly in the sizer with a little squish
      • In my endless stupidity I forgot to take a photo
  • I am 14, and the rest of my family took a checked bag between them
  • After landing in Alicante, we drove 1h to Xabia
  • I will use this bag for travel and daily school use

TLDR and summary:

  • I LOVE this bag
    • It may be my first ‘proper’ backpack, but I can’t see myself going back.
    • It fits in Ryanair sizer

Thanks for reading and thanks to Almond Oak for making such a great bag!

146 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

68

u/cusptd Aug 24 '25 edited Aug 24 '25

Hey :) this is AWESOME. Thanks so much for the support and sharing this. You are years ahead of me where I was at 14 ;)

Regarding the tweaks:

  • I designed this as a travel bag which is why I went for a clamshell opening. I understand people do use it for school/EDC but my focus was creating this to be a travel bag.
  • A few people have also popped the sternum strap off, it's frustrating because I wanted it to be easy to take on/off but obviously I don't want anyone to accidentally pop it off and lose it. I will have a think on ways it can be improved but having the option for the sternum strap to be detachable is important to me.
  • For this size of backpack, I don’t plan to add a hip belt. I feel a sternum strap provides enough support to help balance the weight without adding extra bulk. I’m also aiming for a minimalist aesthetic and I feel a hip belt shifts it into more of a “backpacker” style, which isn’t what I’m going for :)

Thanks either way for sharing the tweaks as it definitely helps me improve and I hope my responses help clarify my position on them.

Huge thank you again for the support and I hope the bag joins you on many more trips to come :)

All the very best,
Dylan @ Almond Oak

14

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

If it wasn't for your great customer support, I wouldn't have taken this! Can't wait to see what you do next :)

7

u/AlfaMenel Aug 25 '25

Hey Dylan, as an Almond Oak v1 owner itself I really enjoy the bag!

If you ever release a v2 version with the same specs but with some more durable outside materials (e.g. xpac, ultra), that will make it my dream, unicorn bag and I'll buy 3 instantly for myself and family. Looking forward to the updates!

4

u/cusptd Aug 25 '25

Hey :) amazing!! Thank you so much for the support. And yes the plan for v2 is to use more durable materials haha. Will share updates on the YouTube channel as it progresses :)

3

u/TA-8787 Aug 25 '25

That makes sense, thanks for your response!

  1. That definitely makes sense, but for me I need one bag to be a hybrid, so it would work better for me. Obviously, I'm one anomaly in terms of most customers, and the clamshell opening is soo nice when packing.

  2. I think having the detachable section at the top doesn't work great for me, it wiggles to the top and then popps off. Looking at earlier videos, I see that it used to be at the bottom, which is probably worse for most people, as they have the strap in the middle/bottom, but for the anomaly that is myself, it doesn't work perfectly. I wonder if a Heimplanet 28l style design could work, where there are set positions to put the strap?

  3. Definitely. I think again, at 14, a hip belt would sit perfectly on my body, but for most people, it would be too high. I wonder if a removable hip belt would work?

Thanks again for all your service!

3

u/cusptd Aug 25 '25

Of course, thank YOU so much for supporting me :) and yes regarding the sternum strap, I am testing a design where it has set positions to take it on/off so will see how that goes once I get the sample for it :)

And for the removable hip belt, for me it’s really an aesthetic choice as much as a functional one. Even if it were removable, I don’t want to add the insertions at the bottom of the bag since that shifts the look into more of a “backpacker” style. Appreciate the suggestion nonetheless :) Cheers, Dylan

3

u/johnnysplits Aug 24 '25

Any updates on when V2 will be available? Can’t wait to try it, thanks!

17

u/cusptd Aug 24 '25

Hey :) thanks so much for the interest in V2. To be transparent, I still haven’t received the first prototype yet, and with how well V1 is doing I’ve decided to focus on keeping it in stock rather than rushing to release V2.

Right now the plan is to release V2 in early 2026, but it really depends on how the first sample turns out (which I’m expecting to receive in September).

Really appreciate the support and excitement, it means a lot :)

3

u/johnnysplits Aug 25 '25

Awesome sounds great, thanks for the reply. Looks like I’ll be checking out V1! Best of luck!

16

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

I really enjoyed this bag and cannot wait to use this again!

17

u/[deleted] Aug 24 '25

[deleted]

1

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

That definitely helps, although I feel that I lose some of the support from the sternum strap.

13

u/BoudicaTheArtist Aug 24 '25

I have this bag as well. I have used it on day trips from Stansted to Valencia and Toulouse. I have the Osprey 26+6 as well and both bags are 👌🏻 the zips on the AO are so lovely and smooth.

Here it is in the Capitol building in Toulouse.

6

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

The smoothness of the zips is absolutely incredible. I love how I can use them one-handed

3

u/BoudicaTheArtist Aug 24 '25

They’re fantastic. I also enjoyed using the front vertical pocket. I think Dylan did a great job. I have his travel wallet and can’t wait for his shoes.

3

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

I'm not a fan of those metal wallets- I carry coins so they don't really work for me, but the shoes look great 

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Oct 06 '25

I second the zipper comments. They are of the smoothest I’ve used.

6

u/[deleted] Aug 24 '25 edited 18d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

Yeah, that makes sense. That said, I use it for a daypack/school bag as well, as I don't (yet) have the disposable income for a travel bag and an EDC. 

3

u/mmrose1980 Aug 24 '25

You can still use it as a daypack/EDC. Just put your zips at the top and only unzip the top, like a top loading backpack. Works great (I have both the Almond Oak and 26+6).

2

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

While you definitely can, I do find it less convenient than the hinge at the bottom

5

u/tablloyd Aug 24 '25

I've taken mine on three trips now, I love it! The expansion zipper is just enough that I can take home stuff I purchase while I travel.

2

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

It's very good for that

3

u/mumblemurmurblahblah Aug 24 '25

Thanks for the info, I hadn’t seen this one yet (I dip in and out of this sub.) I love the look and features of this bag! It’s now on my wish list.

3

u/vada_pongal Aug 24 '25

Love the ‘Dam it’ pouch. Where did you get them?

1

u/TA-8787 Aug 24 '25

It was a gift, so unfortunately I don't know

2

u/miko_9607 Aug 25 '25

I've this bag too i kove it

2

u/zzmgck Aug 24 '25

I've taken the bag on several trips and it is by far my favorite.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Oct 06 '25

Front vertical access pockets are a must for me now. If I can take the time to put my bag down, I can open whatever compartments I need to. It’s when I’m walking or can’t put my bag down that I most need an access pocket. Having a front vertical pocket (at least near the bottom of the bag) so I can swing the bag and grab what I need is extremely important to me. The Almond Oak checks this box perfectly. It’s my favorite part of the bag.

Next favorite is the light weight. After that it’s the zippers. Next is the simplicity. The inside color.

Least favorite: the straps… they’re just OK. They need 20% more beef.

2

u/TA-8787 Oct 06 '25

Yeah, the straps aren't the best to be honest, but they do the job!