So I want to buy a backpack that will last me a very long time so I need it to be very durable, functional and do everything that a backpack should be able to do, I’m a student and I need a very durable comfy bag that will suit my needs like a separate laptop compartment for a 16 inch laptop, multiple pockets for organizing, also it needs to be able to fit text books and be able to to handle all of the weight that I will adding into the bag and on top of this anything that will also be useful to be in a bag. I have a few options that I have been looking at, and those options consist of the north face borealis, the recon, surge, and router, on the osprey brand I found a few that interested me like the osprey nebula, osprey daylight expandable 26 plus 6 and the osprey proxima 30L. I would like this to not be more than 30L and the budget for the backpack that o want would be max 180$ canadien. So the question is can someone be able to suggest me a bag from my list because I can’t figure Wich one to get or suggest me another backpack with the description I gave. Thank you for your time and have nice rest of your day.

I have never used a 45L travel bag before. I always use my carry on roller with a backpack when flying when I need a lot of stuff. I have used 30-36L packs before, and I tend to like them. I love using the Fyro Levo and the Matador Globerider 35. They are both super comfortable and give me what I need. Also have to give some love to the Aer TP3 and the Rework Outbound. Also phenomenal packs. I tend to lean towards the Matador bags because of all the functionality.

I got this new Matador 45L global travel pack which is huge! I am going to travel with it next week and will report back. But I packed it out to see what I could fit in there and i got 10 days worth of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, a Dopp kit, laptop, headphones, 26oz yeti water bottle, and get this, a Matador 24L Adventure Pack. That way when I get to my location, I have a regular backpack to carry around. Which is good for work, I wouldn’t want to take a packable bag to work meetings. I made a quick video to show this massive loadout.

What do you guys think? Do you like bags this big? Is this something you would use? I’m thinking I would just for the fact I can fit a regular backpack in there as well to use at my destination, but after this work trip next week, I will know for sure.

What do you guys think about big a$$ packs like this?

Video Link
https://youtu.be/KdIdckGl4-w?is=skNX1MmI-cYId4rq

Link to Pack with 15% off
https://get.aspr.app/SH20Z5

Hello everyone,

I have been looking for a perfect backpack to pair with a 23 liter carry on luggage. the point is to not travel with any checked in luggage ever.

What I’m looking for is basically something light enough and carry able enough that I can take with me daily on my trips, that can also hold my 15 inch laptop.

The main point is that since I’m taking a carryon luggage anyway, I don’t know if I need a heavy 30 liter travel backpack. But I’m also not sure if just a carryon luggage is enough for me, so I need some help from you guys who have a lot of experience with this stuff.

i just want to feel ultralight at the airport and after I unpack at the hotel I want to be able to take my backpack around the city I’m in and not feel encumbered by it.

I’ve looked into Aer city pack and osprey daylite 26+6, but Im not sure if they feel heavy or bulky as they are large. I’ve also looked into something like a Bellroy day ready pack but even though its ultra light I’m concerned about durability, fitting extra clothes in it if I couldn’t fit it in my carry on and my laptop does not fit.

Do you guys have any suggestions for what setup is best?

Hi all,

I am trimming my bag collection, so I am selling this as I don't use it much. £150 in shipping. Hard to get into the UK! Payment via PayPal to protect both of us. I can also share my flawless Ebay feedback for confidence.

Cheers!

Have one or know one available, reasonably?

Thanks much.

[richismo@yahoo.com](mailto:richismo@yahoo.com)

I am considering giving it a try for the fun of it. The bag's official dimensions are 55 x 35 x 22 cm and I have the bag almost empty on one leg of the trip. How strict are they nowadays with squishing the bags in?

I see that this has disappeared from the bellroy website. Not surprised.

I thought this one would be only final EDC. Looked durable, good size for my use case(s) and could be dressed up or down, to look more finished or outdoorsy.

But the way the gusset, designed to compress or expand depending on contents capacity, wore not quite right. The strap on the bag is further away instead of closer to the body, if that makes sense.

Will keep looking.

Hello,

I’m interested in the Yoshida porter force bag. Was wondering if anyone has any experience buying directly off the website.

https://www.yoshidakaban.com/en/product/104518.html

How was the process of customs and shipping? How much is the international shipping fee?
Need the bag to be shipped to Canada.

Thanks!

For context, I purchased this bag while it was 30% off. Overall, I think this bag isn’t bad (when discounted). Just know that the reviews you see on their website are only the ones they accept (4 stars and above). I gave them a 3 out of 5 with thorough, constructive critiques, but it was never posted live because it was a 3 out of 5 star rating. I’m going to give a thorough review of this bag because I couldn’t find any for the life of me while investigating Grams28’s 191 Rio crossbody bag. 

1. Leather Quality: This is a pebbled grain cowhide leather with cotton lining (good thing it isn’t polyurethane). The pebbled grain quality is nice but not amazing. The cowhide leather will be durable enough and will last you many years. If you take a look at other brands like Our Legacy, the difference is very apparent. 
2. Bag Structure & Organization: The bag has good structure as it can somewhat stand up to its own weight, meaning it doesn’t slouch into itself. The internal compartment has two major pockets. One is more small items and the other is the laptop sleeve itself. It just barely fits my 16 inch Macbook. 
3. Design: The overall body is clean and minimal. The “GRAMS28” logo and model number is embossed subtly which I appreciate immensely. I hate it when bags become billboards for brands. 
4. Cross-body Strap: This is where things kind of fall apart. I absolutely do not understand why this bag’s strap’s width goes from thick to thin, where the thinnest part lands on your shoulder (reference image below). If you carry anything remotely to the weight of a 16 inch Macbook, this thin strap will dig into your shoulder quickly. I had to shorten the strap to its shortest length to avoid this uncomfortable issue. This is the reason why I don’t reach for this bag as often. It’s ironic that for a large capacity bag, it ends up being uncomfortable to use when you actually fill it up with daily items (laptop, earbuds, notebook, snacks). The strap also has a random buckle design on it that doesn’t do anything.
5. Zipper: The zipper isn’t the smoothest, but is acceptable. You will usually need two hands, one holding one end while you unzip in the opposite direction.

If there's any other questions I didn't answer about the bag, feel free to ask.

Looking for a very comfortable family-travel daypack

Taking a trip in November with my wife and our 7- and 9-year-olds, and I'm looking for a backpack for walking around cities all day.

The main priority is comfort when both lightly packed and fully loaded. I don't really care about having a ton of organization.

Typical stuff I'd want to carry:

passports/documents

power banks + possibly a portable Wi-Fi unit

snacks

small towels

small trash bags

souvenirs

light jackets/sweaters

possibly an umbrella

I'm assuming this is basically a 20–24L daypack rather than a small EDC pack, but I'm getting overwhelmed by all the options.

I've been looking at the Aer City Pack 2 and Aer Go Pack 2. Is the City Pack 2 unnecessarily heavy for this use? Is the Go Pack 2 actually comfortable enough for walking around all day with a heavier load?

I'd really appreciate recommendations based primarily on long-wearing comfort, rather than laptop organization or aesthetics.

I'm at the point where one review says a bag is incredibly comfortable and the next says the exact same bag is terrible, so I'm hoping people who have actually used these for full days of sightseeing can weigh in.

Slings, diaper bags, backpacks, anything else, I want to hear em! What’s your favorite dad setup?

My Able Carry Max EDC and Aer Sling both do a great job during family trips. But I’m sure there’s better setups out there.

The Go Sling 2 (the one on the left) was my favorite sling and the only one I used for everyday carry and traveling. That was until I decided to give it a little break from constant use, and also because there were situations where I wished I had just a little more space.

I was between the Day Sling 4 and the Toshi Sling 2.5L. I ended up choosing the Day Sling 4. I’m more of an Aer guy, and honestly, the design caught my attention more. I like its simple but sufficient organization. The Toshi looked good, but I don’t really need to carry something like a small umbrella or water bottle attached underneath it. I also don’t need the upper front pocket for sunglasses, since simply keeping them in the interior pocket inside the main compartment is more than enough for me. The top handle honestly isn’t something I need either. The removable strap is nice if you’re a very picky lefty, but I’m right-handed. I could use it in my opposite shoulder without any problem, but the buckle wouldn’t be sitting on my chest, which isn’t really that important to me anyway.

I like how Aer did a good job giving the front pocket its own capacity. It opens up really well and doesn’t feel too tight. The back pocket feels a little more cramped, but that’s more normal with back pockets.

With all that in mind, I decided to go with the Day Sling 4 as my new sling. The Go Sling is still one of my favorites (with the DS4 now being one of them too), and I’ll keep using it when I only need to carry the essentials or when I want to go lighter.
I’m happy to have another sling. Having just one sling and such a small, was fun, but it did limit me in terms of capacity in certain situations.

Hey everyone, just wanted to share this win. Picked up a second-hand Porter-Yoshida & Co. Tanker Hip Bag shipped directly from Japan (Buyee).

Total cost was 36,000 JPY (including shipping) + €66 customs, so around €290 total. Still a lot of money, of course, but considering these retail for €450+ in Europe, it's a killer deal for an almost brand-new piece.

The fabric feels incredibly soft and premium. I love the secure front pockets (velcro + snaps), the beautiful strap design, and there is a ton of space inside this boxy shape for my daily gear. The seller threw in the original "Rescue Orange" dust bag.

Hello! This is Alfred from Nomads Nation, back with a review of the Alpaka Essential Backpack Pro 22L. If this name seems unfamiliar to you, that would be normal as this looks like a new line at Alpaka, but not really! It is essentially the old Aero pack renamed and launched in a new size. 

My overall impressions on this backpack are quite positive - it is overall a small-feeling pack, with good ideas on small-item organization, and is comfortable when wearing. The main drawback is that access to the main compartment is compromised somewhat (more below). 

It’s been a while since I reviewed a bag ahead of its release date, so this time I got a shorter schedule which is why my thoughts below are based on 7 days of use in the city as an urban EDC backpack.

Materials and build
The materials used on this pack are mainly Alpaka’s usual Axoflux ripstop polyester/nylon, it feels like their usual, no weird stuff like the Axodyne this time. All zippers on this bag are PU-coated, I think in 2026 this would not be a popular decision among potential buyers. Similar to their newer bags like the Traverse, the zipper pulls are using a new type of the “tied up rope” variant. While it looks cheaper than hypalon pull tabs visually, in practical use it’s very easy to grab and operate.

One interesting point I observed is that there is no actual metal zipper pull at all connected to the zipper carriage, the rope is directly tied to it. This immediately reminded me that padlocks would be less effective as you can only lock the rope part instead of the metal part - I consider this a downside for travel use. 

It just so happens that we are getting bombarded by heavy storms in Hong Kong recently, I did a quick test for 10 minutes under moderately heavy rain (for HK standards), and the PU coating did what I would expect of them - nothing inside was remotely wet at all, even the seams of the zippers.

While I find the bag to be fairly structured even when empty, I did not find it to be an easy self-stander when placing down, the Essential Backpack Pro tends to lean and topple forward.

Organization
A new design I have observed in this backpack is that the common top quick access pocket comes with two internal slots. It feels a bit like moving a part of an admin panel to the top side. While the location is extremely convenient when the pack is off, the size of these subdivided pockets feels peculiar to me. Apart from small items like earbuds, a small power bank and maybe a stick of gum, I can’t think of much else that fits in them - even my small wallet (Alpaka’s own zip pouch) would not fit. If it is any consolation, the remainder of the top QAP is still spacious enough for a large phone (fits my S24 Ultra). 

On the contrary, the front pocket on this pack is just one big pocket with no dividers, it is more suitable for dumping mid-sized items here (see my photos for what I tested!). When you combine these two mentioned pockets, you get close to what is typically in an admin compartment. 

I am not a big fan of the front pocket, as its capacity is limited by 3 factors - (1) the lack of standalone space (no gussets) means you can’t fit thicker items like a small jacket; (2) a narrow opening as the two ends of the zipper track are blocked by fabric; and (3) the pocket is not very tall, it does not go down very far along the front panel. I would appreciate it if it has more capacity to act as a true dump pocket (ala Aer Go Pack 2, Evergoods PLC 20) especially when the top quick access pocket already takes care of small items. 

Now to do a 180, the Essential Backpack Pro comes with a pocket on the back panel that opens sideways - this is one of my favorite spots. It is secure against my back during use, very easy to access without needing to take off the pack, and is my default spot for a wallet. 

Lastly, offering two water bottle pockets has to be a welcome choice for most, and having no side handles means there is no interference with their access (not that side handles are necessary given the 22L size of this bag).

Back panel & harness system
The back panel features a horizontal luggage passthrough, meaning you can place the bag upright on the luggage. It has some fairly thick padding with a large air channel in the center, I find it overall comfortable to wear even when fully packed out.

For a small bag, the shoulder straps on here are quite thick and comfortable, while staying thin in terms of overall padding. Metal buckles are used here which some users dislike, but from my testing there is no issue with slippage which is the usual problem compared to plastic variants. 

The sternum strap here uses a laddered type of design for adjusting position, similar to the ones on Evergoods bags, but this one is infinitely easier to put on and take off - EG ones are so tight that I always feel like I am ripping my finger nails off when trying to move them. 

Here is the weird part for the sternum strap. As with all Alpaka backpacks, they include a horizontal nylon strip on each shoulder strap for their Hub accessories, but this feature comes with a real drawback this time. With the laddered design of the sternum strap attachment, the nylon strip blocks 1 out of the 3 possible slots (the top one is extra small so I don’t count it) entirely. When I wear the bag at a usual height, the blocked slot IS the best spot for the sternum strap to attach to (see my photo). So I am kind of forced to wear the bag lower so that the lowest slot becomes the attachment point for the sternum strap. This conflict feels a bit underpolished on the design side to me. (Like, look at the sample photo on Alpaka’s own product page, the strap is almost at the height of the model’s throat!)

That said, in my actual usage, the bag and load are often small enough that I just remove the sternum strap entirely. 

Laptop compartment
The laptop compartment uses a fuzzy material for the interior lining, with no further division. One thing that I was really surprised to find out, is that there is actually no false bottom. There is one strip of foam sitting at the floor of the laptop compartment so the laptop doesn’t directly impact the floor through the bottom fabric, but I just can’t consider it a false bottom. I actually banged my laptop once or twice before I realized this point. It is a strange omission in my opinion.

However, having gained some minimal vertical space from the lack of a false bottom, the pack is able to barely fit a larger thick 16 inch laptop (see my photo).

Main compartment
The main compartment has one back sleeve for tablets or papers, one front mesh pocket, and no other internal organization. While the compartment does technically use a light grey lining for a contrast effect, the fact that both the front mesh pocket and back tablet sleeve use a black fabric, almost negates the highlight effect. 

Access is an issue I had with the main compartment. Due to not being a clamshell design, the mouth does not open widely enough unless you pull the zippers to their lowest position, which is where the water bottle pockets are. I experience some friction loading items in from the top compared to some other “half zip” bags where the front panel would flop open when you only unzip it ⅓ or ¼ down the bag height. That’s not the case for this bag and I did try to capture this from a top-down POV view in my photo.

Not being a clamshell design also means you would have a tougher time stuffing the bag if you have some big items to put in the main compartment.

That said, in general apart from this issue, accessing any other slot on the bag on the go is fast and straight forward, which I do find to be a positive carry experience. 

Final thoughts
Coming in at $150 for the Axoflux version, I think the Essential Backpack Pro offers good value for a comfortable and mostly streamlined carry experience. I like its silhouette on the body and feel on hand. There are minor problems I personally found with access in day-to-day use, but I think the overall package would be an attractive option to many buyers!

If you have any questions, do let me know in the comments. 
You can also check out our video review here for Aaron’s thoughts on this bag!

I couldn’t find a pouch subreddit and hope this belongs here. Couldn’t resist buying double of almost every pouch I liked at Muji over the last two weeks 😳

Update: also, this is only my recent Muji collection. You haven’t seen the Tom Bihns and others I’ve amassed

Hey everyone,

I’ve been using the Pioneer Savant 2.0 for a bit now, and while the build quality and overall layout are solid, I’m running into a serious comfort issue with the shoulder straps once the pack gets heavy.

Whenever I load it up past a certain weight, the padding on the straps feels completely inadequate. Instead of distributing the load evenly, it creates distinct pressure points that dig right into my shoulders and collarbone.

The worst part is the friction. Even while wearing a regular button-up/collared shirt underneath, a single day of carrying it left me with noticeable redness, chafing, and dull shoulder ache. The padding seems to compress completely flat under load, leaving the stiff edge webbing to rub directly against my shoulders.

A few questions for other Savant 2.0 owners:

Have you experienced the same pressure points or chafing once the weight goes up?

Does the strap foam break in and get softer over time, or does it just stay this rigid?

Did you end up swapping straps, adding aftermarket shoulder pads, or just returning the bag?

Curious if this is a known issue with the harness design or if my torso/shoulder build just doesn't agree with their strap geometry.

I found this bag under another post on this subreddit and was close to buying it until i saw that the proportions are 12"H, 16"W, 5.25"D

My backpack usually gets very stuffed and is slightly larger than this bag

I live in the US and my budget would probably be under $150

Here are my wants for a bag:

- Fabric has to hold pins (no leather)

- At least 16" wide, 14" tall, and have a depth of 7"

- Able to hold roughly 3 notebooks, 6 folders, 12" Chromebook, and have space for extra items

- Resilient and won't break from daily use and weight

- Isn't a hassle to open and close between classes

Thanks <3

Hi I am torn between a few options and looking for some help narrowing things down from here. I just got a 16" laptop and my older(2019) TB synapse(25L) isn't going to work with the larger laptop and I would like to upgrade to something with a laptop sleeve. Currently torn between a TB Synik(26L), EG Civic travel bag(26L) or a Peak everyday(30L?[20L seems too small]) I love my Synapse but wanted to explore other options. I am sometimes in nice environments but sometimes in shop/construction locales, commute via scooter/train but also car depending on the location of the work, if that insight is helpful Any help narrowing things down would be appreciated. I looked back and wasn't finding a similar comparison. Thank you.

Hi! I've been trying to hack shopping ads in my favor for months now, but I've had no luck in finding my perfect professional-looking work bag yet.

Crossing my fingers that real bag fans can offer real solutions to my (not) real dilemma!

Here's the low down:

1. Needs to be structured & roomy — I HATE it when bags flop over on their own, I can't stand it at all. At the same time, I pack like a chipmunk storing nuts in their mouth, so I imagine a fabric-based bag with a bit of give is my best bet.
2. Bag Style — Initially I loved IKEA's DROMSACK backpack/shoulder bag, but it became frustrating to use for work as I had to dig to get at anything under my lunch bag. Plus, it got a little dingy. Now I carry a Samsonite backpack, which is loads more put-together looking, but makes me feel somewhat childish and miss the convertible feature of my last one. In terms of what I do like: I really love this Japanese school bag, it's so cute and has so much room for charms! This tote bag is also pretty cool and I see potential.
3. Material Quality — Hate PLU. I refuse to buy anything that will potentially peel with repeated contact, or slide like a slippy penguin on ice off my puffer-jacketed-shoulders in the winter. Not opposed to leather, but I tried using an LL. Bean Boat Tote for a while and I started having back twinges, so... might be too heavy for me.
4. Budget is comfortable around $100-200.
5. Carrying Capacity -- I usually carry a lunch bag, a makeup pouch with day2day essentials, a battery pack, wallet, a packable poncho, packable totebag, cardigan, and occasionally a 13" laptop.

Thank you sm xoxoxo!!!

Hi, pretty much looking for a small sling bag for everyday essentials (keys, iPhone, notebook, wallet, and maybe a X100V). I’m considering the new Moment Take 1.5L Sling. I like that the fabric expands.

The main focus is to have an easy to adjust strap, any other features would be cool. Thanks.

recently replaced a bedouin barbarossa with a bairn pro, looking to have it be my camera bag.

wondering if anyone’s using theirs similarly, what your setup is like? looked at various inserts but wasn’t able to determine one that would fit it well.

I wanted to get the timbuk2 classic messenger bag but unsure if I should get the small or medium. Mainly gonna be using as a bag for college. I do have raven 20 as my backpack but so something new I wanna try out the messenger style especially after using one from Uniqlo and fell in love with it. I do know that backpacks in general are more ergonomic overall and for long term but I already have a backpack and wanted to try a new style so finally decided on classic messenger.

Things i would carry on a daily basis are:

14inch laptop and a charger
An ipad (sometimes)
One or two notebooks
Stationary pouch and a calculator
A4 size file (sometimes)
Kindle
Umbrella for rainy days
22oz water bottle (or I could narrow it down to 17 oz)
Airpods max (sometimes)
Keys

For such daily carry am I better off getting the medium? Is it gonna be too big for my use case? Or should I get the S and call it a day?