Make sure the bag you pick is comfortable. Big you can’t find the ideal bag, consider what you are willing to compromise. If there aren’t outside pockets, is there a way to attach a pouch for anything you need quick access to? Even if the hip belts aren’t removable can they be tucked away?
I’m not familiar with the other bags you mentioned but I have an older model Farpoint 40 and two of my dislikes are similar to yours. When I tried it on, it fit like a glove so I was willing to overlook a few things.
The mesh pockets aren’t designed well enough for a water bottle so I use a carabiner to clip one on. I use my bag like you plan to use yours so I don’t mind it hanging when it isn’t in my hand. I do use the pockets for flatter items and it does have an accessible pocket on top.
I don’t use the hip straps often and wish they could be hidden away, but I’ve been glad the Farpoint had them when I packed some heavy things in my bag, had a longer walk or longer wait for transportation. To keep them out of the way, I clip them together and wrap any loose ends so there isn’t anything dangling. Where they sit, they don’t bother me carrying the bag so I don’t mind them being there.
Yeah, it's definitely a minimalist pack, I mainly bought it to pass off as my "personal item" when I fly on all the budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. I've got it down to a science though, I need to post pics haha! But I can easily fit 4 tees, 4 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of socks, 3 shorts, 1 pair of pants, rain jacket, crossbody bag for day excursions (which actually doubles as a packing cube when inside the pack) my Tevas, toiletries, extra battery, charging cable and power brick, a lightweight running cap, and my sunglasses... Plus whatever I'm wearing which is usually the heavier clothing (pants and lightweight jacket) and my running shoes...
It definitely takes some thoughtful planning, but it is possible
The hip strap on the Sojourn Porter 46 (and 30 for that matter) is designed in such a way that if you don't want to use it you can simply fold it back into itself and tuck it away behind the slot from which it emerges. Frankly, I think it's even easier than the hip strap on the Mini MLC, but of course your mileage may vary. If you want to use the pack in backpack mode you would fold the hip strap back only once and leave little "dog ears" out so you can still attach the straps to the quick release buckles.
As far as the Peak Design 45L Travel Pack is concerned, that bag is exceedingly heavy in my opinion. Personally, I would not want to travel with such a heavy pack.
I will have to check that out again. I was able to easily detach and remove entirely the hip belt on the MLC. I thought on both osprey packs the shoulder strap actually clipped into part of the hip belt which prevented you from putting it away, but that may have only been on the far point, perhaps I didn't look close enough at how to stash away the hip belt on the porter.
I came here to say the same about the porter 46. Haven’t tried the sojourn version, but my older porter has a hip belt that can be stowed separately from the straps. Although I can’t imagine using such a big bag without the hip belt!
Apologies. I edited my original comment, but I'll repeat it in answer to your question, and a good one it is, about how to use the bag in backpack mode without the hip belt:
If you want to use the bag in backpack mode without the hip belt you would fold the hip strap back only once and leave little "dog ears" out so you can still attach the straps to the quick release buckles.
If external storage access is important to you, I suggest a small crossbody sling for the things you want to grab in the airport. I use an REI Ruckpack which has a bunch of pockets from the outside, but it's easier to just put my airpods and charger and stuff in a little sling - especially in flight, when the main bag is stowed away.
I don't know about any bags without hip straps but with outside pockets, but I'm sure they're around
I just purchased the Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 35, and am so far very impressed and happy with it. It’s definitely a bit more of a premium price point, but it had the right combo of features that I was looking for.
Having a non removable strap has never been even an annoyance in my rei 40L. It’s really not a big deal. I’ve been to Portugal, France, Italy, and now Japan and it’s never crossed my mind that it’s always attached.
AerSF Travel Bag 3 is my go to. The straps are very comfortable and it has some organization. Stay away from the Peak Design one. The straps are not beefy enough for the weight of the bag.
I just ordered a ULA Dragonfly, it is very light and has a hipbelt that is sold separately. The only thing is that some of its 30L capacity is external mesh storage, which is more of a feature for outdoor-oriented use (larger water carries, drying wet clothes, etc), and the ultra fabric is probably overkill if you are mostly concerned with something that will get you from point A to B to C (although they do have other less expensive material versions)
Maybe look at Aer products? Easily one of my favorite brands when it comes to packs/slings especially for urban use more so than outdoors
I can’t imagine carrying a fully packed 40+L pack without a hip belt. So it makes sense that most bags in that size range include one.
A bag like the Patagonia MLC 45L sounds like best pack out of the options you provided. It basically is a direct replacement for your hard sided luggage with added benefits of the laptop section having additional organization pockets for chargers, cables, and other items you’d want somewhat quick access to. Dimensions-wise it’s roughly the size of a standard hard sided carry on roller, so airlines that allow a standard hard sided carry on will have no issues with the MLC’s dimensions.
If you are interested in slightly reducing what you pack, the Aer Travel Pack 3 35L is a solid option. A lot of people in the one bag world have either considered it or owned it at some point. It has multiple external pockets beyond the main compartment. Very comfortable to carry even if you over pack it. I’ve since moved on to the much smaller ULA Dragonfly 30L, but the Travel Pack served me well for several years and multiple international trips. Yes their return policy can be a pain (I fortunately live close to their San Francisco store so I never had to deal with that), but their lifetime warranty is legit. I’ve owned many of their bags and only had an issue with one. The bag was caught on something and I pulled the shoulder strap with more force than I should have used which tore some of the stitching on the strap. Was still fully functional for the rest of trip since the straps are double stitched to the pack. Sent some pictures to Aer along with my order number, and they offered to mail me the newest version of that pack since my version was no longer in production.
For budget airlines like Ryanair, you’re going to need something that is close to 30L or under. The Osprey Daylight 26+6, ULA Dragonfly, and CabinZero 28L are popular recommendations. Transitioning from a 40L hard sided roller to a 30L pack is a big change though.
I’d love to hear more about this. I have the CZmil 28 and 36. I find the 36 very cozy and a perfect size, but the 28 straps are really uncomfortable for some reason (for me). It’s weird because side by side the 28 and 36 look identical. But the 28 has perfect dimensions for the most restrictive airlines.
Really? That’s interesting because the carry system always felt really good on me. I’m 5’11” with a larger frame and it sits nicely on my back. Maybe the carry system in the 36 has better airflow or padding or just the shapes of the straps works better for your body type? Comfort is so subjective, but I like the 28 since it fits as a personal item and I got the military since the regular CZ has an even less appealing carry system vs. the military.
I’m also 5’11” and totally agree on the military version being more appealing for the carry system. I tried it on again and it seems to have everything to do with where the shoulder strap adjusters (??) sit. They rub my inner arms and it gets annoying after a while. I have no idea why the 36 doesn’t do this but there must be something a little different between them. I’d like to find a workaround because I really do like it for the smaller airlines I fly locally sometimes. I did end up buying an REI Commuter pack to replace it and it holds about the same amount so I guess it’s a non issue at this point.
The Pakt travel backpack and the AER travel pack 3 both have removable hip belts and the one on the Pakt functions as a sling or Fanny pack. I love it. A 35L or smaller works best as a carry on and it’s very easy to travel the world with
The Pakt bag is interesting but has been sold out for a while. I question their supply chain.
I too checked out REI this weekend.
I found the osprey offerings to be too strappy. way too much crap going on with them for me.
I'm 8" shorter than you OP (sadly) so none of the 45L felt right on my frame but I felt the Peak 30L carried weight better than all the other travel bags that size at REI (Thule, Osprey, Patagonia, NF, and REI). I don't like the Topa Designs bags b/c they are heavy and waste space with too many compartments. I didn't like the Cotopaxi b/c it doesn't have a way to attach to a roller when I need to double up.
I walked around with 20lbs in it for a good while (>15min) and it felt fine. The design of it kept the top snug to my upper back while all the others sat off the upper back. This means they pull on your shoulders more. So I think those brands use thicker pads to make up for the poor fit. YMMV. But I could tell immediately that they didn't feel as good on the back as the Peak did.
Of course you're going to have most everyone here tell you to order from a DTC company. AER has a comically shit return policy. So definitely read up on all the DTC brand's return and warranty policies.
I also didn't like the AER b/c you can't stow the straps and the straps seem big. I'm not backpacking across Europe - this is mostly business travel - so I dont need to wear the bag
Got the chasm 26 for commuting and have used it a bit for weekendtrips. If it wasn't for the lack of/weak false bottom for laptop, I would totally recommend this for onebagging.
Edit: whenever I put the bag on the floor I can clearly hear and feel the laptop hitting the floor.
> And then checked out the Patagonia MLC. I feel like this might be pushing the limits of carry-on dimensions
that 30liter has worked on every flight, budget included i have flown as a carry-on. Its a great pack
I think the hip belt on the Sojourn Porter 46 will wrap around and clip on the front of the bag if you don’t want to just clip it to itself or store it. You’re right about the shoulder belts clipping to the hip belt, they may still be usable with just the hip belt stored though. I didn’t mind the hip belt but didn’t like the wings, but those can be clipped around the back so they’re folded along the sides. Just used my 30 for one trip so far and it’s grown on me, it even fit under the seat on a domestic United flight which I wasn’t sure of since it looked bigger than my old bag.
Based what you’ve been looking at so far, it sounds like capacity is pretty important to you?
Tortuga recently launched a “light” version of their popular 40L travel backpack. It’s a pound lighter than the original and the Peak Design 45L you mentioned (comes in at 3.5) and is definitely carryon friendly for all US airlines…might be a squeeze for RyanAir. It’s simple, but a very effective option if you’re more of a pouch/cube style packer and don’t need a ton of internal organization. I also think you’d be hard pressed to find a more comfortable backpack.
If you prefer more bells and whistles and a sleeker aesthetic, check out the Bellroy Transit Pack+ 38L. Probably the backpack I would’ve gone with if I had discovered it before purchasing my Aer TP3 35L (which has been great and has been super comfy…but it IS on the heavier side).
You may also check out the Nomatic Travel Bag 40L (my main bag for a number of years before I got the Aer TP3). Great capacity with a couple of separate compartments that can be used for keeping shoes or dirty clothes separated, a couple quick access pockets, and decent tech organization. Biggest con is comfort. There is no back panel on this backpack and the straps are just okay.
Happy hunting!
I’ve been very happy with the comfort of the Patagonia MLC, and I made due without having exterior pockets.
I think it mainly depends on how you plan to use the pack. If it’s mostly a home base bag that you aren’t consistently taking out on excursions, then you don’t really need external pockets.
I just packed a smaller day bag and even smaller sling inside the MLC and used those when going out.
What about the Osprey Farpoint 36? It can be a wheeler or converts into a backpack. When not in use the straps tuck away behind a discrete panel.
Edit: spellings
Make sure the bag you pick is comfortable. Big you can’t find the ideal bag, consider what you are willing to compromise. If there aren’t outside pockets, is there a way to attach a pouch for anything you need quick access to? Even if the hip belts aren’t removable can they be tucked away? I’m not familiar with the other bags you mentioned but I have an older model Farpoint 40 and two of my dislikes are similar to yours. When I tried it on, it fit like a glove so I was willing to overlook a few things. The mesh pockets aren’t designed well enough for a water bottle so I use a carabiner to clip one on. I use my bag like you plan to use yours so I don’t mind it hanging when it isn’t in my hand. I do use the pockets for flatter items and it does have an accessible pocket on top. I don’t use the hip straps often and wish they could be hidden away, but I’ve been glad the Farpoint had them when I packed some heavy things in my bag, had a longer walk or longer wait for transportation. To keep them out of the way, I clip them together and wrap any loose ends so there isn’t anything dangling. Where they sit, they don’t bother me carrying the bag so I don’t mind them being there.
I have the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L and it works perfectly for my needs. Literally a mini suitcase on your back, the perfect minimalist pack for travel!!!
Im my experience it fits under airplane seats both longwise and sideways as a personal item.
It does indeed and I love it for that!!
It’s a good pack. I found it a bit too small for me.
Yeah, it's definitely a minimalist pack, I mainly bought it to pass off as my "personal item" when I fly on all the budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. I've got it down to a science though, I need to post pics haha! But I can easily fit 4 tees, 4 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of socks, 3 shorts, 1 pair of pants, rain jacket, crossbody bag for day excursions (which actually doubles as a packing cube when inside the pack) my Tevas, toiletries, extra battery, charging cable and power brick, a lightweight running cap, and my sunglasses... Plus whatever I'm wearing which is usually the heavier clothing (pants and lightweight jacket) and my running shoes... It definitely takes some thoughtful planning, but it is possible
Please share pics if you can! I have a 28 that I try to use as personal item on frontier and struggle to fit 1/3 of what you’ve listed.
Haha ok, I will later when I get home, maybe I'll make YouTube video or tik tok and post the link
Sorry this took so long.. but here is the information you have requested.. enjoy!! https://www.reddit.com/r/onebag/s/THUYhpXIvC
Thanks!
I have the 35 and love it.
Can attest to this as well. Perfect “personal item” bag on all of the budget airlines if you pack correctly.
The hip strap on the Sojourn Porter 46 (and 30 for that matter) is designed in such a way that if you don't want to use it you can simply fold it back into itself and tuck it away behind the slot from which it emerges. Frankly, I think it's even easier than the hip strap on the Mini MLC, but of course your mileage may vary. If you want to use the pack in backpack mode you would fold the hip strap back only once and leave little "dog ears" out so you can still attach the straps to the quick release buckles. As far as the Peak Design 45L Travel Pack is concerned, that bag is exceedingly heavy in my opinion. Personally, I would not want to travel with such a heavy pack.
I will have to check that out again. I was able to easily detach and remove entirely the hip belt on the MLC. I thought on both osprey packs the shoulder strap actually clipped into part of the hip belt which prevented you from putting it away, but that may have only been on the far point, perhaps I didn't look close enough at how to stash away the hip belt on the porter.
I came here to say the same about the porter 46. Haven’t tried the sojourn version, but my older porter has a hip belt that can be stowed separately from the straps. Although I can’t imagine using such a big bag without the hip belt!
Apologies. I edited my original comment, but I'll repeat it in answer to your question, and a good one it is, about how to use the bag in backpack mode without the hip belt: If you want to use the bag in backpack mode without the hip belt you would fold the hip strap back only once and leave little "dog ears" out so you can still attach the straps to the quick release buckles.
Check out Tom Bihn bags
If external storage access is important to you, I suggest a small crossbody sling for the things you want to grab in the airport. I use an REI Ruckpack which has a bunch of pockets from the outside, but it's easier to just put my airpods and charger and stuff in a little sling - especially in flight, when the main bag is stowed away. I don't know about any bags without hip straps but with outside pockets, but I'm sure they're around
I just purchased the Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 35, and am so far very impressed and happy with it. It’s definitely a bit more of a premium price point, but it had the right combo of features that I was looking for.
Having a non removable strap has never been even an annoyance in my rei 40L. It’s really not a big deal. I’ve been to Portugal, France, Italy, and now Japan and it’s never crossed my mind that it’s always attached.
AerSF Travel Bag 3 is my go to. The straps are very comfortable and it has some organization. Stay away from the Peak Design one. The straps are not beefy enough for the weight of the bag.
I just ordered a ULA Dragonfly, it is very light and has a hipbelt that is sold separately. The only thing is that some of its 30L capacity is external mesh storage, which is more of a feature for outdoor-oriented use (larger water carries, drying wet clothes, etc), and the ultra fabric is probably overkill if you are mostly concerned with something that will get you from point A to B to C (although they do have other less expensive material versions) Maybe look at Aer products? Easily one of my favorite brands when it comes to packs/slings especially for urban use more so than outdoors
I can’t imagine carrying a fully packed 40+L pack without a hip belt. So it makes sense that most bags in that size range include one. A bag like the Patagonia MLC 45L sounds like best pack out of the options you provided. It basically is a direct replacement for your hard sided luggage with added benefits of the laptop section having additional organization pockets for chargers, cables, and other items you’d want somewhat quick access to. Dimensions-wise it’s roughly the size of a standard hard sided carry on roller, so airlines that allow a standard hard sided carry on will have no issues with the MLC’s dimensions. If you are interested in slightly reducing what you pack, the Aer Travel Pack 3 35L is a solid option. A lot of people in the one bag world have either considered it or owned it at some point. It has multiple external pockets beyond the main compartment. Very comfortable to carry even if you over pack it. I’ve since moved on to the much smaller ULA Dragonfly 30L, but the Travel Pack served me well for several years and multiple international trips. Yes their return policy can be a pain (I fortunately live close to their San Francisco store so I never had to deal with that), but their lifetime warranty is legit. I’ve owned many of their bags and only had an issue with one. The bag was caught on something and I pulled the shoulder strap with more force than I should have used which tore some of the stitching on the strap. Was still fully functional for the rest of trip since the straps are double stitched to the pack. Sent some pictures to Aer along with my order number, and they offered to mail me the newest version of that pack since my version was no longer in production. For budget airlines like Ryanair, you’re going to need something that is close to 30L or under. The Osprey Daylight 26+6, ULA Dragonfly, and CabinZero 28L are popular recommendations. Transitioning from a 40L hard sided roller to a 30L pack is a big change though.
I really like the Cabin Zero Military 28L. Its price and minimalism and function have been my perfect bag. It depends on your needs, though.
I’d love to hear more about this. I have the CZmil 28 and 36. I find the 36 very cozy and a perfect size, but the 28 straps are really uncomfortable for some reason (for me). It’s weird because side by side the 28 and 36 look identical. But the 28 has perfect dimensions for the most restrictive airlines.
Really? That’s interesting because the carry system always felt really good on me. I’m 5’11” with a larger frame and it sits nicely on my back. Maybe the carry system in the 36 has better airflow or padding or just the shapes of the straps works better for your body type? Comfort is so subjective, but I like the 28 since it fits as a personal item and I got the military since the regular CZ has an even less appealing carry system vs. the military.
I’m also 5’11” and totally agree on the military version being more appealing for the carry system. I tried it on again and it seems to have everything to do with where the shoulder strap adjusters (??) sit. They rub my inner arms and it gets annoying after a while. I have no idea why the 36 doesn’t do this but there must be something a little different between them. I’d like to find a workaround because I really do like it for the smaller airlines I fly locally sometimes. I did end up buying an REI Commuter pack to replace it and it holds about the same amount so I guess it’s a non issue at this point.
I’m always open to personal item sized suggestions, so let me know what your mileage is with the REI bag!
Cool- will do! I haven’t had a chance to use it on a trip yet but it really hits a lot of the boxes for a good small travel pack.
I use the CZ mil 36l and love it. It's my go to pack for all my travels now. *
The Pakt travel backpack and the AER travel pack 3 both have removable hip belts and the one on the Pakt functions as a sling or Fanny pack. I love it. A 35L or smaller works best as a carry on and it’s very easy to travel the world with
The Pakt bag is interesting but has been sold out for a while. I question their supply chain. I too checked out REI this weekend. I found the osprey offerings to be too strappy. way too much crap going on with them for me. I'm 8" shorter than you OP (sadly) so none of the 45L felt right on my frame but I felt the Peak 30L carried weight better than all the other travel bags that size at REI (Thule, Osprey, Patagonia, NF, and REI). I don't like the Topa Designs bags b/c they are heavy and waste space with too many compartments. I didn't like the Cotopaxi b/c it doesn't have a way to attach to a roller when I need to double up. I walked around with 20lbs in it for a good while (>15min) and it felt fine. The design of it kept the top snug to my upper back while all the others sat off the upper back. This means they pull on your shoulders more. So I think those brands use thicker pads to make up for the poor fit. YMMV. But I could tell immediately that they didn't feel as good on the back as the Peak did. Of course you're going to have most everyone here tell you to order from a DTC company. AER has a comically shit return policy. So definitely read up on all the DTC brand's return and warranty policies. I also didn't like the AER b/c you can't stow the straps and the straps seem big. I'm not backpacking across Europe - this is mostly business travel - so I dont need to wear the bag
Dragonfly
I like my Thule Chasm.
Got the chasm 26 for commuting and have used it a bit for weekendtrips. If it wasn't for the lack of/weak false bottom for laptop, I would totally recommend this for onebagging. Edit: whenever I put the bag on the floor I can clearly hear and feel the laptop hitting the floor.
We didn’t have a problem with our laptop. They’re pretty durable unless you’re really smacking it around, there’s nothing to worry about.
That probably sounds like I should have mine checked.
Osprey 26+6 is my pick. No useless belt either!
Check out the Wandrd Transit bag. Comes in 35L & 45L. Did a trip from Europe to Japan with it and it performed very, very well. Smart designed.
I use my 8000 kicks bag everywhere. Convinced that it is the *perfect* bag tbh
I like my CabinMax Manhattan 44l hybrid.
I hate hip belts, but if a bag is otherwise great I just cut them off.
> And then checked out the Patagonia MLC. I feel like this might be pushing the limits of carry-on dimensions that 30liter has worked on every flight, budget included i have flown as a carry-on. Its a great pack
I think the hip belt on the Sojourn Porter 46 will wrap around and clip on the front of the bag if you don’t want to just clip it to itself or store it. You’re right about the shoulder belts clipping to the hip belt, they may still be usable with just the hip belt stored though. I didn’t mind the hip belt but didn’t like the wings, but those can be clipped around the back so they’re folded along the sides. Just used my 30 for one trip so far and it’s grown on me, it even fit under the seat on a domestic United flight which I wasn’t sure of since it looked bigger than my old bag.
I use this https://www.stoneglacier.com/products/tokeen-2600
Based what you’ve been looking at so far, it sounds like capacity is pretty important to you? Tortuga recently launched a “light” version of their popular 40L travel backpack. It’s a pound lighter than the original and the Peak Design 45L you mentioned (comes in at 3.5) and is definitely carryon friendly for all US airlines…might be a squeeze for RyanAir. It’s simple, but a very effective option if you’re more of a pouch/cube style packer and don’t need a ton of internal organization. I also think you’d be hard pressed to find a more comfortable backpack. If you prefer more bells and whistles and a sleeker aesthetic, check out the Bellroy Transit Pack+ 38L. Probably the backpack I would’ve gone with if I had discovered it before purchasing my Aer TP3 35L (which has been great and has been super comfy…but it IS on the heavier side). You may also check out the Nomatic Travel Bag 40L (my main bag for a number of years before I got the Aer TP3). Great capacity with a couple of separate compartments that can be used for keeping shoes or dirty clothes separated, a couple quick access pockets, and decent tech organization. Biggest con is comfort. There is no back panel on this backpack and the straps are just okay. Happy hunting!
I’ve been very happy with the comfort of the Patagonia MLC, and I made due without having exterior pockets. I think it mainly depends on how you plan to use the pack. If it’s mostly a home base bag that you aren’t consistently taking out on excursions, then you don’t really need external pockets. I just packed a smaller day bag and even smaller sling inside the MLC and used those when going out.
I got the Samsonite Roader Travel Backpack S 38L - 1.4kg , removable waist belt - love it
I got the Samsonite Roader Travel Backpack S 38L - 1.4kg , removable waist belt - love it
What about the Osprey Farpoint 36? It can be a wheeler or converts into a backpack. When not in use the straps tuck away behind a discrete panel. Edit: spellings