Several times during testing I considered just cutting it away. A: A cycling backpack is one designed with the unique demands of the bike rider in mind. Our biggest problem with the Farpoint’s design is the unusual positioning of the laptop and electronic gear pocket. In addition to documenting our own experiences, I reached out to experts and writers who specialize in traveling the world carrying everything they need in a single bag. Timbuk2 has partnered with Apple to produce a-one-of-a-kind cycling backpack that will cradle all your most precious Apple tech in the lap of comfort, safety, and luxury. This pack is the perfect size. With 20 liters of storage space, a side ⦠Pockets - Pockets are where it’s at. There’s more to a great in-flight personal item than being small enough to stuff under a plane seat. The Timbuk2 Command is a large laptop backpack with multiple storage compartments and pockets. Capacity: 45 litersWeight: 5.1 poundsMain compartment access: clamshell openingStyle: minimal, with a rigid constructionColor: Black. In those cases choose something like the Velomacchi Giro that is designed to accommodate just such a bladder. I want to travel with it.”. Thanks to all these features, it makes a great gift for cyclists. The Allpa also has two side-access zippers—great for on-the-go access, especially when the bag is hanging from your shoulder. But we prefer our larger picks, like the Tortuga (more carrying capacity) or the eBags TLS Mother Lode (less expensive). Timbuk2 offers a wide range of backpacks in materials, fit, and styles that seamlessly transition from boardroom to bar. The Timbuk2 Wander is an excellent travel backpack for short trips. This design (with its included load-adjuster straps at the top, to prevent the bag’s weight from sagging toward your lumbar region) is the best of those we’ve tested at distributing the weight of an otherwise fairly heavy bag. For dedicated single-bag travelers, this water-resistant, durable bag is easy to pack and to travel with. travel website. It’s protected by a decent lifetime warranty—though Eagle Creek stresses this means the projected lifetime of the bag, not the lifetime of the owner (which is a polite way of saying it’s up to Eagle Creek’s discretion at a certain point). MEI Voyageur: There’s a lot to like about this bag, especially for the price. Compared with ⦠Before you make any purchase, consider some basic points. Get this if: You want to maximize your packing space in a bag that’s durable, customizable to fit most torso lengths (there’s also a 35L version), and water-resistant, and that has organizational features to suit any digital nomad. This bag is well organized, and the straps were some of the most comfortable we tested. However, the Peak Design cubes are sized specifically for this bag and fit just so inside it, especially when combined with other Peak Design gear cubes and accessories, like the toiletry bag. Capacity: 45 litersWeight: 4½ poundsMain compartment access: back-panel loaderStyle: minimalist and unobtrusiveColor: Black. A small, childish part of me still gets excited about tucking away the straps when I put the Peak Design into an overhead bin. Bring along everything from your big laptop to a windbreaker jacket and keep everything bone dry even in the pouring rain with the removable fully welded waterproof shell. After testing the cubes (and this is not a mark against the Eagle Creek or the Peak Design ultralight cubes, both of which are excellent), I personally still prefer the more-rigid Eagle Creek Pack-It set, our top pick. In its place, the company sells laptop sleeves (a fine version if you don’t have one) that clip into the bag’s central compartment. It’s not an uncomfortable backpack, but compared with several of our other picks in this size, this bag’s slim straps and barely there hip belt are noticeably lacking. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. 30 liters is usually way more than any bicycle commuter will need. The perfect size and layout for work or school. If it also has flashing safety light then all the better. The biggest flaw, from our perspective, is that the Tom Bihn lacks a dedicated laptop pocket. It is more specialized for short trips where you don't want to check any baggage, as it features a separate shoe compartment and clothing compression straps. It’s also made from waterproof nylon, so you have time to find cover if it starts raining. SKU: 3972016. It’s probably decent at keeping rain off the zippers, but it felt finicky to us. With classic design touches that evoke 20th-century Alpine mountaineering backpacks and the ability to transport all your 21st-century tech in comfort and safety, Little America represents the best of both backpacking worlds. It is a run-of-the-mill backpack that includes everything you would want and has features that work as they are designed. Find the Top Timbuk2 Work Backpacks with the MSN Buying Guides >> Compare Products and Brands by Quality, Popularity and Pricing >> Updated 2020 Of all the bags we recommend, the Topo Designs Travel Bag 30L comes closest to the style of an everyday carry backpack, due to its small size and minimal external features. The Travel Bag has a built-in laptop compartment that fits most 15-inch laptops and is situated close to your back; this protects the computer and keeps its weight closer to your body. Even if you aren’t convinced by our picks, we do think we can help you figure out what parameters are best for travel bags of any size. If you like to do 100k on a Saturday you’ll need one. Trakke Storr Carryon: Travel-bag enthusiast Chase Reeves lists this bag as one of his top picks, along with the Minaal 2.0, for medium-size carry-on bags, and it looks very well built. A scaled-down version of the Farpoint, the Fairview’s shoulder straps are slightly lower, to keep the bag’s bulk more aligned with smaller torsos. Timbuk2 has produced a very inexpensive but sleek and modern looking backpack for a variety of EDC needs. After three years of long-term testing this bag, we’re still surprised by how great it feels to put on when it’s fully packed. There are three ways to carry the Travel Bag: the top or side handles (there isn’t a bottom handle, unfortunately), an optional shoulder sling (you have to buy it separately), or backpack straps (which stow in a zippable pocket when not in use). On both, the chest-strap clip is also equipped with a small security whistle that’s surprisingly loud. The more comfortable and well designed the straps, the easier traveling will be. If you desire more creature comforts or more gear, or if you plan to be away for a long time across multiple climates, you’ll want a bigger travel backpack. I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that and another six months nomadically couch-surfing in New York City. For more great products like this, check out our guide to the best laptop bags. Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. The Tom Bihn is a fantastic one-bag for people who want to travel like a backpacker but fit in at a board meeting, carrying the bag as a large shoulder briefcase. The front organizer is deep enough that you can also fit several small organizing pouches, if you want. I know people who love to do this. BEST FOR COMMUTING. These bags will last a lifetime. With some small revisions, though, the Divide could possibly be one of our top picks. Any laptop pockets should be padded and secure the computer firmly. During testing, we flew with these bags across the country, took weekend trips to nearby cities, lived out of them on extended trips, and tried them locally in our daily routines. If there’s one thing our staff has learned working remotely all over the world, it’s “Don’t check a bag unless you have to.” Here’s how to avoid it. Whether itâll be used for school, work, or travel â or perhaps a mix of all 3 â these backpacks make it easy to keep things organized and to carry them around. I started using Aviator as a backpack and the computer compartment (which is in the back, i.e. But as with all investments, you need to decide if it makes sense for you. We also have a guide to wheeled carry-on bags, which are designed to hold a lot of stuff while remaining easy to maneuver around airports. It has a nice variety of compartment options. The padded inner sleeve accommodates a 12.9-inch laptop or iPad Pro, there’s a zip pocket for peripherals and the pack as a whole is water resistant and lightweight. However, Topo’s gear is made from 1000D nylon (a dense and very tough fabric) and built like a tank; it has rigid padding throughout, and there is an attention to detail (particularly in the stitching around the zippers and handles) that’s a mark of quality to any savvy bag enthusiast. Goruck GR3: The GR3 is almost worth the cost for certain people. “But if the straps are tough enough, it doesn’t matter.”. “The more often you need to check a bag, the more often you need to hide away the straps,” Levy said. Timbuk2 offers a wide range of laptop backpack sizes that can carry 13" - 17" laptops and any-sized tablet, and feature storage solutions for phones, chargers, and everyday essentials. The cubes come in three sizes, and if they’re situated properly in the bag with the provided clips, they line up with the Travel Backpack’s side-access flaps for quick access. Opening the main clamshell zipper reveals a cavernous interior and a few organizational features (the front panel is a particular standout, great for keeping track of electronics and chargers) that make the bag a cinch to pack. Flaws but not dealbreakers But if you’re particularly hard on your gear and still need to carry as much as possible, you might consider the Tortuga instead. 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