tortuga air travel backpack

Grab our free PLASTIC-FREE TRAVEL TOILETRIES CHECK LIST!

Tortuga Backpack Review: Why This Is The (New) Best Travel Backpack

This is my detailed review of the Tortuga Travel Backpack (the Pro version – stay tuned for my review of the new Tortuga Lite ). I’m also comparing the Tortuga Pro with the Cotopaxi Allpa , and the Osprey Farpoint / Fairview . After lots of test-packing and comparing in my living room, the bag I ended up traveling with surprised even me.

After years as a frequent carry-on-only traveler with a roller bag, I’ve finally decided to test out a good travel backpack again. (Full disclosure: I’m a professional in my 30s, not a college student on a gap year. So I have a bit higher standards for travel gear now than when I first experimented with backpacks for traveling.)

I’d spent months at a time backpacking around Central America and Asia in my 20s, but a great carry-on suitcase has been my “grown-up” option for years.

So why the change of heart?

Lately, I’ve just gotten tired of being a noisy tourist, dragging my wheels over cobblestones, and always looking for ways to avoid stairs. I wanted to be stealthier again. Lighter. Smoother. More independent.

[ Related: If you’re into that idea, too, be sure to read my best tips for packing lighter .]

But I also wanted traveling with only a backpack to be better than what I remember from years ago, when I was using the Osprey Farpoint. (More about the latest version of that pack below, and why it still isn’t my top pick.)

So I started hunting for the best travel backpacks on the market today.

After many hours of comparison shopping, two bags consistently rose to the top – and have many of the sustainability credentials I always look for:

• the Cotopaxi Allpa travel pack ,
• and the Tortuga travel backpacks. (I bought the 40-liter Pro “max carry-on size,” and then also tested the new (more budget-friendly) 40L Lite version – more on that later.)

And some Osprey travel backpacks remain so popular (I’m amazed by how many of them I see in airports) that I thought maybe something major had changed since I last used one. (But as it turns out, that’s not the case , which is why Osprey doesn’t feature as strongly as the others in this review.)

Quick Comparison Chart:

Good quality, but lacking features. I'd only recommend these if you need the biggest travel pack. ( Fairview is the women's fit version of the Farpoint.)

With the best organization, comfort and security features, Tortuga’s maximum carry-on size 40L bag is the best travel backpack I’ve tested – whether for a digital nomad or a weekend traveler.

More affordable, still great quality and sustainable backpacks, just not quite all the features of the Tortuga.

Yikes – yes, that’s quite a price difference. If you’re wondering whether (and why) the Tortuga backpacks are worth it, the quick answer is below .

UPDATE: Tortuga also just launched a new 40L “Travel Backpack Lite” (on April 17, 2024). The Lite backpack costs $100 less and weighs one pound less than the Pro travel backpack , which this review focuses on. I’ve traveled with both. Here’s my detailed comparison , but in short, the Lite is a great alternative to save money without skimping on quality – you mostly just have to give up a few pockets.

You can save 10% off all Tortuga products with the discount code TILTED . (First-time customers only.)

Note – watch out for outdated Tortuga reviews.

The Tortuga travel backpacks have been through a lot of iterations. (I even ordered and returned one back in 2015. The reason? That early version of the Tortuga didn’t have enough organization. So I ended up going with the Osprey Farpoint, which had even less organization, but at least it cost less.)

But after seeing Tortuga’s Version 4 updates, launched in 2023 , I bought one again and have been impressed. (Including after testing it for 10 days in El Salvador , among other trips.)

If you see reviews of the Tortuga Setout or Tortuga Outbreaker backpacks , those are outdated information.

The Setout and Outbreaker names were discontinued when Tortuga released the fourth version of their travel backpacks, with significant design updates, in January 2023. (Those links explain the differences between the old and new designs.)

The current designs are simply called the Travel Backpack 30L , and the Travel Backpack 40L (which I tested for this review). Their smaller pack for daily use is the 24L Laptop Backpack . (But yes, all three of them have computer pockets.)

UPDATE: As of June, 2024, both the 30L Travel Backpack and 24L Laptop Backpack are scheduled to be discontinued – so they’re both on sale right now!

Tortuga vs Cotopaxi: First Impressions / Short Review

At first blush, I wanted to love the Cotopaxi bag, because it’s a sustainability focused company. (They specialize in building new bags with dead stock materials – the excess fabrics that other companies would throw away. They’re also a certified B Corp that’s Climate Neutral certified – meaning they measure, reduce and offset their emissions. As a sustainable travel blogger, those are all things I normally look for in a company.)

And Cotopaxi does make a good travel backpack – but I don’t think it’s the best. I thoroughly compared the Cotopaxi Allpa with the Tortuga travel backpack in my living room and it was a tough decision. But I ended up seeing more value in the Tortuga bag, for several reasons.

Here’s why the Tortuga won: More pockets, more space, better organization, better security (locking zippers), and more comfortable (better padding and load distribution). Bonus: the stealthy black makes it feel more multi-functional and calls a lot less attention to itself. (It fits in on work trips, too… when I’m not pretending to be a 20-something backpacker again.)

If you want the short version of this review, that was it. I think Tortuga makes the best travel backpacks on the market right now.

But is Tortuga worth the price?

While I think the $350 Tortuga 40L is the best travel backpack I’ve found, it’s clearly not a cheap one.

NEW Alternative: Check out the more affordable Tortuga 40L Lite Backpack , which comes in at $250 and weighs a pound less than the Pro. (Here’s my Pro vs Lite comparison .)

But you don’t have to just take my word for it, either. They have a “home try on” policy that lets you order one and return it within 30 days (unused) if you’re not convinced. And all Tortuga bags and gear are guaranteed by their Worldwide Warranty .

Honestly, I also ordered it thinking I was probably going to keep the $200 Cotopaxi pack instead, but found the Tortuga was just the better bag. (Yes, I did buy them both out of pocket for this review.)

Because of its better organization, security and comfort, this is a bag I plan to keep using for many years. (And it has the quality of construction to make that possible.)

Tortuga offers a significant 20% discount , but only for a few groups of people (including students, teachers, and first responders). See the full list and how to get your discount code here . (Even for Black Friday, they offered free small items with a backpack order, but no cash savings.)

For everyone else: Remember, you can save 10% off all  Tortuga  products with the discount code  TILTED  ! (First-time customers only.)

If you’re still undecided (understandably), and want to dive deep into the differences between the Tortuga, Cotopaxi and Osprey travel backpacks, well then read on!

Are tortuga backpacks sustainable.

Again, the reason I wanted to love and recommend Cotopaxi was their well-documented sustainable sourcing and ethical manufacturing.

And Tortuga isn’t sleeping on sustainability either, but they could do more.

The Good: Sustainable Materials & Quality

Tortuga backpacks are built with 100% recycled fabrics (for both the lining and outer body of all Tortuga backpacks). And their main material supplier for is awaiting Bluesign certification.

The durable polyester inner and outerfabrics were designed as sailcloth for racing sail boats – meaning they’re lightweight and waterproof . They’re made from 100% recycled plastic, instead of virgin petroleum.

[ Related: That reminds me of a few other favorite brands, including Rothy’s , which makes washable shoes and purses out of plastic bottles. There are a few more similar ones on my Sustainable Clothing Brands Guide .]

That choice to avoid virgin plastic reduces the carbon emissions from the production of each backpack. That means it’s a small step toward reducing our dependence on fossil fuels , which normal plastics, including synthetic fabrics, are made of. (Every step counts! And every company should do what it can to contribute.)

And Tortuga costs more than many alternatives because their backpacks are built to last . The quality is quite apparent, and that in itself is a huge sustainability factor ­– avoiding “fast fashion” and cheap junk that will just need to be replaced soon, sucking up more resources.

The Bad: Shipping Materials

However, you can only buy Tortuga bags straight from Tortuga, and they ship them in a cardboard box, but unfortunately with an inner plastic bag . The packing tape is also plastic, as opposed to paper tape.

I asked Tortuga about this, and they said they don’t have any immediate plans to improve either of those things.

I hope that changes, but in the meantime, they honestly do deserve some credit for not trying to lie about it. (I’ve asked other companies similar questions, and been told what they think I want to hear. But what they apparently don’t expect is that instead of just publishing their promises as if they were facts, I actually pay attention. Often, a year or two later, the brands still haven’t fixed what they claimed was already in the works.)

The Beautiful

Buy less often, but buy better. With its reputations for quality, you’ll likely be able to resell a Tortuga backpack if you decide to give up being a digital nomad backpacker (or just go back to traveling with a suitcase). The same applies to Cotopaxi and Osprey. All are known for quality, and I never review cheap brands that aren’t.

More Sustainable Backpacks:

These are just FYI, because I love shouting-out sustainable brands .

None of these brands make a full-featured travel backpack that checks all the boxes I needed checked for to make it into this review. However, if you’re looking for something smaller or sportier, these are good starting places.

• Everlane makes daypacks out of entirely recycled materials, as well as both leather and vegan-friendly “cactus leather” bags . (They’re more of backpack you’d take to work, as opposed to travel backpacks. And Everlane is one my top sustainable clothing brands .)
• Peak Designs has a buy-back and resell program, so they make sure your bag doesn’t go to waste.
• Patagonia makes more outdoorsy and hiking backpacks, and they’re one of the most sustainable clothing and gear companies in the world.
• 8000Kicks makes sustainable backpacks, shoes and accessories out of one of the world’s strongest and most sustainable fabrics – hemp. That means the backpacks are actually compostable if you ever wear them out.

Organization & Highlights: Tortuga vs Cotopaxi

I said it’s understandable to be undecided between these backpacks because the winning features of the Tortuga Pro Travel Backpack really weren’t obvious online.

At first, I thought the Cotopaxi seemed to have better organization, but after looking more closely at the Tortuga, I think it’s actually the opposite.

My mom described the Tortuga as “like a gigantic purse” for all its pockets. (She’s an expert on both giant purses and organization, so I considered this a compliment.)

It might just be that Cotopaxi seems organized because the contrasting colors of the zippers makes them stand out, so the pockets it does have are very visible. (Color is one of the brand’s signatures, after all.)

The Tortuga is much more stealthy: black on the outside, cool gray on the inside.

And the Tortuga really does have pockets everywhere:

(These are just the pockets that are beyond what the Cotopaxi Allpa has. Again, this is for the flagship Pro pack , not the newer Lite travel backpack .)

• Hip pockets on the thoroughly padded hip belt
• A small, quick access pocket on the top with a key fob
• An extra zippered pocket inside the laptop pocket (great for chargers)
• Two stretchy exterior water bottle pockets
• And a large lateral stash pocket on the front for a wet swim suit or jacket (much better looking than the elastic rope for that purpose on many other travel backpacks)

The Cotopaxi backpack isn’t bad, it’s just different.

It has more and smaller pockets inside the main compartment, where you pack your clothes. (I actually really love the inside of this bag, and wish Tortuga’s bag were more similar in that respect. But only in that respect.)

Whereas the Tortuga leaves that main compartment as basically a black hole, and splits its organizational pockets into more places , with more external access. (But it’s all secure external access, with three individually lockable compartments.)

This set-up is easy to get used to, if you’re comparing it to a regular suitcase.

Because of this design, it makes even more sense to rely on packing cubes with the Tortuga, which I think are the best way to keep clothes organized, anyway. Without them, your clothes won’t stay neat and folded.

(More on packing cube options below .)

Tip: If you’re thinking of ordering the Cotopaxi and you don’t know, REI has a one-YEAR return policy for members. (Even if the item is used. It’s a huge leap of faith that the company offers this, so I’m careful not to abuse it.)

The $30 lifetime membership fee is definitely worth it for that level of service, plus 10% cash back on all full-price REI purchases. You can sign up as a member here by December 30, and they’ll essentially waive the fee.

Features Deep Dive: Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro vs Cotopaxi

This is my overview of all of the features of both the Tortuga and Cotopaxi Allpa 35 travel backpacks, and why they matter.

While this might seem basic, a lot of these details are actually really hard to tell from the online descriptions. This is what I learned and noticed by having both bags in front of me at the same time.

Tortuga Travel Backpacks

These details are for the Tortuga 40L Pro travel backpack , as well as the 30L version .

( Note: If you’re trying to compare the organization of 40L pack with its 30L equivalent, all of the information below is still accurate. I double-checked with Tortuga – there’s no difference in the design or pockets of the two bags; only the size changes.)

Tortuga’s Laptop Backpack (their smallest pack, at 24L) also has a lot of the same organization features described below.

Both the Tortuga Pro Travel Backpacks and Laptop Backpack feature:

• 3 main compartments, all with lockable zippers — large front pocket with organization, main storage area, and well-padded laptop compartment
• Unique adjustable fit back structure (which lets this pack fit people with a wide range of heights).
• Top mini pocket with key fob (but not lockable)

• Huge sideways pocket on front – for stashing a jacket? Or a wet swimsuit? I used it mostly for extra shoes.
• Two stretchy, exterior water bottle pockets ­
• Handles on one side and the top of the backpack
• Removable hip belt , with lots of padding and zippered pockets on both sides

• Inside this compartment: One small, interior zip pocket, and lots of other organization (pen pockets, credit card slots, and two slide pockets, one big enough for a book or small iPad.) Nice, but mostly useful when the bag is vertical , since they don’t zip closed and things could fall out when the bag is flat on the ground.
• (The Cotopaxi’s comparable exterior organizational pocket is just a small top pocket – only about 1/4 the length of the bag.)

• The “lid” has one big mesh pocket, the full size of the bag, which I used for laundry and small items. (Cotopaxi has 3 smaller organizer pockets in its place.)
• If you’re traveling with a 13” laptop , see details on this below .

Is a 40l backpack big enough for travelling?

Ahh, the oldest travel question: How much to pack?

Honestly, I travel with just one bag – either a 40L backpack, or a comparable carry-on size suitcase ( this investment-worthy one ) – all the time. For weeks at a time! Even in winter.

(That suitcase of mine is actually 34L, but its dimensions, including wheels, make it the maximum “global” carry-on size – what you’ll be able to use on discount airlines and flights in Europe. So a max carry-on size backpack actually gets you more space than a suitcase without checking a bag.)

So yes, a 40L backpack is big enough – if you know how to pack and, most importantly, what to leave at home.

Packing lightweight, multipurpose layers that don’t wrinkle, or smell bad is a huge factor. ( This is my favorite brand , which I reviewed in detail here .)

But it’s more than just what you pack. I’d suggest giving my advice for packing light a read. It’s a strategy – not a packing list – and it might change the way you think about what to bring and what feels like “enough.”

Real Travel Test with the Tortuga

While I was initially looking for a travel backpack for Europe, the first test I ended up taking my new Tortuga 40L Pro on was a much grungier trip to El Salvador. (Hostels, public busses, nothing fancy. And Central America is definitely the kind of destination where you’ll want to travel with only a backpack and leave the roller bag at home.)

A few of the things I noticed about the Tortuga on that trip surprised me (and a few didn’t).

There was nothing earth-shattering, but definitely the kind of observation you won’t get just from reading product descriptions online.

• The large pocket on the inside seems to open upside down . I guess this works just fine if you open the bag to 180 degrees and lay it flat (which it makes sense to do, since it has no structure. Unlike a suitcase, you can’t open the top and prop it up against a wall very well, as I did below.) But for quick access, you have to open this pocket only half way, or else its contents will spill out into the main compartment. Not a deal breaker, nor that hard to avoid, but I would have made the zipper open in the opposite direction.

• UPDATE: Here’s my comparison of Tortuga’s Lite and Pro backpacks .
• Those shoes you forgot until the last minute? The wet swimsuit from your last morning on the beach before your flights? Toiletry kit after you get ready in the morning? Any and all can fit in the large exterior pockets on the Tortuga bags (but definitely wouldn’t on the Allpa’s small front pocket). And the Tortuga also has another lateral front pocket for airport essentials.
• My husband wanted to steal it. This is one of the things that didn’t surprise me. (After all, he voted for me keeping the Tortuga over the Cotopaxi after the living room comparison.) But he was using my old Osprey Farpoint on this trip, and complained about the lack of pockets and thin padding on the straps.

Cotopaxi Backpack Review

Here are my (detailed) first impressions and overview of the features of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L travel pack , and how they compare with the Tortuga travel backpacks .

(Most of this is the same for the Allpa 42-liter backpack , but there are a few differences, which I noted below .)

• Tips: You can order Cotopaxi’s most wildly colorful “Del Dia” bags for a slight discount vs the more predictable colors.
• But yes, they do also make their backpacks in black (when available).
• Cotopaxi calls these “anti-theft zippers,” because the zipper pulls can be tucked under a cloth loop. But it would take a pretty undetermined thief to not get around them. To me, the loops seem more effective at just making the zippers annoying to open and close . (And my main concern with theft is often when I leave my bag somewhere – hotel or hostel storage, for example – which means a thief would have time to work this system.)

• No separate, external water bottle pocket
• Outer zippers feel kind of stiff compared with Tortuga’s zippers
• Computer pocket and smaller tablet pocket inside padded computer pocket – similar to Tortuga’s, but significantly smaller (why this might matter to you is below ). Access is from the side of the bag (not the top) and not lockable .
• More small zippered pockets than Tortuga. If you want your organization for small items inside the main compartment to be built into the bag, this is a win.

• There’s a side zipper with access directly into main compartment – why though? This just seem like the opposite of an anti-theft feature.

• Detachable rain cover , stored in its own compartment inside the main compartment
• Much less padding on the Allpa vs the Tortuga’s shoulder straps
• Can tuck away straps – nice for keeping them safe if you have to check the bag. Tortuga doesn’t have this feature.
• Removable hip belt (which doesn’t have much padding anyway, compared with Tortuga’s, and no pockets)
• Lots of carabiner loops (none with Tortuga)
• Handles on all 4 sides vs 2 on the Tortuga backpacks

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L vs other versions:

• 1 water bottle pocket (which holds up to 3” in diameter) while the Allpa 35 has none
• An additional messenger bag style strap
• Small side pocket to stash the rain cover for easy access – I think this makes much more sense than keeping it packed away! (As the larger packs do.)
• No padding on the hip belt

Laptop Pocket Comparison (Cotopaxi vs Tortuga):

Both the Cotopaxi and Tortuga bags have a padded laptop compartment, which sits against your back when you’re wearing the bag and can fit both a laptop and tablet. My 13” MacBook Air (a very thin laptop) fits in either pocket on the Tortuga bag, but only fits in the larger pocket on the Cotopaxi.

That’s definitely a point for Tortuga, because the smaller pocket holds your tech toward the center of the bag, and away from bumps at the corners or edges.

Tortuga’s laptop compartment is also lockable (huge factor), has an additional zipper pocket (great for chargers and hard drives), and opens from the top of the bag. I found that to just be much more convenient than Cotopaxi’s side-access laptop compartment. (Especially for getting to your laptop on a flight while the bag is overhead.)

With these features, I think the Tortuga 40L Pro is undoubtedly the better backpack for digital nomads. (Or for anyone wanting to travel carry-on only, with just one bag and a laptop.)

Just starting out, or want a more affordable and lightweight travel backpack? I’d look at their new Travel Backpack Lite . (Want a deep dive on the two packs? Here are my pros and cons of the Pro vs Lite .)

Extra Travel Gear

A few mini-reviews of some of the other travel gear from Tortuga, Cotopaxi and alternatives (when someone else does it better).

Tortuga Travel Sling (new)

I also wore Tortuga’s travel sling in El Salvador, which is sort of a trendy new take on a fanny pack, crossed with a small day bag. (I’m really not a trend-chaser, so this was oddly on-trend for me.)

Just the fact that these bags are so popular this year made me skeptical.

But I have to say, I actually liked using it a lot more than I expected to. Its well-designed organization made it impressively functional and multipurpose.

For how tiny it looks, I could fit a lot in it – even including my new Sony mirrorless camera . (Which I finally bought to replace my old DSLR, after it suffered a dramatic fate in France .)

So I ended up using the sling in place of a day pack most days! Pretty impressive.

Travel Water Bottle

Tortuga also makes its own water bottle (which, of course, fits in the water bottle pockets on all of their travel backpacks), but it’s not the one I’d recommend.

The best travel water bottle – hands down – is this one from LARQ. It has a UV-C light inside the bottle that kills bacteria and viruses , meaning you can drink tap water all over the world instead of buying it in plastic bottles!

[ Details: Here’s how I use the LARQ, along with a filtering water bottle, to avoid buying plastic bottles – even in places with dangerous tap water.]

Packing cubes

Both brands make their own packing cubes, but neither Tortuga’s nor Cotopaxi’s cubes have compression – which I think is literally the most important feature. (Although Tortuga says they’re designing compression cubes to launch in 2024.)

UPDATE: Tortuga’s new compression packing cubes are out! After they read my complaints here, they were kind enough to send me one before the launch, and I have to say, it’s excellent.

Compression lets you keep your clothes more compact to save space, and keep them from moving and wrinkling. And you can zip the contents down when most of your clothes are dirty and stashed elsewhere.

Instead, I’d recommend these highly rated, expandable cubes , which also let you keep clean and dirty separate.

For a budget pick, I’d take this packing cube set from REI any day. (I’ve been using these for many years and they’re still going strong. If I ever need more, the Peak Design ones above are what I’ll buy.)

Sturdy Luggage Locks

Don’t forget a good luggage lock if you want to take advantage of the Tortuga’s lockable zippers! (And I’m surprised that Tortuga doesn’t make their own.)

As you can see, I’ve been using these locks from Eagle Creek for so many years the paint has rubbed off – but they’re still going strong. They’re TSA approved and, unlike most luggage locks, all metal.

If you want a slightly larger, flexible cable loop for locking multiple things together, I’d go with this lock from Pacsafe .

Tortuga Travel Pouches

I don’t see a whole lot that’s special about these travel pouches – they’re just zippered pouches to organize small items. That’s great if you actually need them, but doesn’t everyone already own a bunch of these at home?

Tortuga Tech Organizer

Unlike the pouches above, this travel tech organizer actually does seem like a useful and well-designed way to keep all of your cables, extra camera batteries, and chargers organized inside your backpack.

The Negatives

Here’s every bad thing I could think of about all three of these backpack brands.

Why I never quite liked my Osprey travel backpack:

When I first started traveling with a backpack years ago, the Osprey Farpoint 40 was my upgrade from a regular old backpacking backpack.

Note: What’s the difference between the Osprey Farpoint and Fairview ?

They’ve really overcomplicated the naming here. The Fairview is just the women’s fit version of the original “men’s” Farpoint, which I (a woman with perhaps slightly more broad shoulders than average) used for years. (Don’t worry, no pink tax, though. The bags cost the same. And neither actually comes in pink.)

I traveled for months at a time with an older version of this bag, so I tested it very thoroughly. All of these problems were apparent from the start, but I just couldn’t find a better alternative at the time. (This was before the Tortuga had such great organization.)

• No organization in the main compartment. (It was like they expected you to use the day pack as the organizational component of the main bag, but then you’d have to empty if out every time you wanted to use it for a day hike. It just wasn’t functional.)
• No stretch to the detachable day-bag , and it’s very small, so it needs some stretch.
• No stretch to the water bottle pockets. Unless the rest of the day pack is empty, the water bottle pockets are useless. A full backpack means the water bottle will immediately squeeze out of the inflexible pockets.
• Uncomfortable . Not enough padding on the hip belt or shoulder straps.

Unfortunately, this bag doesn’t seem to have evolved much over the years. That’s why it doesn’t feature heavily in this review.

They’ve added a padded laptop sleeve, and one “toiletry pocket.” And the day pack is now sold separately , unless you buy the larger 55 liter backpack , or absolutely gigantic 70 liter version .

But it’s still a far cry from the organization and travel-specific design of the best travel backpacks available now. (Which isn’t surprising, considering that Osprey has always been an outdoor gear company, more than a travel company.)

What I would recommend the Osprey for:

Extra capacity: 40 liters is definitely enough for me when it’s well organized, and it’s the maximum carryon size that you can reasonably expect to get away with on most airlines. But Osprey also makes 55-liter , 70-liter and even 80-liter travel backpacks .

(Yikes, I definitely wouldn’t want to pack around an 80-liter travel backpack, but if you really need all that space (and really need it on your back ) Osprey has you covered. Remember that it’s twice the maximum carry-on size, though.)

Budget Travelers: While these aren’t my favorite, the Farpoint / Fairway bags are still pretty good quality construction for a much lower price than the Tortuga backpacks. (Same goes for Cotopaxi, for that matter.)

I so consider Osprey a reliable brand, and they have a lifetime warranty . So if you’re looking to save some money, I’d definitely recommend one of their backpacks over some cheap knockoff you find on Amazon. (Which will just end up in a landfill before long.)

You can order Osprey bags directly from Osprey , or on REI . (Either way, they only ship to the US.)

What I don’t love about the Tortuga:

Even though I kept this travel backpack and wouldn’t switch, there are a couple of things I would change about it.

• The large pocket on the inside opens upside down . (This was one of the things I noticed on my first trip with the Tortuga. Definitely not a deal breaker, just a head-scratcher why they designed it this way. Scroll back up here for details.)
• Lack of color. This is entirely personal – if the stealthy look of a solid black travel backpack is what you want, then Tortuga hits the nail on the head. I just kind of like the contrasting zippers and accents on the Cotopaxi.
• The new Lite Travel Pack does have straps that you can tuck away for checking the bag, and the hip belt is removable. The padding is thinner, but in my experience it’s still been enough to be comfortable.

But despite that…

Why I didn’t choose the Cotopaxi:

However, after comparing these travel backpacks side by side, there were more things I didn’t like about the Allpa than the Tortuga .

• The lack of lockable zippers really doesn’t make sense to me for a bag designed for light, fast travel. (Meaning there’s a good chance you’ll leave it in a hostel at some point. And if you’re doing the one-bag travel method, it seems weird to have all your worldly possessions in one bag and no way to lock it.)
• The side access to the main compartment is a similar security concern . I just can’t imagine any real use for it, and it adds yet another unlocked zipper for pickpockets to slide open on a subway.
• My small 13″ laptop doesn’t fit in the smaller (more protective) part of the laptop compartment. (Details on that here .)
• Less organization – including no water bottle pockets, and no hip belt pockets. And if you’re traveling with only one bag, those seem like no-brainers to include. ( The Tortuga does both without adding bulk or making the bag look like a school backpack.)
• Less comfortable . With less padding on the hip belt, and no load-lifter straps, the Cotopaxi just isn’t built for much more than a (hopefully) quick trip from one hotel to the next.

What both travel backpacks are missing:

• An additional key fob deep inside a locking compartment of the bag. I don’t understand why every single suitcase and travel backpack doesn’t have this feature. (A safe place to keep your home keys stashed away, when you don’t need to access them for weeks or months. Makes sense, right?)
• Compression straps inside to keep everything in place – the Osprey bags actually do have this, so at least they get one point.

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, and after all the overanalyzing above, I think the Cotopaxi and Tortuga bags are two of the best travel backpacks. Both have high quality construction, sustainably chosen fabrics, and great details. The Osprey travel pack remains a runner-up.

Here are my recommendations:

• Best Travel Backpacks Overall: The Tortuga 40L for all the reasons summarized below (with lots of details in the review above ). Don’t live in the US? There’s info about using a freight forwarder to order from Tortuga in their FAQ here .
• Honestly, now that I’ve tested Tortuga’s new Lite version , it’s the one I would recommend to a friend for a budget travel backpack over the Cotopaxi. (Detailed comparison coming soon.)
• Best BIG Travel Backpacks: The Osprey Farpoint and Fairview . (While they don’t have all the features I want, these packs come in sizes up to 80L , if you’re committed to a heavy haul.)

Discount Reminders: Tortuga offers a 20% discount for students, teachers, first responders and a few others. ( See the full list and how to get your discount code here .) For Osprey or Cotopaxi , REI members get 10% back on all full-priced items at the end of the year. (If you’re not already a member, here’s the information about joining.)

The Cotopaxi Allpa bags are great if you’re not worried about locking zippers and like bright color options. (Although they definitely would limit the bag’s usefulness, say for professional travel or anywhere you’d rather not stand out.)

While the Cotopaxi packs don’t have as many pockets as the Tortugas, they still have pretty good organization.

In theory, it’s nice that the Cotopaxi comes with a rain fly, especially if you’ll be using it for longer walks outdoors – although the much lighter padding on the straps means it’s not a pack I’d want to wear for longer periods of time anyway. Effectively, that means the rain fly might just turn into another thing you end up carrying and never using.

(And the Tortuga’s zippers are weather-sealed, so it would take a lot for the bag to take on water with its waterproof sailcloth exterior.)

On the other hand, Cotopaxi bags cost almost 50% less than Tortuga 40L Pro, which could be a critical factor for many travelers.

And Cotopaxi’s sustainability and ethical manufacturing make it a company I’m happy to recommend. While I really wish Tortuga would change its plastic inner packaging, at least the backpack itself uses recycled materials.

So while a lot of those factors seemed like close comparisons, the Tortuga backpack still won out for me in my living room test, and taking it on a few actual trips has confirmed I made the right choice.

At the end of the day, I think the Tortuga Pro is the best 40L backpack for traveling in terms of organization and comfort, and also the safest travel backpack.

I love the Tortuga’s extra pockets , both on the inside and outside of the bag. I appreciate that the zippers can lock easily and securely. The Tortuga backpacks also keep a lower profile, without the attention-grabbing colors.

Its customizable height lets almost anyone get the right fit with the Tortuga. (It would definitely be the better bag for tall people.)

Plus, the Pro version of the Tortuga is much more comfortable , with thicker padding and load-lifter straps (a feature normally only found on backpacking backpacks).

I really think they have adopted the best features of backpacking packs, and applied them exceptionally well to a backpack for travel – whether that’s long-term as a digital nomad, or for an easy week away, without the roller bag dragging behind you.

I hope you found this review helpful! If you’re getting started with backpack travel, be sure to read my advice for packing lighter .

If you have any questions , especially about the Tortuga backpacks, which are still here at home with me (I returned the Cotopaxi after comparing them), just leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

And remember, if you’re shopping for any  Tortuga  products, you can save 10% on your first order from them with the discount code  TILTED  !

Help more people find this article! Share on:

Sustainability and Sustainable Travel Writer

I’m Ketti, the founder of Tilted Map – an award-winning travel blog! – and a Sustainability Editor for the UK's most-read travel magazine. Originally from Montana, USA, I moved to China with a job teaching English, a side-hustle writing for magazines, and just one word of Mandarin. That turned into five years abroad, a Master's Degree in Sustainable Business & Energy, and a passion for finding realistic ways to travel and live more sustainably. I created Tilted Map to share what I'm learning along the way – I hope you're finding it useful!

Similar Posts

Has Couchsurfing Gotten Sleazy? [Tips for Getting Started & Couchsurfing Safely]

Racial Justice, a Militarized America & Why This Is On a Travel Blog

The True Story of an Alaskan Family Road Trip

Summer in Chicago & Reflections on a Whirlwind Year

SBTRCT Skincare: The Best Solid & Sustainable Brand (From England with Love + a US Alternative)

How to Eat in Italy: an Expat’s Guide to Italian Menus & Courses

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Email me when someone replies to my comment. (This will not subscribe you to Tilted Map's newsletter . Your email will not be used for any other purpose.)

Excellent, thorough & thoughtful review. Thank you so much!

So glad you enjoyed it, thank you Kim! 🙂

– Ketti

Pack Hacker is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

🔥 Get up to 10% off Tortuga • Join Pack Hacker Pro

Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L Review

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L pairs the bigger version’s thickly padded harness system with a more tameable size for those with smaller frames.

Our Verdict

Save time. Get access to brief summaries of our reviews so you can browse and make decisions more efficiently.

Join Pack Hacker Pro or, Sign In

• Comprehensive and comfortable harness system
• 30-liter size doubles as a daypack
• Lots of organization options, with simple main compartment to preserve space
• Tricky to quickly access inner mesh compartment
• Harness system near-overkill for 30-liter size
• Less main compartment organization than the Outbreaker

Technical Details

Carry-on compliance.

View 116/145 Airlines

Disclaimer: We take the measurements of the bag provided by the manufacturer and compare them to the allowance listed on airline websites. This should be used as a guideline rather than a rule. Bags can change size as you pack them out, and every airline's interpretation of compliance is different. Just because a bag is listed as carry-on compliant here doesn't mean that the airline will interpret it that way.

Like the Look

Polled on Instagram

Weight (lb)

4 lb (1.8 kg)

20.5 in x 12.2 in x 7.5 in (52.1 x 31 x 19.1 cm)

Notable Materials

Recycled Polyester, Ripstop Polyester, DWR Coating, YKK Zippers, Woojin Hardware

Manufacturing Country

Laptop Compartment Size

Warranty Information

Tortuga Common Decency Guarantee

Full Review

Get up to 10% off Tortuga • Join Pack Hacker Pro

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L is a worthy successor to the brand’s Outbreaker Travel Backpack 35L . Tweaks to their formula regarding layout, number of compartments, and material are overall positive, if a bit jarring for those coming directly from the Outbreaker. That said, 40 liters is quite intense if you’re looking for something to carry every day or have a smaller frame.

Meet the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L. Don’t worry if you’ve already read our review of the 40-liter version and think this is a cut-down version; rest assured that that’s not the case. In fact, they’ve kept pretty much the entire design intact, save for the size and capacity. The complete harness system, with thickly padded shoulder straps, vertical adjustment, and a wide hip belt? Yep, that’s here, and so is the outward-opening mesh compartment. Now let’s dive into the details and check out this not-much-tinier version of Tortuga’s Travel Backpack Pro 40L.

External Components

The Travel Backpack Pro 30L uses the same SHELL200 fabric as the bigger 40-liter version. That much is a given since this is, more or less, a downsized version of what Tortuga believes is a winning formula. For context, the previous Outbreaker Travel Backpack 35L, which we’ve rated highly, uses X-Pac VX21 fabric. Both the VX21 and SHELL200 are laminated fabrics; that is to say, they include different layers.

The SHELL200 has a 200-denier recycled polyester outer layer, a 45° recycled polyester cross-ply, and a recycled ripstop polyester backing fabric. At a glance, the SHELL200 fabric looks closer to ballistic nylon than X-Pac since it’s missing the signature diamond pattern of the latter. Feel the fabric in your hands, though, and it’s immediately apparent that the heft and thickness are similar to X-Pac VX21. So what’s the benefit? Tortuga says it’s durable, lightweight, and waterproof. Indeed, compared to X-Pac VX21, SHELL200 is noticeably softer and lighter without necessarily feeling flimsier.

The bag looks very sleek and, as head-turning as X-Pac fabric is, SHELL200’s more subtle approach is something we can get behind. We like to keep things low-key during international travel, and plain black fabric plays well with that. The boxy shape may be the most orthodox for a travel backpack, and it’s the one we want for packing efficiency.

The zippers are from YKK and come with equally stealthy black zipper pulls. There’s really nothing that stands out about these zippers. They simply work, and that’s probably the magic of YKK zippers—you won’t have to worry about them jamming or breaking in the middle of a trip. They’re also neither too easy to glide nor too resistant to unzipping. The Travel Backpack Pro 30L may be boxy, but Tortuga rounded the corners just enough for the zippers to glide around them just fine.

There are handles at the top and on the right side of the Travel Backpack Pro 30L. We like that both handles are padded with foam because it makes carrying the bag by hand easier. In fact, the Travel Backpack Pro 30L is relatively comfortable to hold, even for extended periods. Sometimes you can’t be bothered to sling either shoulder strap, and foam-padded handles are a welcome alternative.

The Travel Backpack Pro 30L has two water bottle pockets, one for each side, in case you want to double up on hydration (and honestly, we all probably could). But before committing to that, keep in mind that one of the water bottle pockets is directly below the side handle, so filling that pocket can prevent you from using it.

The bottle pockets have a fairly simple and straightforward design. Their rims are lined with elastic, and fabric gussets at the back allow them to expand as needed. Conversely, the elastic keeps them flush against the bag when not in use. In terms of space, the pockets can accommodate 21-ounce travel water bottles like a YETI or a Hydro Flask.

The harness system is just as beefy as it is with the 40-liter version. The shoulder straps alone have so much padding that they look stiff as they hang. However, they’re much more comfortable than looks suggest, as we’ll explain later in the Fit Notes section. Both straps are attached to a loop-and-hooked panel and can be adjusted vertically for a better torso fit. The loop-and-hook system is very tight, which makes sense since it attaches the shoulder straps to the bag.

Thankfully, you’ll only have to adjust this once and shouldn’t have to fiddle with it again once you’re comfortable. You can remember how high or low you set it with the handy graduation printed on the fabric.

There are also load lifters at the top, a sternum strap in the middle, and a padded hip belt at the bottom. Having both load lifters and vertical adjustment for the shoulder straps can be a bit confusing, and we suggest first adjusting the height before you tinker with the load lifters. Load lifters are easier to tighten or loosen than the shoulder straps’ height adjustment.

The sternum strap mounted on rails allows each half to slide fairly easily. This is our preferred sternum strap mounting style as opposed to being clipped on loops. The micro-adjustments sliding permits really let us dial in the fit. While you don’t have to spend too much time on it, it’s very tempting to do.

The hip belt is very comfortably padded, much like the shoulder straps, although the hip-hugging panels look somewhat comically large, even for the bag’s 30-liter size. It is justified since there are built-in pockets, which we’ll discuss later, and you can remove the hip belt altogether if you want to. The belt mounts via hook-and-loops, which we dig. Other brands use gatekeeper clips and G-hooks on their hip belts, which are much fiddlier to detach.

Last but not least is the back panel. Fortunately, Tortuga didn’t skimp out on padding here, either. The sheer amount of padding is on full display—and most evident on—the back panel. Check out that middle air channel; it’s really deep and allows air to flow very freely. Even though the padding is very thick, it’s not as stiff as it appears, and it’s soft and malleable when wearing it.

Much of the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L’s weight gets shifted away from the shoulders and onto the hips via the hip belt. It’s very effective at its intended purpose; hence why we don’t mind the large padded panels. With all the straps locked and dialed in, the Travel Backpack Pro 30L rides high on the back, but it’s not overwhelmingly tall. Compared to the 40-liter version, its smaller size makes it more tameable; there’s just more room to get the fit right.

This mainly benefits users with smaller frames. The overall comfort isn’t too far off from the 40-liter version since the harness system is pretty much the same for both bags. Hence, we don’t recommend sacrificing capacity if you’re looking for a huge difference in comfort and fit. On the other hand, if you wanted a more “daypackable” version of the 40-liter Travel Backpack, then this is it.

It’s also worth noting that we like how well Tortuga subtly manages the straps. For example, the load lifters’ slack feeds neatly into loops along the shoulder straps. There are also strap keepers for the shoulder straps and stash areas for the hip belt’s slack. All of these factor into comfort since there are little to no straps to distract you or potentially snag on fixtures and furniture.

Inside The Backpack

Some of you may be tempted to remove the hip belt as soon as you get the Travel Backpack Pro 30L, and that’s perfectly valid. It still carries comfortably and has a less intense look with fewer straps. That said, the hip belt’s built-in pockets make a great case for themselves in terms of convenience.

Both pockets have zippered closures and are big enough to fit an iPhone 13. You can also use it to stash snacks, wet wipes, coins, or a small to mid-sized power bank. Bulk isn’t a big issue for these pockets since they have a lot of room, backed by a lot of padding. In other words, items inside shouldn’t poke too badly against your hip.

The Travel Backpack Pro 30L also has a front pocket for much bigger items, though a fabric welt stealthily hides it. It’s a left-facing wide pocket well-suited for large but flat items like a hat, gloves, or a folded and compressed base layer. Rounded bulky gear will create a bulge at the front, so we don’t recommend stashing them here, but your mileage may vary depending on the item in question.

Smaller accessories like sunglasses, a minimalist wallet , and keys have their place in the top pocket. The zippered opening is a bit small, but there’s more than ample space for those items. A small key leash inside keeps keys separated and easy to fish out in a jiffy.

A large part of the Travel Backpack Pro 30L’s organization is in an admin panel at the front. It zips open horseshoe-style, meaning the front can fold out. This gives you a full view of the interior pockets, but keep in mind that items in the front pocket we discussed earlier can stop it from folding out.

Inside, there’s a fleece-lined tablet slip pocket, four card slots, two pen silos, and a stretchy mesh pocket more than wide enough for a passport. There’s also a cavity below all of these pockets that can fit a packing cube or a tech pouch, so there are a ton of storage options in this admin panel alone.

Next up is the laptop compartment, a major staple and must-have for any travel backpack. Tortuga gets it, and there’s a full complement of dividers and pockets you’d want out of a laptop compartment. There’s not only a padded sleeve for your 16-inch device but also a slip pocket for a travel keyboard or tablet. Both lock in with the same hook and loop fastener for additional security.

Right across is a zippered pouch where you can store accompanying tech accessories. While we advocate using tech pouches , this is a nice alternative for those who want to keep it simple. This is especially true if you’re not carrying a ton of accessories. If you’re only using an Apple Magic Mouse, a compact GaN charger, and maybe a spare set of earbuds, for example, the built-in pouch is more than big enough.

Access to the main compartment is clamshell-style, with the front swinging out to the left like a fridge. Inside, you’ll find a simplified, less compartmentalized layout than Tortuga’s Outbreaker. That is to say, the Outbreaker had extra interior and mesh pockets, whereas Tortuga opted for just one in the Travel Backpack Pro 30L.

Said mesh pocket is more of a compartment, and it’s on the “door.” It acts more like a secondary container for extra pouches, like a toiletry bag and maybe another tech pouch. Ideally, it’s for dirty clothing, but we use a separate packing cube for that. Our only issue with this mesh compartment is the way it opens. It’s hinged along the far side of the door, meaning it swings out, but you can’t get inside by simply prying the main compartment open. In case you’re wondering, yes, it’s the same case with the 40-liter version. That said, it’s more of a quirk or a minor inconvenience at worst.

Now, for the main compartment’s bucket space. It’s a big tub. That’s it. It reflects Tortuga’s intentional move to a more simplified, less compartmentalized design. Chuck in your packing cubes and pouches and watch the squared-off corners get filled in near-perfectly. The only thing to remember is that items in the adjacent laptop compartment can cut into the upper portion.

This affected our packing strategy as we were testing the Travel Backpack Pro 30L, but not to a very concerning extent. We simply had to put larger packing cubes with pants and thick tops along the bottom and smaller cubes or pouches at the top. It’s nothing more than some minor packing strategizing.

In terms of space, Tortuga narrows it down to two to five days’ worth of clothing. That turns out to be conservative, at least from our testing; we could make everything we packed last an entire week. Of course, that depends on how fast you go through your wardrobe and what kind of clothing you’re packing. After all, souvenir t-shirts don’t take up as much space as down jackets.

Usage Timeline

Condition: Excellent

• Feels very much like a smaller version of the Travel Backpack Pro 40L —which makes sense, because it is
• Internal organization feels roomy even at a smaller size
• Digging the SHELL200 material
• Still in great condition—really enjoy the durability of the SHELL200 fabric
• Great for those with shorter torsos or who travel light
• Comfortable harness system for long-term carry

Get your questions about the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L answered from our team and the Pro Community right here on the page. Plus, join discussions with other members about gear, guides, and more.

Sign up to get our 5 Minimalist Travel Hacks Guide. Plus, a weekly digest of our newest content in the newsletter.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Get our FREE editable and printable packing checklist template right here !

Her Packing List

Packing Light

Meet heather and her tortuga air carry on backpack.

Like many of you, I try to fly carry-on only whenever possible. I haven’t checked a bag on a domestic flight in years , and when I travel internationally, I fit as many can’t-lose items as possible into my carry-on bag and personal item.

Once my husband and I booked our recent 3-week trip to Australia (his first visit, my third), I knew I wanted to try a new carry-on bag. I wanted one that fell under the standard carry-on limit but still offered loads of space for clothing , travel documents, key electronics , and other travel essentials for women .

When I was offered an opportunity to try the Tortuga Air Carry On Backpack , I welcomed the chance to test a backpack versus my go-to carry-on rolling suitcase . I wasn’t sure if I’d like a backpack as much as a case on wheels, but the Tortuga Air proved to be exactly what I needed for this trip.

What is the Tortuga Air Carry On Backpack?

The Torguga Air Carry On Backpack is designed for short trips, when you can comfortably fly carry on only. While the standard limit for carry-on bags tends to be 9 in x 14 x 22 (22 cm x 35 x 56), the Tortuga Air easily follows below that at 7 in x 12.5 x 19 (18 cm x 32 x 48).

The Tortuga Air is the smaller sibling to the Tortuga Travel Backpack (which measures at the carry-on maximum size), and comes in at only 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg). When unzipped to its expanded size, the Air’s volume increases from 27L to an impressive 35L.

With a suitcase-style opening, expansion zipper, sizeable front pocket, organizer panel for key items, electronics sleeve, side pocket, and a padded back and shoulder straps combo, the Tortuga Air offers the essential features for a practical, packable, and comfortable carry-on bag.

>> Learn about all new Tortuga bag options on the official Tortuga Backpacks site.

First Impressions

As soon as the Tortuga Air arrived, I opened the package to find a smaller, sleeker backpack than I expected.

Although I had seen photos online and knew the bag’s dimensions, I’d also heard about how much this bag can comfortably fit when expanded. Once I inspected it in person, I wondered if it would fit everything I hoped it would.

Just like my favorite rolling carry-on bag , the Tortuga Air unzips in the middle, offering two compartments for packing. The back compartment is deeper, but when the front section is unzipped and expanded to full size, I found both compartments to be equal.

At first glance, my surprise favorite feature was the zippered hanging pocket at the top. When I first started traveling, my “personal item” was a smaller backpack, and I always stashed several go-to items in its hanging pocket. I also loved the amount of padding in the back panel and shoulder straps.

Packing the Tortuga Air for a 3-week trip

While the Tortuga Air was designed for short weekend or business trips, I hoped the Air would be my primary bag during the 3-week trip to Australia. And after once having an airline lose my bag , I secretly hoped all of my clothes would fit into the Air.

In the compartment closest to the back, I rolled and packed:

• A pair of jeans
• A pair of leggings
• 7 three-quarter or long sleeved shirts
• 2 tank tops (one was folded and placed on top – see below)
• 1 cardigan (folded and placed on top)

The front compartment held:

• 1 sweatshirt
• 2 workout tops
• 1 workout bottom
• PJs (top, bottom, warm socks)
• 5-6 pairs of socks
• 7-8 pairs of underwear

When I realized I had fit ALL of my clothes into the bag, I breathed a sigh of relief (and patted myself on the back)! I didn’t even have to expand the bag to full size.

We’d already paid to check a bag, as we knew we’d pick up some items in Australia, so I tossed my second pair of shoes, toiletry bag , and feminine products in that one. I stashed a few other odds and ends, along with travel documents, in the front pocket and hanging pocket.

Tortuga Air Backpack in Transit

As someone who usually uses a rolling bag, I was a little nervous about carrying a backpack , wondering if it might feel heavy within minutes of walking around the airport. I’ve had lower back problems off and on for over 10 years, so I’m super protective of my back.

Although I had packed just about every square inch of the Tortuga Air, I was extremely surprised by how light it felt . The Air almost felt just like that – air. I’ve carried smaller bags with fewer items in the past, and the Air felt lighter than any of those ever did.

Even after walking around the airport and traveling for hours, I was all smiles.

About mid-way through the trip, we enjoyed a 2-day road trip, and my husband and I used the Air as the only bag for the two of us . This time, I used the expansion zipper so we could pack clothes, toiletries, and travel odds and ends, and I also tried the chest strap.

From the outside, the bag doesn’t appear to be too much larger when expanded, but the expansion certainly offers enough room for a few more items.

Throughout the three weeks, the only time I struggled with the Tortuga Air was on the long flight home. As soon as we landed at LAX, I was tired, the weather was humid, and we had to speed walk around the airport through various checkpoints. The bag started to feel heavy, and I felt extra warm with my back being covered and the straps under my arms. However, this would happen with any backpack , and my lack of sleep and the weather didn’t help. Not bad when this is your only complaint!

Overall Rating of the Tortuga Air Backpack

Things I liked:

• Carry on compatible
• Comfort – the back and shoulder straps are perfectly padded and the bag felt fairly light, even when fully packed
• Opens and packs like a suitcase
• Carried all of my clothes
• Combined elements of my two previous carry-on items (carry-on rolling suitcase and small backpack used as the personal item)
• That I’d realized there was a water bottle pocket sooner. I didn’t use the side pocket until halfway through the trip, and even then, it didn’t click that it would fit a water bottle perfectly.
• To experiment with a second pair of shoes and toiletries on my next trip. I’m flying from Virginia to California for a long weekend in October, and I plan to pack a little differently for that trip than I did for this.

My first trip with the Tortuga Air was an overwhelming success! I’ll definitely use it for both domestic and international flights for years to come, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

>> Interested in learning more? Head over to the official Tortuga Backpacks site now. We are affiliated with Tortuga Backpacks, and if you make a purchase, we will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

>> See all female backpack reviews here.

Written by Heather

Heather Rudd Palmer is a 30-something with a love for travel, food, and healthy living. After short trips to Europe in her 20s, Heather left her job at 30 to live, work, and travel in Australia for a year. She visited every state and territory, embarked on two road trips, worked at an organic food store, and ate her way through Sydney. She's now a career counselor for university students. You can find Heather at There's No Place Like Oz and Healthy Life Heather .

More posts you may like

Ultralight Packing List: I Traveled for 3 Weeks with a 12L Handbag

How to Pack and Protect Electronics – Day 21 of 30 Days to Packing a Better Bag

Health and Hygiene Packing Considerations – Day 20 of 30 Days to Packing a Better Bag

The Essential Travel Medical Kit – Day 19 of 30 Days to Packing a Better Bag

Gear we use.

Speakeasy Hidden Pocket Scarves

Splice Reversible Jaisalmer Tunic

Eagle Creek Compression Packing Cubes

Tom Bihn 3D Organizer Cube

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack

Turkish Travel Towels

Travel resources, hpl learnables.

H PL Packing Method – Learn to pack your lightest bag ever in this revolutionary packing course by HPL founder, Brooke.

Book Your Trip

Viator – Enhance your trip experience by booking from thousands of tours across the globe.

Booking.com – Search for hotels, hostels, and apartments using this one resource. Use it for flights, car rentals, and airport taxis as well.

Trusted Housesitters – Save money on travel accommodation by becoming a housesitter. Housesitters often have extra duties, like caring for pets and gardens.

Reader Interactions

August 11, 2015 at 8:39 pm

Nice review for sure. I took my tortuga as my carry on and as a place to pack gifts when I went to Morocco earlier this year. It holds a whole wardrobe and neatly, too. I am going to New York to buy fabric and rather than take a rolling bag, I’m going to try packing everything in my Tortuga. The only problem I had was that there are a lot of zippers. One day I will tag them so I know where things are.

August 11, 2015 at 9:04 pm

Great information Heather. Thanks so much!

August 16, 2015 at 5:20 pm

dang I’m going to southern Italy for 3 weeks and I’m planning to take a fraction of this list. Now I’m nervous.

November 4, 2015 at 5:51 am

Thanks for the review!

I’ve a question: how tall are you? I’m thinking of getting the Tortuga Air myself but I’m a petite 5’0″ and am afraid that it might be too big/overpowering for me. What are your thoughts?

Thanks again!!

November 4, 2015 at 4:01 pm

I think it depends on how long your torso is, Emma. Check out our latest post that also breaks down the Tortuga Air by specs: https://herpackinglist.com/2015/11/best-backpacks-for-slim-and-petite-women/

November 18, 2015 at 9:06 am

Hi Emma, I’m 5’6″. I have fairly wide shoulders and hips, and I’m not sure of your build, but I can see that the bag might be a big long for you. I’d recommend reviewing the link that Brooke shared!

December 31, 2015 at 2:39 pm

I use the Tortuga backpack. I’m 5’3 1/4 (yes, I count any bit of it) and average to slim build. That full size back is perfect for 3 weeks in Europe. I find that the Tortuga Air is too small for long trips but it would totally be one that I would take for a 1 week or shorter trip.

September 8, 2016 at 12:52 am

How much did it weigh when packed? New Zealand airlines (and some others) only allow 7 kgs carry on – were you able to keep within that limit with that amount of stuff?

January 29, 2017 at 2:05 pm

Do you think this backpack could pass as my personal item if I don’t plan to put too much in it? Like substitute as a purse, and put my camera and laptop and maybe a sweater, scarf.

April 3, 2018 at 12:46 am

I am a bit late to the party, but I have traveled to Europe and Asia for 2-3 week trips and I have been perfectly happy with my Air. I pack a bit differently, as I keep a clothes-drying line and do laundry in the sink along the way. However, I can easily fit a few changes of clothes, two pairs of shoes, a backup luggage bag (never used it, but at least it is there), and souvenirs. I also have the rain cover–which is on whether it is raining or not because it saves space and acts as a theft-deterrent (it covers all the zippers, so a thief wouldn’t know where to start if I am rushing through the metro).

Leave A Reply Cancel reply

Advertisement

The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks

By Kit Dillon

Kit Dillon is a writer focused on bags and travel gear. He has worked for Wirecutter for a decade and lost count of the number of bags he has tested.

When you open up your favorite carry-on travel backpack, it should feel like you’re opening the door to a well-organized closet or sitting down at a clean desk, with everything in the right place and easy to reach.

This is your moment to center yourself, no matter how chaotic the journey.

What we considered

A 45-liter bag maximizes overhead space but can get heavy when fully packed; 35-liter bags tend to be more manageable.

A bag with a clamshell design opens like a book and is the easiest to pack, but a bag that opens traditionally tends to have more structure.

Ideally, a travel backpack has handles on all sides—especially the bottom—so you can pull it out of overhead bins or from under seats.

Some internal pockets are useful, but major organizing is better managed with packing cubes.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L offer the best combination of features, quality, and durability. Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization. Though these backpacks are great as companion bags for any trip, they’re designed to ultimately replace all of your other luggage and become your exclusive bag as you travel.

This style of packing is not for everyone, but once some people try it, they’re forever hooked. Finding the right bag is a personal choice, though, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we also have picks that are great for people who travel for work , others that are designed to be carried over long distances , and a bag that’s basically luggage on your back .

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, best small carry-on bag for most situations: cotopaxi allpa 35l travel pack, best large bag for most situations: peak design travel backpack 45l, best mobile office: patagonia black hole mlc 45l, best bag for long journeys on foot: osprey farpoint 40 and fairview 40, best bag if you need a large suitcase on your back: tortuga travel backpack pro 40l, other good carry-on travel backpacks, how we picked and tested, the competition.

I’ve been covering aspects of luggage and travel bag design for Wirecutter for nearly a decade, and I have personally researched, tested, and compared hundreds of bags in that time. I personally try to do most of my travel with a single backpack, whenever possible. I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that, and I spent another six months nomadically couch-surfing in New York City.

I reached out to writers who specialize in traveling the world carrying everything they need in a single bag: Eytan Levy, the owner and operator of the Snarky Nomad travel website; James Feess, founder of The Savvy Backpacker ; and Sharon Gourlay, of the Where’s Sharon? travel website. I also spoke with moderators of Reddit’s r/onebag and r/heronebag forums, as well as with Chase Reeves, bag fanatic, reviewer, and owner of Matterful .

We researched and tested bags designed for those who want to travel light and stay flexible while flying, without the burden of checking luggage. For some people, the challenge of cutting down a packing list is intimidating. But if you can get past that initial hurdle, traveling with a single bag is a revelation. With fewer items, you have more time to concentrate on and appreciate the journey.

• When you’re not loaded down by heavy luggage, it’s easy to remain more mobile. And it’s easier to adjust your plans mid-trip. If you’re willing to do laundry on the road, then one bag is all you need to travel indefinitely. At its heart, one-bag travel allows you to discover more—not just about the places you’re going but also about yourself and what you really need day to day.
• Size and weight still matter. 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 . These larger bags tend not to be carry-on-friendly, however, especially in Europe, so be prepared to check them.
• No single backpack is perfect for everyone. Before you make any purchase, consider some basic points. How much can you carry? And where do you usually visit: the city or outback? Travel gear should feel like a welcome companion—there to support you when you need it but unobtrusive when you don’t.

45-liter bag vs. 35-liter bag

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

This durable bag’s clamshell design makes it easy to organize your stuff. And due to its strap design, this bag can be worn on your back or carried in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack is an easy-to-organize, comfortable-to-carry bag for getaways lasting just a few days or a whole week.

It’s one bag that can do it all. This is a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. There are handles on all four sides of this bag, so it’s easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it. It’s also protected by a full lifetime warranty, and it has the build quality to back that up. After more than four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item ) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage I use.

It comes in various sizes, but we think the middle-of-the-road version is the best. Cotopaxi also makes the Allpa in 28-liter and 42-liter sizes. But for us, the 35-liter bag is the best option. At 42 liters, this bag becomes heavy for most people to carry when it is fully packed, and we’d prefer that it had a more-robust hip belt. At 28 liters, the bag becomes a touch small for most people, and its internal organization feels fussy for shorter trips, such as an overnight. Cotopaxi also makes a hip pack , which is designed to fit snugly into the Allpa bag’s front top compartment. It’s a neat little addition to the bag, and it is worth getting if you like wearing fanny packs while you travel.

It’s organized, easy to pack, and easy to carry. The Allpa bag has a clamshell design, so it opens like a hard-sided suitcase—a large YKK zipper runs around three sides of the bag, allowing it to fall open into two halves when unzipped. On the right side is a deep compartment, spacious enough for two large packing cubes or half a suitcase’s worth of clothing (which you access through a mesh zippered flap). On the left, there’s space for one more medium-size packing cube behind a zippered flap. Above that there are two smaller pockets with high-visibility backing—useful when you’re looking for hard-to-differentiate personal items.

It’s secure but still accessible. The Allpa pack has two side-access zippers—great for on-the-go access, especially when the bag is hanging from your shoulder. One of these reveals a flat computer pocket with a padded false bottom; so if you drop the bag, it won’t land on the corner of your computer. The other reveals a “secret” pocket with a hidden zipper and access to the main compartment. All of the main compartment zippers are protected by security loops, which you thread the zipper through at the end of its run. This prevents anyone from subtly or quickly grabbing a zipper and opening your bag when you aren’t paying attention.

It’s comfortable to carry. The Allpa bag’s hip belt—which can be removed while the bag is on your back—is substantial enough that it’s comfortable to wear when you need it. With or without the hip belt, the Allpa bag is comfortable to carry over long distances. However, folks who have longer torsos (over 19 inches) may find that the waist belt sits a little high off the hips, unless you fully extend the shoulder straps. Speaking of shoulder straps, unlike the ones on our other picks, the Allpa bag’s straps are contoured to fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The Allpa pack is made with 1680-denier ballistic nylon, similar to the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . (Denier is a measure of a fabric’s fiber thickness.) It feels similar to a strong canvas, but it has a more prominent weave. This is the type of bag that’s as easy to toss into an overhead compartment as it is into the back of a rusty pickup truck. And it also includes a rainfly, which is unique in this category.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Though this pack is well organized for packing, it’s less ideal as a mobile office. The Allpa pack has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth. This is where a good personal item comes in handy. However, if you want to travel with just this one bag, there are a few nooks you can hide things in. The front organizer is deep enough that you can also fit several small organizing pouches, if you want, or the aforementioned fanny pack.
• We prefer the model without the TPU front. Cotopaxi does enjoy playing around with fabrics and colors. Sometimes the company has released the Allpa pack without the TPU-lined front panel. The TPU panel improves water resistance, but after many years of traveling with our bag, we’ve found that the TPU layering can begin to flake in spots.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight: 3 pounds 5 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: adventurous Colors: assorted

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind. Yet most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility, clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is a good choice for those carrying more expensive gear—especially camera gear. It’s also great for those who prefer a large, backpack-based packing system.

One bag provides many configurations. Some bags in this category are built to do one thing extremely well—be carried on your back. But the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is built to adapt. It’s the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. 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. That’s not the case with the Peak Design: This bag looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack.

It’s expandable, with clever folds and zippers. You can access the bag through a back panel (which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch) as well as a front one (if you unzip the pass-through divider). You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps, which run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters. If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. In this configuration, it will still feel larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for being able to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400-denier nylon and polyester fabrics. It feels tough but not as tough as some other bags we’ve tested, such as the Cotopaxi Allpa.

It has fold-away straps, for easier storage. The Peak Design lets you tuck its shoulder and hip straps away when you’re not using them. But unlike any other bag we’ve ever tested, this pack has magnetic flaps on the back panel that open and close with an almost magical snap. Once you’ve played with them, you’ll wonder why every backpack doesn’t have something similar. A small, childish part of me still gets excited about tucking away the straps when I put the Peak Design into an overhead bin. Although the straps are thin, they’re still comfortable. The hip belt isn’t quite as plush as the one on the Tortuga pack; still, even when the Peak Design is fully loaded, the belt doesn’t pinch or dig into the body.

It’s great for carrying expensive gear. If you travel with a camera, you don’t have to use Peak Design’s camera cubes , but they do make carrying that gear a whole lot easier. The cubes come in five 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. Caleigh Waldman (a photographer for this piece and, full disclosure, my spouse) took this bag across the country for a wedding shoot. “I want this backpack,” she said after three weeks of travel. “I want to travel with it everywhere. With my cameras. Without my cameras. It doesn’t matter. I want to travel with it.”

• It’s expensive—especially if you commit to the entire system of packing and camera cubes.
• More complexity means more things that can break. The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses. Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty , which should alleviate most people’s concerns. But if you’re particularly hard on your gear and still need to carry as much as possible, you might consider the Tortuga bag instead.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: back-panel loader Style: minimalist and unobtrusive Color: black, sage

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

Combines more organization with a simple interior.

This bag’s split interior makes organizing easy. Those who travel for work will appreciate this bag’s dedicated panels for organizing tech, books, papers, and assorted miscellaneous items.

If you travel often for business and prefer a bag that’s much easier to work out of than most of our other picks, you may like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L . This bag has a front panel and assorted pockets that make it feel like a small traveling office.

It’s built like luggage but organized like your office. Of all the bags we recommend, the MLC (short for Maximum Legal Carry) comes closest to being a suitcase on your back, due to its large size, simple interior, and minimal external features. The MLC is also one of the simplest bags we tested, divided into two leaves (imagine a book with only one page), with a main compartment for packing and a second compartment for document organization and tech storage. The MLC has a built-in laptop compartment that fits 17-inch laptops and is situated close to your back; this protects the computer and keeps its weight closer to your body.

Despite its size, it’s comfortable enough to carry. Most carry-on backpacks of this size, without frames, become somewhat unwieldy when fully packed. Thankfully, the Black Hole MLC bag, like the Cotopaxi Allpa, is a welcome exception to this rule. The MLC has two shoulder straps, a hip belt, and an optional shoulder strap, for easy carrying. When they're not in use, or when you’re checking your bag, all of the straps can be stowed away easily. When fully loaded, the bag was pleasant to carry—not as comfortable as the Peak Design or the Osprey, but decent enough. I wouldn’t want to carry it all day across a city, but I wouldn’t mind carrying it through an airport to a car and to a hotel.

It’s built from high-quality materials, with durability in mind. This pack is made from recycled polyester, and the fabric is woven in a cross-weave that’s very similar to what Patagonia uses in its long-lasting Black Hole series of duffle bags . This is a material I’ve come across a bunch with Patagonia gear, and I’ve tested it thoroughly; it’s very tough. The front of the bag is coated in a weather-resistant TPU, for extra protection from the elements. The bag has large YKK zippers (the industry leader) and smaller YKK zippers throughout. Unlike the Cotopaxi Allpa pack, the Black Hole MLC bag has no security loops.

It comes with one of the best repair programs and a lifetime warranty. Similar to our other picks, the MLC is backed by an excellent lifetime warranty , and we’ve always found that Patagonia’s repair program goes above and beyond other comparable companies.

• We wish the Maximum Legal Carry (despite the name) came in a few more sizes. The 45-liter capacity may be intimidating for some people, and there is no alternative.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 3 pounds 10 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell Style: retro Colors: tan, black, olive, green

Osprey Farpoint 40

For long distances on foot.

A great starter option for one-bag travel, this bag is easy to pack, adaptable to most situations, and sturdy enough to take with you as you travel the world.

Osprey Fairview 40

For long distances and smaller torsos.

A scaled-down version of the Farpoint, this bag has shoulder straps that are slightly lower, to keep the bag’s bulk more aligned with smaller torsos.

Updated in 2023, the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 packs are both built around a hiking backpack frame that’s easy to carry over long distances.

It’s built for travel but designed for hiking. The Farpoint 40 bag is well made, easy to pack, and comfortable to carry over most mid-length distances—such as walking across a city for an afternoon. (For simplicity’s sake, everything we say here about the Farpoint bag also applies to the Fairview bag.) Osprey makes excellent backpacks for hauling around, and its lifetime warranty is renowned within the industry . The Farpoint pack also has an optional messenger bag–style strap, which offers some flexibility when you’re maneuvering tight spaces like subways or crowded city centers.

It’s simple to pack, but not as spacious as it seems. Opening the bag reveals a clamshell design; it’s deep enough to accommodate most large items, yet you won’t have to fumble awkwardly with zippers once it’s time to close up the bag. The feeling you get is not unlike when you’re packing a bit of sturdy luggage, and that’s something we love about bags like this one—especially when you use packing cubes . Osprey says this bag, when fully packed, can carry 40 liters. But after using the Farpoint bag for a few years, we’ve decided that its rounded shape seems to cut into that theoretical packable space more than other bags do. In practice, the Farpoint pack’s available space is closer to—but still less than—that of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L .

It’s the easiest bag to carry among our picks. Like all Osprey bags, the Farpoint 40 has very comfortable shoulder straps. The years of design and consideration Osprey has put into its hiking backpacks are quite evident in the Farpoint 40. After more than seven years of long-term testing this bag, we’re still surprised by how great it feels to wear when fully packed. Crucially, the straps of the Farpoint 40 stow away neatly behind a zippered panel. However, when you’re using the shoulder straps, the design forces you to also use the hip straps. Though this isn’t a huge issue, if you prefer a sleeker look or would rather have the option of using shoulder straps without hip straps, the Cotopaxi Allpa pack is more flexible, and it lets you hide the waist straps while the bag is on your back.

The Fairview 40 has the same features, in a scaled-down size. The Farpoint 40 and the Fairview 40 packs basically have the same design, but the Fairview pack is made for someone with a more-diminutive torso. It’s also slightly lighter. However, it has the features and durability of the Farpoint bag. It also has the same hip belt and adjustability. On both, the chest-strap clip is also equipped with a small security whistle that’s surprisingly loud. It’s a handy feature for anyone traveling in unfamiliar environments.

• For a smaller carry-on travel backpack, this one has little to not like. However, we do wish Osprey would trade some of the sleeker contours for a little more interior space.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight (Farpoint): 3 pounds 3 ounces Weight (Fairview): 3 pounds 2 ounces Main compartment access: front-panel loader Style: active Colors (Farpoint): green (Gopher), gray (Tunnel Vision), blue (Muted Space), black Colors (Fairview): blue (Winter Night), red (Zircon), blue (Night Jungle), black

Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L

A suitcase to carry on your back.

For dedicated single-bag travelers, this water-resistant, durable bag is easy to pack and to travel with. And it’s comfortable to wear over endless miles—as long as you don’t mind the heavier weight.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L maximizes packing space in a bag that’s durable, water-resistant, and customizable to fit most torso lengths (there’s also a 30L version ), with plenty of organizational features to suit any digital nomad.

It’s like a suitcase, with backpack straps. The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L is built to occupy the maximum carry-on space available. It’s a nearly perfect blend of backpack and luggage. On the outside, its tear-resistant sailcloth and sealed zippers provide ample protection from sharp objects and the elements. Opening the main clamshell zipper reveals a cavernous interior and a few organizational features that make the bag a cinch to pack. The front panel is a particular standout, great for keeping track of electronics and chargers. Of all the bags we tested, the Tortuga strikes the closest balance between the carrying comfort of a hiking backpack and the space and organization of a piece of luggage.

It’s as easy to pack as luggage. When it comes to packing, the Tortuga pack has a soothingly minimal interior, as any good suitcase should. In addition to the bag’s cavernous main pocket, its interior lid has a large vented panel. The panel is too narrow to hold additional packing cubes, but it’s great for holding light jackets or doubling as a dirty-laundry bag (if you’re really committed to one-bag travel). The Tortuga is available as a 40-liter pack (the maximum space for a carry-on bag), which we tested; there is also a 30-liter version, which is compliant with some intra-European flights. The more-diminutive version is a decent choice for weekend travel or for minimalist travelers—but for those uses, we prefer the space-saving profile and extra internal organization of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L bag.

It’s very customizable. The Tortuga pack is the most adjustable model we tested, thanks to its adjustable torso length, shoulder straps, and waist-belt system. The adjustable strap system lets you manipulate the location of the shoulder straps (video) to fit a wider variety of body sizes, in both the 30- and 40-liter versions. Of the packs we’ve tested, this one (with its included load-adjuster straps at the top, to prevent the bag’s weight from sagging toward your lumbar region) is the best at distributing its weight (4½ pounds when empty—roughly 1½ pounds more than most of our other picks, except the Peak Design ). The hip straps are removable if you need, but the shoulder straps are not stowable.

• Its straps don’t stow away. Some people, especially those who are hard on their gear, may consider not being able to remove or stow the shoulder straps (as they can with our other picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa ) a disqualifying factor. But after years of testing, traveling with, and occasionally checking our bag, we haven’t had an issue. However, if these mysteries beneath the airport also make you nervous, you might prefer our picks with easy-to-stow straps, such as the Peak Design.
• It's heavy. We’ve fielded complaints from some testers who said that older models of this bag were too heavy for them to carry, even with the padded hip belt and adjustable straps. The additional padding does add weight. At 4½ pounds, this latest Tortuga bag is more than half a pound lighter than it used to be (the difference is noticeable), and it weighs the same as the equally large Peak Design pack. We are currently testing a new, lighter, and less-expensive version of this pack—aptly named the Travel Backpack Lite 40L —and will report back soon.  In the meantime, if you think you would struggle carrying the Tortuga, we strenuously encourage you to consider one of our more-manageable picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L.

Capacity: 40 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: minimal, with a rigid construction Color: black

If you want to travel like a backpacker but also fit in at a board meeting (and you have the budget for it): Consider the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . This bag’s reputation for durability, adaptability, and a low-key aesthetic make it a favorite among many dedicated one-bag travelers. And after testing it, we think it’s a great bag too. That said, for the bag to really stand out against other backpacks—and to take full advantage of its carrying adaptability—you need to buy the internal frame , the hip belt , and (if you’re traveling with a suit or jacket) the shoulder strap . On a bag that already costs $330, all of this adds up. Everything about the Tom Bihn bag (the fabric, the zippers, the quality of construction) feels like an upgrade from other bags, but it’s simply too pricey, and its design is too rarified and specific for most people. The biggest flaw, from our perspective—apart from the price—is that the Tom Bihn bag lacks a dedicated laptop pocket. 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. Not everyone needs a dedicated laptop pocket, but we prefer the more secure feeling of bags that do.

We’ve narrowed our specifications for a great bag to the following list of features, ordered from most relevant to least:

• Front- or back-panel loader or clamshell opening, for the main compartment: As with any good piece of luggage, with this type of bag, you should be able to open it and see everything you’ve packed. When you have a bag with a panel-loading or clamshell design—rather than a traditional, top-opening design—you can pack and unpack it just as you would a suitcase.

• Backpack strap comfort and design: You never know when you’ll be walking farther with your bag than you’d intended. The more comfortable and well designed the straps are, the easier traveling will be. “Ideally, you want a bag’s shoulder straps to adjust to the angle of your shoulders,” said Eytan Levy of Snarky Nomad. “Good shoulder straps are the difference between an easy trip and a hard trip.”
• Hip-belt comfort and design: A hip belt transfers heavy loads from your back and shoulders onto your hips, letting your legs—not your back—bear the brunt of the weight. Just having a waist belt is a plus, but having a padded and sculpted one—especially on bags with over 40 liters of volume—makes a world of difference.
• Material quality: Durability is critical for any type of luggage, but especially for a backpack that will be your only bag. Most bags worth considering are made of nylon, which resists abrasion more than polyester fabrics of similar density. Spending more, however, can get you exotic, light, and strong materials, such as Dyneema or sailcloth.
• Weight: Once the bags arrived, we weighed each one ourselves. Most of the bags weighed within a few pounds of one another. But unless you’re very strict with yourself, by the time you’re packed for a two-week journey, all bags are going to feel equally massive, even if one is just 2 pounds heavier than another when empty.
• Stowable straps: These are nice to have, but they aren’t absolutely necessary. “The more often you need to check a bag, the more often you need to hide away the straps,” Levy said. “But if the straps are tough enough, it doesn’t matter.”
• Accessory pocket layout and design: Some people will love an accessory pocket that has a specific space for everything; others may find that feature constricting and unadaptable. We prioritized bags with simple designs that guided our packing without constraining us.
• Style: This is purely subjective. We preferred bags that had a minimalist exterior style, but not all of our picks will please everyone. Most of the people we spoke with, however, preferred not to stick out like a tourist wearing a large, colorful backpack, if they could avoid it.

During testing, we flew across the country with these bags, took weekend trips to nearby cities, lived out of them on extended trips, and tried them locally in our daily routines. We also packed and unpacked each bag, using a standardized set of weeklong travel necessities and accessories, to see how well the internal organizational features (or lack thereof) aided or got in the way of efficient packing.

This is not a comprehensive list of all of the carry-on travel backpacks we have tested. We have removed any models that have been discontinued or that no longer meet our criteria.

The Away Outdoor Convertible Backpack 45L is a rare miss from the Away team. This bag is resoundingly average for the price. Although it’s made from excellent materials, the bag is let down by its overall design, which lacks any kind of structure or attention to comfort. There are better options.

The cheap, no-frills Cabin Max Metz bag is intriguing for the price. Any bag at this price should almost be considered disposable. That said, if you need a simple bag that costs less than a seat upgrade, this might be the way to go.

The GeniusPack Travel Backpack is the only model we came across that tried to fit a suit into a travel backpack. Though some people might need that, we think those who have to travel with a suit (or clothes that require pressing) would be better off with a piece of carry-on luggage . GeniusPack now offers a second version of this bag, but our conclusion hasn’t changed.

For certain people, the GoRuck GR3 is almost worth the cost. It’s strong and simple and covered by an iron-clad repair guarantee. The removable hip belt is comfortable to wear, and it’s good at displacing the weight of a 45-liter backpack. This is a decent bag. After testing it, however, we weren’t thrilled with the internal Velcro lining for compatible Velcro packing cubes. Velcro isn’t great: It wears out, it’s difficult to keep clean, and it clings to dirt. That might seem like a small thing, but for the price, this bag should feel perfect.

The Minaal Carry-On 2.0 was designed to be a backpack for business people. But if you’re carrying it for business, you’re probably wearing at least a blazer, so you wouldn’t use a backpack in any case. If you’re a business traveler who falls more on the casual end of the business-casual spectrum, and you’re not on a budget, this is a well-thought-out pack. But we think our picks are more versatile for world travel, and they come at a better price. Minaal has since introduced a 3.0 version of this bag ; our thoughts about it remain the same.

The Osprey Sojourn Porter 46L is a slightly larger sibling of the Farpoint pack. The Sojourn Porter bag is about 2 inches longer, and it pushes right up to most airline limits. If you don’t mind possibly having to check your bag at the last minute, this would be an excellent alternative to the Farpoint pack.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Chase Reeves, Matterful.co , phone interview , October 10, 2018

Addison Ryan, moderator, r/onebag , email interview , September 8, 2018

Lindsay Lorraine Calderón, moderator, r/heronebag , phone interview , September 28, 2018

Meet your guide

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

Further reading

The Best Travel Backpack

by Geoffrey Morrison

For trips ranging from a week to multiple months, the Osprey Farpoint 55 and Fairview 55 carried everything we needed comfortably.

The Best Buy It for Life Backpack (Please Don’t Call It Tactical)

by Kit Dillon

A buy-it-for-a-lifetime backpack should last you for years of heavy use. But as with all investments, you need to decide if it makes sense for you.

Wirecutter’s Favorite Bags, Totes, Backpacks and Carryalls

by Truth Headlam

Whether you’re going to school, work, the gym, the store, or on vacay, you need a bag. Here’s the Wirecutter-recommended carrying gear we love most.

I Took 5 Trips in 6 Months. My Go-To Weekender Bag Was This Surprisingly Spacious Backpack.

by Elissa Sanci

Struggling to pack for your weekend away? The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L fits so much more than you’d expect.

• Meet the Team
• Our Manifesto
• Work with Us
• Budget Travel
• Personal Development
• Work & Travel
• United Kingdom
• More of Europe
• Philippines
• More of Southeast Asia
• More of South America
• More of Central America
• South Korea
• More of Asia
• More of North America
• New Zealand
• Pacific Islands
• More of Oceania
• South Africa
• More of Africa
• More of the Middle East
• Travel Essentials
• Travel Gear

Home » Gear » HONEST Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L Review: (2024)

HONEST Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L Review: (2024)

How’s it going my fellow broke backpacker gear junkies? We’re back this week with a look at Tortuga’s 40L Travel Backpack.

Travelers come in many shapes and sizes, so it’s no surprise no two people are going to have the same preferences when it comes to finding the perfect travel backpack. Luckily, you have unsung heroes like me here to take the worry and stress out of selecting a bag online. Just kidding, but I do hope this can provide a little help when you’re picking your next pack.

When I travel, I typically bring the same few items every time. Aside from clothes, my laptop and journals will always find their way into one of my bags. I’ll level with you on this pack right away, Tortuga hit all my personal marks on this one.

With a tech compartment that houses everything that I need neatly in an organized fashion, while giving me the interior space to pack how I feel necessary on a trip-to-trip basis, this truly is a well thought out design for whatever kind of traveler you may be.

But I’ll let you decide if this is the pack for you or not, let’s take a look into what the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L is all about.

The Broke Backpacker is supported by you . Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more .

Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L Review Quick Answers: Specs

• Price : $349.00
• Volume : 40 liters
• Weight :  4.5 lbs 
• Material : SHELL200D Recycled Polyester
• Laptop Compartment : Yes
• Carry-On Compliant : Yes

What I Liked About the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L

• Durable Material
• Padded Laptop and Tablet Compartment
• Adjustable Back Panel
• Cushioned Shoulder Straps and Hip Belt

What I Didn’t Like About the Tortuga Backpack 40L

• No Compression straps on the right inside of the main compartment
• Inside Zipper feels backward

Do You Want to Travel FOREVER??

Pop your email in below to get a FREE copy of ‘How to Travel the World on $10 a Day!’.

Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L Review: Key Features and Performance Breakdown

Interior Organization

The Tortuga Travel Backpack offers a ton of organizational features once you dive into the backpack, and I feel like one section summarizing all of it wouldn’t be fair to the work and thought I think Tortuga put into crafting this travel backpack . So, because I love you all, I broke this bad boy down into more depth below, so have a crack at it.

Laptop Compartment

Something I’ve noticed a lot of lately is companies finding new and creative ways to incorporate your potential tech needs into your carry-on luggage. In the past, I would typically carry a large carry-on duffel bag for clothes alongside my 20L Black Diamond Day Pack, housing all my electronics and journals. Needless to say, I was extremely unorganized and did not provide the love and protection for my laptop one may expect from a digital nomad. 

So all that to say, when there’s a dedicated laptop sleeve offering protection for my 16” laptop (a size not all bags could handle with such grace) it’s a big deal. This Tortuga backpack’s laptop compartment is also home to a dedicated tablet sleeve that can hold up to a 12.9” tablet, an internal zipper pocket to house charging cords, and even has enough space left over to throw in a keyboard if that’s your jam. 

This laptop/tech compartment is also the section closest to your back, so pickpocketers will have a hell of a time trying to reach over the rest of the pack to get to your goods. Not to mention the YKK Zippers are lockable, giving you an extra layer of protection if you deem is necessary.

The laptop compartment is also very well padded, so you can leave the laptop case at home and save on some pack weight.

The Main Compartment

The main compartment resembles that of your standard carry-on suitcase , in that it unzips entirely to expose two large, bucket style compartments. This is a design that may have been around for a while, but this was my first time using a backpack like this.

The right side is an open design, featuring no zippers or compression straps, just a good ole’ deep section to pack into. The left side is completely covered by a mesh panel, allowing you to secure your belongings down a little more. 

Let me breakdown some quick pros and cons, in my humble opinion, about this backpack.

Okay so starting out with pros, if you pack strategically, you should be able to get a week or longer out of this thing. The open design really gives you the ability to pack the way you like to, with options to fit their packing cubes for some extra organization, should you desire. 

Coincidently, I find the openness to be a bit of a con as well. The right side can really only be secured down, or rather organized, if you purchase the packing cubes. I think the inclusion of some sort of compression straps to give a little extra hold would’ve been really nice. Though keep in mind that this section is also the back of the backpack, so when you’re opening up this backpack you’ll more times than not have it lying flat on a bed or table. 

The other small issue I had with this main compartment was the left zippered side. The zipper feels like it’s the wrong way almost, making it difficult to access things on that side without completely opening the backpack. This isn’t the biggest deal, I would just recommend not packing anything on that side you think you may need quick access to while on the go. 

Overall I think the minimalist approach was a good choice, allowing you to pack the way you want with options to upgrade organizationally as you please.

Front Storage Compartment

The front storage compartment is the icing on the cake when it comes to all the internal storage options this pack brings to the table. 

Starting with the fleece-lined smart device sleeve, it’s the perfect size for you to throw your smartphone or kindle in when on the go. There are also dedicated spots for credit cards and pens, saving you the hassle of digging through what can sometimes feel like a bottomless pit of junk. There’s also a mesh pocket that perfectly fits a passport or wallet, as well as a zippered pocket to house any cords or headphones you may want to bring along.

Another feature I really enjoyed with this front storage compartment was the extra space below all the organizational pockets. I typically travel with a large journal and two smaller ones to jot down any notes or thoughts I have while on the go. While I did opt to keep the larger journal in the back with my laptop, the two smaller ones fit with ease in the front area.

Additionally on the front of the bag, attached to the front compartment, there’s another small stuff area with a side zipper access point. This portion does cut into the front storage space a little, but you should still be able to throw a journal or hat inside without too many repercussions. 

The Exterior

Tortuga has upgraded from their previous backpack model’s material, X-Pac VX21, to their new SHELL200D. This new material is comprised of three layers of laminated sailcloth (per their website): 

• Recycled polyester face fabric with C0 DWR treatment
• 45° recycled polyester cross-ply
• Recycled ripstop polyester backing fabric

This material was originally created for use as the sails of racing boats, but Tortuga deemed it worthfully of racing you through the airport and all your travels. The material is also 100% recycled, in case you needed another reason to love this pack.

I really like the look of this material as well, with their black logo hiding in the matte black material, it truly looks and feels great. 

The exterior also features two water bottle pockets, allowing you to stay hydrated on the go. They stretch to allow different sized bottles, though I wasn’t about to fit my 64oz Hydro Flask in there. But again, a 64oz metal bottle is rather large and I don’t ever travel with it, so take that with a grain of salt. 

Fit and Sizing

Starting out with fit, this backpack feels really good on your shoulders and back, as the thick mesh shoulder straps and hip belt make for a comfortable ride.  

Another really cool feature that I’ve never seen before was the adjustable back panel. With backpacks from brands such as Osprey and Gregory, you will typically get fitted for a pack that best suits your build, resulting in the same pack varying in back frame sizes of Small, Medium, Large, and so on. But Tortuga has found a way to more or less create a one-size-fits-all pack by incorporating an adjustable back panel with the ability to slide up and down, making sure it sits on your back perfectly.

Combining this feature with the hip belt, it was nice to really get the weight off my back and onto my hips, resulting in a rather pleasant backpack experience. 

Carry Options

While the obvious carry option is the shoulder straps attached to the pack, Tortuga also tossed in a couple of handles for those times you want to slip through the airplane walkway without smacking poor fellow travelers. 

The first is placed on the top of the bag between the tech compartment and main compartment zippers, giving a balanced feel in your hand. Most backpack top handles are stitched onto the back panel of the pack as though it was an afterthought, so I did like the forethought to allow this pack to be handled like your typical luggage. 

The second is on the side of the bag, allowing the bag to be held sideways like a traditional suitcase or duffel bag. 

Weight and Capacity

Quick answer:.

• Weight : 4.5 lbs
• Capacity : 40 liters

Long Answer:

Offering 40 liters of space and a ton of different packing options, I think 4.5 lbs is extremely reasonable. I also think if you’re traveling with this type of backpack, you’re more than likely not standing on a scale and watching every last pound going into your pack. 

Tortuga says this is perfect for trips a week or longer, and I would agree. Unless you like bringing your entire flat along with you, this bag offers more than enough space and packing options to comfortably hold your clothes and electronics.

I was even able to fit my AeroPress in alongside my belongings, so add coffee gear to the list of packing options I suppose. 

Toughness and Durability

The SHELL200D feels as tough and durable as the specs lead it on to be. With the addition of the YKK Zippers, Woojin Buckles, and the waterproof nature of the material, you don’t have to worry about your belongings getting damaged in a surprise storm. 

Another thing sometimes overlooked is how easily some packs can pick up dirt. I tossed this thing on the ground when packing it, as well is carried it around the desert while I was there, and a couple lights pats cleaned this thing right up. Maybe you like a dirty bag, but people sharing the overhead space on the plane will probably appreciate this thing not taking your last adventure home with you. 

Now odds are when you’re traveling, this pack will be close by your side or on your back the majority of the time. But for those time you want to leave this thing behind or add an extra layer of security, the YKK zippers include small holes for you to throw a lock on there. 

Also, I’m not sure if you would consider this security, but I do like that the tech compartment is located against your back, giving you one less this to worry about someone trying to access it without you feeling or knowing about it.  

Tortuga Travel Backpack Aesthetics

Tying back to my earlier comments about the matte black look, I personally think this bag looks great. I like to travel under the radar when possible, and this bag isn’t flashy or attention seeking. 

I also really enjoy the sailcloth material, as I don’t feel like I’m carrying a massive cube of a suitcase on my back. Where some companies have tried to accomplish similar goals yet produce massive turtle-shell-looking bags, this flexible material looks and feels more organic to travel around in.

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Is The Tortuga Travel Backpack Worth The Price?

You will have noticed that this pack does not come cheap. In fact at $349 its decidedly bloody expensive so the question inevitably arises as to whether or not its worth it.

The answer is never quite so clear as a straightforward yes or no and the truth is more nuanced. In our view, good quality travel gear is worth investing in. We are the kind of travellers who use our gear a lot and spend large chunks of time living out of backpacks and cases so we well and truly value them. The Tortuga Travel Backpack has enough good features and is made from high quality materials to justify the price tag in our experience but we know that it is simply going to be over the budget of some potential buyers.

Just remember that if you do opt for a cheaper piece of gear then you will end up having to replace it within a few years whereas the Tortuaga Travel Backpack is built to last for life – in fact it comes with a pretty strong lifetime warranty…

The Tortuga Lifetime Warranty

Tortuga offers a Worldwide Warranty promising protection against defects in materials and craftsmanship for as long as you own the pack. If it fails on you due to a defect, they’ll repair it, replace it, or refund you. A little piece of mind when trekking around never hurt anyone, and with a company that stands behind its products, you can be that much more confident in your investment.

We feel that this alone says a hell of a lot about the sheer quality of this pack and we hope you keep this in mind when mulling over the price tag.

The Tortuga Travel Pack Vs The Rest

Not connivced yet? Want to know how the Tortuga Travel Pack compares against its rivals? Well let’s now take a moment to see how the Tortuga Travel Pack 40L compares to other, similar packs. 

Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

When I first saw the new Tortuga Travel pack 40l, my initial thought was that it was reminiscent of Nomatics 40l travel backpack.  Both travel packs are designed for carry on, utilize space in the same way, offer similar packing options and the laptop sleeves feel similar too. Further, both are  sleek and stylish, both fashioned from high quality materials and both at a similar price point.

In all honesty I struggle to choose between the two. Both are great. If you want to know more about the Nomatic then check out our detailed Nomatic Travel Bag review.

TropicFeel Shell Backpack

If you are after something a bit different, then check out the Shell Backpack by TropicFeel. It’s basically a highly innovative backpack that adapts from a 22l daypack into a 40l travel pack. The most novel feature is probably the “pull out wardrobe” which makes packing and staying organized seriously efficient. 

It also has an attachable toiletry bag, is carry on ready and uses excellent materials. Well worth the €200 price. Read our TropicFeel Shell review for more deets.

Psst! There’s a new bag on the market, the Tortuga Travel Backpack Lite , check it out.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

Pop your email here & get the original Broke Backpacker Bible for FREE.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L: The Verdict

If you’re looking to get away from the roller suitcase, but keep the same packing capabilities and style, I think this pack will be your new best friend. 

This pack really allows you to ditch the traditional suitcase and throw everything you could need into one sleek bag. I’m a big fan of the Tech Compartment and suitcase/backpack hybrid design. I would definitely recommend this bag to anyone looking for a good on-the-go pack for week trips, businessmen and nomads alike.

Thanks for checking out my review of the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L, happy travels.

Made it this far? You get 15% OFF to book a place to stay ! Offer valid exclusively for Broke Backpackers 😉

Aiden Freeborn

Share or save this post

Thanks for the review, Aiden. We hope you like the new bag.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.

Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack review

Like many digital nomads, we like to travel with carry-on-luggage only — and that is why we bought ourselves each a Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack. Read our review and find out how well this backpack is made.

W hen we decided to become digital nomads, we knew that we had to get rid of most of our belongings and travel only with the most necessary things. In the beginning, Alina had her doubts if she would be able to fit everything into one bag. Turns out: It’s not that hard once you realise that you don’t necessarily have to carry around so much stuff you won’t ever use.

Why we chose the Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack

Minimalism has fascinated Deian for quite some time. In 2016, he proposed to give the one-bag-challenge a chance. We started looking for a travel backpack that would meet the requirements of European airlines.

Another important criterium for us was a separate laptop compartment for our laptops. A normal backpack wouldn’t have worked for us.

Update : The Tortuga Air 2 is out of stock and not for sale anymore. You can still buy one of the newer models directly from Tortuga .

After a few days of research, we narrowed down the list of backpacks to the Tortuga Air 2, Minaal Carry-on 2.0 and Osprey Farpoint 40. While we loved the Minaal from the first time we laid eyes on it online, the price was a bit too much for us. Not necessarily the price for the bag itself but the costs involved in importing it. Of course, the same goes for the other two companies since they are all from the US; however, at the time, Tortuga had a huge sale and the Air 2 was insanely cheap.

After we had done some calculations and established the cost of importing two Tortuga Air 2 backpacks, we started reading reviews. Of course, a good price is important, but the carry-on still had to be really good.

Not only were there many positive reviews on the Tortuga website (which has been redesigned in the meantime and the reviews are gone now), people on Amazon and also many fellow digital nomads, adventurers and other travellers seemed to love this backpack from Tortuga.

We had read enough and knew that it was perfect for us. So we ordered two Tortuga Air 2 and two rain covers to keep the backpacks dry in case of a nasty storm.

Packing the Tortuga Air 2 for the first time

Alina’s first thought when we got our hands on the Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack:

It looks a lot smaller than I imagined it to be.

Indeed, it did. But here is the thing: The backpack is 27 litres big in its normal form and can expand to up to 35 litres.

Well, I still don’t think I will be able to fit everything inside it.

After a short conversation, we knew we had to test the Tortuga Air 2 to truly measure its potential. And so we did a few weeks later.

At the end of 2016, we travelled to The Netherlands and Belgium, where we spent one week in each country (our travel stories will follow soon). This was the first time we had been travelling with only one bag and it turned out to be a lot of fun. We would have never imagined how flexible you can be with just a backpack on your shoulders. Casually check in at the airport, board the plane, get off and go to your destination; no more waiting for your luggage, no more praying that it arrived undamaged.

What did we pack for two weeks?

  Total weight : 6.8kg (14.99lbs)

Total weight : 7.1kg (15.65lbs)

Things we shared : Hand and moisturising creme, toothpaste, mouthwash, shower gel, shampoo and perfume.

Our first trip with the Tortuga Air 2 carry-on backpack

In the pictures above, you might have noticed that we didn’t optimise a lot besides compressing our underwear in a zip bag. We still managed to stuff everything we needed in it for two weeks; one backpack wasn’t even fully expanded.

The first test was obviously to see how the material would hold up. We flew from Timisoara ( Romania ) to Weeze ( Germany ) and took a Flixbus to Antwerp. Once we arrived, it started raining like crazy. Great, we thought, let’s test those rain covers.

From the train station where the Flixbus leaves you in Antwerp, we had to walk half an hour to our Airbnb host. The Tortuga Air 2 was completely dry when we arrived. So far, so good.

The following day, we transformed Deian’s Tortuga Air into a daypack because we didn’t have one at the time, so his carry-on had to do the job. Thankfully, the Air 2 isn’t terribly big and, once you stuff it with some cloths and water bottles, it is comfortable on your back — and of course, our laptops where always with us.

Still, we didn’t initially plan to use our carry-ons as daypacks. But we didn’t find a daypack we liked before we left Romania so we had to improvise. To our surprise, the Tortuga Air 2 is a pretty okay daypack, although a bit too big to be used all the time.

After one week in Antwerp, we took another Flixbus to Nijmegen (Netherlands). We spent six days in the beautiful city and, once again, used one Tortuga Air as a daypack. The laptop compartment turned out to be incredibly useful during our travels. Deian even pulled out his MacBook Pro on the ride from Antwerp to Nijmegen and wrote a few articles for his clients.

The small compartment on top is being used by us for our Olympus OMD-E M10 Mark II camera; it fits perfectly and snug in there and can easily be pulled out for a quick shot.

Tortuga Air 2: Compartments and comfort

After our two weeks long journey, we evaluated the quality of the Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack and came to the conclusion, that it was quite comfortable and practical. It has padded straps, a chest strap and a nice padding against your back. It doesn’t have a hip belt, which you only get if you buy the big brother Tortuga Outbreaker. However, the Air 2 is not that big so we don’t think that it’s necessary.

It is very important, however, to distribute the weight correctly:

• heavy items should be near your back and at the bottom
• make sure that they’re distributed evenly
• put items you need often in the front compartment

The many compartments of the Tortuga Air 2 are enough for our needs. There is, of course, a separate one  for your laptop and in the front pocket, you can stuff all sorts of cables, your wallet, your Nintendo Switch , passport and other small things. The side pocket for the water bottle could be a bit larger, we think.

6 months later: How the Tortuga Air 2 carry-on backpack holds up

The first time we used our Tortuga Air backpacks, it was pretty cold and rainy. We didn’t want to rush a review because the carry-ons had to be put to a proper test. Half a year later, we’ve used them on all our trips in different conditions. How did the backpack hold up?

Well, we can comfortably say that it not only met our expectations but also exceeded them. We couldn’t find a single fault, nothing tore apart or got damaged so far. Of course, we do take very good care of any product we use, but the Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack still seems to be a very robust carry-on. We highly recommend getting a rain cover and using it even when it doesn’t rain because it protects the backpack in harsh environments. Buying a new rain cover is much cheaper than a new Tortuga Air 2.

Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack giveaway

At this point, you should have realised that we are huge fans of the Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack. In fact, we like the carry on so much that we’re giving a brand new one away. Enter our Tortuga Air 2 travel backpack giveaway below for a chance to win. The giveaway runs until August 8th, 2017.

Update : Our giveaway has ended. Thank you to all participants and congratulations to the lucky winner.

Tortuga Backpack Review

I am a lover of backpacks and I have way too many and have tested more than I ever really needed to over the years. However, I have always been on a quest to find the best backpack. After backpacking around Europe in college with top-loader packs that were uncomfortable and awkward I’ve always been after a better backpack.

That is why I really appreciate what Fred and Jeremy created at Tortuga Backpacks. They backpacked around Eastern Europe from Germany down to the islands of Croatia with backpacks that didn’t get the job done. This led them to creating the perfect backpacks to fit what travelers really want.

They created a great line of backpacks for travelers that come in three sizes: The Travel Backpack, the Tortuga Air, and a Daypack. 3 sizes for 3 types of traveling.

Let’s take a look at what they have to offer in this Tortuga Backpack Review.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack

This backpack is versatile and fits everything you need for a trip in a carry-on. Whether you are traveling for 1 week or on a round-the-world adventure this is a great choice.

Who is the Tortuga good for?

• Backpackers
• Long-term travelers
• Carry-on only travelers
• Short Term Vacations (longer than a weekend)
• Tech-savvy travelers

I would use this backpack for any type of trip where I need more than a weekend (or long weekend) worth of clothing. It would be ideal for week-long trips and will save you money when you aren’t paying those bag checking fees.

Key Features

• Front Loading
• Adjustable Straps
• Laptop Sleeve (up to 17″)
• Padded straps
• Carry-on sized

More Photos and Info on Tortuga Backpacks

Tortuga air carry on backpack.

The Air weighs 34% less than the Tortuga but  carries 60-80% as much stuff . It is a little smaller and lighter but really gets the job done. This bag is perfect for a long weekend or for those the really know how to pack light.

Who is the Air good for?

• Anyone who needs a smaller/lighter version of the Tortuga
• Travelers frequently traveling for business
• Travelers taking shorter trips

Realistically, this bag could still work for long-term travel. It all depends how well you pack or how much you really need.

• Laptop Sleeve
• Expansion Zipper (to fit one more thing)
• Mesh divider for clothes
• Locking zippers

I would carry this pack for a long-weekend or even for a full week. I enjoy packing light when possible and this is the Tortuga Air is perfect for that.

More Photos and Info About the Tortuga Air

Tortuga packable daypack.

The Tortuga Daypack is the newest pack from Tortuga. It is the smallest and lightest from the line and meant to be your daypack in the city or even on a short hike. Why is this daypack awesome? It folds into itself. Meaning you can pack it away in your other Tortuga backpack and you are still only carrying one bag wherever you go. Once you arrive unpack it and pack your camera, water bottle, sunglasses, and a guide book and start exploring.

What is the Daypack Good For?

• Exploring the city
• Taking your small items with you for the day
• This is an ideal pack for any situation

Daypacks are my favorite types of backpacks because they are with you the most when you travel. Your larger backpack is with you at the airport and on the way to the hotel. Once you drop it off your daypack is the most important pack for the entire trip. Make it a good one.

• Very light weight
• Folds into itself
• Built-in organizer
• It is packable in your other luggage

This daypack is great for anyone. It goes on pre-sale in March.

More Photos and Info About the Tortuga Daypack

All three Tortuga Backpacks offer something a little different. If you need a little more space but still need a carry-on only backpack the Tortuga is best for you. If you are a great packer and aspiring minimalist go for the slightly smaller and lighter Tortuga Air .

The Daypack is a great combo with any piece of luggage. Pack it away and use it when you arrive at your destination.

It is hard to find a flaw with these packs. They are all great options for everyday travelers, backpackers, and adventurers who want a stylist and versatile backpack to carry on their next trip.

Check Out More on Tortuga

Clint Johnston

I have been traveling to over 100 countries by using the methods I share on this site. My goal is to maximize every trip and make the most of my adventures. Join me on Instagram.

Best 7 Guest Houses in Seoul

City guide: 72 hours in london, you may also like, getting started, how to book cheap flights anywhere in the..., get all your dslr gear in one awesome..., kayak hacker fares, earn miles when you give to united way, how to rent a vacation home, how to hack airplane wi-fi, how to travel hack your accommodation, hacking your laptop battery life, cheapest days to fly and best time to....

Air Travel Tips to Know Before Your Fly 

Published December 20, 2022

Written by:

Ben Beck is the director of marketing at Tortuga Backpacks. He is a recovering full-time RVer who traveled all around...

Jeremy Michael Cohen

Jeremy Michael Cohen is a co-founder of Tortuga. He also works as a screenwriter and director. Aside from travel and...

The Tortuga Promise

At Tortuga, our mission is to make travel easier. Our advice and recommendations are based on years of travel experience. We only recommend products that we use on our own travels.

Table of Contents

Which Airport to Fly Into by Destination

The most popular destinations in the world usually have more than one airport to choose from. Check out our guides to help you find the best airports to fly into for your next trip to these top cities.

• Guide to Airports in Bangkok
• Guide to Airports in Chicago
• Guide to Airports in Los Angeles
• Guide to Airports in New York City
• Guide to Airports in Paris
• Guide to Airports in San Francisco
• Guide to Airports in Washington DC

Air Travel Tips

Have you ever sat in an airport watching other travelers walk by? You’ll notice some people make air travel look easy while the majority are rushing through the airport looking stressed. Here are the tips and tricks we’ve learned that make flying a whole lot easier and enjoyable.

Airport Tips

• Get Airport Lounge Access
• Get Upgraded to First Class
• Guide to Europe Budget Airlines
• How to Sleep on a Plane
• Airplane Travel Pillows
• Airport Outfits to Wear
• How to Pack for Your Long Haul Flight
• How to Choose Travel Insurance
• Cheapest Rides to the Airport

Airplane Food

• Healthy Snacks to Bring on a Plane
• Inflight Meals by Airline  

Backpacks by Traveler Type

The right luggage for you depends on who you are and how you travel. Here are a few luggage guides for common types of travelers.

• Digital Nomad Travel Backpacks
• One Bag Travel Backpacks
• Commuter Backpacks
• Business Travel Backpacks – Guide to Choosing a Business Backpack
• Women’s Travel Backpacks – Guide to Women Finding the Perfect Fit 
• Men’s Travel Backpacks – Guide to Choosing a Travel Backpack
• What is the Best Size for a Travel Backpack?
• What’s the Best Backpack Suitcase Combo?

Luggage Tips for Air Travel 

Having the right type of luggage for your travels can make packing, boarding planes, and heading off on your next adventure easier and less stressful. The best way to travel is with carry-on-only backpacks. Check out all our resources to help you make the transition to carry-on-only travel. 

How to Transition From Checked to Carry On Only

• Go From Two Checked Bags to Only One
• Check a Smaller Bag and Use a Carry On Backpack
• Use a Carry On Backpack and Personal Item 

Carry On Travel Backpacks 

• Shop Carry On Luggage
• Guide to Carry On Weight Limits
• Guide to Carry On Luggage Size
• Ultimate Carry On Packing List
• Is a Backpack a Carry On?
• How to Pack Two Carry On Bags and Get Away With It
• Carry Ons vs. Personal Items
• How to Travel With a Laptop in Your Carry On

Personal Item Luggage

• Shop Underseat Luggage
• Personal Item Sizes by Airline
• How to Travel with Just a Personal Item
• Ultimate Personal Item Packing List
• Is a Backpack a Personal Item?
• Is a Duffle Bag a Personal Item?

Related Articles

• Travel Backpacks
• Travel Gear

Carry On Backpacks Sizes: How to Choose the Best One

Your Guide to Carry On Weight Limits (and How Not to Exceed Them)

Tortuga travel backpack pro $350.

Max Carry On Size

Ben Beck is the director of marketing at Tortuga Backpacks. He is a recovering full-time RVer who traveled all around the USA and now lives in Texas.   He also enjoys exploring National Parks, eating tacos, and traveling with the family.

Read more from Ben

Find the perfect pack for your next trip

Take Our Bag Finder Quiz To Find
The Perfect Bag For Your Next Trip

Find your perfect pack: Take the Quiz

Item added to your cart

Laptop Backpack - FINAL SALE

Personal-Item-Sized

Comfortable to carry, built to last.

The personal item backpack for carrying your computer and in-flight essentials.

Reach everything you need during your flight without opening your carry on. When you land, use the bag for a day of sightseeing or for working from a cafe. When you’re not on the road, use it as your work backpack.

Last Call: All sales are final. No returns.

Couldn't load pickup availability

Shipment starts on {DATE_WILL_BE_SHOWN_HERE}

• Free Shipping
• Helpful Support
• Worldwide Warranty

Hear What Travelers Have to Say

• Fits under the seat in front of you
• Meets airlines’ personal item size limits
• Luggage handle pass-through sleeve for hands-free carry on a suitcase
• Top grab handle

• Wide opening main compartment for easy access
• Secure, dual-access electronics compartment
• Padded, fleece-lined sleeves for your laptop and tablet
• Two expandable water bottle pockets
• Quick-access top pocket with key clip
• Flat front pocket for your Kindle or notebook
• Interior organizer panel

• Cushioned shoulder straps for comfort
• EVA molded back panel
• Adjustable sternum strap to balance the load

• Durable, waterproof fabric won’t rip or tear
• Lockable, water-resistant zippers
• Best-in-class buckles and hardware
• Backed by our Worldwide Warranty

Personal item (Fits under the seat)

19.1 x 10.8 x 7.1 in 48.5 x 27.5 x 18 cm

2.1 lb 0.95 kg

Up to 16” laptop and 12.9” tablet

YKK zippers, Woojin buckles

Love the laptop access from side or top, love the zipper angling back for easy tech reach, love the new wide and deep water bottle pockets, great back padding and strap padding, love the luggage strap to slide over a rolling luggage handle, lots of room while still sleek and comfortable.

The laptop bag is fantastic for everyday use. As an owner of one of the Tortuga travel backpacks, I was looking for a smaller option that I could use daily and for weekend trips. The bag has a sleek design and is nicely sized. What I particularly like is the side zipper that provides easy access to the laptop compartment, even when the bag is fully packed. Additionally, there are two convenient quick access pockets: one on top for essentials like keys, headphones, and chargers, and another flat pocket on the side that's perfect for books or slim, flat items. As always great build quality from Tortuga.

I love the zipper placement on this bag. It makes grabbing items from under the seat super easy, and its sleek enough that I don't have to worry about where it's going to fit. I love it! Also really appreciate the double sleeve for both an iPad and a computer.

Tortuga is well known for their travel backpacks, but they have always done a really impressive job with their personal item / edc focused bags. I was a big fan of the Setout and Outbreaker Laptop backs and it was great to see them continue that trend with this new laptop backpack that includes a new aesthetic and layout with some of the new materials that Tortuga has brought into their recently released laptop backpacks.

This one offers great weather resistance, thoughtful organization, and comes in at a great size that can hold a good amount while still fitting comfortably under most airplane seats.

I brought this backpack half way across the world as my carryon. The laptop compartment made it super easy for me to get my laptop in and out for the three (3) security checkpoints I had. The bag’s shape gives some good additional space for putting other things. The front compartment at the top is one of my favourite parts, I could stuff so much there that I could easily access later on the plane or the airport— like my charging cable, hand sanitizer, lip balm, ladies pouch etc . On top of that the hidden pocket on the front of the bag came in handy for putting my passport and boarding passes! My boarding passes never got crushed and I was at ease knowing that my passport was in a nice easy accessible but tucked away space! I’d highly recommend this bag!

Laptop Backpack - FINAL SALE $149 .section-header:not(.scrolled-past-header) + #MainContent #shopify-section-template--15014980321351__subnav_EEXHDH { display: none; }

• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.