Pro tip: it’s best to keep your first-aid & trauma kit on the outside of your pack. We found a tough little modular bag from OneTigris to help you do precisely that. Made of mil-spec 500D nylon, their Foxtrot Alpha First Aid Medical Bag is a 8” X 5” MOLLE-compatible pouch with a dual-zipper D-Ring closure. The design allows you to quickly grab, & pull the bag wide-open for instant access to emergency supplies.
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Matador’s Seg 42 Travel Pack hits a 3-pointer combining the easy packability of a duffel with the organization of packing cubes & the comfortable carry of a backpack. The pack splits lengthwise with a full-zip clamshell design, while the main compartment is accessible from the outside. There is a padded & zippered laptop pocket. The padded backpack straps are stowable and its 42-liter size make it carry-on compatible.
Designed for streamlined performance and the rigors of modern mobility, Bellroy’s Apex backpack is a versatile bag optimized for flawless function. It’s water-resistant exterior is constructed of recycled Baida Nylon and premium, environmentally certified leather and the design offers access to your daily essentials with minimal unzipping, unclipping or unpacking. There are padded pockets for laptop & tablet as well as stretchy internal pockets for other items. Closures include magnetic snaps and rugged 2-way zippers.
Weighing in at just 1 measly ounce, Black Diamond’s Cirrus 9 pack is as minimal as it gets, and takes the crown as lightest pack on the market. Perfect for a backup bag or lightweight shopping/strike missions with 9-liter capacity. Made of featherweight nylon with innovative Splice Adjust shoulder straps, it stuffs into its own packable pocket when not in use.
The 21-liter GORUCK x Huckberry GR1 Slick daypack is an exclusive limited edition of a cult favorite GORUCK bag. Highlighted by Special Forces-grade materials like 1000 denier Cordura & YKK zippers, it features a padded laptop compartment & easy-to-pack open-flat design. Every one of these American-made bags is strength-tested to over 400 pounds, and ships with an ironclad lifetime guarantee.
Designed for travel & tough enough for all your adventures, the 35 or 40-liter Capsule Pack from San Francisco-based bag brand Aer is a hardworking companion, featuring 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon construction, YKK Aquaguard zippers, & Duraflex hardware. It boasts a duffle-style main compartment designed for modular packing, hide-away backpack straps & a shoulder strap for versatile carry, a suspended laptop pocket, and a convenient top compartment for easy access to your on-the-go essentials.
The 35-liter Travel Bag Roller from Colorado-based Topo Designs is perfectly sized for the overhead and features a rugged, adventure-ready design. Mesh pockets and zippered compartments inside make it easy to access and organize your gear and clothing. Smooth-rolling oversized wheels & a telescoping handle will keep you cruising through the concourse.
Designed to stay open while you load it with gear, the 42-liter Stand Up Duffel from Patagonia is constructed of rugged, reinforced organic canvas with a weatherproof DWR coating & it features an easy-to-clean TPU coated bottom for all-weather, all-terrain adventures. In addition to handles, there’s an adjustable, removable strap for over-the-shoulder carry. Simple and smart in brown or black.
Perfectly sized for an overnight strike or quick getaway, Hardgraft’s Carry On Suitcase is soft-sided yet reinforced in all the right places and made of full-grain Italian leather. Inside you’ll find one large zip pocket for your laptop and one small zip pocket for accessories as well as an adjustable leather strap to keep your clothes in place. An adjustable leather shoulder strap & wrap-around steel zipper complete the case.
Sweden’s Klättermusen is a classic mountain brand known for crafting highly technical and functional gear. Their versatile, 30-liter Ull Blot pack is a fine example. It is a limited edition piece made from an undyed, recycled Polyamide and reinforced with Kevlar, making it not just super-rugged but lightweight. It features a top-loading haulbag design with padded, ergonomic shoulder straps plus loops and straps for secure ski and climbing gear carry.
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The 5-Day Mule from surf apparel brand Roark, is a 55-liter travel/daypack that will support your daily adventures & longer trips with sweet features like a laptop sleeve, padded back support, water bottle & sunglass pockets & a side carry handle.
Italian upstart Unico builds bags that are 100% waterproof. Like, submerge-your-laptop-in-the-lake level waterproof. With precision, laser-cut fabrication, main compartments are stitch-free & zip-free & feature radio-frequency-welded seams to keep moisture out. With a modular system that allows you to add & subtract accessories for custom configuration it is a versatile set-up that is just as good for work as it is for weekends. A funded Kickstarter.
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The latest from online luggage purveyor AWAY is the Expandables collection. As the name suggests, these travel bags can grow. Available in 4 smart sizes, they feature large, easy-access front-flap pockets, and wraparound zippers that allow the rolling cases to expand by 1.75 inches. That means you can pack in more souvenirs, more clothes, more whatever. Choose from 37, 47, 73, & 106 liter sizes.
Hand-built to last a lifetime, the Khyte Messenger bag from Mission Workshop features 2-layer weatherproof construction to keep out the elements & safely, securely transport all your gear for work & life. From the bicycle commute to the meeting room, it keeps your laptop, tablet, & other daily essentials within reach. The 24-liter design features 3 Arkiv rails for attaching MW’s range of specialized accessories, Fidlock magnetic fasters, & 2 shoulder straps for custom carry.
We’re huge fans of smallness, so we think Tinybags are awesome. “As small as a coin and as capable as a backpack” they say. And they’re not lying. These compact, packable bags are made of water-resistant ripstop nylon tough enough to carry up to 55-pounds of cargo. When not in use, simply roll, fold & clip, and it’s pocketable. Available in 2 sizes, the large fits all sorts of stuff up to a 15” laptop & the original will hold a 12” laptop. A funded Kickstarter.
Constructed of X-Pac sailcloth, an extremely durable, waterproof laminate technology, Aer’s limited edition X-Pac collection bags are dialed for high performance outdoor and travel use. The collection includes 4 packs of different sizes and configurations plus 2 small sling bags for convenient hands-free carry.
Designed to blend a smaller, smarter overnight travel bag with the convenience of a rolling carry-on, Away’s Daily case is purpose-built for the business traveller, providing storage & easy access for mobile office items, like laptop, tablet, & notebook as well as separate space for a few changes of clothes. Overall capacity: 37 liters.
Harber of London created an instant classic with their NOMAD Organizer for iPad Pro & 13-inch Macbooks. Crafted in Spain from vegetable tanned full grain leather, this simple, sophisticated zippered sleeve fits MacBook Pro 13″ Touchbar, New MacBook Air 13″, and MacBook 12″ plus iPad Pro 12.9″, 10.5″, 9.7″ with or without the smart cover/keyboard. Available in black, navy, deep brown, and saddle tan. Included backpack straps and shoulder strap enable custom carry options.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: Backpacks aren’t a popular option for stylish men. Although functional and utilitarian, they’re a make it or break it fashion choice. Most options on the market are bulky, unseemly, or worse yet — both.
Here’s one that says, “Screw it. You can definitely wear a bag and get away with it.” The stylish Reese Backpack fronts the aesthetic sensibilities of a knapsack and pairs it with the functionalism of conventional backpacks. The result is a backpack that doesn’t make you look like a dork.
The sturdy construction of canvas and leather means it can carry all your essentials without bucking easily. The design is an evolution from the school-style backpacks still endemic to adult men today. Proving that when it comes to backpacks, you don’t have to skimp on style.
The interior features plenty of pockets, including a laptop holder and compartments for your documents. You can even store toiletries and clothes in there if you don’t have access to a duffel bag. Perfect for day trips or on-the-spot office stays.
Colorways include navy or black. Other features include a nylon catcher, a front-zip pocket for easy access to your phone, keys, or other stuff you want to fish out in a jiffy. Also included is a water bottle compartment, plus other interior sleeves. Exact dimensions are 10.5”L x 5”W x 18.5”H.
If you want a backpack you can wear to work without feeling ashamed of your fashion choices, this one’s for you.
Photos courtesy of Moral Code
When Shuri Suzuki created Code of Bell last year, its first product, the X-PAK bag, was an instant hit. It masterfully blended the utilitarian aspects of a sling bag while not skimping on style. Now, Suzuki is back with another bag that sling fans will surely love, too. Meet the X-POD.
People don’t need backpacks or even messenger bags, Suzuki believes, because most of us don’t really carry all that much on a daily basis. With the exception of business people and students, Code of Bell thinks sling bags are all you need and you’re good to go. Which is why the X-POD, barely larger than a sash, is designed to carry all your everyday essentials without feeling too bulky and unwieldy.
Above all, the X-POD is a very versatile bag. You can wear it in any style you like. On your back for a classic sling feel. On your waist to give off fanny pak vibes. Or even across your chest. The main strap has two adjustment points which moves the position of the buckle halves. This provides utmost flexibility with respect to how you plan to wear it on your body.
Despite X-POD being designed for those who carry light, it’s still pretty roomy inside. The 2L volume expands to 4L thanks to the extra space hidden underneath. This additional space is practically invisible when not in use, which means the bag retains it lightweight look.
We fully understand that a bag can make or break an entire look. Which is why it’s often hard to pick the right one. Worse, most people choose not to carry one entirely, even if they obviously have plenty of things they need to bring, like a phone, sunglasses, a water bottle, and whatnot. What happens is that these things end up in your pockets, and that’s not a very good look.
Code of Bell’s X-POD is a clever, straightforward solution, and you should really consider it if you’re on the market for lightweight carry-ons that won’t disrupt your entire look.
