r/backpacks

Friends,
Forgive me if this has basically been asked, by myself or otherwise.

My situation is a bit weird/unique. I am a physician and work both inpatient and outpatient for both adults and kids. Meaning, on any given week I could be working in the children’s hospital, the adult hospital, in clinic, or at home doing telehealth. I have a work Dell that is massive. I have a personal MacBook Air that’s very difficult to use at work (they openly detest Apple products — too secure, hysterically). I’ve also started writing a lot down because it’s so hard to juggle all the things, especially tough work along with parenting (now 3) children.

I used the Troubadour Apex for a while. Fantastic organization and aesthetic. Once I got the big laptop, the bag got too heavy to use all day around the hospital and clinic.

The GR1 was a dad bag at Disney a year ago, the envy of everyone at the park. BUT, the look is a little rough for a physician. The lack of organization built in leaves a lot to be desired.

The Aer CPP2 is really nice, but seems overpriced and has a weird structure to it. Though I’ve only used it for a few days.

I keep bouncing back to Peak Design because I love the look and functionality. Said, it’s definitely a camera bag first and a big challenging for EDC of notebooks and chargers.

But, I don’t know. It’s a first world, contrived problem. Still, I’d love any advice/guidance/input in general.

Many thanks!

I don't like staying in the same place ever, but that comes with some issues, and I’m trying to find a better way to pack clothes without taking up most of my suitcase. I’ve used travel vacuum bags before, but in average they stop being useful after a few uses.

I know I'm probably a rough user, but has anyone found vacuum seal travel bags that actually hold up with regular use? I don’t mind paying a little more if they're good.

Oh and they could also be the best travel vacuum bags that double as storage at home. Would be nice to use the same bags for winter clothes instead of buying separate ones.

So TL;DR: I'm looking for the best vacuum packaging option that works for both. A nice all rounder. What are you guys using?

I want to get a second hand Tanker bag like in the video, but I’m not sure which one it is. The ones I’ve looked at don’t seem to have the handle or side pocket. Is this just the XL version or is there a more specific name for it?

TL;DR: My Wandrd PRVKE is killing my shoulders and I need a comfortable replacement. Need to fit a 16" MBP, 11" iPad Pro, Fuji X-S10 setup, and optionally 1–2 days of clothes and switch 2, all while passing as an airline personal item. Is a single-bag solution realistic here or should I start looking at a two-bag combo?

I really need some help trying to decide on a bag to replace my Wandrd PRVKE. I bought this bag a couple of years ago and really fell in love with it at first, but lately it's been hurting the hell out of my shoulders and has become super uncomfortable. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with what I have packed in it, but there just has to be a better solution out there for what I travel with.

The thing I'm running into is that I have a lot of use cases I'd love this bag to fulfill, but the more I look around, the more it seems like that might not be possible. Here’s what I typically carry for a day:

• a 16-inch MacBook Pro
• an 11-inch iPad Pro
• a Kobo eReader
• a Fujifilm X-S10 with an 18-55mm lens and a 70-300mm lens
• a DJI mic
• a mic for the camera
• sometimes a tripod

I would like this bag to be used for a weekend trip with minimal clothes plus the laptop and iPad. Because I work from home, I tend to go on a lot of 1 or 2 day trips. I'm talking like 2 shirts, underwear and socks.

I also want the bag to be able to be brought on a plane as my personal item with all the gear (minus the clothes) and a Switch 2.

One of the things I value (although I might be able to compromise on) is having easy access to my camera. I already walk around with a Peak Design clip, so if I know I'm gonna be shooting a lot when I'm not in a city, I'll typically put the camera on the clip. Otherwise I would prefer to keep the camera in the bag and just have easier access to it.

Here's a couple bags I'm looking at right now:

• Peter McKinnon 35L Nomatic (25L instead?)
  • I love the look of this bag and the front separate pocket that could potentially be used for clothes. I do realize this is a very bulky bag and quite heavy
• 30L Travel Backpack from Peak Design
  • This sort of feels like it could be a choice? I'm not crazy about the giant compartment but I guess thats why cubes exist. I can pack and organize as I need. Worries this is too big as well
• Everyday backpack from Peak Design (30L?)
  • Should I just grab this and call it a day?
• Thule Aion 28L
  • Again, huge compartment, but, cubes.

Hey Peeps,

What waterproof backpacks do you all recommend? I need something that will keep books and other paper products safe from the rain. Thanks!

Hi everyone!
I’ve been wanting to give my Borealis backpack a really good wash, as of now i’ve only rinsed it with water and soap (hand wash).
Has someone ever tried to put it in the washing machine? Because i would really like to do it but the tag inside says not to but sometimes it works anyway.
Thank you if you’ll share your experience! 😸

I've been struggling to find a bag that fits my routine. I bring my camera along for my daily commutes, plus I do short hikes on the weekends to shoot landscapes. finding something decent is a pain.

the weather is my biggest headache. it often rains when I hike. the commuter bags I've used aren't waterproof, and the professional camera bags are too bulky. I did see a lightweight camera bag from norbu made on instagram, but I'm not sure how waterproof it is.

has anyone used a bag that meets both daily commuting and outdoor needs? I need something that keeps my gear safe from rain and bumps, without drawing attention. something discreet. would love to hear what y'all think. thanks!

hello guys,

basically issue us as described, most of my backpacks seems to pull my shirts up, doesn‘t help that im not that tall at 5.8ft and i have a hollow lower back (shoulders & butt stick out)

im not sure why my shirts get pulled up, i have this puma backpack where nothing happens, however given it is kinda old i spent 40€ on a new one, this one is a tad bigger and doesn‘t fit at all

it improves when i pull the straps up very far but then the bag isn‘t comfortable for long stretches of time

do i need a shoulder bag? is there a different bag i should get, i dont wanna start tucking in my shirts.
any similar experiences?

Hello there.

I've been browsing bag stores, trying to spot a comfortable, affordable, bottle-pocket, and reliable 40x30x20 bag for a two-week trip as part of my new minimalism challenge.

I've checked out many bags, but almost all of them have the same style, featuring a laptop pocket that takes up a large part of the main compartment. Come on, it's only 20 cm, and as a backpacker, I usually don't need to carry my laptop!

Even though it has a bottle pocket and no laptop pocket, I now feel I have to compromise on comfort and budget, which are the most important factors for backpackers!

Why is it so difficult? 😅

I've been looking at Osprey and North Face a lot and they seem to really be my only options but to be honest I don't know. The Osprey Axis is a little out of my price range so is there anything just a little bit cheaper that will still be good for college?