THE PRAGMATIST, NEEDS:
Something that is comfortable to carry, packs easily into the car, doesn’t break the bank and has the magical ability to fit more than seems physically possible. This is a simple, lightweight travel bag. It’s soft enough to be squeezed into a small space, such as a crowded overhead locker, and it rolls into a relatively manageable bundle if you’d like to pack it as a spare. Despite being so light, it’s made from durable 600D fabric, and can be used either as a backpack or as a carry-on. I’m not a fan of compartmentalising my luggage – I like to keep my options open – but there is a handy laptop sleeve in the main compartment and two smaller pockets in the front. I found the diagonal zippers make them a little difficult to root around in so I used a K-Way Digital Bag (R199) packing cell that fits snugly into the top pocket. It made it much easier to store and retrieve electronics, hard drives, notepads, pens etc. The bag also has compression straps for when packing doesn’t go as planned, and you need some help fitting it all in. It doesn’t have a sternum strap, though, which means it’s not very comfortable to carry as a backpack when it’s full of heavy items – but as a ‘throweverything-in-and-go’ bag at a decent price, it’s perfect.
TIP Open the bag with the front side (the one with the two zipper pockets) facing down to access the laptop sleeve without having to dig under your clothes.