Best Carry-On Backpacks

As some of you know, I'm a huge fan of Osprey packs, and recommend Farpoint 40 (women's counterpart is Fairview 40) a lot here in this site. 

I also recommend it as the Best Osprey Travel Backpack. You can read my full Osprey Farpoint 40 hands-on review here. 

It's incredibly comfortable (even when you aren't wearing the hipbelt), durable and looks very pretty IMO. 

The first downside is that although the laptop AND tablet sleeves are very large (laptops up to 17" can fit) and well padded, having them at the backpanel would have made Farpoint 40 even more comfortable. 

Luckily, Farpoint 40 is a comfort oriented pack, so I never wished any extra comfort.

Second downside is that I'd like to see an internal organizer just like that of Porter 46, but it's lacking. I just use the stash pocket for that purpose - although my stuff get tangled there sometimes.

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A noticeably less comfortable but better organized alternative to Farpoint 40 would be Porter 46. Read my Farpoint 40 vs Porter 46 post for more details.

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If you'd like to get a wheeled carry-on size pack, Osprey Sojourn 45 is the best wheeled carry-on backpack in my opinion - although I personally don't see the point of wheels under 60 L packs. 

Sojourn closer to a backpack rather than a luggage, unlike its other wheeled competitor Ozone 38 which has it the other way round. 

Overview

What size is a carry-on size?

A technically carry-on size pack meets all height, width and depth dimensions at the same time as the checker requires. Packs aren't made of steel, though, so it's very highly likely that you'll be perfectly fine with other airlines that require, for example, 21.5 inches of height such as Lufthansa.

Plus, most of these .5 or .7 inches of differences stem from converting metric to imperial and vice versa. For example, carry-on requirement of Lufthansa is declared[6] as 55 x 40 x 23 cm (=21.5 x 15.7 x 9 inches), but also Lufthansa itself states here[7] on a different subject that 55 x 40 x 23 cm is equivalent to 22 x 16 x 9 inches.

That's why, in this post, carry-on size is considered as 22 x 14 x 9 inches.

#1) Osprey Farpoint 40

The only gripe about this pack is that laptop and tablet sleeves come in the middle compartment instead of between main compartment and backpanel. As they're placed away from your body they create more moment on your torso and expected to pull your shoulders down and decrease comfort. Luckily you don't feel any noticeable comfort deficiency in Farpoint 40 as it exceeds comfort expectations in all other aspects.

Comfort

Exceptional comfort is what makes Farpoint 40 so popular among travel backpacks.

Backpanel, shoulder straps and hip belt are all generously padded. Thicknesses and curves accommodate the anatomy of shoulders, chest and neck. Load lifter is adjustable and provides a built in whistle.

3.5 mm LightWire peripheral frame conveys the load from harness to hip belt. When hip belt carries the load, our hip muscles which are the largest muscles in our body as explained by BCcampus[8]. As the study Epstein et al conducted in 2017[9] concluded, this helps you walk longer without any extra exhaustion.

Osprey's own size & fit chart[10] below shows the torso heights corresponds to S/M and M/L sizes.

Organization

Besides main compartment, there's a middle compartment with a 14(H) x 11(W) x 1.5(D) inches (36(H) x 28(W) x 3.755(D) cm) of laptop sleeve and a 10.5(H) x 10.5(W) x 1(D) inches (27(H) x 27(W) x 2(D) cm) of tablet sleeve - meaning that up to a 15.6" laptop and a 10" tablet can fit.

Besides compartments, there's a slash pocket at the front and two mesh water bottle holders at sides.

External dual upper and lower front compression straps (1) secure your items and (2) shrink the pack into smaller sizes to incraese stability when not fully loaded.

Dual compression straps inside the main compartment secure your load further.

Versatility

Although Farpoint 40 is a travel backpack first, it can be used in multiple ways. 

Farpoint 40 performs perfectly well for hiking/camping as you can walk very long distances with it comfortably. The only time it'd come incomplete is 3+ days of hiking/camping trips because of its medium volume of 38-40 liters.

Another way is to stow away the Farpoint 40 harness and use it as a hand luggage with carry handles or as a duffel bag with removable duffel bag strap.

Bottom line, Osprey's Farpoint 40 is a very comfortable and versatile carry-on size travel backpack with a lean towards outdoor activities.

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#3) eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible Review

Summary

eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible is an excellent carry-on travel suitcase with straps that offers perfect organization.

Terrific organization is very well thought and responds to user feedbacks. It comes with a front compartment with traveler organizer, a main compartment with an internal zippered mesh pocket and an internal zippered pocket, one front zippered pocket, a top U-shaped zippered pocket, a large laptop sleeve and a hideaway water bottle holder.

3 carry on handles at the bottom, top and side, a duffel bag strap, stow away harness and a removable waist belt allow multiple uses.

The biggest con about this pack is that harness is poor and hence lacks comfort while walking long distances.

Comfort

Although stow away shoulder straps and both removable adjustable sternum strap and waist belt are great to have and provide versatility, they aren't designed to walk on trail or long distances.

Organization

There're two compartments: front and main.

Main compartment with two internal compression straps opens like a suitcase and not like a top loading backpack. Unsnappable (removable) divider at the center prevents your top load from falling downwards.

Front compartment is accessed with a U shaped zipper. It's front loaded (NOT top loaded), so the bag must be lying on the floor or somewhere else for truly proper access.

Papers that you need quick access to such as your itinerary, boarding passes, passports are usually stored in front zippered narrow pocket. U shaped top zippered pocket offers more room and proper for bulkier items needed readily available like gloves, charger, earphones etc.

Additional organizational features are a hideaway water bottle holder and a tuck away ID pocket alongside.

Versatility

In addition to shoulder straps and waist belt for backpack use, there are 3 carry on handles and a removable adjustable duffel bag strap. 

Top and bottom carry handles are usually used together for storing in and out of the trunk or into the overhead bin.

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References