- The AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender
is an awful lot of bag for its price.
And after being slightly disappointed
with the slightly larger,
and more budget version of this pack,
we were super excited to find out
how this slimmer and sleeker version would perform.
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We've been testing the AmazonBasics
Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender
for just over two months now,
from the U.K. to the U.S. including a transatlantic flight.
So let's dive into this review.
[upbeat music playing]
Starting with the look of this pack -
it's hard to argue that there aren't
better looking and sleeker bags on the market.
However, we actually don't mind the look of it,
and we think it looks pretty good especially for the price.
However, as always, we thought we'd throw this over
to our Instagram audience to get their take on it
and here are the results.
Moving on to the branding -
it's actually surprisingly minimal on this bag,
and you're only going to find an AmazonBasics logo
on the zipper pulls and also a black logo
on the bottom right of the pack.
Now when it comes to color we went with the gray version,
but there's actually a ton
to choose from on the Amazon website.
And this is great because it allows you
to choose whatever color suites your style and your taste.
Moving in to the materials of this pack,
considering the AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack's
price point, it performs pretty well here.
First up - the heathered fabric on the outside
and the bright orange interior lining are 100% polyester.
We typically prefer nylon as it's stronger,
and softer to the touch. However,
polyester is more abrasion resistant so it's not all bad.
And after two months of testing it's holding up pretty well,
so all good signs here.
The slightly larger, and more budget version of this pack -
just called the AmazonBasics Carry On Travel Backpack -
lost a lot of points for having unbranded zips
and unbranded hardware that was just unpleasant to use
and just not trustworthy at all,
especially if you're going to grab a bag
and travel the world with it.
But we're happy to report that the AmazonBasics Slim
version of this pack fixes all of this.
All of the zippers are YKK,
and all of the hardware is Duraflex.
Both are high quality brands that make
some of the best gear out there.
One small touch on the zippers that we're really digging
is that you can lock them together,
and in some places actually secure them to the bag
using a small D-ring that's attached using a bit of fabric.
Now the fabric isn't tremendously secure,
you could probably rip it off if you really tried,
but it's a huge deterrent for anyone
looking to get inside and get
your valuables out of this thing.
And one last note on the zippers
is that the coil is exposed -
which means there's very minimal weather resistance.
And if you're going to be standing out in the rain
it's not going to pour through these zippers,
but after time it's eventually going to find its way in.
So we'd recommend picking up a rain fly
if you happen to be going to any places
where you could experience a torrential downpour.
But, other than that, it's all pretty solid here.
Starting with the harness system -
while there's nothing too crazy going on,
the AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender
delivers a pretty decent carry.
The shoulder straps are padded
and slightly curved for a better fit,
and the back panel features three
large areas of thick air mesh.
And now this only goes to help
the comfort against your back,
but it also helps with air flow and ventilation
which is great if you're traveling anywhere hot and humid.
Now this whole system isn't perfect
but AmazonBasics has done a pretty good job here.
And built into this back panel
is a luggage pass-through sleeve.
Now we don't find ourselves using this too often,
it's a pretty large bag to be put
on top of the luggage roller.
But that being said, some people really like this feature,
and it's there if you need to use it.
An even better bonus is if you're not
it doesn't really get in the way
and isn't overly noticeable,
so it's a pretty solid addition here.
And on this harness system it's important to note
that there is no hip belt.
Now around that 30 to 35 liter mark
it's not necessarily a 'must have' on this bag,
but some people really like using one -
especially if your bag is loaded full of heavy gear,
it's great at dispersing the weight. So just note that.
However, there is a sternum strap which is height adjustable
and does exactly what it's supposed to -
which is disperse the weight away from your shoulders
while you're wearing this bag.
And what we really like is that one side
is elasticated so while you're walking
it kind of flexes with your body as you walk.
Really like that addition.
And another thing we like on this bag
is that the harness system is hideable -
so it's easy enough just to unbuckle the straps
at the bottom, slide those straps into the sleeve,
and zip it up at the top.
Outside of being carried as a backpack,
you can also carry this pack over one shoulder
as a messenger bag with the provided strap.
We haven't really used this feature
because we prefer to carry a backpack as a backpack,
but it's there if you want to use it.
Now one thing we will note with these Duraflex buckles -
which can be found on the messenger bag strap
as well as the shoulder strap attachment points -
is that the buckles can seem a little bit thin.
Now considering it's Duraflex -
and we've always had great experience with the buckles -
we're pretty reassured that they're going to be all right.
And the actual strap rests on the thick part here
so it's not like it's going to be resting on the thin part
and just going to snap off.
Moving on - there are two quick-grab handles on this bag,
on the top and on the right-hand side.
One really neat feature is that they sit close
to the bag when not in use,
but when you pull them out they actually come out
and give you a little bit more room to grab hold of.
While they're pretty stiff, and not incredibly comfortable,
they'll get the job done in a pinch.
Around the side of this bag,
there are four compression straps,
and that is two on each side.
Now these help with compressing the bag, obviously.
And it means when you're carrying this thing as a daypack,
you don't have much stuff inside,
you can strap them up and have it
a little bit closer to your back.
Or when you're carrying it as a one-bag travel bag
and you've throw a load of stuff inside,
you can kinda compress it down a little bit,
which helps with the overall carry.
Now we have found that when you're using the zippers
they can get in the way, which is a little bit annoying.
But it's a common trade-off we see with compression straps -
and it's one, for this bag, we're happy to make.
Rounding off the external components on this bag -
there is a side water bottle pocket
which can be found on the left.
Now we typically like water bottle pockets
that kind of zip open and come out,
but otherwise they sit really close to the bag.
But this one is just a little bit too small
and won't fit kind of an average big water bottle,
so it's a bit annoying for that.
We've gone out sometimes and tried to fit one in
that we're typically used to using
and it just won't fit into the side, which is a real pain.
But other than that, it can be used to fit
like a tripod with the compression strap
or an umbrella, something like that.
So it is a useful pocket, but just a little bit
too small which is frustrating.
Moving inside the pack -
there are two external pockets on this bag.
Now the first one is this front quick-grab pocket
which is a really great size
and is useful for your passport and other quick-grab
essentials when you're out for the day.
And the second one is this one along the back.
Now we haven't found ourselves using it
but it's a really interesting pocket,
and kind of sits below the back lower air mesh
on the back side of the bag.
Now if you're a little bit worried
about someone fishing something out of the front
quick-grab pocket - say your passport,
if it's really important, which obviously it is -
you could put it against your back
and it's going to be more secure
as this pocket sits across your back.
So this is a really interesting pocket,
we like the addition, we just haven't used it too much.
Now let's take a look at this front compartment -
there is a load of organization going on inside of this one,
but what you'll first realize
is just how orange it is inside.
Now it's a little bit garish, but it does serve a purpose,
as anything darker you're going to put inside
is going to be easy to find.
Now, taking you through the pockets -
we must note that they do all stack on top of one another.
So if you put a large object in one,
it's going to kind of eat up into the space.
So you have to be a little bit careful of how you pack this,
but let's run you through from top to bottom.
First up - we have some pen holder little sleeves here,
which are nice if you want to carry a pen,
great when you're on the airline,
you need to fill in documents et cetera.
And then just below that we have got
probably the largest pocket in this thing,
goes about half way down the side of the pack.
Then just below that we've got another pocket
which is very similar and that one goes down about the same way.
Again, these two pockets stacked on top of one another,
a little bit weird but good for slimmer items.
In front of that one we have got a mesh pocket,
which does actually have a little bit
of 3D space going on which is great.
The mesh does feel cheap.
Now we've been impressed because it is such a budget pack
with the materials on this thing
but this kind of silvery mesh we're not overly fond of,
but that's another pocket there.
And to the right of that we have a stretchy pocket,
which is useful. Again, with all of these
you kind of just need to figure out
what works best for you as there is so much going on.
Then down below we have two material lining pockets,
and then we also have a little bit of space at the bottom.
But as you can imagine, once you fill all of these up
space is going to be eaten up quickly.
Now, on the flap side of this bag,
we also have a ton of stuff going on.
First up on the right here, we have another mesh pocket
which has a little bit of 3D space.
So good for organizing smaller items
you don't want to get lost.
And then to the left of that we have this
kind of small material pocket - there's two here -
there's kind of no way to secure anything in there.
And especially with it being on the flap,
if you open it up, it could fall out quite easily.
So we don't really use these pockets,
not entirely sure of the perfect use case for these.
And then down below we have another mesh pocket,
which is large. Again, there's so much going on here.
It is a little bit overkill.
But if you find a way to use all of them then, great.
And they all sit flat, pretty much,
so you don't need to use all of them
at any one point in time.
And just kind of find out a system that works good for you,
but certainly a ton of organization
in this front compartment.
Now it's time to take a look inside the main compartment.
We first have to undo the buckles,
and then we can unzip the clamshell opening all the way.
Here you'll first notice this bright orange interior again,
and this large space here is good
for throwing all of your packing cubes.
Now, at this point, we must mention we think that the bag
has been a little bit over-designed.
And that's because you can see on this side here
there's another zippered access into another compartment.
But just remember that anything you put
into this main one here will eat space
into this compartment, and vice versa.
Now with this additional compartment inside,
one thing that we really like
is that there is a zippered opening at the top
so you can gain quick access inside of here.
And there's a fabric pouch so you can pop items in -
anything that you need quickly
you can just unzip the top, stick your hand in,
take it out, and you are good to go.
But as we said earlier on,
we feel like it's been over-designed
and we would maybe have just preferred one large
compartment that we could pop stuff into.
Next up - let's take a look
at the laptop compartment at the back.
This opens up along the top,
and all the way down the right-hand side.
And there's actually a ton of room in here.
But just remember, again, that it's liter dependent
with the main compartment. So don't go crazy
if you plan on putting packing cubes
in the main area of the bag.
The fabric sleeve at the back
will hold laptops up to 17 inches in size,
but we're left wondering why there's no bottom to the sleeve
and the laptop is allowed to just hit the base of the bag.
Fortunately, there is dense padding here,
so it should be fine. But we'd have loved to have seen
Amazon add a false bottom to the laptop sleeve here.
At the time of this review,
we've been testing the AmazonBasics
Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender
for just over two months now.
And it's seen use as a go-to tech daypack,
and as a carry-on bag for one-bag travel
across U.K. to U.S. transatlantic flights.
And we're really pleased to report
that there are no major signs of wear and tear as of yet.
Now there's small markings on the interior
polyester lining, but yeah, other than that
it's pretty much good to go.
The outside fabric has held up really well
and we've been using it a lot for the last two months.
So we're really happy that it's all looking pretty good -
even the stitching, there's a very few
couple of frayed stitching.
But for the price, it's performing really well.
When it comes to testing,
we've enjoyed using this pack a lot more
than we thought we would -
especially after being left so disappointed with the larger
AmazonBasics Carry On Travel Backpack.
We've been really pleased with its versatility
as a daypack, and as a larger one-bag travel pack.
And as long as it keeps on holding up -
which we think it will - we're more than happy
to recommend this to anyone looking for a budget backpack.
Moving in to the Pros and Cons.
This is one of the cheapest
carry-on sized travel bags on the market.
High quality YKK zippers and Duraflex buckles
have been used throughout.
And this bag can be used as a daypack,
and a one-bag travel backpack. So it's really versatile.
Moving in to the Cons.
The polyester material does feel kind of cheap,
but it's great for the price.
The clamshell main compartment opening
is a little bit overdesigned.
And the water bottle pocket is just a bit too small.
We'd have liked it to have been a little bit bigger,
but it's a nice design.
The AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender
is a fantastic bag for its budget price.
And the quality hardware used,
and two months of solid testing
has us assured it's more than durable enough too.
It doesn't look like the fanciest pack,
and it does feel a tad cheap in places,
but this is a solid bag at an amazing price point
that will serve you well, as both a larger tech daypack,
or a one-bag carry-on travel backpack.
And there you have it,
our review of the AmazonBasics
Slim Carry On Travel Backpack Weekender. And as ever,
we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Thanks for keeping it here at Pack Hacker,
your guide to smarter travel.
We'll see you in the next one.