- While we can't guarantee
the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack
will be your lifelong travel companion,
its price is hard to ignore for anyone on a budget.
Hi, I'm Nathan from Pack Hacker,
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We've been testing the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack
for just over three months now,
so let's dive into the review.
[upbeat music playing]
Let's be honest, the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack
is not one of the most aesthetically pleasing
things we've reviewed.
There's really nothing fancy going on
but there's also nothing offensive either.
It's just your average black backpack.
However, beauty's in the eye of the beholder
so we gave it to our Instagram audience
to share their opinion.
And 46 percent of people said they like the look of the pack
which is not an awful result.
Moving on to the branding,
it's surprisingly minimal on this pack.
The most evident is an AmazonBasics logo on the bottom
and there's also some branding on the zipper pulls as well.
Now an AmazonBasics logo
isn't the most fashionable thing to rock
but it is pretty small.
However we would like to have seen it be black on black
just like it is on the zipper pulls.
And Amazon doesn't need any more advertising, right?
Moving on to the colors,
this pack is available in black, navy and red.
Now we actually think the black looks pretty good
as opposed to the navy and the red,
which we feel look a little bit cheaper -
lessens the kind of aesthetic of the pack in our opinion.
But if you like navy or red, then by all means go for it.
However we will note that the black will show less marks
and dirt when you're on the road.
As far as overall size goes, this is a bulky pack.
It's not particularly streamlined.
And as you pack it up with more things,
it kind of gets a little bit lumpier.
That being said, it is carry-on compliant
for most airlines and that is awesome.
Moving on to the materials,
this thing is made from 100 percent polyester.
It's nothing exceptional,
although it is a common material used in backpacks
because it's lightweight, flexible, and durable.
But just note, there are lighter weight
and more durable materials out there.
But this is pretty good for the price.
When it comes to the buckles -
to put it bluntly - they're pretty bad.
We'd even say they're somewhat dangerous.
These things are difficult to use
and we've easily caught our fingers inside
on multiple occasions.
That being said though, they do still work as buckles.
And after three months of use, they're doing okay.
Now we wish we had better things to say about this bag,
but we're going to have to let the gripes continue.
Let's talk about these zippers.
We've already had a zipper pull break on this bag
after just two months of use.
As we were zipping it up, it just flew straight off.
And while the main compartment zipper is SBS -
a fairly trusted and reliable brand -
the rest are unbranded.
While all of the zippers open and close pretty smoothly,
it's durability that's the issue here.
The bottom line is that a cheap backpack
is made with cheap materials.
And we really didn't expect anything more
for a bag at this price point.
Now the zipper pull breaking off is a pain,
but it doesn't affect the overall integrity.
And what more can you ask for for a bag this cheap?
Moving into the external components,
let's dive right in to this harness system.
The adjustable shoulder straps are a tad flimsy,
but they are well padded with polyethylene foam,
making for an okay carry.
The back panel is padded too,
but our problem lies at the bottom here.
We've found that when you have a few heavy items
in the bottom of the pack,
the lower part of this back panel
can actually dig into your lower back,
which obviously isn't ideal
and doesn't provide a very comfortable carry whatsoever.
Now when the bag was completely full
we didn't find this to be an issue.
The weight was distributed a little bit more evenly.
It kind of stuck a little bit further out.
Or when you have just a laptop and some tech gear,
didn't find it digging in at all there.
But definitely be aware of this as it's not ideal.
Moving on. There is an adjustable sternum strap
that unfortunately cannot be removed or hidden away,
which is a bit of a nuisance,
as it's always just dangling there when it's not locked in.
But it's otherwise an okay sternum strap and does the job.
The pack also comes with a hip belt but it's pretty shoddy
and it really doesn't distribute
the weight of your pack at all.
However, it is detachable
so you can take it off if you don't want to use it.
Now something we are digging
with the AmazonBasics Travel Backpack
is that there is a hideaway harness system.
So you can hide away the straps
when you don't want them to be out.
Now all you have to do is unclip these straps
at the bottom and slide the shoulder straps
down the little sleeve and then zip it up at the top.
And that will completely hide all of the straps away.
Now we've seen other bags do this better,
but it's on this pack and it does okay.
Now if you prefer to carry your pack in the messenger style
instead of on your back,
this bag comes with a messenger style strap attachment
for you to do this.
It works but it's not really our thing.
Nevertheless it gives you the opportunity
to do what works for you.
Moving on. There is a roller luggage pass through sleeve
at the back of the pack here.
Now while we don't have any issues
with anyone throwing a backpack on their roller luggage -
that's perfectly fine -
this seems a little bit pointless to us
as this bag is just way too big and bulky
for it to kind of make sense.
But it's there, they've added it.
So if you want to do it, then by all means go for it.
Next up there are two quick grab handles
on the top and right side of the bag.
These aren't the best and they're considerably lacking
in the comfort department, but they'll work in a pinch.
There are also compression straps
on either side of the pack too
that can be used to hold a jacket or a tripod,
as well as to compress the bag of course.
These do cover the zippers somewhat,
but this is a common situation
we've seen on plenty of other packs.
You could even argue that they make this bag
a little bit harder for a thief to get into.
And finally, we must note
that there is no water bottle compartment on this pack
or anywhere to put one for quick access.
Now this isn't the biggest issue depending on your use case,
but we know a lot of people like to have one
and we've been missing it.
Moving inside the pack - let's start
with this quick grab pocket on the front.
This is handy but it's pretty deep.
So be prepared for smaller items to get lost inside.
It's not quite as quick grab as we'd like it to be,
but it's still a great place to hold your passport
and other travel essentials.
Moving on. We found the front compartment
on this pack to be really useful.
It's a great place to put all of our tech gear.
And there's even enough room for a sweater
if you need to pop one in.
Starting at the top, there are two sleeves
that are ideal for notepads or other similar sized objects
with a couple of pen holders in the middle.
Underneath this there are two large mesh pockets
that are perfectly sized for a keyboard.
But they're also extremely versatile
and you can put whatever you'd like inside.
Finally, there's a sleeve on the flap of this compartment
which we struggled to utilize,
but it's there if you need it.
Now moving on to the main compartment.
This pack opens up all the way with its clamshell design,
making it super easy to pack.
On the left there is a large mesh compartment
we used to hold the hip belt
and messenger strap when not in use.
And then there's a huge bucket of space
for you to fill on the right.
Now there are two internal compression straps here
that can help keep everything together,
but we'd still recommend using packing cubes
to further organize and compartmentalize this space.
Plus they'll prevent your bag
from becoming a mess of wrinkled clothes too.
This compartment can also be expanded
by using the external compression zipper
around the side of the pack.
This will add around two inches of depth
meaning you can fit more stuff in.
Now this is great if you're really trying to max out
what you can fit inside of this pack
and take with you on your trip.
But we found it a tad too cumbersome and bulky
on our back in this uncompressed state.
So if you can, we'd recommend keeping it compressed.
Finally, there's a large compartment in the back of the bag
that can hold a 17 inch laptop.
There's a load of padding and there's tons of room here.
But it can be a tad deceiving
as anything you put in here will start to eat away
at the space in the main compartment.
This is problematic if you have your bag full to the brim -
as we found trying to get the laptop in or out of this pack
when it's really full can be really tricky.
But if you do find yourself with a bit of extra room,
it's a great place to, of course, put your laptop
and also any flatter items at the back of the pack.
At the time of this review, we've been testing
the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack
for just over three months.
And it's seen use around the U.K.
and on our trip to Porto, Portugal.
While we can announce that this pack can fit a ton of gear
and it should get you from point A to point B,
there are a fair few durability issues that concern us.
Firstly, as we've already mentioned,
one of the zipper pulls flew off the main compartment
as we were packing up the bag
which is never a good sign.
And while the zippers are still functioning,
they're becoming increasingly hard to trust
as we continue to use this thing.
Plus, there are a lot of loose threads around the pack
and the seams are starting to tear in the front compartment.
These are only going to get worse with time
and it's not a good sign of what's to come.
We know, and so should you by now,
that the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack
is not going to last a lifetime.
But it should at least survive a trip abroad.
And for a pack around 50 bucks,
what more can you ask for?
This being said it still feels like a gamble
every time we pack this bag up.
There's the certain feeling you get
when you have a durable backpack in your hands.
It gives you a sense of comfort
knowing that nothing is going to go wrong on your trip.
But considering this pack comes in
at about a quarter of the price
of your mid- to high-level tier travel backpacks,
this could still be a great option for any budget traveler.
Moving on to the pros and cons.
This is by far one
of the cheapest carry-on sized backpacks
available on the market.
The clamshell design is easy to pack.
And the front compartment is practical and well organized.
Now onto the cons.
We hold some significant concerns
over the long-term durability.
It's not the most fashionable
and the materials feel cheap because they are.
And it's pretty bulky and not particularly comfortable
on your back either.
Considering its remarkably low price point,
the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack is an okay bag.
And for around 50 dollars, what more can you ask for?
The materials are cheap and we've lost a zipper pull already,
but the clamshell design is easy to pack
and the dimensions are perfect for carry-on travel.
While we can't guarantee this pack
will be a lifelong companion as you travel the world -
or even survive more than one trip -
this bag is an option that's hard to ignore
for anyone traveling on a budget.
So there we have it,
our review of the AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack.
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 on the next one.