I've been needing a new work bag for a while now for alpaka's anniversary they came out with their 7ven Messenger again 😅

For my first impressions ,it fit everything that I carry in my normal bag perfectly fine. I also received the stash pouch free because I already got the mini messenger free in another order with my flight sling. Turns out I am able to use it of course.

The build quality is amazing the organization is perfect. The aesthetics are beautiful. I really don't have much bad to say yet.. but I doubt I will. Oh I almost forgot. It almost doesn't fit my keychron full size keyboard. But I don't always carry it with me.

On slide 5 is quick snapshot of my chrome industries Kadet Max stuffed with all the things that I carry it's barely able to close so I'm glad this bag got here when it did.

All my little accessories are alpaca. Also one is the admin pouch that's already discontinued and also a key hub clip and now obviously the stash pouch. I am going to get the new admin pouch pro I think soon.

Overall first impressions 9/10 bag I will give it a 10 out of 10 once I see how it fares on my day-to-day but this is one hell of a bag so far.

https://www.matadorequipment.com/pages/1-hour-sale-sign-up

Looks like it is today but there is no sign-up on the webpage, no idea when it starts.

Does anyone have info about this sale?

UPDATE

Looks like the sale starts at 11AM MT (1PM ET) but opens 30 minutes early for those that registered for early access. Go and load stuff in your card now!

What are people's thoughts on potential Black Friday/holiday sales, by brand? Thinking about Aer, Able Carry, Evergoods, etc.

Anyone recall who has done discounts in the past?

MBG’s, I’m seeking something similar to this “craft tote” to contain and organize ledger pads/notebooks/books/pens/stickies/clips, notes and ephemera for a project I’m working on, so I can take it with me somewhere. Not on transportation
(Also I have all these things all over a table, and when I have to clean up it all gets thrown in a plastic crate.)

Do you use any tote that’s similar to contain crafts?
Brands? Willing to pay for something good quality.

Will repost this on the organization sub as well.
TIA

Howdy, all—I have long promised a review of this bag here and on r/onebag, but I wanted to have time to put it through its paces! Now I have, so here we go.

TL;DR: This is a low-frills, lightweight pack that has the potential to be an excellent personal-item-sized onebag for minimalist travelers. It’s also a capable EDC bag if you don’t mind the lack of built-in organization (read: no admin panel). If you used V1 and didn’t like that it was a top-loading black hole: it’s still a top-loading black hole. For some folks, that’ll be a deal breaker. While I didn’t get a chance to use V1, I can say that the increased size makes it an extremely compelling personal-item option. The flip side is that some folks may find it a bit too large + floppy for EDC, depending on what you carry. Overall, it’s a bag I’m glad to carry during my travels and my work days, and I think it’s an outstanding value at $130.

Now for the long review!

Background

I have used this for work commutes by public transit (with a few miles of walking included), and on two short trips now. The most recent of those saw my partner and I fly to Chicago on personal-item only tickets with United, which meant we needed some spacious under-seat bags. Crucially, we also had long travel days, as Chicago was not our final destination, so we would be lugging these bags around Chicago and beyond for 10-12 hours on those days.

Aesthetics

Urban outdoorsy. Loaded out, the bag looks a bit more sleek, but, realistically, it’s often got some flop/sag to it. That unstructured look, the mesh across the bag’s exterior, and the ripstop fabric means that you’ll definitely look more ready for a hike than a board meeting. If that works for you, wonderful! It works for me, too. :) (I’d much rather be on a hike anyway.) It’s understated and quiet—literally, which is one of my favorite things. I hate a jingly bag.

Materials

For me, perfect. I love a ripstop nylon. It’s sturdy but flexible, provides a bit of visual interest, and feels like it is going to last forever. It’s certainly on the more outdoorsy end of main pack materials, but the all black helps tone that down a bit. The mesh on the kangaroo and water bottle pockets is also great. Feels like I can throw anything into any of them and know that 1) it will stay put, and 2) the mesh will take it in stride. It’s also soft to the touch, which is a nice tradeoff vs something like ultra mesh (though the latter is markedly more durable). The tote handles are also nice and sturdy, with a smooth handfeel and rounded shape that feels great to use.

Comfort

It’s good! It’s not outstanding. I have never found the bag to be uncomfortable, but I don’t get the…plushness of something like Able Carry’s straps. GG is an ultralight hiking brand, which means they are thinking first about weight and second about everything else. Like the Aero Jet, I find that these straps feel best when they’re under a decent load, as the stiffness will keep them a bit rigid on your shoulders until there’s enough weight pulling them down and into shape. Overall, though, carrying it through airports, on the L, walking through Chicago, on Amtrak, etc., I had few complaints about how the bag felt on my bag. It’s shallow enough to not feel like I’m swinging around a big turtle shell (a la the Daylite 26+6 et al), and narrow enough—even with a Nalgene in the side pocket—that I could move through crowds quickly.

Capacity

Astounding. Genuinely. I believe its listed size went from 23 to 26L, and it feels like it dwarfs some other 26-28L bags I’ve used in capacity. I’ll get into the list a bit more in detail below, but it really is incredible how much fits in this footprint. The thin outer fabric means that there’s no padding taking up your valuable real estate, and the bag just seems to mold around anything you need to squeeze in. For EDC, this can be a bit of a double-edged sword, as you can easily end up with a great deal of unused space. Even with my general work loadout of CAP2 + a small lunch bag, theres’ massive space left over. That’s not inherently an issue, but the nature of the fabric means the bag gets a bit floppy when it’s not full of stuff to provide it some structure. I don’t particularly mind that, but, for those of you wary of the “outdoorsiness” of the pack, it may be a turnoff.

The Trip

Four days in warmish weather, with no need for fancy or workout attire. I had a rain jacket packed but took it out at the last minute when the forecast cleared up. To nobody’s surprise, that obviously meant we got rain while we were there. I didn’t melt, though, as I was able to borrow an umbrella.

Packing List

TPC8: My clothes
Eagle Creek Shoe Cube: Bedrock Clogs sz 13
GG Clear Cube S: Dopp Kit
CAP2: Camera + tech
Bellroy Sacoche: Plane kit
Able Carry tech pouch/pencil pouch (I don’t remember the exact item name): snacks
Loose items: Alpha60 hoodie, ILE Apex pop-up valet tray, iPad mini, deodorant stick (too big for dopp kit)

Packed the bag with the TPC8 horizontal along the bottom, which took up the bulk of the bag. The clogs then got slid in front of the cube with their soles against the front of the pack. On top of the TPC8 was the Alpha fleece (along with the rain coat while I had it packed), then the CAP2 vertical against the back of the pack with the sacoche just in front for easy access. The dopp kit and deodorant got shoved into the gaps along the sides, while the valet tray went in the laptop sleeve and the iPad mini in the tablet sleeve. The interior mesh pocket remained empty.

Water bottle pocket 1 held my 32oz Nalgene, and the other held the snack pouch. Kangaroo pocket held the other snacks that were too large to fit in the pouch (I like my vegan jerky.), along with lysol wipes for the plane. QAP on the front of the bag had my passport-sized travelers notebook + a Baggu tote.

With everything pictured, the bag was full without being jam-packed, and I was able to squeeze a couple bags of coffee in on the way home, too.

Bonus Test Pack

To give an additional conceptual packout, I included some photos from when I loaded the bag up with the GG compression packing cube set + clear cube, the smallest cube from Matador’s (now discontinued?) set, as well as a pair of vivobarefoot shoes in place of the clogs. Again, pretty staggering capacity for a bag that never looks particularly large.

Random Additional Thoughts

Shoulder strap pockets are nice for quick access to snacks/headphones/etc. on travel days without having to take the pack off. If you do use the pack for hiking, they’re also a perfect place for face sunscreen, chapstick, etc.

I quite enjoy the tote handles! Particularly now that they’ve added the luggage pass-through on the back panel. If you want to give your back a break, you can tuck the straps into the pass-through to rid yourself of the dangle, and then you’ve got a nice tote. Fun for farmers markets/etc.!

Conclusion

I was going to wrap this with a “who’s it for” sort of section, but, realistically, I think folks can probably come to that conclusion on their own. If panel/clamshell access is important to you, obviously you won’t enjoy this. If you have a massive laptop, you will probably find the access finicky with the top fabric sections. If you love to hike or spend time outdoors on your travels, though, I think this is a fantastic option. And, even if you don’t, it’s an amazingly lightweight and capable pack that will adhere to a lot of airline restrictions. If you have any questions about a particular aspect of the bag, whether/how a particular item will fit, etc.—feel free to ask below! Always happy to help.

Photo Alt Text

1. Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet fully packed

2. Contents of Vagabond Jet exterior pockets (water bottle, snacks, etc.)

3. Contents of Vagabond Jet interior (packing cube, fleece, tech pouch, shoes, iPad, ILE valet tray, toiletries, Bellroy sacoche)

4. Contents of tech pouch (camera, sunglasses, general tech, travel pillow)

5. Contents of GG Clear Cube S (toiletries)

6. Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet fully packed

7. Key leash in front QAP pocket

8. Contents of Vagabond Jet Interior (GG large and small compression cubes, GG shoe cube, GG clear cube small, Matador small cube)

9. “X-Ray” view of pack contents

10. “X-Ray” view of pack contents without shoes on top

11. Shoes packed inside GG shoe cube

Does anyone know of any backpacks (around15-20L) with a key leash or key hook inside an interior zippered pocket?

The Matador 18L Personal Item has one, but not sure if there are any backpacks/daypacks with a similar feature?

Dad Bag Top 10
1. Matador 24L Adventure Pack
2. Evergoods MPL22
3. Black Ember Citadel H2
4. Eberlestock Switchblade
5. ULA Cicada
6. Evergoods CTB
7. CTactical CT15 Plus
8. Mystery Ranch Front 2.0
9. Rework Toshi Backpack
10. Fyro Citta Backpack
Honorable mention: ULA Dragonfly, Aer CPP2, Able Carry Max EDC, Go Ruck M23, CT21+

Here is my current list of their top 10 dad bags. What are some of the bags you think should make the list? I included links to any written reviews or video reviews of these packs that I have done. Here is the video I made showing all of these packs on the list. Bagdad Top 10 Dad Bags

Matador Adventure pack has officially become my number one go to dad bag. This bag just delivers in every aspect of the game. The comfort, features and functionality are straight fire. Matador just made a masterpiece. Check out the full detailed written review and video review. I have a link with a 15% off discount available upon request;)

Matador Adventure Pack Reddit Review

Matador Adventure Pack YouTube Review

Evergoods MPL22 drops to number two, but that doesn’t mean it’s not wicked awesome. Evergoods most comfortable pack in my opinion. It’s light and malleable making it tip the comfort scales. It looks good in nylon, but my favorite is the Kludde version. Check out the full detailed written review and video load out.

Evergoods MPL22 Reddit Review

Evergoods MPL22 Load Out Video

Black Ember Citadel H2 is one hell of a dad bag. I absolutely love the EMBERTEX material! It is unique and stands out from the crowd. It’s tough, looks sleek, and has unique comfort. This is the first half zip worthy of making the list. This one is hard to put down. Check out the full detailed written review.

Black Ember Citadel H2 Reddit Review

Eberlestock Switchblade is the out of the box choice here. It is so thoughtfully designed, it makes dad bagging easy peezy. This is also a great diaper bag choice with all the compartments. I call it the dragon slayer because of its resemblance of the mystery ranch dragon 2.0. But this one has way more organization. Check out the full detailed written review and short video. Code: thebagdadreport gets you 10% off.

Eberlestock Switchblade Reddit Review

Eberlestock Switchblade Ballpark Load Out Video

ULA Cicada just works! It is an edc, a dad bag, a diaper bag, and a light travel bag. It’s all that and it’s one of the best looking bags on this list. These bags are made in the USA. I love ULA and I love Peter. He is such a good guy that listens to his customers to make the packs that we want. Check out the full detailed written review.

Evergoods CTB20 and CTB26. The name says it all. The perfect do it all famous packs are an icon. These bags are great for diaper bags with all the compartments, great dad bags with all the space, edc, and travel. They really do do it all. What keeps it from number one is the harness system isn’t great for everyone. The 420d nylon 6 is one of my favorite fabrics. The bags are straight up beautiful! Check out the full detailed written review and video.

Evergoods CTB20 Reddit Review

CTB vs Fyro Citta Video

C Tactical CT15 Plus is a fast riser for me! This is would be in the top 5 for sure if isn’t wasn’t a custom build. They absolutely make stock items, but the one I rank on the list is the one with the kangaroo pocket and shock cord. CT has upped the game on comfort. It rivals Aer, Abel Carry and Fyro for overall comfort of the straps and back panel. It comes in all kinds of colors and materials. It is also the BEST priced bag on this list. I do not have a full detailed review on this guy yet, but it is coming soon!

Mystery Ranch Front 2.0 is my all time favorite tri-zip bag! And I love the Unicorns. It looks so damn good. It holds more than the unicorn as well. I love having that tri-zip to quickly grab stuff from the middle or bottom of the pack with ease. Unfortunately they are really hard to find and they are pretty expensive. You have to get them from Hong Kong or on the secondary market, but damn it’s worth it! I have not done a full written review yet, but I did have a little short so you can look at it up close.

Mystery Ranch Front 2.0 Video Short

Rework Toshi 25L comes in at number 9. Why is it this low? Well, because I don’t have it in hand yet… I am going off how much I love the 20L pack. It is a tad too short and I know the 25L will solve that issue. So knowing how I feel about the 20L, makes me confident that the 25L will be an incredible dad bag! All the quick access is a dad’s dream. The comfort is incredible, especially for the price. This is one of the better priced bags on the list. Im telling you, once I Have this bag, it will have to move up the list. Here is the full detailed written review on the 20L.

Rework Toshi Backpack Reddit Review

Fyro Citta 25L comes in at number 10. Why 10? Because it’s so pretty I dont want to get it dirty. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a damn good dad bag. It has pocket and compartment storage for days. It is the most comfortable backpack I have ever worn! The straps and padding are like getting a hug from the marshmallow man! That front pocket is deep like a kangaroo pocket. I love it! Here is the full detailed written review and video reviews.

Fyro Citta Backpack Reddit Review

Fyro Citta vs Aer CPP2 Video Review

Fyro Citta vs Evergoods CTB20 Video Review

Best Dad Bag for Younger Kids/Diaper Bag

Alpargali Everyday Backpack is a bargain if I have ever seen one! A little less know and under the radar, this bag has compartments for days and makes the perfect diaper bag! At $159 this bag is a no brainer. You can also get 10% off with discount code: chad
Check out the short video and load out.

Alpargali Everyday Backpack Short Load Out

35L or above.

Rigid structure, but not plastic suitcase.

Duffel config with handles, cross body/shoulder strap only, not a backpack, no wheels.

Top entry.

Built to last.

Thanks in advance.

Of course “normal” is relative, but I bought a peak design tech pouch becuase my Aer slim pouch was getting cramped but I wasn’t prepared for how big the peak design actually was

It’s massive. It’s a little too big but my slim pouch is a little too small.

I thought about which one to keep (on that’s too big or one that’s too small), and I know this is Many Baggers so it might be a dumb question, but is it normal to havr multiple tech kits for different uses? Like I can see myself using hot different kits with different bags.

Or is that greedy and should I just keep either “too big” or “too small”?

(I should say I do like that cable pass through for charging though)

For those of you who have owned or handled both which one is better? More functional, comfortable and better EDC? Thanks!

Hello,

I am based in Germany and im looking for a nice EDC bag that I will use to commmute to work or uni on my motorcycle. decided against a Kriega backpack, they're just not to my liking.

I carry the following everyday:

- 16 inch laptop with 11 inch macbook pro

- two engineering books with a little notebook and pens

- 27000 mAh anker powerbank, charger and externel ssd.

- small jacket or t shirt and place for my driving gloves

Which bag would you recommend? I'd love one that can stand on its own, with a separate laptop space with false bottom. I really like the look of the Aer CPP2 (20l or 24l?), but I'm open to suggestions. Thank you!

I just purchased new luggage (Travel Pro Platinum Elite Carry-on Spinner) and I'm looking for a personal item that fits under the seat to pair with it. I could get the TravelPro matching tote, but it is rather expensive for a tote and doesn't scream 'gotta have it'. Or, would I love it if I saw it in person? I've looked at the CarryX, but it only comes in black, which is the only color I don't want. I looked at the PackT travel duffel, which looks promising, but it is marked final sale, and I've never seen one in person. Any other suggestions for a tote or duffel? Backpacks hurt my back, so I'm specifically looking for something else with a trolly sleeve. I need something big enough for a 14" laptop, iPad, AirPods, charging cables, water bottle, eyeglasses, snacks, 3-1-1 bag & sweatshirt.

Also, does width of trolly sleeve matter? I see some with a full sleeve and others with a 1- 2" piece of webbing.

Does anyone know any brands that use X-Pac X11? I know, 1733, and Defy sometimes use the material, but are there any other brands using this?

Hi everyone,

My wife, 3 year toddler and I are going on a long trip from the US to Singapore+Sri Lanka this December. Trip length is about 1 month and 10 days in Singapore and 20 days in Sri Lanka.

Trip times: US to Singapore : 30 hours with 5 hour layover

Singapore to SL: 5 hours

SL to US: 36 hours with 8 hour layover in HKG

This is our first international trip with child. Also first trip with her on a flight .

We were discussing what bags to take and it seems what makes sense is

• One of us takes a smaller backpack as a personal item and a roller carry on
• one of us takes a bigger backpack (25-30L) as a carry on luggage so we can be with our daughter

My wife has a EDC bag: a 14L Bellroy tokyo totepack small. We agreed this will most likely not work.

We want to get 2 backpacks with the above specs. Is this a sound strategy?

We will be doing similar trips every December. During the summer, we are planning to do 3-4 day trips either by flight or train or road. So if they could work well in these situations it would be a plus.

The smaller bags I’m considering

Smaller backpack:
- Pioneer Savant: this will work for me as an EDC bag. Mostly set on this. Works also well when I travel for research conferences. Somewhat pricey, but hoping it will be on discount for Black Friday. Also pretty light.

- aer city pack pro 2 20L. I have an aer day sling and like the the material

- able carry daily plus: like the comfort, don’t like the lack of dedicated laptop compartment

Bigger backpack:

- Pioneer panda: essentially the travel backpack of the savant. Good organization. Comfort is not the best. But llighter than backpacks of this size

- able carry max edc: Great backpack for lot of travel situations. Only gripe is that I wish it was in cordura. Not a fan of ripstop. I haven’t had a x- pac. But I’m open. Also a bit heavy

- aer cpp2 24L: seems like the best of both worlds between the above. Better organization than able carry max edc, but not Compromising as much comfort in straps as the panda

For reference both of us are in the shorter size

In 5’8, 135lbs and my wife is 5’3” 125lbs.

Both bags should work for both of us.

Any other considerations when choosing a backpack?

Hello everyone as title says I think i found my dream bag but unsure from what brand to buy it from the eikenshop one or the fandare messenger bag the eikenshop one is around €99.90 and on sale for €74.90 now the fandare one is €61.99 and I dont know which one to go for both look great and I like the style of it

( Sorry for my english not my first language )

We are out shooting this new bag today its not available to buy anywhere yet but thought id share

Hi all!

I’m after some recommendations on a travel camera backpack?

I’ve got an upcoming trip to China and also a few more in the near future. I’m after a camera backpack that is more urban and sleek-ish? Not really keen on the big bags that look like I’ll be camping in a forest.

I consider myself a hobbyist and this will be the with the following gear I’ll be taking with me:

- Sony A7Cii with 24-70mm
- Fuji X100vi
- Osmo pocket 3
- MacBook Pro 14 inch
- IPad 11 inch
- Spare batteries, chargers etc
- Switch 2 maybe?
- Tripod

I had a Brevite jumper in the smaller size for my trip to Japan earlier in the year. However, I feel like I’ve outgrown the size of that bag and would like to explore other options. Something that’s relatively compact would be great!

I’ve had a look at the PGYTECH Onego lite and that seems pretty good imo. Any others you can recommend?

Thanks!

My first CPP. Tooling around with it for a couple of weeks. Will report back.

I've seen a few posts about the Toshi Pack in its new size and material, but haven't seen much about the Toshi Sling in X-Pac yet.

I'm a big fan of Rework and have been using the Toshi Sling 5L V2 in 840D since January 2026. I ordered the 2.5L V2 in X-Pac minutes after preorders went live and received it today. This is also my first time handling X-Pac in person. Also ordered and received the 25L in X-Pac today after selling my 20L on eBay recently.

A few initial impressions:

• More structured, technical feel. Definitely stiffer and less malleable than the 840D, though that's pretty much what I'd expect from the material.
• Great build quality. No complaints here from my initial inspection.
• A better size for an EDC pocket reliever. The 2.5L feels like a more compact option for carrying the essentials without as much extra space.
• Love the curry-colored interior. It's nicely muted without being too attention-grabbing, unlike the bright orange interiors you see on some Aer bags.
• Improved zipper pulls. The pulls on my 5L V2 frayed pretty easily, so I'm glad to see what looks like an improvement here.

I've included some photos of my initial loadout in the 2.5L, along with a side-by-side size comparison with the 5L.

The biggest adjustment to my usual 5L loadout is sunglasses storage. I can no longer fit my sunglasses in their case in the QAP, so they'll have to go in without the case.

Overall, these are just my first impressions after receiving the bag today. I'll need more time with it to get a better feel for how the X-Pac holds up and how the smaller size works for everyday use. I'm still happy to have the 5L as it will likely serve me better when traveling.

Hey everyone, i am wondering if anyone could tell how the discount on the bags of pioneer on Black friday? I do remember 40% last year was not applicable on bags.

I’m hoping someone in this wonderful community can help me out here. I’m thinking about pre-ordering a 18L Citta but I can’t tell if it’ll be an adequate size to use as my under seat personal item. I bought the T22 via the kickstarter so I know I like the fit and build of a Fyro bag, but the lack of quick access pockets means it’s not a great fit for who I travel. My current bag is a Synix 26, which I found disappointingly bulky and not quite adequate to my needs on its maiden trip.

My typical load out for a personal item (besides a travel wallet and my phone) is my iPad, toiletry bag (currently the Daylite toiletry kit), tech pouch, over ear headphones in their case, ereader, 18oz water bottle, and either 2.5-3L sling (currently the Alpaka flight sling but I’m actively looking for an alternative) or the 5L Toshi sling, depending on what I’m traveling for. I occasionally add an 8oz bottle of distilled water for medical reasons, snacks for the flight, and a knitting project.

I usually travel with a rolling suitcase that goes into the overhead bin and no other luggage so I need a personal item that can fit all of my non-clothing related gear. I’m leaning towards the 18L because it seems like a good size for a personal item on both US domestic and foreign flights, but given that I find the T22 to occasionally be a tight fit for everything I bring I’m worried it’ll be too small. I’d really appreciate it if anyone who has used the Citta 18L as a personal item could share their experiences.

Thanks!

I’ve turned into a total judgemental, ManyBagger nerd, but one thing I’ve noticed is that I rarely see people using the name-brand gear when I travel (aside from the usual spinner suitcases and rollerboards).

Travel backpacks, duffels, and other specialty bags? Mostly budget-friendly options from brands like Decathlon.

It makes me wonder: In such a crowded market, how do all these bag manufacturers stay afloat when, at least from what I see out in the wild, the customer base for premium gear seems pretty small?

Am I just looking in the wrong places, or is there a whole market of bag enthusiasts quietly buying and collecting this stuff?