If the kind of trip you tend to take involves endless terminal corridors, busy subway platforms, cobblestone alleys, and fourth-floor walk-ups—all in a single day—we prescribe a travel backpack.
After carrying multiple packs across thousands of miles for more than three years, we recommend the REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack – Men’s and the REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack – Women’s for travelers who don’t mind checking a bag.
The Ruckpack has it all: a rugged exterior, a capacious interior, comfortable and adjustable straps, and a removable daypack.
Though it may be possible to get these picks into an overhead compartment, they’re really designed to be checked luggage. If carry-on is your only intended use, we have other recommendations.
Our pick
Thick padding and highly adjustable straps make this the most comfortable and easy-to-fit pack sized for people with longer torsos.
Thick padding and highly adjustable straps make this the most comfortable and easy-to-fit pack sized for people with shorter torsos.
With any backpack, getting the right fit is crucial. The REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack – Men’s (for travelers with longer torsos) and the REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack – Women’s (for travelers with shorter torsos) were the most adjustable and comfortable packs we tested. The thickly padded, stowable straps on the Ruckpack are fully height-adjustable, so they’ll fit a wide variety of torso heights (although these packs no longer come in multiple sizes, as the Osprey packs still do).
REI says both Ruckpacks hold about 60 liters, which is plenty of room for nearly every trip. Yet the overall dimensions are still manageable. The main pack unzips like a suitcase, and you can easily fit a week’s worth of clothes, underwear, extra shoes, and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (in a built-in sleeve). The updated models are made from a tough recycled ripstop nylon that should stand up to wear. But if something does go wrong, REI guarantees these packs for up to a year.
Also great
Although it’s comfortable, this backpack is not as adjustable as we’d like. It does, however, have a lifetime warranty and the most spacious removable daypack of any of the backpacks for longer torsos we tested. And this pack comes in two sizes.
Although it’s comfortable, this backpack is not as adjustable as we’d like. It does, however, have the most spacious removable daypack of any of the backpacks we tested, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. And this pack comes in two sizes.
The Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Pack – Men’s and the slightly smaller Osprey Fairview 55 Travel Pack – Women’s are excellent backpacks—they’re just not quite as comfortable or adjustable as the Ruckpack. As with all of our picks, these bags have stowable straps, and they can be fully unzipped like a suitcase. Like the Ruckpacks, these bags are made from a strong ripstop nylon. Unlike the Ruckpacks, though, the Ospreys have straps that are not height-adjustable. However, they do each come in two sizes, which might be better for much taller or shorter backpackers (the larger of the two holds 55 liters, the smaller 52 liters).
The daypacks that come with both the Farpoint and the Fairview are also slightly larger than the one with REI’s Ruckpacks—something photographers and anyone else who needs to carry more gear throughout the day will appreciate. Osprey also offers a lifetime warranty, the best of any of our picks.
Budget pick
The Explorer offers many of the same features as the pricier bags we tested—a removable daypack, stowable straps, and a main compartment that opens like a suitcase. So this pack is a great deal if you don’t mind sacrificing some comfort, durability, and warranty support.
If you’re not sure about this whole “traveling with a backpack instead of rolling luggage” thing, the less expensive Highlander Outdoor Explorer Ruckcase 45+15 is a great way to try out the concept. This highly adjustable unisex bag has many of the features we liked in our other picks, such as a detachable daypack, stowable straps, and a front zipper that lets you open the bag like a suitcase.
However, it’s made of cheaper polyester fabric, which isn’t as durable as the ripstop nylon in our other picks. And the Explorer lacks any sort of official warranty support. Also, the daypack is too small to hold most laptops. This bag has all the features you could want and need from a travel backpack, but you may end up having to replace it sooner rather than later.
