My son is going to Spain soon and has asked me to look for the best carry on backpack for international travel I could find. The thing is, he has one, but it's cheap and shabby, with only a couple of compartments inside. Things can get so easily mixed up. Plus, it's torn on the back, so definitely isn't suitable for his needs. Well, being a bargain hunter, I did buy it at a discount store after all! ;-)
This time I've been looking for a good quality item at a fair price. He needs something strong with lots of pockets and compartments so he can easily find the things he is looking for. When you are traveling it's very important to be super-organized. After all, if you are already late for your flight you cannot spend hours looking for your passport!
As usual, I've looked at the popularity of each item, the average number of stars in the reviews (I ignore items with less than 4 stars). I've also read through some of the reviews to see what people are saying about the features. And I've looked at the description of each product to evaluate its features. Having done all that, I've come up with a shortlist of 5 rucksacks you see below.
Extra Large Strong Water Resistant Carry On Backpack for International Travel by Yorepek
Although compared to others this bag doesn't have that many reviews with the current seller, they range between 4 and 5 stars, with 4.5 being an average score. Its size is impressive at 14.96 x10.4 x 19.49Inches(LxWxH), with 35-55 litre capacity offering a big packing potential. It is TSA-friendly which is great for the airport checking desks. There is a USB port with an internal cable for convenient charging. It's made of a durable material with heavy-duty two-way zippers. The back panel is padded and breathable which is good at preventing overheating both for you and the laptop. You can carry a laptop of up to 17.3 inches in it. The ergonomic design ensures comfortable carrying. The number of compartments and its extra large pockets help to organise and find your stuff without any hassle. It's definitely my favourite for the price. I just hope that my son loves it too!
Water Resistant Rucksack with USB Charger and Anti Theft Pocket for International Travel by Mancro
This Mancro bag caught my eye because of a wide range of its features, as well as the number of purchases and 5-star reviews, with an average score of 4.5 stars. Considering that the number of the product bought exceeds 4500 it's very impressive! There are a lot of good things about it - a lot of compartments to organize your stuff, a secret antitheft pocket and a USB cable port. It's compact, durable and big enough to carry a laptop under 17 inches in size at 20×13×6 inches dimensions and 25 litres capacity.
Durable Slim Water Proof Carry On Backpack for International Travel by Matein
This bag is my second favourite. It's slightly smaller than the first one at 18 x 12 x 7.8 inches in dimensions, can be worn safely in any weather conditions, is strong, has a USB port outside with a built-in cable on the inside. There are various compartments to organise your stuff, as well as an anti-theft pocket. This compact item is good for travel or school, and the price is very reasonable considering the number of features.
Swissgear Easy Scan Heavy Duty Carry On Backpack for International Travel
I am listing this bag as an option simply because of its easy scan design. For airports its very important to be able to enable a quick and safe scan without any holdups or damage to your laptop. It's highly durable made out of weather-resistant 1200D ballistic polyester and back padding to ensure safety and ventilation both for you and the laptop. The organization potential is fantastic with lots of places to help you find your stuff easily. It's a bit heavier than the others at 3.5 kg shipping weight and 31 litres capacity, which is why it's my 3rd favourite. There are also some negative reviews about the zip quality and the laptop size it would fit (apparently, it won't fit 17.3" notebooks despite claims in the description), so make your decision based on it.
Extra Large Travel Backpack with USB Charging Port Unisex Anti Theft Water-Resistant
What I like about this TSA-friendly bag is that it has a security lock to ensure the protection of its contents. If you need to keep your stuff extra secure and dry, then this is for you. The bag fits up to a 17.3" laptop and has an external USB port and an internal cable. It's made out of water-resistant material to ensure that the contents remain dry whatever the weather. At 45 litres capacity, it will suit most people's needs. The size is 19.4 x10.4 x14.96 inches. Made of durable polyester fabric with heavy-duty, two-way waterproof zippers across the backpack.
