Best Carry-On Bag 2019

The Best Carry-On Bag delivers a dialed-in mix of access, durability, comfort and flexibility to adapt to your travel…

1st Place

Peak Design Travel Backpack

It was only an amount of time until Peak Design brought their genius-level of design to the travel space, and the result is a pack that stands out in its category. Versatile, attractive, and, yet again, innovative in ways that make daily use more joyful. It’s a supreme achievement, and a pack that’ll challenge the rest of the industry to get better.

The durable, weatherproof build and sleek silhouette adapt to a variety of environments, whether you’re heading to cities or venturing on paths less traveled, adjusting in volume when you need it: the standard 35L can expand to 45L or compress to 30L, with a simple clutching motion, allowing you to carry more when you need to or compress the bag into daypack mode for exploring with essentials.

The access-rich pack has a clamshell-style back panel opening, paired with dual side access and front access. And choice of quick-access pockets and external carry straps to secure bulkier items to the exterior (think tripods or heavy jackets).

When carrying, it rides comfortably with well-padded shoulder straps, a waist belt and a sternum strap. And when in need of a cleaner profile (say to store in overhead luggage bins), the harness stows away behind magnetically sealed flaps, making for stress-free transitions when in transit.

Easing the packing experience has also been thought through, with a selection of innovative pouches and inserts that carve up gear, from toiletries to tech to camera gear, delivering a fully integrated travel system.

The Peak Design Travel Backpack is a feat of modern design. A pack that adapts to changing needs more easily and efficiently than any other we’ve seen, whilst improving on current solutions like only PD can.

Truly impressive work, Peak Design!

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Highly Commended

These are the pieces that just missed out, and in most cases, by the smallest of margins. To them, we award a High Commendation. The below were of outstanding quality, displaying fine craftsmanship and design flair. With honor, we bow our heads in the utmost respect and kudos. If this were a dais, they’d be biting their teeth into silver medals – a feat not to be overlooked. And we’re sure they’ll be back, to take it one notch higher, next year.

Aer Travel Pack 2

We were big fans of Aer’s original Travel Pack. So we were chuffed to see the brand striving to make it even better. And that’s exactly what they’ve done. The updated pack welcomes an assortment of new additions including a luggage passthrough sleeve, improved interior organization, convenient quick-access laptop storage, redesigned straps for better carry comfort, as well as lockable zippers. Additionally, the pack can be paired with an optional hip belt when you’re carrying heavier loads. The clamshell opening prevents the need to rummage for specific items, while dedicated shoe storage keeps your kicks (or dirty laundry) away from your clean gear. Aer’s solid build quality is ready to serve you well here too, with a water-resistant 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior that will stand up to years of hard-wearing use. Refined for even more user-friendly functionality, the Travel Pack 2 is a worthy companion that will serve you well on a host of trips. Awesome job, Aer!

Heimplanet Transit Travel Pack

One bag for work trips and weekend getaways alike? A pack that embraces urban streets and more far-flung terrain? Heimplanet’s Transit Travel Pack delivers the goods. Heimplanet have done a great job of blending understated aesthetics with robust durability and functionality to meet a variety of travel needs. The pack has a sustainably-made DYECOSHELL exterior that looks suitably stylish in urban environments but is tough enough to handle more rugged settings too. A range of organization options complement the convenient clamshell opening, including quick-access pockets and a suspended laptop sleeve. And the pack also comes with a removable hipbelt and sternum strap to stabilize the load. Clean, practical and versatile enough for leisure and work trips, this is a solid addition to your travel setup. High fives all around, Heimplanet!

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