Amazon Basics Travel Backpack, Carry-On with Laptop Compartment, 40L Capacity, Expandable for 10% Extra Space, Convertible Backpack & Shoulder Bag, Multiple Pockets, 15.8"W x 21.5"H x 8.3"D, Black

We purchased our Amazon Basics Travel Backpacks in 2018 and they have traveled on multiple international and domestic flights. We waited until now so that we could give a review of how they have held up over 7 years of travel. The material of the bag has held up well, not just from being shoved into the overhead compartment, but we tend to wear our backpacks, along with a smaller backpack on our chest (yes, we're those dorks). We tend to stay in locations that require long public transportation rides, walks down narrow stone alleyways where the bags bump up against the walls, and constantly being tossed on the ground as we stop to eat or get some coffee as we travel around. Has there been wear? Absolutely. Some marks along the sides, front and edges of the bag, but the edges are holding up great. Wear is mostly cosmetic at this point, so they are still holding tough. We don't like sling carry straps, so we couldn't say how that strap holds up. The shoulder straps however have been great! They easily slide into the back pocket if you don't want to use it as a backpack, but quickly come out and clip on. My wife's bag has had some issues develop with one of the clips that connects one of the shoulder straps to the bag, but we were able to fix it for a while, and now just have it permanently clipped. As for functionality, the inside main pocket is large enough to carry about a week's worth of clothing - depending on the season. I use compression bags, but my wife folders her clothes. I won't lie, it took some practice to figure out how to pack for a 3 to 4 week trip using just this carry on backpack, but once we adjusted, we quickly learned we've been overpacking! We have seen backpacks with designated shoe compartments, thankfully this one does not have one. In my experience they take up a ton of room and do not allow you to compress your shoes, so you lose a lot of space. We use a cinch bag for a pair of shoes, and they just go right into the main compartment. The zipper side is nice for smaller items you don't want to pack with your main clothing. The outside zipper pocket has been less then helpful and we would probably prefer if it was divided into two pockets, but it's not. It's great for items like books, cosmetics, quick access to liquids (remember we got these in 2018, quick access to liquids was a thing), etc... Comfort-wise these do nicely. I am not going to tell you they are the most comfortable backpack out there, but they are pretty decent. We've hiked up some pretty hefty stairs (one was 172 steps up an old Italian stairway up a mountain) and it's the weight of your bag, not the straps that will determine your unhappiness at the top! That said, walking around my wife and I both notice the straps starting to dig into our shoulders about an hour into a walk. If you tend to just wear your backpack from the car to the the gate, and then the gate to a Ride Share, the straps will do you just fine. If you wander around a town with your bags for hours before checking in, you'll want to break your walk apart to give your shoulders a rest from these straps. Style - What do you want me to say? You aren't walking around with a Gucci bag. We got red so that they are easy to see, and with the rubberized Amazon Basics badge attached to the bottom coroner, there's no avoiding the fact that we are walking around with bright red beacons of thrifty travel gear. Fortunately we are both old enough now we really don't care. :-) Aside from the color and badging, the style is pretty average. It's basically rectangular, which is great for functionality, and made of material to withstand wear and tear. Then again, if you are looking for style, you probably aren't backpacking your way through an airport and various international cities. Overall we have been tremendously happy with these bags, and would purchase them again.

Great looking in black. The smooth-finish, semi-ballistic weave exterior isn't too shiny, it just has a nice low-gloss sheen, but it sheds pet fur unlike "canvas" style fabrics. The laptop slot is ingenious - the side towards my back is well-padded, as expected, but the side on the interior is unpadded, allowing the fabric to drape around the laptop edges, and thereby "reclaim" otherwise lost laptop compartment space. This is a classic, albeit well-designed and beautifully made, "onebag" - a term coined by blogger Doug Dyment to describe convertible suitcase/backpack carry-ons that are efficient enough to replace checked luggage. Rick Steves has also been a big advocate of the "carryon only" philosophy and rectangular (for maximum interior volume) convertible backpacks. This AmazonBasics is virtually a clone of the eBags TLC Mother Lode Weekender Convertible, which is a good thing - I've had both years-ago and recent Motherlode editions, and they are cleverly designed. My one gripe about the Motherlode line is "feature creep" - too many compartments, clever but hard to use snap-out water bottle slots, etc. SO the AmazonBasics is a slightly simpler version of the Motherlode - for about half the price. Size is maximum carryon size based on United Airlines' spec - 9x14x22. Unlike a lying wheelie, however the AmazonBasics is really 9x14x22 - wheelie makers usually don't count their wheels or protruding top and side handles (the handles on this AmazonBasics lie pretty flat). Main compartment has tie-down straps that come straight off the bottom edge, compared to eBags which are routed through clips up the sidewalls first. Tie down straps off the bottom edge tend to compress packing cube edges more than their flat tops, pulling the packing cube edges away from the sidewalls. The only interior organizing slot/pouch is a flat 2/3 width, flat mesh zipper pouch. I think this should have been full width. Outside, there are two slots. The outermost slot is "flat" with zipper slight below the actual slot top. This is mostly good for - LOL - magazines (actually printed magazines? yeah, right) or a newspaper, stuff that isn't too thick. I'd be reluctant to even shove a scarf in here Behind the flat zipper slot is a real "compartment", basically an add-on to the lid but accessible from the outside. It opens with a u-zipper, pulling down from the top (no opening side-to-side book style). You can fit a light wind or rain jacket in here, but fleece or a hooded rain parka will create a bulge. There are two pen slots on the body-side panel, with drop in solid slots at top and drop in mesh slots at bottom. These are designed for flat items; an Amazon Fire HD 8 without a case fits easily. I don't think any of the slots here are suitable for phone or passport, you should have a waistpack, neck pouch, or "personal item" sized handbag or small daypack for stuff that needs organizing. Me, I only care about room for the following: 1. Packing cube for a couple travel pants and couple polos or short sleeve sport shirts; 2. Combination packing cube for underwear and socks. 3. Room for light sweat pants or longjohns, and light fleece, for pajamas. 4. Bathroom kit, in a dopp kit-style sil nylon zip pouch. 5. Chargers and cables kit. 6. Laptop and tablet (ok, in this case the front panel drop-in table slot is handy). 7. Left over room for a fleece and rain shell spread top to bottom in the interior main compartment. and Thin fabric shelled, t shirt weight lined, casual runners or hikers jacket in the external zipper compartment, to keep me warm on the flight. So, basically, I can underpack this thing outbound, using the handy exterior compression straps to keep stuff from shifting and also to slim down the profile (which makes gate check agent happy). Inbound, I loosen the compression straps, unzip the expansion panel, and stuff the bag with souvenirs - and treat it as checked luggage when I leave, knowing that if it is temporarily lost I'll already be home and can live without it for a while. $49.95 is a crazy price. This is worth $99 and would still be a bargain compared to name brands.

Amazing backpack/shoulder strap carryon or not bag for 40$ . It is lots of bells and whistles that allow it to convert on many levels. For example, it has two Internal straps. It has expandability and it has two front zippers deep pockets. It’s pretty well organized It is not a comfortable backpack. It is comfortable enough, and it does the job for the price. If you are, however, truly backpacking, then this is not the bag for you. If, like me, you are running around backpacking sometimes, shoulder strapping it other times, and using the handle, then it’s an excellent option that our competes with many bags several times it’s price. For future reference, I do think the bag can be a little bit more square at the top. I found the tapering at the top made it a bit difficult to manage my clothing cubes . The bag is flexible, though, and I was able to put other things in those spaces and make it work. I would also say that the quality of the bag is not up to par with many of that superior backpacks that are luggage. It’s just a simple fact, but you will get years of worth out of this and it serves really nice niche. It’s also good to know that Amazon cover if it rips or falls apart. Overall, it is been a great bag for 40 bucks. I can fit enough expendable front so can use it if I want or not. It’s also accepted everywhere- fits on Ryanair..

I’ve used this backpack for travel and was honestly impressed with how much it holds. I was able to pack a surprising amount of stuff into it without it feeling awkward or overstuffed. The layout makes it easy to organize everything, and the laptop compartment keeps things separated instead of all mashed together. I kept finding new pockets as I used it. What I liked most is that it doesn’t feel cheap. The fabric is sturdy, the zippers feel solid, and nothing about it gives off that flimsy budget-bag vibe. It held up well being stuffed full and carried through airports, and I never felt like I had to baby it. It’s comfortable to wear, works well as a carry-on, and just does its job without trying to be fancy. If you need a backpack that can haul a lot and still feels well-made, this one exceeded my expectations for the price.

After much indecision, I purchased this Amazon Basics bag as my only luggage for a week-long trip to California, wanting to avoid checked luggage. I'm happy I pulled the trigger on this one. I bought “used, like new” to save a few bucks and as far as I'm concerned it really is like brand new. It arrived in original plastic bag (which is actually how you're supposed to return stuff to Amazon anyway.) No sign whatsoever of having been touched by human hands. (Thank you to the person who didn't take it on a trip to test it out before returning it!) I was a bit worried about the size as the description lists it as slightly larger than standard 22X14X9, but my measurement says it's closer to standards than listed. It fit perfectly in the size checker at check in, in case anyone else had that concern. Right off the bat I liked almost everything about this bag. The size is almost exactly the maximum standard carry on size so there's no wasted space (or extra weight) as with wheels. That was important to me for being able to pack enough to avoid checked luggage and that whole waiting at the carousel for your man-handled suitcase. In this case I packed for a week…easily. I like the material as it appears to be quite durable and feels “heavy duty” enough to hold up for years. Stitching looks good too. Zippers work well and are pretty heavy duty. Another important feature, to me, is that this fully opens like a suitcase making it a lot easier to pack than having to stuff a bag. There is a nice, wide handle on the side and top so it can be carried horizontally or vertically. The handles don't bunch up since there is a “stiffening agent” sewn inside (probably a strip of plastic). I tried squeezing it tightly and it didn't bend so it seems durable. The only issue with squeezing it (or holding it tightly) is that the internal plastic strip is both thin and rigid and can press into your hand in an uncomfortable way. Not a problem, just don't squeeze. I appreciate that there are four compression straps on the outside to squash down the load for when saving space is a concern or just to snug up your load. I think these could also work as an umbrella holder or to strap a jacket to the side of the bag. [Note: I did strap my jacket on at the airport and it worked great for that. As far as the backpack use is concerned, the padding on the back is adequate and the straps are comfortable. The waist strap is thin and I think it would get uncomfortable quickly. I didn't even take it on my trip. As you can see on the listing, there is a zippered, mesh compartment on the inside of the “lid” of the main compartment. This compartment is flat with no depth although you could stuff it and make it bulge, taking space away from the main area. I suppose it would be good for a wet swimsuit or dirty underwear or something. As another reviewer noted, It's kind of strange how this mesh panel was only designed to occupy about ¾ of the width of the lid which wastes an opportunity for slightly more packing…but that's a negligible concern. I don't think the compression straps on the inside of the main compartment are all that useful considering the external ones do a fine job of compressing the whole load. I didn't use them at all…they just seem like interference with getting to your stuff. I like that this bag is expandable because you just never know what you're going to find on vacation that you can't resist bringing home! I did not use that this trip but thought I was going to have to, so it was added security. I like the idea of the strap across the back that would enable you to slide this bag over the extended handle of a rolling suitcase, but I generally try to avoid traveling with that much stuff to have to haul around, so I'll probably never use it. For the $37 I spent, I have no complaints, but there is room for improvement. For one thing, I'd like it if there was a shallow zippered compartment on the front rather than the deep ones. That would be more convenient for stashing things you want quick access to without having to dig. Cellphone, charger, cables, glasses, chapstick, breath mints (a courtesy for your row partners.) I also would have liked a beverage holder pouch on the outside so I wouldn’t have to hold my thermal coffee container in hand or stuffed inside taking up packing space. My fix was to order a separate bottle holder to attach to an external compression strap. (See photo) If there is ever an upgraded version of this bag that includes those missing features, I'd buy that too. I travel quite a bit and I think this will be my new “go to” bag despite the small criticisms. I think that for the price you can't really go wrong, so, notwithstanding those design omissions, I give this my full recommendation, endorsement and five stars. Follow up: On my return trip I checked this bag due to “sensitive” content (empty gun clips my brother was sending to my son who's a cop) and I didn't want to get stopped at security. I also thought it would be a good test to see how well it stood up to the baggage handling process. Call me foolish but I had also packed a large, heavy, ceramic mug that I'd picked up at a thrift store (so no big loss it didn't survive). The bag and all contents came through in perfect shape except for one small “snag” in the fabric. (Thank you American Airlines baggage handlers.) Other: To say I packed for a week is subjective. (In college it could’ve been a couple shirts, an extra pair of pants, some underwear and a toothbrush…and, wistful thinking, a couple condoms…lol!) So here's what I actually just unloaded when I got home. 3 pants 1 cargo shorts 1 gym shorts 1 swim suit 5 button down shirts (short sleeve) 2 v-neck tees 2 regular tees 1 long-sleeved polypro shirt 7 underwear 3 socks 1 small toiletries bag 1 shaver in hard case 1 small zippered pouch for cables, chargers, adapters etc. 1 16oz insulated coffee container (I didn't have the external strap-on holder yet for this trip.) 1 large, heavy ceramic mug 1 left over 3.5oz bag of Cheerios 1 bag of granola 1 tin of breath mints 2 e-candles (night lights for dark hotel bathrooms.) 1 large Samsung tablet. 1 reading glasses 1 can hair spray A few small packets of creamer, sugar and red pepper flakes. 1 (hopefully never to be used) covid mask And 1 bandana (never travel without a bandana! See my book, “100 uses for a bandana”.) All this without even using the “expando” feature and I'm sure I could have put in another couple tee shirts etc.

After YEARS of trying to find the perfect travel bag, this one has taken the #1 position in my arsenal. Typically I would use my duffle bag that has wheels and carry handle, but time and many travels have begin wearing that bag down. In preparation for my trip with a 2 year old in tow, I needed something easy and hands free. After reviewing EVERY option on Amazon, it was down to 3 different backpacks. Having not traveled airlines in 3-4 years, rules and regulations change often and I was pleased to see this backpack AmazonBasics Carry-On Travel Backpack, Black has all of the up-to date regulations required. Going down the list of things I needed in a travel bag: TSA Carry on size capable. Plenty of pockets and storage for little things Expandable main compartment Laptop/Tablet storage Sturdy straps/Handles Lightweight (Depending on what I pack inside) When I received this bag, I was extremely pleased to see the quality in the build! for a 50$ bag this has EVERYTHING Comparing this bag to the other bags on amazon. I was also looking at a very large price difference ranging from 129$ to 229$. Being budget minded, I opted to try this risk free due to Amazon's return policies. (Love you guys!), again, let me say this: This bag is IMPRESSIVE. It EASILY fit my very large and bulky Dell Precision M6800 (Normal 17" laptop bags are not actually a TRUE 17" laptop bag), over a weeks worth of clothes (Carefully packed of course), along with cables, chargers, and a few personal items. The few things I wish this bag had are listed below (Hint Hint Amazon!): A brighter color interior (Amazon Orange would have been nice!) instead of the gray insides. More "clip" locations for carabiners or water bottle storage of sorts, recommendations would be a plastic clip or two at the top or bottom corners of the bag, or a clip location on the front corner of the bag, or sewn band straps on the front or bottom corners of the bag for clips. A hardened/reinforced bottom on the backpack. *See explanation below * When using this bag as a backpack, i opted to have the bag sit upright. Having a reinforced or hardened bottom side on the backpack would increase the durability of the backpack quite a lot especially with lots of use. When using in suitcase style, this would need a reinforced back padding or bumper of sorts. Overall, I have and will continue to recommend this bag in the distance future. Opting for the choices of other bags, this bag was extremely comfortable to wear, and carry (I am 6'3", and 215lbs).

If you want a backpack to use as a carry on suitcase, this may work for you. It has an expandable section in the main compartment, straps to tie down your clothing. there is a laptop sleeve area along with some smaller storage in the front panel that zips all way around. It does lack any small pockets to easily access a passport or stuff in keys, etc. The front panel has some pockets but nothing is secure, meaning items will all fall out if turns the wrong direction. The bag seems sturdy enough for travel and some wear and tear, but it did not work for what I needed for traveling internationally.

Great value. Carry on size is perfect. Well made. Clips are good but should be used perhaps with care. Features are spot on. Easily comparable to more expensive packs. I plan to use this serval times a year so I’m sure that it will be adequately durable. A more expensive pack should certainly be more sturdy, but for this price one could buy three or four for the price of a name brand deluxe pack.

Got this bag and took my first week trip to Montreal from Calgary. It held 1 paid shoes, 3 shirts 1 pair pants, 2 t shirts, 6 socks 6 underwear, toiletries, laptop and cable. It has a shoulder strap I used and was solid. I used the back pack straps and solid. Back is padded for carrying on your back and would do for short carries ( not made as a hiking pack. does not have waist belt) Material is that of most carryon bags Nylon simple. The price point was excellent for what I got. 1/3 less than other name brands. Will try on a trip to Europe next summer.

Excelentes materiales acabados y diseño! Es una maleta que no excede las dimensiones para equipaje de cabina aérea, sin embargo es tan espaciosa que pueden empacarse sin ningún problema las 25 lb permitidas en cabina y todo esto con la practicidad de una backpack. Incluye también correa larga para usarse al hombro o cruzada. El diseño de apertura de maleta tradicional permite empacar cómoda y ordenadamente sin que se apriete, desordene o arrugue como sucede en una backpack tradicional. Sus materiales, acabados y costuras son tan resistentes que soportan sobradamente el peso para la cual fue diseñada. La mochila vacía solo pesa 3 lb, por lo que puedes empacar 22lb. sin ningún problema además de que se puede expandir si se desea. El espacio para alojar una laptop de 15.5" cuenta con una bolsa interna suspendida y sujetada de manera que al caminar no golpea la espalda ni se mueve, se mantiene en la parte alta, además de que esa bolsa suspendida no permite que la laptop se deslice más abajo de la protección acolchonada de la mochila en la espalda y así no golpea el derriere al caminar. La parte del frente cuenta con espacio para folders o 2 cuadernos standar. La correa a la cintura y la del pecho proporcionan estabilidad y equilibrio para moverse libremente. Altamente recomendada para quien no tiene inconveniente en cargar su equipaje a cuestas y desea tener las manos libres (Lo que no sucede cuando arrastras una con ruedas) Es mi primera compra de productos AmazonBasics y ha excedido mis expectativas. Ojalá pudiera estar disponible otra vez y en variados colores porque deseo comprar otra para regalo. El precio pagado por ella ($1071.00) en mayo 2017 me pareció razonable. La recomiendo ampliamente.

I've had this for a few months now and gotten a lot of use out of it. It's a good alternative to a rolly bag which can be annoying sometimes. I prefer this backpack as it's as big (or even bigger) than my cabin rolly bag, you can travel hands free and no need to worry about what type of ground you're walking on (or up down stairs etc). It's actually slightly bigger than expected. it has a compartment for laptops and a couple of other useful compartments. It's comfortable enough to wear as hand luggage although I wouldn't recommend it as a backpacking bag as it's not really made for wearing all the time and after a day becomes uncomfortable if you've got a lot of heavy stuff in. I travel a lot and almost never check in luggage, just carry hand luggage. This bag is really good for that because it's big enough to fit everything I need (whether for a weekend trip or even 2-week beach holiday - I tend to pack light) but small enough that it fits the cabin bag regulations. I also like the red colour. It has an extra handle so you can wear it as a shoulder bag, I haven't used it myself but imagine it canbe useful for some people. All in all I recommend it!

Ho acquistato questo zaino per dei viaggi, anche in aereo per l'uso come bagaglio a mano e l'ho consigliato anche ad una collega che ne aveva bisogno perchè è davvero molo solido, robusto e capiente. L'ho utilizzato sempre nella versione zaino, ma può essere portato anche orizzontalmente come una valigia o a tracolla sempre in posizione orizzontale. Quando lo si utilizza come zaino è comodo allacciare la cinghia all'altezza del petto per scaricare meglio il peso. Nella tasca porta PC entra comodamente un qualsiasi portatile anche quando la valigia è molto piena e mi risulta ben imbottita, tanto che ci ho portato tranquillamente il PC senza subire danni. Molto comoda è l'apertura orizzontale a valigia per sistemare i vestiti e dentro ci sono le classiche cinghie per chiudere e tenere in posizione gli abiti. Comoda anche la tasca superiore e quella più esterna per distribuire gli oggetti. Comodissimo a mio parere il sistema di apertura che permette di aumentare o stringere il volume interno in base alla necessità e reputo molto comode anche le chiusure che rendono la valigia più "compatta" anche quando molto piena e quindi più facile da caricare in spalla. Anche gli spallacci sono imbottiti quindi può essere portato a spalla senza troppi problemi anche per tempi più lunghi, ovviamente in base al peso. Nonostante i viaggi intensi che gli ho fatto fare fino ad ora non ha subito nessun danno, le chiusure lampo e le cinghie sono come nuove. Non vi posso parlare di tenuta dell'acqua perchè l'ho usato sempre nel periodo estivo o comunque sotto un ombrello per ripararsi dalla pioggia.

Very good quality product. Very well made, Bigger than I expected. Perfect for my use.