I barely ever comment on vids but here I must say: Its so good to have you back man! You were certainly missed by many. Sending love and can’t wait for more vids!
I lived in Australia the last 5 years and with my travel around that part of the world and SE Asia and being confronted with multiple occasions where my carry on was weighed, I couldn't afford the weight of this backpack. (Every gram counts!) So I went with lighter options. Now I am back in the USA and immediately purchased this bag. After a couple trips, I have to say, I love this bag. Well done Chase and Pakt. A sincere thank you to both!
Thanks for the review Chase, I Pre-Ordered Two of the 35L version 2 today for my wife and I for an upcoming trip to Europe/ Spain next May, first time we are trying this one bag travel as our last trip to Italy from the US was not fun with rolling suitcases, lesson learned as Rookies hahaha. This backpack after comparing to every other back pack in the world being offered online seemed to check all the boxes for the very reasons you point out in your Vlog. We are excited to try these bad boys out and appreciate people like you who take the time to create great content reviews so those of us can learn and make better informed purchases based on experienced travelers. Semper Fi from the Marine
I just used my 35L Pakt backpack in a 15 day trip to Portugal, southern Spain, and Morocco.. Couldn't be more pleased. Your review is right on!! and it helped me understand all the features (and some hidden features!). thanks Chase!! Heading to Japan for 16 days in March... can't wait!
Thanks for the review, Chase! I have mixed feelings about the bag. The format seems quite comfortable, but there are a lot of implementation issues: 1) The fabric appears to attract wool, lint and dust - imho, my least favorite type of fabric. If it's not constantly wiped down, it will look as unkempt as possible, especially the black version. The same goes for the small Daybag. 2) The 500d fabric doesn't hold its shape well, being empty the bag looks shapeless. This is probably done to lighten the overall weight of the bag. By the way, I was not able to find information about how much the bag weighs - neither in the review nor on the website. For many Reddit guys, this is an important question. 3) The lack of Aquaguard zippers anywhere in the bag. Considering that the fabric isn't the most water resistant in terms of its density, the extra moisture protection wouldn't have hurt. 4) The bag in the 45 liter version reaches a length of 60 cm - this is too much for hand luggage on any airline flights! Why other backpack manufacturers were able to make their Travelpack 45L in length of 55 cm, but Pact is not? 5) The location of the laptop pocket in the center of the backpack still raises questions - the center of gravity is shifted away from the back, which affects the comfort of carrying. 6) The fastenings of the backpack straps look too loose - in my opinion, the nylon strap could have been made a bit shorter. 7) The idea of detachable straps for lateral attachment of yoga mat etc. may not be accepted as successful by everyone either. They can fall out and dangle when walking. The fasteners themselves don't look entirely comfortable, which Chase himself admits. 8) The pocket under the back looks terribly cheap and not quite ergonomic.A variant with a simple pocket with a hidden zipper would have been much prettier, simpler and more convenient. In general, there are many complaints about the ergonomics and appearance of the backpack. It feels that the first version looks in this regard much cleaner and much better organized.
The fasteners have me worried too…sort of think V1 backpack was better. Other bags do this too…but not many. I think there are more improvements overall than not. But some sacrifices also appear to have been made.
I agree with you. I fell V1 is better. I think a few changes would make V1 even better. Primarily making both sides slightly deeper to accommodate packing cubes. one side is slightly smaller (depth wise). Making the accessory straps actually stay on and few smaller details. otherwise the pack itself is perfect. I love the pocket at the top of V1 that is water resistant as well. This one seems......unimpressive and a step back.
Used my 45L Pakt v2 on a 3 night trip across the country. Fit everything I needed and was a breeze through security and fit perfectly in the overhead compartment. This was near perfect. Only complaint was the straps are a bit too wide for me but not a deal breaker.
Dude, I just had to say I get the impression that hanging out with you would be so much fun. You have such an amazing personality. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would be laughing so hard and having so much fun 4:03 watching some guy on the internet talk about travel bags. You’re awesome and you deserve any and all success and joy that comes into your life. Keep up the great work my man. Cheers!
Lot of great improvements. Still on the fence about the laptop in the middle. Seems harder to get it in and out if your bag is stuffed (as they always are). In addition, I would suggest adding external bungies/stretch pockets to the daily carry. My dream combo backpack has a daypack that can hold wet/dirty items like a towel+bathing suit. I feel like so many of these techie travel backpacks are geared toward urban travel where all you have are clothes and slim electronics.
You should do a full comparison to the v1 bag if you have time! I have the V1 and love but I don’t see a reason to upgrade to the V2 from this video. No aluminum back panel and no removable hip belt that doubles as a little bag??? The V2 daybag pocket is nice but just store a timbuk2 cycling bag as my day bag inside one of the compartments of the v1 under my compression cubes. Thanks for making the V1 so amazing Chase… why were you not involved in designing the new one???
I am so thankful to see some amazing new videos. Even though I still am using the same one and only bag I purchased 4 years ago when I first started watching your videos, I am looking to get something new again and love love love watching your videos and seeing what's out there that will work for me! I don't travel, just work.. and my topo designs global briefcase has been mind blowing for the quality and I am so grateful for your reviews!
Thanks for the update brother, i have purchased my last two bags because of your excellent reviews and you know the most important function of a bag is the pockets for " business........Papers"...hehe. very glad to see you are doing well. loved to see your other vlogs not only about travel bags as well. Peace.
Welcome back! Great review. Makes me almost regret getting rid of my Cotopaxi allpa which opens similarly, but I like how this one has a bottle pocket. Gotta have water on the plane!
On the up mate! Life can be cruel, and then bloody awesome in the blink of an eye. As you noted last video Chase, there are two sides to life and they wander hand in hand. Cliche maybe, but time is extremely precious. Great to see you back Sir Reeves!
Yassssss was hoping you'd do a review. It so crazy that I was seeking a bag that had a way to integrate my daily travel bag that I take to offices and here it is.
Nice review. But what i dont get with this bag: where do i put my Business Papers? By the way its a good feeling to See you doing Videos Again. Welcome back.
That back panel looks like it would wear warm, no open channel for heat to escape. Better hip belts are must with a 45L pack, the weight when loaded would get fatiguing on a long day of travel. Also, 45L will exceed most international airlines carry-on size. Feel you, Chase, skimmed around some of these shortcomings.
I love the Pakt bags, I have the original and was flying to Memphis last year and the SW attendant was checking bag, looked at mine and tole mI could keep my bag because it fit under the seat
Just bought the bag ! On paper this is the perfect bag ! Can’t wait to test it out and give it a ride for its money . Using it for work and will def be stress testing it with my work load .
Awesome video - I really enjoyed it. Admittedly, I am even considering the bag as I would like something with a bit more room than the Arris I have used for the past few years. But…I really hate the how the fabric picked up all the lint. Have you tried out the new version of the MLC?
Love Your Videos Chase. Very interested in getting the 35 with the 15 for everyday. If necessary do think the 35 is too big to use if going to an outing such as a kids swim meet, baseball game when you might need a little more? I love the idea of dropping in the EDC into the larger Bag when necessary… thanks!
What would make this bag perfect for me as a traveler is if they had an extra strap or you can convert the hip strap to be a duffel bag strap. So I know it's a book bag and you can carry it briefcase style, but it would make it that much more better and perfect with a simple duffel bag strap
Thanks I love your videos. I must decide between the Tortuga 40l backpack and the Pakt Backpack. The Tortuga seems to offer more comfort, however the Pakt looks more thoughtfully engineered?
@@DflowenIt is a bag that just performs the task of carrying all my stuff. Just enough organization for me, and it is built like a tank. It is the one area of carry (travel) that I have found a bag I don’t have problems with. EDC or tech bags is a whole other story.
@@Dflowen GR2 40L might be a little big for school. 26L is a brilliant bag for edc. This bag may work, but the organization seems to lean toward travel more from what I’ve seen.
It’s good to see you! Hope you’ve been enjoying your time off UA-cam doing other things! Question: am I missing something on what makes the AirTag pocket “hidden”? It just looks like a regular slip pocket.
Good review. I like it but just wish it was cheaper. Besides I got the Minaal bags based on your review and a few others. Also what's the deal with wearing one sock and one shoe?
I'll have to say that I preferred the old material ( a bit more texture to it than now) as well as that crazy flip in the middle of the front they had on it. I wish I'd pulled the trigger while it was still available. I understand the need of upgrading products and some aspects in the comparizons between the V1 and now V2 are legit, but overall, I dunno.
The Pakt website lists the dimensions for the 45 L at 23x13x9 in. Though that does not exceed the total measurement of 45 when the three are added together, the 23 inches does exceed the maximum height of 22 inches that many domestic carriers require. Seems like a bit of a miss.
Thanks for the review. Really well done. I’m interested on this backpack but I’m not sure if go for the 35L or the 45L. The main use will be business travel. Than can be from 3 to 7-10days. So I carry business casual clothes, laptop, notebook, headphones… Normally the 35L should just work fine, but I work in Germany and move mains to north France and Austria. So from October to February/March I need to carry warm clothes. And also I don’t want the clothes to be super tight as I have to have a decent look. So this points me to think on the 45L. But at the same time I want to avoid issues from the carry on perspective. What version do you recommend me? The side straps, are they useful also to compact the backpack? Thanks a lot
Looks almost like the same bag as the original. I think the new TSA pouch is a step back. You cant put anything inside it without it flapping out and once you tuck it in, its folded so not much can actually be stored. For the $325 price point, I would say this competes with CTB 35L from evergoods - which imo has a superior build. I just really love the side pockets for bottles. the stretchy pockets are unmatched at holding items and bottles. Having cloth pockets always feels like the bottle is going to fall out. Other options are bellroy transit backpack plus, which has great build too but not as rugged in feel. The mesh inside feels amazing on the hand, unrivaled when it comes to that mesh. Really thoughtful pocketing as well. Waterbottle pocket resides inside the bag so thats a bummer. Aer travel pack 3 is always a great option. Tons of storage. Most similar to this bag without the suitcase style compartment. I would say you cant really lose picking any of these. Just comes down to what you need in a bag and how you pack out.
It's great to see you back Chase!!!
We missed you Chase. Thanks for coming back.
I barely ever comment on vids but here I must say: Its so good to have you back man! You were certainly missed by many. Sending love and can’t wait for more vids!
Welcome back Chase! You’ve been missed ✌️
Great to see you reviewing the Pakt backpack. I hope you and your family are doing well. Peace ✌️
I lived in Australia the last 5 years and with my travel around that part of the world and SE Asia and being confronted with multiple occasions where my carry on was weighed, I couldn't afford the weight of this backpack. (Every gram counts!) So I went with lighter options. Now I am back in the USA and immediately purchased this bag. After a couple trips, I have to say, I love this bag. Well done Chase and Pakt. A sincere thank you to both!
Chase is the GOAT on pack reviews!!
Dude! Seriously good to see you. Was wondering since it's been a while. Hope things are better in recent months.
Man, it was a dystopian desert here without you. Us bag people NEED you. Welcome back. More to come, I hope?
Yessssssss CHASE! Welcome back. Hope you are having an awesome summer with your family. God bless
Absolutely love how the interior is a light color and not black or a dark color
Missed you Chase! So glad to see you back!
So glad you are back!!!! Hope you are doing well!
Thanks for the review Chase, I Pre-Ordered Two of the 35L version 2 today for my wife and I for an upcoming trip to Europe/ Spain next May, first time we are trying this one bag travel as our last trip to Italy from the US was not fun with rolling suitcases, lesson learned as Rookies hahaha. This backpack after comparing to every other back pack in the world being offered online seemed to check all the boxes for the very reasons you point out in your Vlog. We are excited to try these bad boys out and appreciate people like you who take the time to create great content reviews so those of us can learn and make better informed purchases based on experienced travelers. Semper Fi from the Marine
Missed you Chase! Hope you and the fam are doing good.
Aloha from Hawaii!
Welcome back, Chase! So happy to see you!!
I've missed you mate!!! Glad you're back. Hope all is well, and as always, Great video and content.
I just used my 35L Pakt backpack in a 15 day trip to Portugal, southern Spain, and Morocco.. Couldn't be more pleased. Your review is right on!! and it helped me understand all the features (and some hidden features!). thanks Chase!! Heading to Japan for 16 days in March... can't wait!
Thanks for the review, Chase!
I have mixed feelings about the bag. The format seems quite comfortable, but there are a lot of implementation issues:
1) The fabric appears to attract wool, lint and dust - imho, my least favorite type of fabric. If it's not constantly wiped down, it will look as unkempt as possible, especially the black version. The same goes for the small Daybag.
2) The 500d fabric doesn't hold its shape well, being empty the bag looks shapeless. This is probably done to lighten the overall weight of the bag. By the way, I was not able to find information about how much the bag weighs - neither in the review nor on the website. For many Reddit guys, this is an important question.
3) The lack of Aquaguard zippers anywhere in the bag. Considering that the fabric isn't the most water resistant in terms of its density, the extra moisture protection wouldn't have hurt.
4) The bag in the 45 liter version reaches a length of 60 cm - this is too much for hand luggage on any airline flights! Why other backpack manufacturers were able to make their Travelpack 45L in length of 55 cm, but Pact is not?
5) The location of the laptop pocket in the center of the backpack still raises questions - the center of gravity is shifted away from the back, which affects the comfort of carrying.
6) The fastenings of the backpack straps look too loose - in my opinion, the nylon strap could have been made a bit shorter.
7) The idea of detachable straps for lateral attachment of yoga mat etc. may not be accepted as successful by everyone either. They can fall out and dangle when walking. The fasteners themselves don't look entirely comfortable, which Chase himself admits.
8) The pocket under the back looks terribly cheap and not quite ergonomic.A variant with a simple pocket with a hidden zipper would have been much prettier, simpler and more convenient.
In general, there are many complaints about the ergonomics and appearance of the backpack. It feels that the first version looks in this regard much cleaner and much better organized.
The fasteners have me worried too…sort of think V1 backpack was better. Other bags do this too…but not many. I think there are more improvements overall than not. But some sacrifices also appear to have been made.
I agree with you. I fell V1 is better. I think a few changes would make V1 even better. Primarily making both sides slightly deeper to accommodate packing cubes. one side is slightly smaller (depth wise). Making the accessory straps actually stay on and few smaller details. otherwise the pack itself is perfect. I love the pocket at the top of V1 that is water resistant as well. This one seems......unimpressive and a step back.
@@richardacosta2297is there a way to still get the version 1? Cant find it
@@13hubi13 not that i know of. they might have some on their site, under the trade in/refurbished section
Chase is the 🐐 when it comes to bag reviews.
So glad you’re back! You’ve been missed!
Yay a bag video from Chase! And in the classic style, i half expected the old "screech"
Used my 45L Pakt v2 on a 3 night trip across the country. Fit everything I needed and was a breeze through security and fit perfectly in the overhead compartment. This was near perfect. Only complaint was the straps are a bit too wide for me but not a deal breaker.
Dude, I just had to say I get the impression that hanging out with you would be so much fun. You have such an amazing personality. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would be laughing so hard and having so much fun 4:03 watching some guy on the internet talk about travel bags.
You’re awesome and you deserve any and all success and joy that comes into your life. Keep up the great work my man.
Cheers!
Great to see you back, I don't travel much or use bags for much other than the odd commute but really enjoy the videos man, great stuff thumbs up.
Its Great to see you back chase
man I wish Tortuga would've asked you to help them on a bag, they had so much potential but now Pakt just seems so much better
So happy to see this video! Glad to see you back, Chase! Good looking bag.
Dude your videos are so authentic. And you’re so f hilarious. Keep up the good work my friend!
Lot of great improvements. Still on the fence about the laptop in the middle. Seems harder to get it in and out if your bag is stuffed (as they always are). In addition, I would suggest adding external bungies/stretch pockets to the daily carry. My dream combo backpack has a daypack that can hold wet/dirty items like a towel+bathing suit. I feel like so many of these techie travel backpacks are geared toward urban travel where all you have are clothes and slim electronics.
Welcome back! Like the updates to this bag. It's like an updated MEI executive overnighter..loved that bag too
Great to see you again, Chase!
Great to see you back chase. Especially for a backpack review. Peace.
Welcome back, Chase!!!!
We missed you !
Glad to see you back! I miss your existential ramblings towards the ends of videos
You should do a full comparison
to the v1 bag if you have time! I have the V1 and love but I don’t see a reason to upgrade to the V2 from this video.
No aluminum back panel and no removable hip belt that doubles as a little bag???
The V2 daybag pocket is nice but just store a timbuk2 cycling bag as my day bag inside one of the compartments of the v1 under my compression cubes.
Thanks for making the V1 so amazing Chase… why were you not involved in designing the new one???
So happy to hear you are back! Love the review this may be something I look into for Paris.
I am so thankful to see some amazing new videos. Even though I still am using the same one and only bag I purchased 4 years ago when I first started watching your videos, I am looking to get something new again and love love love watching your videos and seeing what's out there that will work for me! I don't travel, just work.. and my topo designs global briefcase has been mind blowing for the quality and I am so grateful for your reviews!
Yes! So good to see you back! You have been missed!❤❤❤
Chase is back! This hit my feed and was so stoked to see this video.
Very interesting design @paktbags! Looks great Chase and well done! 👊🏻
With your haircut, you literally look just like your brother. Good to see you my friend.
Hey Chase! It's great to see you back! I've missed your updates and I genuinely hope everything is going well for you.
Chase is good to have you back my man, stay safe.
Welcome back, chase! Missed you man! Hope all is well
Thanks for the update brother, i have purchased my last two bags because of your excellent reviews and you know the most important function of a bag is the pockets for " business........Papers"...hehe. very glad to see you are doing well. loved to see your other vlogs not only about travel bags as well. Peace.
Chase you are back!! My life is complete again :))
Yes! So happy to see you back!
Great to have you back, Chase!
Absolute legendary review. What a time to be alive.
Just pre ordered my very first Pakt bag 😊 pretty excited
The man, the myth, the legend has returned!!
good to have you back, Chase!
I've been hoping for this review! Appreciate your thoroughness as always, Chase! Love the new expandable section.
Welcome back! Great review. Makes me almost regret getting rid of my Cotopaxi allpa which opens similarly, but I like how this one has a bottle pocket. Gotta have water on the plane!
On the up mate! Life can be cruel, and then bloody awesome in the blink of an eye. As you noted last video Chase, there are two sides to life and they wander hand in hand. Cliche maybe, but time is extremely precious. Great to see you back Sir Reeves!
Great to see you back. I've always enjoyed your backpack reviews.
Triple yes for a Fuji X100V video
YES please do a video on the Fuji x100 cameras
Hi Chase
Love you see you back! ❤
Yes! He’s baaaaack! Good to see you..
Ive enjoyed all of my pakt products. They have been so durable. I already ordered the 15L EDC backpack and waterproof pouch ❤
You are one of that crazy ones thst buy a small 15l for that price 😅
Yassssss was hoping you'd do a review. It so crazy that I was seeking a bag that had a way to integrate my daily travel bag that I take to offices and here it is.
You've been missed soooo much!
Nice review. But what i dont get with this bag: where do i put my Business Papers? By the way its a good feeling to See you doing Videos Again. Welcome back.
I am hoping they will still fit in that upper top front pocket like V1.
Nice to see ya back. Wondering if you also have a link to that great ball cap. 👍🏼
That back panel looks like it would wear warm, no open channel for heat to escape. Better hip belts are must with a 45L pack, the weight when loaded would get fatiguing on a long day of travel. Also, 45L will exceed most international airlines carry-on size. Feel you, Chase, skimmed around some of these shortcomings.
I love the Pakt bags, I have the original and was flying to Memphis last year and the SW attendant was checking bag, looked at mine and tole mI could keep my bag because it fit under the seat
Just bought the bag ! On paper this is the perfect bag ! Can’t wait to test it out and give it a ride for its money . Using it for work and will def be stress testing it with my work load .
Congrats! 🎉
Would love a review of the Waterfield Designs Essential Backpack (and maybe even the Messenger from the same series)
You had me at you can smush this … under the seat. Thanks chase I like to store things under the seat
Awesome video - I really enjoyed it. Admittedly, I am even considering the bag as I would like something with a bit more room than the Arris I have used for the past few years. But…I really hate the how the fabric picked up all the lint. Have you tried out the new version of the MLC?
You are alive man!! Nice to see you again.
No doubt! I love traveling with a personal item size backpack only.
Fuck, so glad to see you back, I was in withdrawal, hope you’re good, good to see you
Miss you man. Love seeing you
Long time no see Chase! I still enjoy your backpack review!! The version 2.0 seems really cool :)
Thanks Chase, I got mine ordered already!
Love Your Videos Chase. Very interested in getting the 35 with the 15 for everyday. If necessary do think the 35 is too big to use if going to an outing such as a kids swim meet, baseball game when you might need a little more? I love the idea of dropping in the EDC into the larger Bag when necessary… thanks!
Nice to have you back doing the business... maaaaaaaaaan. 💼
welcome back man , glade you are back .
Awesome return to UA-cam! Great video man. Slick broll and new setup
Great to see you back Chase. I was a little unsure how much changed from V1. I do wonder if this front two pockets are as large as the V1 bag.
Did you manage to find out the answer to this?
@@LowkeyLukeDnB Not really. Any reviews I have seen indicate they are still sizeable-just not sure if they are about the same as V1.
Looks like a fantastic bag. Considering moving from PeakDesign to this. You got me at Focal 🤣
What would make this bag perfect for me as a traveler is if they had an extra strap or you can convert the hip strap to be a duffel bag strap. So I know it's a book bag and you can carry it briefcase style, but it would make it that much more better and perfect with a simple duffel bag strap
Thanks I love your videos. I must decide between the Tortuga 40l backpack and the Pakt Backpack.
The Tortuga seems to offer more comfort, however the Pakt looks more thoughtfully engineered?
Glad to see you back! ❤
Good to see your back!
Awesome a new Chase review. This bag looks really good, but I’m locked in on a GR2 40L for travel pack.
Hopefully you can give your experience and review on the GR2 travel bag.
@@DflowenIt is a bag that just performs the task of carrying all my stuff. Just enough organization for me, and it is built like a tank. It is the one area of carry (travel) that I have found a bag I don’t have problems with. EDC or tech bags is a whole other story.
@@Misterion25 can i use this model or the GR2 to replace a school backpack too? Lol. Might also want to use when I head to Japan as well.
@@Dflowen GR2 40L might be a little big for school. 26L is a brilliant bag for edc. This bag may work, but the organization seems to lean toward travel more from what I’ve seen.
@@Dflowen Sure, might be a little big - but will foot the bill
Great to see a Chase bag review!
It’s good to see you! Hope you’ve been enjoying your time off UA-cam doing other things! Question: am I missing something on what makes the AirTag pocket “hidden”? It just looks like a regular slip pocket.
Good review. I like it but just wish it was cheaper. Besides I got the Minaal bags based on your review and a few others. Also what's the deal with wearing one sock and one shoe?
Will the 1.0 hip belt fit into this 2.0 version?
Hey Chase, I liked the Sling Bag / Hip Bag in Version One very much. Isn't it included anymore?
Right?! Why would they remove that??? Only thing I could think of is to cut make cost.
been so close to pull the trigger on the AER travel backpack 3, but im now looking at this
I'll have to say that I preferred the old material ( a bit more texture to it than now) as well as that crazy flip in the middle of the front they had on it. I wish I'd pulled the trigger while it was still available. I understand the need of upgrading products and some aspects in the comparizons between the V1 and now V2 are legit, but overall, I dunno.
HE'S BACK FOLKS!!!
The Pakt website lists the dimensions for the 45 L at 23x13x9 in. Though that does not exceed the total measurement of 45 when the three are added together, the 23 inches does exceed the maximum height of 22 inches that many domestic carriers require. Seems like a bit of a miss.
Glad you are back!!
Thanks for the review. Really well done.
I’m interested on this backpack but I’m not sure if go for the 35L or the 45L.
The main use will be business travel. Than can be from 3 to 7-10days. So I carry business casual clothes, laptop, notebook, headphones…
Normally the 35L should just work fine, but I work in Germany and move mains to north France and Austria. So from October to February/March I need to carry warm clothes. And also I don’t want the clothes to be super tight as I have to have a decent look. So this points me to think on the 45L. But at the same time I want to avoid issues from the carry on perspective.
What version do you recommend me?
The side straps, are they useful also to compact the backpack?
Thanks a lot
Looks almost like the same bag as the original. I think the new TSA pouch is a step back. You cant put anything inside it without it flapping out and once you tuck it in, its folded so not much can actually be stored.
For the $325 price point, I would say this competes with CTB 35L from evergoods - which imo has a superior build. I just really love the side pockets for bottles. the stretchy pockets are unmatched at holding items and bottles. Having cloth pockets always feels like the bottle is going to fall out.
Other options are bellroy transit backpack plus, which has great build too but not as rugged in feel. The mesh inside feels amazing on the hand, unrivaled when it comes to that mesh. Really thoughtful pocketing as well. Waterbottle pocket resides inside the bag so thats a bummer.
Aer travel pack 3 is always a great option. Tons of storage. Most similar to this bag without the suitcase style compartment.
I would say you cant really lose picking any of these. Just comes down to what you need in a bag and how you pack out.