I bought this bag and love it. I'm 5,3 and it doesn't overwhelm my frame. Very comfortable and spacious, easily fits under the plane seat and the requirements for a personal size item. Airline officials just briefly glance at it and allow me to board without having to measure . Love❤ that, and it's sturdy, only 2 pounds and holds alot. Two thumbs up. Thanks for your bag reviews you helped me find an excellent bag😊
This review has been up for awhile now but I wanted to say how helpful it and all of your other reviews are. I think you do by far the best job of reviewing travel products for minimalist travel. I bought this bag about a year ago and have really come to appreciate it. It easily fits under airplane seats of all kinds. It’s understated in appearance but very tough. The shoulder strap system is flat out the best I’ve ever seen - better than Osprey, Tortuga or the ULA Dragonfly I just returned. The water bottle pocket is terrible but I made it work by using a 16 oz. Nalgene and attaching it to the compression strap with a carabiner. I travel with just my phone or occasionally phone + small tablet so the suboptimal laptop carrying pocket is a nonissue. I find that this pack plus a 6 liter sling works better than bulkier 35-40 liter packs I used to use.
Thanks! And I agree, I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality and comfort of Cabin Zero packs, especially considering their low price compared to many other brand name travel packs. Good fix with the water bottle, it's the one negative about this pack.
I have watched a ton of bag reviewers and after watching my first review of yours you are the best! As a world traveller I have bought many backpacks looking for the perfect one. In this review you highlighted all the features that I look for and this bag definitely fell short for me. I'm now looking forward to reading more of your videos to see if you found any that ticked off all (or at least most) of my boxes. Thanks for doing these.
Thanks Grant! It's funny because this bag wasn't my favorite initially, but now I find myself using it more and more. I'm still not a huge fan of the top load style, but love the quality of Cabin Zero for the price, and good comfortable shoulder straps. I'm actually testing the CZ 28L military pack as a personal item bag, I like it so far!
Thank you for the review; I hadn't heard of Cabin Zero prior to stumbling upon your review while researching minimalist packs. I'm sold; just ordered one.
Stepping up the b roll and music usage. Nice work! These guys just liked one of my posts on Instagram (was a bag review). Good timing, I'd not heard of them
Thanks ZionLion! Trying to make my vids more interesting =) This is my first Cabin Zero bag, and I love it so far. Great materials, lightweight, and a decent price.
Hey, I'm watching this review a few years later, but I was just curious of how the bag fits in the 18x14x8 box that you include in most of your more recent reviews. You mention here that it could be good for under the seat airline carry with the given dimensions, but I figured it was worth asking. Thanks!
Just ordered one during 4th of July sale. 50% off. Looks like great bag especially for nature hikes. Thanks for cool review. Did you see any ghosts? Do ghosts come out in the day??
@@OneBagTravels yes, I initially thought of a jacket but then decided that wouldn't be a very convenient spot for it (unless you were doing a multi climate trip where you needed to "deep store" your cold climate clothes for a significant part of the trip)
They have different styles but comparable comfort, I'd probably give the ADV a slight advantage because of the shape of the back padding and I like the shoulder straps better, but the Military is a close second. As far as design, Military is a much simpler pack, kind of just a clamshell bag with straps, it's simple and comfortable and a great use of maximizing volume. ADV can be slightly more complicated to use as a travel bag because it has more pockets and you need to do more work to figure out how to pack it. I think it looks better though and has better organization for small tech gear than the Military does. (Responding from my other channel btw).
mind helping? son starting college, #1 is comfort and large cavity (NOT clamshell) for books then spot for 15" laptop and exterior water pockets; we've ordered and tried: Thule Crossover (have kept in case we find nothign better), Waterfield Pro, all models of: Osprey, Northface, and Patagonia; Aer Tech Pack 2. Thule may be fine but afraid the longevity and quality is just not there but I could be wrong. So many I research seem for photographers or clothes. Would love to test the Greenroom 136 Rainmaker and Alpha One Evade but they don't allow returns so that too expensive to try out. The only way I would is if someone had experience and could testify. Thank you
I liked this bag from its size, looks, and price point but there are multiple glaring flaws. 1) Small laptop sleeve, and not being in the back of the backpack for correct weight distribution 2) Compression straps going over the main compartment zippers, require you to unbuckle them to unzip 3) Water bottle pocket looks completely useless. Should be an elastic pocket going up about 6 inches higher on the side. Would have bought this is those 3 things were fixed.
For sure, Cabin Zero bags don't have the best laptop protection. And yes, their water bottle pockets are more like umbrella sleeves 😆 Check out Chuyen Tactical, it's a budget brand comparable to GoRuck, not the same style as the ADV Pro, but similar to the Cabin Zero Military 28, fixes some of those issues with the buckles and laptop sleeve, but not water bottle. Plus they have some great deals this week.
They say the 32L can hold up to a 15.6" laptop, I just tried mine again (15.6" Dell Inspiron) and it doesn't fit. Possibly there are 15.6" laptops that are slimmer than mine and could fit in the sleeve. The sleeve dimensions are about 9.5" x 14" and my laptop is just slightly wider than this and almost exactly that length.
I don't know, the bag is a little tall, but you'd really have to try it on and see how it fits. It's the distance between the hip belt and shoulder straps that makes the biggest difference. This bag just has a thin strap for a hip belt, so if you're not relying on it, or if you don't need it to be in the exact right location, then it will fit better.
Hi, is ok to squeeze it to 40x25x20 from the original 46x31x20 cm? Im asking because of the policy of low cost airlines and obligation to fit it under the seat. Thanks a lot!
Depends on how much you pack the bag. If it's under packed that bag should fit as the personal item. Probably they won't even check it, but depends on the airline. Some airlines like Ryan Air can be strict, might check it, might not. If you overpack and it doesn't fit, worst thing is you pay the extra fee. I'd underpack it and wear your bulky clothes on the plane so the pack has even less.
Nice review. Can you compare how much more it is possible to pack to the 42L bag vs this one? The 32L one is more carry-on friedly. I`m considering taking a laptop - does it reduce the capacity of the 32L bag vs the bigger brother?
Because the laptop compartment is in the front pocket, it won't affect the capacity of the main compartment, but it does affect the overall capacity. How big of a bag you need depends on how much stuff you have and how big your laptop is. Figure the laptop takes up ~2 liters, so you have to pack all your gear in about a 30 liter pack. It's definitely possible for short trips, if you use merino wool, or plan on washing clothes as you go. If you have cotton clothes, jeans, extra shoes or other electronics etc. you might think about the larger one.
@@AndrzejC ADV Pro and Farpoint are both great packs, somewhat different in carry systems and organization. I tend to like the backpack straps on Cabin Zero packs more, and they look less "outdoorsy" than Osprey packs. Laptop compartments on both packs aren't the best. I haven't tried the Lowe Alpine AT 45. They seem to have been bought out by Rab and that pack isn't available in the US right now that I can see.
They emailed me that they’ve discontinued this model. There are a few left online (3 green, 2 orange, and not sure of the blue, black sold out). Hopefully they are coming out with new and improved models.
I bought this bag and love it. I'm 5,3 and it doesn't overwhelm my frame. Very comfortable and spacious, easily fits under the plane seat and the requirements for a personal size item. Airline officials just briefly glance at it and allow me to board without having to measure . Love❤ that, and it's sturdy, only 2 pounds and holds alot. Two thumbs up. Thanks for your bag reviews you helped me find an excellent bag😊
Great, glad you love the bag!
This review has been up for awhile now but I wanted to say how helpful it and all of your other reviews are. I think you do by far the best job of reviewing travel products for minimalist travel.
I bought this bag about a year ago and have really come to appreciate it. It easily fits under airplane seats of all kinds. It’s understated in appearance but very tough. The shoulder strap system is flat out the best I’ve ever seen - better than Osprey, Tortuga or the ULA Dragonfly I just returned.
The water bottle pocket is terrible but I made it work by using a 16 oz. Nalgene and attaching it to the compression strap with a carabiner. I travel with just my phone or occasionally phone + small tablet so the suboptimal laptop carrying pocket is a nonissue. I find that this pack plus a 6 liter sling works better than bulkier 35-40 liter packs I used to use.
Thanks! And I agree, I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality and comfort of Cabin Zero packs, especially considering their low price compared to many other brand name travel packs. Good fix with the water bottle, it's the one negative about this pack.
I have watched a ton of bag reviewers and after watching my first review of yours you are the best! As a world traveller I have bought many backpacks looking for the perfect one. In this review you highlighted all the features that I look for and this bag definitely fell short for me. I'm now looking forward to reading more of your videos to see if you found any that ticked off all (or at least most) of my boxes. Thanks for doing these.
Thanks Grant! It's funny because this bag wasn't my favorite initially, but now I find myself using it more and more. I'm still not a huge fan of the top load style, but love the quality of Cabin Zero for the price, and good comfortable shoulder straps. I'm actually testing the CZ 28L military pack as a personal item bag, I like it so far!
Thank you for the review; I hadn't heard of Cabin Zero prior to stumbling upon your review while researching minimalist packs. I'm sold; just ordered one.
They're great quality for the price =)
Great point about the compression straps placement!
Very nice review. So much information packed in a short video!
Thanks Scheter! I'm trying a new format =)
Thanks for this video. I've been super curious about Cabin Zero bags.
You're welcome!
Stepping up the b roll and music usage. Nice work! These guys just liked one of my posts on Instagram (was a bag review). Good timing, I'd not heard of them
Thanks ZionLion! Trying to make my vids more interesting =) This is my first Cabin Zero bag, and I love it so far. Great materials, lightweight, and a decent price.
Hey, I'm watching this review a few years later, but I was just curious of how the bag fits in the 18x14x8 box that you include in most of your more recent reviews. You mention here that it could be good for under the seat airline carry with the given dimensions, but I figured it was worth asking. Thanks!
I haven't tested it in the box but the dimensions are good for under the seat, I think it would work fine.
Just ordered one during 4th of July sale. 50% off. Looks like great bag especially for nature hikes. Thanks for cool review. Did you see any ghosts? Do ghosts come out in the day??
That's a fantastic sale, goo job picking it up so cheap! I didn't see any ghosts, so they must only come out at night 😉
I think those inner compression straps might be designed to be used as dividers? So maybe you could layer cubes etc
Yeah you could definitely do that. Or sometimes I'll put a cube under the strap and a jacket, pouches etc as the top layer
@@OneBagTravels yes, I initially thought of a jacket but then decided that wouldn't be a very convenient spot for it (unless you were doing a multi climate trip where you needed to "deep store" your cold climate clothes for a significant part of the trip)
Great Review! Keep up the good work :)
Thanks Cabin Zero! Which one should I look at next?
@@OneBagTravels What about our companion bags? The ADV Dry bag might be fun to test out! take it swimming haha
How do you think this compares to the military? Which do you find more comfortable to carry?
They have different styles but comparable comfort, I'd probably give the ADV a slight advantage because of the shape of the back padding and I like the shoulder straps better, but the Military is a close second. As far as design, Military is a much simpler pack, kind of just a clamshell bag with straps, it's simple and comfortable and a great use of maximizing volume. ADV can be slightly more complicated to use as a travel bag because it has more pockets and you need to do more work to figure out how to pack it. I think it looks better though and has better organization for small tech gear than the Military does. (Responding from my other channel btw).
mind helping? son starting college, #1 is comfort and large cavity (NOT clamshell) for books then spot for 15" laptop and exterior water pockets; we've ordered and tried: Thule Crossover (have kept in case we find nothign better), Waterfield Pro, all models of: Osprey, Northface, and Patagonia; Aer Tech Pack 2. Thule may be fine but afraid the longevity and quality is just not there but I could be wrong. So many I research seem for photographers or clothes. Would love to test the Greenroom 136 Rainmaker and Alpha One Evade but they don't allow returns so that too expensive to try out. The only way I would is if someone had experience and could testify. Thank you
Great video! I liked the review at a location you travelled to.
Thanks Allan! Locations are limited, but figured a Ghost Town wouldn't be crowded 😆
Did you take the aluminum frame out?
Unless they added one since I did this video, this bag doesn't have an aluminum frame
Its 46cm tall. I guess it is no problem to squish it down to 42cm if you dont overpack it. What do you think?
It won't squish as much as some packs because of the firm back, but 4 cm shouldn't be a problem
I liked this bag from its size, looks, and price point but there are multiple glaring flaws.
1) Small laptop sleeve, and not being in the back of the backpack for correct weight distribution
2) Compression straps going over the main compartment zippers, require you to unbuckle them to unzip
3) Water bottle pocket looks completely useless. Should be an elastic pocket going up about 6 inches higher on the side.
Would have bought this is those 3 things were fixed.
For sure, Cabin Zero bags don't have the best laptop protection. And yes, their water bottle pockets are more like umbrella sleeves 😆 Check out Chuyen Tactical, it's a budget brand comparable to GoRuck, not the same style as the ADV Pro, but similar to the Cabin Zero Military 28, fixes some of those issues with the buckles and laptop sleeve, but not water bottle. Plus they have some great deals this week.
Interesting that they claim that the 32L fits a 15.6" laptop. Yet, your review says 14"?
They say the 32L can hold up to a 15.6" laptop, I just tried mine again (15.6" Dell Inspiron) and it doesn't fit. Possibly there are 15.6" laptops that are slimmer than mine and could fit in the sleeve. The sleeve dimensions are about 9.5" x 14" and my laptop is just slightly wider than this and almost exactly that length.
Hi. Is this too big for a 5' 3" female ? thx.
I don't know, the bag is a little tall, but you'd really have to try it on and see how it fits. It's the distance between the hip belt and shoulder straps that makes the biggest difference. This bag just has a thin strap for a hip belt, so if you're not relying on it, or if you don't need it to be in the exact right location, then it will fit better.
Hi, is ok to squeeze it to 40x25x20 from the original 46x31x20 cm? Im asking because of the policy of low cost airlines and obligation to fit it under the seat. Thanks a lot!
Depends on how much you pack the bag. If it's under packed that bag should fit as the personal item. Probably they won't even check it, but depends on the airline. Some airlines like Ryan Air can be strict, might check it, might not. If you overpack and it doesn't fit, worst thing is you pay the extra fee. I'd underpack it and wear your bulky clothes on the plane so the pack has even less.
Nice review. Can you compare how much more it is possible to pack to the 42L bag vs this one? The 32L one is more carry-on friedly. I`m considering taking a laptop - does it reduce the capacity of the 32L bag vs the bigger brother?
Because the laptop compartment is in the front pocket, it won't affect the capacity of the main compartment, but it does affect the overall capacity.
How big of a bag you need depends on how much stuff you have and how big your laptop is. Figure the laptop takes up ~2 liters, so you have to pack all your gear in about a 30 liter pack. It's definitely possible for short trips, if you use merino wool, or plan on washing clothes as you go. If you have cotton clothes, jeans, extra shoes or other electronics etc. you might think about the larger one.
@@OneBagTravels Thank you. I`m trying to decide on ADV Pro 42L vs Farpoint 40 and Lowe Alpine AT 45. Which one would you advise for carry-on?
@@AndrzejC ADV Pro and Farpoint are both great packs, somewhat different in carry systems and organization. I tend to like the backpack straps on Cabin Zero packs more, and they look less "outdoorsy" than Osprey packs. Laptop compartments on both packs aren't the best. I haven't tried the Lowe Alpine AT 45. They seem to have been bought out by Rab and that pack isn't available in the US right now that I can see.
Its discontinued, sadly.
It's still available on the CZ website www.cabinzero.com/products/adv-pro-32l-mossy-forest
They emailed me that they’ve discontinued this model. There are a few left online (3 green, 2 orange, and not sure of the blue, black sold out). Hopefully they are coming out with new and improved models.
@@Ymarianne123 That's unfortunate. Yes hopefully the update is similar but improved!
Silver City Idaho? You were in our neck of the woods!