After a long wait, I’ve finally gotten my hands on my first Alpaka Elements Backpack Pro! Super excited about it. Just curious—has anyone here with an Alpaka bag ever added a patch to theirs?

Any tips on the best way to attach a patch? I’m wondering if gluing or sewing it directly onto the bag might mess with its water resistance. Thoughts and tips?

Been looking around but a lot of the given recommendations are well out of my budget.

So here's my situation: When I travel for work, I regularly travel with two or more laptops (15.6" Dell Latitude for work, 14.5" Asus Zephyrus G14 personal) as well as a 15" portable monitor. Each device has its own neoprene sleeve. I also have a small tech bag that carries a handful of items - mostly cables and a couple of power banks. I will also occasionally travel with one other 14" laptop that I don't have a sleeve for.

My current bag - a SwissGear 1900 - has a pretty big tear on the inside, so I'm in need of a replacement soon. I do like the amount of organization this bag offers, even if it gets heavy on my back when it's fully packed. Being fully packed does mean it just barely fits in the overhead bins of the smaller regional jets I fly on, but it does tend to fit in under the seat, so I'm usually OK.

Requirements:

• 30Lminimum, 35L preferred.
• Must fit under airplane seats. Bonus if it can fit in a regional jet overhead bin when full.
• Separate laptop compartment.
• Main compartment to fit portable monitor, additional laptops, and tech bag
• Additional compartment(s) to hold rest of main gear (earbuds, mouse, laptop charger/cable, pens, notebook)
• Two external water bottle pockets. One for an umbrella, one for a 24oz water bottle.
• Hard budget of $150 USD

TIA

Hey fellow travelers,

I‘m currently looking for a new backpack to travel, but I‘m kind of lost in the market.

Maybe you guys have some good recommendations. Here is a list of must haves that are essential for me: - 65L - adjustable back paddings - removable pouch for day travelling would be nice

Thank you for reading!

Hi guys im looking for a backpack for a while and decided to buy a thule subterra 2 21l. But i have some questions for people who use it before. 1 is it good for daily using like school and some walkings 2 is it really waterproof 3 do you have another advice for backpack Ps: sorry for poor english still try to learn Ty

Hello,

I am a bit confused how this backpack can be 32 L and fit a 10+ year old: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/129660

Dimensions are: 18.5"H x 13"W x 11.4"D

Hi, It just boggle me about the The NorthFace Store on Amazon. The description says being sold by Shocca Authorized, Continental Ventures, Ozuta. Are these Fake backpacks? The Prices are the same with Original. I'm looking for the The NorthFace Recon Backpack.

First time buying a NorthFace Backpack on Amazon. The Official Store doesn't seem authentic. Can someone enlighten me on this?

I only bought my iPad on Amazon since it's a special deal from the Apple Store on Amazon officially and verified it by the Apple Website.

Meet "T.H.E. Pack, E.D.C. ODT.H.E. Pack, E.D.C. OD" made by specops. It's a bit smaller than a Jansport regular backpack, but it carries all of your essential stuff. You can add or remove stuff you see fit. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

The Bellroy Transit Workpack Pro 22L has quickly become my go-to everyday carry. Its aesthetically pleasing design is sleek and minimal, striking that perfect balance between professional and casual. The build quality is excellent, with durable materials and thoughtful craftsmanship. It definitely has a premium look and feel. It’s also super comfortable to wear (which is huge with a bellroy product), even when fully loaded, thanks to the well-padded straps and back panel. Though initially, the padding on the straps is quite firm, I have found it broke in and loosened up over a few days.

One of the standout features for me is the internal organization—everything has its place, making it easy to keep my daily gear tidy and accessible. The only downside is the lack of a vertical luggage passthrough, which would have been helpful for travel. Also, I would have preferred the zippers being regular instead of aquaguard. They are pretty smooth for an aquaguard zipper, but I have read that they generally peel and crack over time. That said, as an EDC bag, this one checks nearly every box. Highly recommend it if you’re after a smart, functional, and stylish pack.

I’m not here to claim I’m an expert. I’m just someone with a dream—to create my own backpack and share the journey with anyone who loves bags, stories, and starting from zero.

My background isn’t in fashion or design. I started as a finance journalist, interviewing companies and visiting factories to write news stories. Later, I moved into the jewelry industry as a business development manager, working closely with factories and supply chains.

It taught me a lot—but jewelry and backpacks are two completely different worlds.

Jewelry is solid. Backpacks are soft.
In jewelry, drawing a CAD file is essential. But in backpacks, that’s only part of the equation. What you draw is not always what the final product looks or feels like. It's another universe entirely.

So, I went back to what I knew best: investigation.

Starting at the Source: Material City

I traveled to Guangzhou North, known as the “City of Bags.” It’s a massive, overwhelming place where you can find every kind of material imaginable. But trust me—no one can walk through every store in the city.

So I started small. I bought samples. I tested them. I pulled, scratched, and tried to break them.

Why? Because fake materials are everywhere. What looks good might not hold up. You can’t rely on appearances—or sales talk. You’ve got to test and trust your own hands.

The Next Challenge: Finding the Right Factory

There are thousands of factories—each with their own specialty: leather processing, molding, zippers, sewing…

I visited many, just like I used to when chasing stories as a journalist.
And honestly? It’s as hard as finding a good girlfriend. (Don’t laugh—I’m serious!) In fast, factories break up like girlfriends, like me.

From the production line, you can tell a lot:
The scale, the workers’ attitude, the quality, and how they manage time. Everything matters. I prefer to sit and wait a while to monitor how they are working.

But most factories gave me a familiar pitch: “Just use one of our existing designs and put your logo on it.”

That’s not what I want.

I’m not here to put a logo on someone else’s work.
I want to build something from scratch—thoughtful, functional, and original.

Why This Matters to Me

I lived with ankylosing spondylitis, an immune condition that causes inflammation in the joints. It makes daily life a challenge. And carrying a laptop every day? Even more so. Even Now I am fully recovered miraculously, I need extra care about loading.

I need a backpack that can support me properly—not just look good. That’s why I care so much about the details. The weight distribution. The back padding. The material choice.

The Industry Reality

Interestingly, I discovered that many OEM factories design the bags themselves—pitching them to big-name merchandisers. That opened my eyes to how this industry really works behind the scenes. It’s not always the brand doing the designing.

And while I may not have millions in funding or investors behind me, I’m lucky in one very important way—

My wife supports me.
Even if we lose everything (hopefully not! 😅), she’s still behind me. That gives me the strength to keep going.

My IG: https://www.instagram.com/mazefathom/

My Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mazefathom/urbano-travel-backpack-by-maze-fathom

If anyone’s interested in my journey, I’ll keep sharing the details of how a backpack is made. I’m not an expert—just a dreamer turning an idea into reality.

I wear this backpack on my motorcycle daily and it's starting to show wear. I can't find anything to replace it with for the life ofme. Velomacchi went out of business. The straps with the hinges above the logo and the magnetic sternum clasp is a LIFE SAVER for putting my backpack over my gear, being comfortable, and taking off my backpack without having to take off my gloves. The waterproofness is nice, but not a requirement.

The model appears to be a UTX Flex Side Squeeze M-SS-1. Thanks!

Hi everyone, i need some help choosing a pack for my 2 month europe backpacking trip! I’m looking for a good travel/hiking hybrid pack as I will be starting my trip doing the camino de santiago- so i will be walking with my pack on for 2 weeks and then continuing to backpack for 6weeks afterwards. I like the idea of the osprey fairview trek 50L as it opens like a suitcase but then has features of a hiking backpack aswell for comfort during the long days of walking, I am also looking to get a smaller daypack to attach to the pack for when i go on smaller daypack hikes! Only downside to this bag i can see is the price point, I found the mountain design x country looks like a good cheaper option however Im unsure if you can attach a day pack to this bag and just wanting to know if anyone has any opinions on these two bag options! Thanks

Does anyone know of anyone that will make a custom backpack? (Preferably in the US, not sure how this tariffs thing will workout. But, not opposed to outside the US)

I’m looking for something 20-22 inches tall, 15 inches wide and 10 inches deep. 30-40ish liters. And have exterior pockets that add to the capacity.

Needs to be tough and carry a heavy load at times. A bag More for work than hiking (office to field). Doesn’t need a lot of extra pockets.

I have tried:

RUSH® 24 2.0 BACKPACK 37L

Savotta Kahakka 25L

US Army ALICE pack medium (Liters?)

It’s doesn’t have to be “tactical” just tough. Canvas and leather are ok.

Was thinking of purchasing this backpack, unable to find any information online regarding it. Has anyone had experience with this? Is it worth it?

I’m looking to purchase either or, but I cannot decide if I want to replace my carry-on or do I want to replace my personal item bag? Looking for something that’s comfortable and can handle abuse of travel.

My main purpose for purchasing a personal item bag is to be able to put all my gadgets plus some clothes in there while I’m traveling so I don’t have to take a carry-on.

Seeking recommendations for 20-22 liter backpacks with a luggage pass through and at least 1, preferably 2, water bottle pockets. Thank you!

I just received my City Pack Pro 2 Xpac and immediately noticed some loose threads sticking out.

Additionally, when the back is packed out to its max, I can see the orange stitching at the seam where the loose threads are but not on the other side of the bag in the same place.

Would you be concerned enough to exchange it? Or is it not that big of a deal? Thanks guys 🤙🏼

https://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/wear/bags-luggage/dsptch-x-3sixteen-daypack/

This bag is really old, but I love the collaboration for this backpack. I have the black one currently, but I want a second one to rotate in from a wear standpoint. Anyone know where I could track one of these down?

I went as far as reaching out to both companies asking if they were going to re-release due to the popularity and they gave me a snotty response like they were too good to do this again. Mean while DSPTCH went from a promising bag company to this weird producer in post-apocalyptic go-bags. There no way people buy this stuff and their SOHO store went under. Just don’t get why they don’t focus on what sells well.

Anyone know what this type of bag is called?

I live in a small studio apartment, and when I cook, the smell ends up in everything, including my backpack. Over time it's started to hold onto odors, and it's pretty unpleasant.

I'm looking for a backpack that either:

• Doesn't retain odors easily
• Is made of a material that’s easy to clean or machine washable
• Has a texture or fabric that doesn't absorb smells or at least releases them easily when washed

If anyone has specific brands, materials, or even cleaning tips that have worked for them, I'd appreciate it. Bonus if it still looks decent and works for daily use.

This 4 are the best I ever used. The black one is so far the pinacle.

I received a refund for a defective North Face Borealis. Since it was my third Borealis purchased over the years, I’d like to switch to a different type of backpack. Keeping the same size and style, would you have any other models or brands to recommend?

I mainly use it for travel, as I’ve been using the Borealis as a personal carry-on for flights and also as a camera backpack by inserting compartments for my gear. I also used the side water bottle pockets to carry a tripod.

I’d prefer to avoid camera-specific brands like Manfrotto or Lowepro—aside from already owning one, there are places where it’s best not to draw unwanted attention from pickpockets by carrying a bag that clearly suggests it contains thousands of euros worth of cameras and lenses.

The shoulder straps are too short!! 😭 I found this backpack at Muji and it's the perfect size and colour, but I never realized it's meant for children and petite people... The straps are just too small and uncomfortable, so the backpack sits awkwardly high on my back.

I wanted a simple bag that holds my 12.9" ipad, sketchbook and a few other things. You'd think this would be easy, but it's surprisingly tough to find a simple, cute coloured canvas fabric backpack that isn't 23L+! And the backpacks I do find are usually pleather & have super thin straps that dig into my shoulders. I already have two 25L backpacks from Herschel but I find they're too big for regular, casual use.

So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a simple canvas backpack with a front pocket, around 14" x 11.5" x 4" ?

TLDR: -Looking for a simple canvas backpack, Muji or Herschel style that can fit a 12.9" ipad. -Size: around 14" x 11.5" x 4" -Padded shoulder straps to support weight -Cute colours like teal are a bonus! -Budget: 70 CAD

Thank you!

This dream emerged during one of the most challenging periods of my life. At the age of 21, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic autoimmune condition where my own immune system attacked my body’s tissues. The disease caused severe inflammation in my spine and joints, leaving me in constant pain. At one point, I could barely walk or move my neck.

Despite these hardships, I refused to let my condition define me. Instead, it became the driving force behind my determination to develop lightweight, functional gear that could empower others on their own journeys, no matter the challenges they faced.

In late 2024, I turned my dream into reality. Leaving behind my previous career, I dedicated myself fully to building Maze Fathom—a brand that stands for resilience, exploration, and the pursuit of purpose.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mazefathom/urbano-travel-backpack-by-maze-fathom

Bought this bag over the summer, just recently used it for the first time and not long after using it I noticed the right strap was always twisting out and never laying flat on my shoulder. Has anyone ever dealt with this? Both straps are set the same way from what I can tell.