I’m always on the hunt for new travel backpacks… and I know you all are too because I receive multiple emails each week asking my opinion on the best bags. That’s why I’m going to start testing as many travel backpacks as possible. Today we have the CabinZero Backpack. A few weeks ago the good folks at CabinZero reached out and asked if I wanted to check out their carry-on sized travel backpack. I’m pretty picky about which backpacks I review but something about the CabinZero bags seemed interesting. Also, CabinZero is a British brand that is just starting to expand to the US so there is a good chance you haven’t heard of them yet. CabinZero has two models — the Military 44L costs about $95 and the 5. I received the Military 44L so I can’t personally speak to the Classic 44L, but the Military 44L seems to be a little sturdier and has better shoulder straps. The Classic is lighter-weight and comes in a ton of colors. I’ll be honest… the look of the backpack is what first caught my attention.

Its military-inspired styling has a stylish urban look — which is a nice change from “outdoorsy wilderness” backpacks. You could probably wear this in any major city and not look like you’re a tourist. The Classic 44L comes in a lot of fun colors (see above) so they don’t look like your standard “hiking” backpack. Both the Military 44L and Classic 44L are both designed to fir carryon size requirements for even Europe’s most stingy budget airlines. If you’re a budget backpacker this is important so you don’t have to worry about paying expensive checked-luggage fees. targus backpack tsb193usYou also don’t have to worry about the airlines losing your luggage.laptop bags strandbags At 2lbs and under, these backpacks are lightweight. swiss gear backpack 8815

For reference, many similarly priced/sized bags weight 3.5lbs so it’s a noticeable difference. The CabinZero Military model looks and feels like it can take a beating… and it probably can since it’s made of military-spec nylon. The backpack is about 2lbs so it’s still lightweight while being tough. It uses heavy-duty YKK zippers that have lock loops so you can keep your backpack secure. Good quality zippers are important because a busted zipper is a huge issue when you’re traveling around all the time.osrs backpack quest The stitching and seams all look like they’re all done well so no complaints there.stm jet medium laptop backpack Overall, the bag is pretty comfortable. portabrace backpack c100

It doesn’t have the best suspension system that I’ve seen but it performs as well as, or better than, many other bags in its price range. It doesn’t have a padded hip belt but it does have a hip strap that offers some stability. The shoulder straps have a good amount of padding and they’re curved to help fit your body better. It also has load-lifter straps that help the backpack sit on your shoulders evenly and distribute the backpack’s weight. A lot of backpacks in this price range don’t have this feature so that was a welcomed surprise. Note: The less-expensive Classic version of this bag doesn’t have these load-lifter straps. There is also mesh padding on the back and the straps — which should hopefully help promote some air circulation. This is a panel loading backpack so it means it opens up like a suitcase — which makes accessing your stuff easy. It has a 44L capacity so you can fit a good amount inside. It’s basically one large compartment but there is a small zipper pocket and a pocket at the bottom.

I do like that the backpack is fairly deep — which helps make packing (i.e. stuffing a bunch of crap) easier. It would have been nice to see a few more interior pockets. There is one internal “sleeve” pocket that might be able to hold a laptop but you’d want to add a padded laptop sleeve for more protection. There is also an external pocket that’s quite large and can easily fit a folder or full-sized papers. I’d like to see a smaller pocket or some kind of organization for smaller things like pens, tickets, etc. that might get lost in the large pocket. No backpack is perfect so there are a few areas that leave room for improvement. I’m really digging this CabinZero backpack. It checks a lot of the boxes that you want in a backpack for traveling through Europe — it’s carryon size, comfortable, durable, lightweight, and it looks very fashionable (which is rare!). It also site right below the $100 price point so it’s a good option for people not wanting to spend a ton but still want something that’s quality (if you want a backpack with more bells and whistles you’re going to have to pay 1.5x-3x the price).

You can buy the backpacks directly from the CabinZero website. The Military 44L costs about $95 and the 5 — shipping is free. They also sell packing cubes that are made to fit into the backpack. We hope you’ve found this article helpful. We get a depressingly small commission when you purchase anything on Amazon after you’ve clicked the link — this helps us keep the site running… & maybe buys us a few beers. Plus, it doesn’t cost you anything extra! If you’re a student don’t forget to sign up for a FREE year of Amazon Prime. Thanks for all your support & click here to learn more about supporting us! Note: I was given this backpack to review but I didn’t receive any other compensation for my review. All thoughts are my own and 100% honest.So I plan to travel India/South east asia for 6 months or so. I will pack light, however I wanted to know peoples thoughts on this product. The reason I ask is because my parents have one so I could just use it.

Reviews seem to be from short term holiday makers so I don't have any real idea if it is ok to travel with a 44L case. Copy and paste the url below to share the link.Never used that particular bag but on the general question.......many people who travel long term use a bag that small (or smaller) without great (or any)problems.It is easier to move around and cheaper too. Its just a question of packing well and washing clothes as and when necessary. Of course if you need specialised equipment (eg for mountaineering,diving etc) then it might not be big enough.For me,plenty of space.....It's absolutely the right size. I had a look at the Cabin Max a couple of years ago when I needed to replace my travel pack. I eventually chose the Osprey Farpoint 40 at 3 times the price. The Cabin Max is designed for maximum volume / minimum weight, at the expense of carry comfort and durability. Whether the last 2 are a problem depends on what you intend to do with the pack. If you're carrying it for several hours a day then you'll need something else or put up with the discomfort....

If all you're doing is humping the pack on and off taxis, busses, planes etc., to and from your accommodation etc., then it's ideal. The lighter packs are not as strong and things are likely to break - not a problem where you're going.... should be easy enough to get it repaired. But my experience is that stuff will tend to fall apart at the most inconvenient times. (A few safety pins, a couple of plastic tie wraps and a metre of duct tape are travel essentials). If you own the pack already, I'd put everything in it that you think you need to bring with you and if it doesn't all fit in, throw stuff out until it does... try it on, walk around for an hour, and see if you feel the love... Just be aware though that, when full, the pack will exceed the WEIGHT that many airlines will allow as cabin baggage, so you may reluctantly be forced to check it in. In that event you'll need something to transfer your must-not-lose stuff for the flight. (A plastic carrier bag is good enough).

And the more times you have to check in the pack the more likely is that it'll get beaten up by baggage handling.... but the whole idea of such a pack is NOT to check it in, so check your baggage weight if the airline is bothered about that. If you 'borrow' it from your parents I'd buy them a new one to replace it 'cos I seriously doubt that it'll be in the same condition at the end of your trip.... but it should do the job, and you'll be quietly satisfied that you've been able to travel without carrying a Mini on your back.Great, I'll make sure to have some items to repair the bag. I'll give it a test run at some point and if it's pretty comfy I'll just commit to using that :)It's a cheap bag, and if you are just hauling it into taxis, hotel rooms, under your seat on a bus then it'll be fine. But it won't last too long,- it may do you for your trip, though. It also doesn't have a hipbelt so it would be very uncomfortable to walk around with when full. IMHO you don't actually need a 44L pack for South East Asia.

I think it's too big (I travel with a 25L). Seems crazy, though, that you are spending how many thousands of dollars on your trip and yet the one thing you are lugging around with you all the time, you can only spend $26 on (or free, in your case).I vote for the 44L unless you think you can go smaller. I brought (and still bring!) a bag I already had (North Face Borealis) on my first trip. Wasn't ideal, no hip belt, but worked well enough. Like the others say, take it on a trial run. Load it up with your trip gear and go walk around downtown for an hour and see how you feel. I'm a person who willingly puts up with lots of discomfort without being too negatively affected, but I have friends whose lives are momentarily ruined when they're uncomfortable. Assuming you've already got some idea of what you'll be taking, but here's what I put in my bag., Might help you get yours together:This is what I recommend for clothes...bulk. In response to #5I bought the same military vest as you backpacklog