Standard Luggage Co's Carry-on Travel Backpack: a 35L Travel Pack That's Thought of Everything
Standard Luggage Co. has created a piece of carry-on travel luggage that addresses the major pain points of most other luggage in this class. It’s a pack that keeps the happiness of the traveller at the heart of its mission.
The Carry-on Backpack comes in two colours, as you can see here. Photo Credit: Standard Luggage Co.
I’m not usually one to write directly about products on my site, but I’ll openly admit that I swoon over a great entrepreneurial story, and can’t help but cheer for people and organizations that aim to create something that can be a game-changer for their customers.
Ryan Chong, Standard Luggage’s founder, was getting downright fed up with the fees associated with checked luggage, and was simultaneously frustrated by the state of carry-on luggage at the time. In 2015, Ryan started a crowdfunding campaign, and shortly thereafter Standard Luggage Co. was up and running, ready to serve travellers who shared similar frustrations.
I was lucky to get my hands on their 35 litre carry-on backpack and what struck me first was the freedom that it would afford me. It’s carefully designed to ensure that I can bring everything I need with me, and also forces me to prioritize what actually needs to come on a trip. I don’t have to wait in line to check a bag, pay to check that bag, or wait for that bag on the other side.
There’s something deeply enjoyable about stepping off a plane, bypassing all of the luggage carousels and heading straight out into the concourse. It’s a feeling I don’t think I’ll ever tire of, especially now that I’ve got this bad boy in my travel luggage arsenal.
Initially, I thought of this bag as the ultimate bag for relatively quick trips to the US, or a week long trip somewhere in Canada (I’m based in Toronto, FYI), but now I’m actually realizing that this bag can do the trick for international travel as well. As I get older (and better travelled), I feel as if I know exactly what I need to bring with me when I’m headed somewhere and it’s been both invaluable and liberating to bring a bag like this to Europe or Asia for an extended period.
I even bring this bag along with me to conferences, and I’m struggling to think of any trip where this wouldn’t cut it.
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What’s Standard Luggage Co. All About?
The first backpack prototype from 2015, ready for take-off. Photo Credit: Standard Luggage Co.
Before sitting down to share my feelings about their Carry-on Backpack, I had the chance to chat back and forth with Ryan. I wanted to ensure that I really understood what he was going for with this bag.
There’s one thing in particular that he noted that I think offers some real insight about what they’re trying to accomplish over at Standard Luggage for travellers.
“One point of pride in our product is that we try to offer the most value possible included in the box. A lot of the other competitors will sell the adds-on like the hip belt, shoulder strap, and rain cover as additional extras. We've decided to include all of those with the bag. Additionally, we offer a lifetime warranty with all our products to make sure everyone is taken care of and has peace of mind.”
I’m going to talk about what features in particular that I appreciate below, but I figure I’ll first share Standard’s 2 minute or so video on the Carry-on Backpack so you can get a touch more context about how you might incorporate this bag into your travel arsenal.
What Do I Like About Standard Luggage’s All-in-One Carry-on?
I’ll be totally up-front, I don’t think it’s the most gorgeous bag in the world, but my goodness is it ever functional! Using it now for about ten different trips, all with different needs, I’ve been more encouraged by this bag’s practicality and functionality.
You may find something that looks a little sleeker or what have you, but it’s worth noting that, to me, it seems as if their goal is really to have the most complete bag that you can carry onto a plane, and they’ve accomplished that.
It’s the only piece of carry-on piece of luggage that I currently feel satisfies my needs for an extended international trip. I recently was able to take this on a trip through Mexico, Thailand, and Qatar. 3 trips back-to-back, 1 bag, zero waiting at the airport.
Also, I had some very tight layovers on that aforementioned trip, and the value of not having to worry about whether my luggage would make it onto the next flight was a treat.
Let me further into the nitty gritty here.
This Carry-on Travel Backpack is Versatile
The 3 ways that you can utilize the bag. Photo Credit: Standard Luggage Co.
With the Standard Luggage Carry-on Backpack, you’ve got something that you can literally alter to suit the occasion.
You can use it as a backpack, which, to me, is the most comfortable and practical, but you can also use it as a shoulder bag if you’re headed straight to a meeting off the plane, or carry it like a suitcase. And, as Ryan noted above, everything you need to do that is included in your initial purchase.
On that note, I love that you can easily tuck away all the straps so you’re not worried about your pack catching on anything and everything, and you can make everything look rather sleek. I often wear the backpack to the airport, then convert it into a suitcase when I’m boarding the plane to keep things easy, and ensure I can stow it away easily above me on the flight.
It’s also worth mentioning that it’s expandable, so you can keep it zipped and slim at 35 litres, or unzip and beef it up a bit by adding 10 litres to your carrying capacity.
You can ultimately ensure that the bag will suit whatever occasion you need, and that turns out to be pretty important when you’re travelling with just one bag.
Standard Luggage Co. Prioritizes Convenience
For starters, I like the laptop pocket which is easily accessible, and the neoprene sleeve which is detachable for the plane ride. The compression straps in the main zip also ensure you can bring more than you thought. Honestly, you’d be surprised just how much you can fit, and that holds true for both warm and cold destinations.
Longtime readers will know I am big on hydration, so I was also stoked to see a collapsable water bottle pocket on the side. With my old pack, I would typically just have to screw my Nalgene onto a strap, and it would dangle incessantly. I don’t miss that, as you might imagine.
I think that Standard Luggage struck a good balance of having enough pockets for me to organize how I would like, without that being overwhelming. It feels like a bit of a Goldilocks scenario where they got it just right.
Finally, there’s a rain-cover included, which I always like to see. I always bring the rain-cover along with me, just so I’m always ready.
A Travel Pack Built With Comfort in Mind
Wherever you’re headed, this bag can be customized to fit your needs. Photo Credit: Standard Luggage Co.
My back can be easily tweaked (largely due to my professional hockey playing days in Istanbul), so ergonomics is the name of the game for me. Not just that, but also customization, and this bag does check both those boxes for me. It’s very adjustable and accommodating.
Key Specs for The Standard Luggage 35L Carry-On
I’ve taken this directly from Standard Luggage’s website to ensure the accuracy for you.
Size & Capacity
Bag dimensions: 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 in zipped and 21.5 x 13.5 x 9.5 expanded
Volume: 35L zipped and 45L when expanded
Weight: 3.7 pounds
Laptop pocket: Fits 15.6 in laptops and 15 in MacBook Pro
Tablet pocket: Fits 10 in tablets
Main pocket: Holds 5-7 outfits
Construction
1680 denier high tenacity ballistic nylon
Water resistant, durable, and easy to clean
YKK brand buckles & zips & buckles
ITW Nexus sternum strap
Lifetime Warranty and Satisfaction Guarantee
Shipping
They offer free world-wide shipping on all items on their online store, though some conditions apply to customers outside of the USA & Canada.
Alright, that’s a wrap as far as sharing my thoughts as well as pertinent details for Standard Luggage’s Carry-on Travel Pack. Be sure to check out their site if you’re keen to get more info!
I want to humbly thank Standard Luggage Co. for offering me this product for review as media. All opinions are completely my own. If you appreciated this article, you’ll love our newsletter, as well as our Facebook group! Feel free to join, all are welcome. If you’ve got any questions or comments, add them below, and I’ll be sure to get back to you.