NOMATIC 20L Travel Pack - Mens Travel Backpack - Expandable to 30L - Water Resistant Daypack - TSA-Ready - Lightweight Business Traveling Backpack for Men - 16" Laptop Compartment

Dan OaksUnited States

I spent $1400 to try them all. This is the BEST!!

Years ago, I realized that life is much better and it is totally worth it to get the best quality that there is for the things that I use everyday of my life. My backpack fits into that category. I use it everyday. But, somehow this item had slipped past my radar. Without thinking much of it, I found myself frustrated day after day with the biggest piece of crap backpack known to man. It wasn't balanced right. When I would throw it over one shoulder, it would always want to slide down onto my arm. The strap was angled wrong or positioned wrong or something...maybe it was because the material was slick. I don't know what the problem was I just know that it just wasn't right and it was super annoying. I was always carrying my water bottle in my hand because there wasn't a good place for it in my backpack. It wasn't designed to protect my laptop well. Sometimes, when I would set it down, I could hear my laptop make a thump sound as it hit the ground. So, I put a small hand towell in the bottom to provide some cushion. Sometimes, I needed to carry more stuff than what would fit and I was often frustrated that it wouldn't carry more. Finally, one day back in November (8 months ago) while on vacation, I happened to read a blog post by Timothy Ferriss in which he mentioned how happy he was with his innovative new Everyday Backpack by Huckberry. That's when it hit me and I had this epiphany "dude...you should get a better backpack!" When the thought hit me, I realized how much I hated mine and was willing to pay practically anything for something better. I reviewed the one Tim recommended by Huckberry but I wasn't convinced that it was the right style for me. So, I continued shopping. I literally spent hours and hours shopping online. I read reviews and zoomed in on the photos. There are SO many backpacks! I narrowed the list down to a half dozen or so but I just couldn't tell which was best. It was so hard to tell by looking at the photos. How could I know by looking at a photo if it was going to slide off my shoulder? Finally, I was like "dude...you're on vacation in one of the most beautiful places in the world with your family and you've wasted the whole morning shopping for a backpack. This is stupid." So, I decided to do something I have never done before. I ordered them all! I decided to try them out, keep the best, and return all the rest. I spent $1,400 on backpacks!! Since it was near Christmas time, all of them had a return policy that gave me till January 31 to return the item. So, I used each one for a week and then I would retire it and try another. Switching all my crap from one backpack to the next each time was a real pain. And, trying to remember where I put everything so I could find it when I needed it was a hassle. But, boy was it worth it because that's how I discovered this Nomatic backpack. When I first saw the Nomatic backpack online, I didn't really think this would be the one for me. I spent $394 on the Huckeberry one alone and, for that price, I really expected that one to be the best quality and my clear favorite. But, after using the Nomatic for a week, I had a real, real hard time switching to the next one. You've never seen a person more excited about a backpack in your life. I spent the money on all these backpacks so I was determined to follow my plan and try a new one each week; I wanted to give each one a fair shake. But, it was a bit painful because, after using the Nomatic, nothing else was even close. I just couldn't wait to finish my test and go back to the Nomatic. At the end of my trial period, I finally boxed up the backpacks and sent them all back except the Nomatic. I've been using the Nomatic for 6 months now and I truly can't say enough about how much I love it. I literally comment to my wife all the time about how much I love this backpack. The amount of joy it brings me is really out of whack. I don't know how to explain it. The only thing I can figure is that, perhaps, it's because of the immense frustration that I felt daily (without really realizing it) from my old crappy backpack that makes me appreciate this one so much. Every time I grab it and throw it over my shoulder, I just feel great. It never slides off. It's SO much more comfortable to carry than all the others. The material is high quality and it's just designed right. Side by side, this Nomatic looks 10 times sexier than all the others. Sometimes, when I go to church (not that I'm trying to look sexy at church...just sayin), I slide the shoulder straps into the convenient slot and carry it like a briefcase and it looks cool. But, more important that the appearance, I love that it is so functional. I love that my two large, 32-ounce water bottles fit perfectly in the sides (now my hands are free! What a concept!). These bottles wouldn't fit in most of the other backpacks I tried. I love the way it holds my iPad Pro and my MacBook Pro. It protects them both very well and they're both easily accessible. It's water proof too so I feel better knowing that my electronics and other things are going to be safe and dry. I really LOVE that it is expandable to 30L when I need to carry more stuff. LOVE THAT! I can't say enough about this. Before, it seemed like I was always out and about when I needed more space. Like, if I bought something unexpected while traveling. There I was...carrying bags in my hands because the items wouldn't fit in my backpack. Now, I just unzip my Nomatic to expand it and throw my stuff into my backpack to free my hands. Woohoo! Wonderful! When I was shopping and purchasing all these backpacks, I wasn't sure what size to get. I ordered two from Huckberry, the 20L and the 30L, and I was torn because, on the one hand, 90% of the time, I only need a small backpack but sometimes, when I need more space, I really need more space! This one solves the problem. Huckberry has one that expands from 20L to 30L but it's garbage. They use snaps to expand it instead of zippers and they're terrible. One side would often unsnap unexpectedly and then it was this lopsided mess. And, it just seemed bulky where the Nomatic does not. It's super compact when you need it to be and it's super expansive when you need more room. Love it! I love the hidden pouch for stuffing cash when I'm traveling. No more worrying about someone behind me unzipping a pouch in a foreign country and getting my stuff when I'm not looking. You wouldn't think of this but there are all kinds of different zipper styles and some work better than others. In my old backpack, it took two hands to work the zippers...especially around the bends. They would bind, get caught on the cloth, and just didn't work well. Getting in and out of the thing was a pain. The zippers on the Nomatic ROCK! And, the material is firm enough that I can easily open and close it with one hand. It's a small thing that makes a huge difference. It's SO much better now. I got the compression bag, a tech pouch, and a bag for toiletries to go with it and I absolutely love having the different, removable compartments. Now, when I need something, instead of digging through it and rummaging around like a woman looking for her keys in her purse, I just grab my tech pouch out of my backpack and boom...I'm there! I grab the "wash pouch" that I got from Huckberry when I need my toothbrush and badabing! Too cool! I got a battery pack to charge my cell phone when I'm traveling. There's a side pouch for this that is a super convenient place to store it so it's out of the way most of the time but accessible when you need it. Oh...one of the other things I really love about the Nomatic is that you can unzip it completely on three sides and open it like a suit case to pack it or get to all your stuff. With my last backpack, there was this small opening at the top and I was always digging around trying to find stuff in the bottom. Sometimes, I would practically need a flashlight to find stuff. So stupid! The Nomatic, on the other hand, is so smart! I haven't used the waist band yet because I haven't needed it but I really like knowing that I have it if I want it. Most of the other backpacks don't have a waist band. I've been on quite a few high adventure backpack trips with the scouts and I know what a big difference this makes. It takes all the pressure off your shoulders and puts the weight on your hips which is so much better. Well, now I've gone and wasted even more time on backpacks on a Saturday morning writing this long review. I normally don't write reviews but my son is leaving to serve a two year mission for our church and he needs a good backpack. When I came here to buy another Nomatic, I noticed some of the 1-star reviews and I was shocked. I read many of them and it's such a shame. There's always going to be some defect here or when stuff gets manufactured in a factory. That's to be expected. But, these negative reviews really do this product and the general public a disservice. If these negative reviews discourage someone from trying this backpack, it's really sad because those people will be missing out on the best backpack on the planet. Literally, I use this backpack multiple times each day and I feel a surge of joy each time I interact with it. I can't say enough about how much better it is than every other backpack available. If you use a backpack frequently, it's totally worth the price. You're gonna love the Nomatic.

Darrell W.United States

Best business backpack I've ever owned, period!!

This is the best backpack I've ever owned. The zippers were a little stiff at first, but they loosened up. The exterior of the pack has a strange plastic feel, which I didn't like at first. But this is just the waterproof surface. It actually seems to be wearing quite well so far. The backpack has huge capacity and it's design allows all of the compartments to open out flat for easy access. I have a few minor issues that I wish they would fix, but overall I'm extremely satisfied. 1. The Velcro retaining strap for the laptop is too short. If your laptop is at the larger end of the range the bag is supposed to accommodate, strap will not reach over the top of the laptop to secure it. 2. I love the sideways slot to put the backpack on my roller bag handle. However, the slot is sown too tight (too small) for the handle of most of my bags. The first couple times I placed the backpack on the bags, I could hear stitches ripping, making the opening larger. I am concerned that those stitches will eventually pull loose. So far, so good, though. 3. Because the compartments all unzip to let the bag open flat, if you are holding the bag by the top handle and a zipper unzips, it can dump all of the contents. Where this is most concerning is in the laptop compartment, which makes the retention strap (comment 1) so very important. If they were to install some sort of safety strap that would prevent the bag from flopping open unintentionally, it could prevent this. These might seem like major flaws, but they really are not compared to the usability of the bag. It has become my go-to traveling briefcase. For flying, it has another feature that may or may not have been intentional, but it's really helpful. The top of the bag has a steep slope. At first, I didn't like this, because that seems like a lot of wasted space. However, when flying, if you place the backpack under the seat in front of you on its face (shoulder straps up), the slope allows your feet to go under the front of the backpack, which significantly improves your legroom.

AryaUnited States

An incredibly well designed backpack

An incredibly well designed backpack. Can expand to fill a very well organized (with optional compartmentalization - brilliant) laptop backpack. Sleek. Zippers are strong as can be. The material is very tough and doesn’t seem to age with rough use. The laptop pockets are well insulated and fully protected. Straps are good. The secret pocket is well placed. I’ve owned many backpacks, dozens at least. This is a clear winner for digital nomads. The only improvement i can think of is the water bottle holders in the side. Their magnetism is good/great, but if i were to do a cartwheel with the backpack on, then a full, heavy water bottle will fall out. For maximum security, i suggest they extend the fabric of those water bottle holders so it can fully enclose the water bottles. Make it zippered so it’s only an option, similar to how you’ve designed the zippered inner main compartment. Keep the magnet, but make the pocket taller so the bottle can be zippered shut. Think of bigger water bottles like the takeya 24 oz. Make it big enough for that please. If Nomatic will do this, then this then it’ll be a lifetime classic. My compliments to the designer and team who built this backpack. Very well done.

Quentin MarshAustralia

Best backpack I've ever had. Perfect after a couple of mods

This bag is perfect for me. Great size and lots of compartments and pockets to keep things organised and separated. I load more into this bag than I did my last pack and it seems lighter because I can balance the packing. I did not like the sternum strap. I've never ever used a sternum strap and I didn't like the way the left side hung loosely. I also didn't like the way the straps would hang loosely. So I decided to make a couple of mods which honestly, for the price, they should've included. I sewed on a couple of elastic straps to hold the loose straps tight. I'm not the best sewer but it took me 15 minutes and it looks great. (See the pictures) I also got the wire cutters from my workshop and snipped a break in the sternum buckles so I could slip them off (and on again if I ever needed to use them... unlikely). again it looks great and the bag is now absolutely perfect for me. I love the way it sits up when you put it down. I highly recommend this bag and still gave it 5 stars even though it needed those mods.