10–16 L
A commute or a school day
A laptop or tablet, a notebook, lunch and a bottle. Enough to stay tidy on a full train, small enough that you don't fill it with things you never use.
Guide · How to choose
How to choose a bag for the day ahead.
Most people buy one bag and ask it to cover a commute, a weekend and a holiday. It rarely works. Start with the trip, then the size, then the laptop and how far you actually walk — the rest follows.
Start with the trip length
Capacity is the decision that everything else hangs on. A bag that is too big travels half empty and slumps; too small and you carry things in your hands.
20–24 L
A full day out
Layers, water, snacks, a camera or a picnic. This is the size that suits parks, museums, zoo days and long errands with other people's things in your bag.
28 L
One or two nights
Two changes of clothes, a wash bag and shoes, without the temptation to pack for a week. Best carried by hand or over the shoulder.
In our range
35 L
Three to seven nights
About the largest bag that still behaves as cabin luggage. Beyond a week, plan on laundry rather than a bigger bag.
In our range
Then the laptop
Measure the machine, not the marketing size: a 15-inch laptop in a case is often wider than a sleeve cut for one. If a laptop travels with you most days, choose the bag by the sleeve first and the litres second.
Weekender 28 has a padded laptop sleeve suited to a slim machine; for a 16-inch, Cabin 35 is the one to choose.
| Laptop | Bag | How it carries |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 14 in | Metro 16 | A padded sleeve plus a second slot for a tablet. |
| Up to 15 in | Camera 24 | Sits behind the camera cube, against the back panel. |
| Up to 16 in | Cabin 35 | A strap-secured sleeve in the lid. |
| No laptop | Roam 22, Junior 12 | Neither has a laptop sleeve, by design. |
How you carry it matters as much as the size
Two shoulders
Anything you walk with for more than ten minutes, and anything heavy or delicate: a laptop, a camera kit, a school load. Weight sits closer to your back and your hands stay free.
One shoulder or a handle
Short distances between a car, a platform and a hotel room. A duffel loads faster, packs flatter and slides into an overhead bin sideways.
Cabin bags
Soft bags compress into a sizer where hard cases don't. Check weight limits as well as dimensions on smaller carriers — that is what usually catches people out.
Best for, and not for
Every bag we make lists the days it suits and the days it doesn’t. Read the second list first — it is the faster way to narrow six bags down to one.
Metro 16
Best for
- Public-transit commuters carrying a 14-inch laptop
- Days that end where they started
- Narrow aisles, packed carriages, standing room
Not for
- Overnight or multi-day travel
- Laptops larger than 14 inches
- Carrying bulky camera bodies or lenses
Weekender 28
Best for
- Two-to-three-day trips
- Overhead-bin and under-seat flexibility on short hops
- Travellers who pack flat and unpack fast
Not for
- One-bag trips longer than three days
- Technical outdoor use or sustained downpours
- Anyone who needs a confirmed laptop size today
Cabin 35
Best for
- Carry-on-only international travellers
- Five-to-seven-day trips packed with intent
- 16-inch laptops that must travel with you, not below you
Not for
- Everyday commuting — it is too much bag for one train stop
- Guaranteed compliance with every airline’s sizer
- Trail or technical outdoor use
Roam 22
Best for
- Park, museum and zoo days with snacks, layers and water
- Errands and wet school runs
- Family day outings where the bag gets put down anywhere
Not for
- Technical climbing — there is no rated attachment point and it is not built for it
- Overnight loads
- Office laptop carry — there is no laptop sleeve
Camera 24
Best for
- Mirrorless body plus two lenses and daily essentials
- Travel where a camera bag should look like a backpack
- Photographers who also need room for a jacket and lunch
Not for
- Large professional kits, gripped bodies, or long telephoto lenses
- Lighting stands or tripod-heavy setups
- Lighting stands, tripods or gear that needs a hard case
Junior 12
Best for
- Children roughly ages 7–11
- School days with a folder, lunch, and a water bottle
- Walking or cycling routes that need reflective visibility
Not for
- Adults — the harness is scaled to a child’s torso
- Full textbook loads or heavy laptops
- Overnight or outdoor expedition use
Common questions
- How many litres do I need for a weekend?
- For one or two nights, 28 litres is usually right: two changes of clothes, a wash bag and a pair of shoes. Three to seven nights is more comfortable at around 35 litres, which is also about the largest bag that still works as cabin luggage.
- What size backpack works for a daily commute?
- Between 12 and 16 litres. That holds a laptop up to 14 inches, a notebook, lunch and a bottle while staying narrow enough to wear in a full carriage.
- Will a 35-litre bag fit as carry-on?
- Usually, but not always. Cabin 35 is drawn against commonly published cabin allowances, and airline size limits vary by carrier, aircraft and fare, so check your airline's sizer before you fly.
- Backpack, duffel or shoulder carry?
- Walk more than ten minutes with weight and you want a backpack. Move between a car, a train and a hotel room with two nights of clothes and a duffel is faster to pack and easier to load. Camera and school loads belong on two shoulders.