Aer Travel Pack 3 Small X-Pac Review
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
- Upgraded Aer Travel Pack 3 Small, now in X-Pac! Specs below 👇
💼 - Aer Travel Pack 2 Review (2021) - • Aer Travel Pack 2 Smal...
onebagtravels.com/refer/aer-t...
💼 - Aer Pro Pack 24 Review - • Aer Pro Pack 24 Review...
onebagtravels.com/refer/aer-p...
💼 - Aer Go Pack 2 Review - • Aer Go Pack 2 (Minimal...
onebagtravels.com/refer/aer-g...
******************************************************************
Aer Travel Pack 3 Small X-Pac Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Dimensions and Size
1:18 - Materials and Hardware
2:08 - Exterior Features
4:45 - Carry System
6:13 - Laptop Compartment
7:06 - Interior Components
8:05 - Packing the Travel Pack 3
9:04 - Carry Comfort
9:54 - Summary, Pros and Cons
******************************************************************
Aer Travel Pack 3 Small X-Pac Specs:
Cost: $259
Capacity: 28 liters
Dimensions: 19" x 13" x 7.5" (48 x 33 x 19 cm)
Style: Panel opening
Weight: 3.62 lbs (0.95 kg)
Laptop: 16” Laptop
Materials: VX-42 X-Pac; YKK AquaGuard Zips; Duraflex Hardware
Origin: Made in China
Aer Travel Pack 2 Small:
Cost: $200
Capacity: 28 liters
Dimensions: 19 x 12.5 x 7.5” (48 x 32 x 19cm)
Style: Panel opening
Weight: 3.3 lbs (1474 g)
Laptop: 15”
Materials: 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon; Duraflex hardware; YKK zippers
Origin: Made in China
******************************************************************
Visit Our Site For More Reviews:
onebagtravels.com/
******************************************************************
Thanks for watching my Aer Travel Pack 3 Small Review! If you have questions or comments about any of my travel or gear reviews, please let me know in the comments!
******************************************************************
Channel Description:
One Bag Travels provides travel advice and gear review for one bag travelers. If you're a one bag traveler looking to carry less stuff, please subscribe to our channel!
Affiliate Disclaimer: One Bag Travels uses affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of our product links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support allows me to provide the best reviews and content for you. Thank you for your support!
I just used this same bag for the first time during my most recent trip. It passed the test with flying colors. That orange interior is so LOVELY. When I got to my plane seat, I rested the backpack vertically to take my headphones and iPad out, and just at that moment one flight attendant passed by and gave me "a look" and suggested, "That backpack might be too large to keep under the seat". But I proceeded to push it and when he saw it fitted comfortably it was all okay. I didn't fill it to the brim, and having some spare space for snacks was nice. I'm a small-framed woman of only 5 feet and in comparison with my other backpacks, this one felt a little boxy and bulky but the harness system made it extremely comfortable to carry
Nice, glad you had a good unde the seat experience with it
I do like the orange interior too! More bag makers should use bright colored interiors.
I have this same backpack. I went with the small because I could fit it under the seat in front of me. I’ve traveled quite a bit since getting it and never had any problems fitting under the seat.
Nicceeee
Hi, did you take this backpack in easyjet, thank you
@@norman0320 I mostly fly on American. However, I used it as a personal item on Frontier as well no problems.
Do you know if the regular (bigger bag model) would fit under the seat in front ?
@@str8upbeeno753 Probably technically it would fit under a lot of airplane seats, and I've heard people say it does. The problem with that is the airline doesn't actually care if your bag fits under the seat, they care if it fits in their sizer box. If not they may make you check it, or charege you extra at the gate. Also the size of space under seats varies widely depending on the model of aircraft, the seating configuration, and which seat you are in. I started taking pictures to show some of the differences. For example the flight I was just on yesterday, the aisle seat space was much smaller than the middle seat. For me it's better to choose a bag based on the airlines listed personal item size dimensions, if it fits under the seat great, if not just put it in the overhead.
I have this backpack and it is excellent. It stands on its own for me, with or without laptop. Just put of couple of the heavier items like a portable charger block, chargers etc. on the bottom of the bag.
Good point, heavy stuff on the bottom will help it stand up on it's own.
Exactly! Wish they’d do vertical orientation luggage pass through and make a personal item bag 18” x 14” x 8” that’s not 3.5+lbs. A combo of the Go Pack and Travel Pack 3 Small.
That would be the perfect bag
I'm curious why horizontal (I assume this is what you meant since horizontal is side to side, not top to bottom) oriented luggage pass through is rare to see across most brands. It may likely be because by being horizontal, it would be too tall and it may be very uncomfortable or bothersome while trying to hold on the luggage handle? Especially since height of luggage handles differ, I think they make this for "one size fits all" aspect to ensure it does not bother luggage handle heights.
@@Cooper-gh8zt vertical orientation, horizontal strap - however you want to call it. With a 18” tall bag it wouldn’t be too tall for the handle but would also mean it’s easy to use the water bottle pocket how it’s intended as well as the laptop compartment. Thule makes some bags that have this option but I haven’t found one yet that uses space well. They’re heavy and don’t fit a lot for the literage they claim.
@@Cooper-gh8zt Yeah, I meant the luggage sleeve makes the bag sit horizontally on a rolling luggage. And yes, I assume that if they made it go the other way on longer bags like this it would extend over the suitcase handle. You sent to see them go the other way on smaller bags.
@@katherinezulick8637you’re kinda describing the City Pack Pro for weight / dimensions
Excellent review!
Glad you liked it!
To me, at this size, it seems like the Thule Aion 28 would not only be the better value but also the more practical one bag travel pack. The main packing compartment in the Aion appears to be larger, the bag is lighter, and the TPU divider gives you a separate laptop compartment if you need it. At the size, the bag is more than comfortable enough to accommodate the load you're likely going to be carrying. Certainly, the AER is the more professional looking and robust pack.
Good comparison and yes, it depends on what features you find important in a pack. Aion is a lighter nimbler pack, but Aer is much more robust, thicker backpack straps and more padded laptop compartment.
I used to own one, and traveled with it extensively. Like you said the weight is a bit of an issue. The organization was also imho pushed a bit too far, there are pockets *everywhere*. I would barely use half of these, and often they are located in areas where they take space that could have been used differently or contribute less on weight.
I ended up selling it and replaced it with a patagonia mini mcl which works much better for me. It’s not as rugged but way more practical.
I like the Mini MLC
Good stuff! I have the Aer Day Pack and i must say that because of it's superlight weight the Day Pack with a laptop inside is not as comfortable to wear as the Travel Pack 3 or City Pack.
Aer Day Pack is one of the better ones, but yeah it's not really designed for carrying a lot of heavy gear.
Would love to see a review on the Sympl Travel Pack 35L
Looks like a good comparison, I'll check it out
Bought this backpack this year and used it for about a month internationally. I was debating between this and the Patagonia mini MLC but I liked the look of this much better. I'm going to have to sell another backpack so that I can get the mini MLC. If I had to do it over, think I would've opted only for the mini MLC. Appreciate your videos on both backpacks!
I like the Mini MLC more for trips when I'm not carrying a backpack. I wish Aer would make an "Aer Travel Pack 3 Light" version.
I think of AER TP3 and MiniMLC for different purposes. MMLC has little organization and I use it for traveling light and fast. TP3 is bigger and more compartments. I think I'll use it when I have more work stuff to carry with me.
TP3 shoulder straps are much more comfortable than MMLC (but also heavier than MMLC).
Have in cordura for two years already. To me issues are: heavy, bulky (definitely can't be edc), a lot of useless interior pockets. In comparison to my old 30l surge transit in grey color this one in black is always dirty, it's fabric scratches more easily, plastic cover of waterproof zipper on laptop compartment is peeling off (looks ugly), and what is more important it feels like it's not really 28liters, maybe 26 in reality.
Aer does run on the heavy side, and yes I can see Cordura tends to be a heavier fabric, and the 1680D they use is a thicker weave that can get scratched easier, or at least the scratches show easier than bags with tighter weaves.
that xpac is so nice i wanna like the cordura more but idk
The struggle is real
@@OneBagTravels im losing my mind
All your reviews are great and very helpful for us who is looking for bags to buy. If you will pick a bag for your personal item for travel which one will you choose?
The irony of doing bag reviews is I am always using a new bag when I travel so I can test them 😆 Personal item-ish, but I really like the Patagonia Mini MLC, one of my favorites.
Not only am I not willing to risk the extra bag fees, I'm not willing to risk the bag getting checked if the airplane has run out of overhead bin space. I went with the City Pack Pro for my Personal Item bag needs. The TP3 Small seems like a great carry-on bag, though!
Makes sense to go with the smaller one then 👍
I almost went for City Pack Pro! still struggling with packing lighter.
TP3 is my personal item bag and it's worked a variety of places and for extended month plus trips.
I am debating between the TP3s and the city pack pro and leaning on the latter. However the lack of a side handle for the city pack pro really bugs me. I own the city pack, which has it. Any insights?
@@KurtRWalkerHow is the quality for it? Will it fit my Lenovo LOQ 15APH8?
Great review. Get the lighting right and you are the best.
I have some studio lights now but black bags dont work great with my camera
Honestly, this bag has too many pockets, but I really like the discreet looking.
Btw! I’d love to watch your backpack collection! Your wall looks so interesting!
It does have a lot of pockets, which can be a problem for locating gear if you can't remember where you put it.
It's been a minute so maybe you don't remember, but when you do the peanut capacity test, are you filling just the main compartment, or all the compartments? If all compartments, would be super helpful to specify just the capacity of the main compartment
I fill all the compartments. Sometimes it makes sense to test just the main compartment, like some bags have distinct pockets that don't overlap volume, but some bags are more fluid, like the more you put in one pocket the more volume it takes from others.
Do u have any suggestions for personal item size, with x pac/waterproof zip backpack?
Other than this bag my suggestions would be Tortuga Laptop Backpack, Aer Day Pack, Able Carry Daily, Alpaka Elements, Brown Buffalo Conceal.
Have you done a capacity test for the Aer Travel Pack 3 Large (35L)? All the good reviews led me to take a look at one and I find it hard to believe that it really offers 35L of space. The main compartment looks far smaller than my existing 35L carry-on bag. I think the laptop compartment with ~2-inch thick padding takes away a lot of the space. All the pockets are tight on the 35L as they are on the 28L.
No I haven't, but I would be surprised it held 35L as well. It probably does on paper if you look at the dimensions, but yes you're right, all the pockets and padding take up space.
Great review! I intend to get this one to avoid paying a carry on. Have you had any problem by an airline wanting to charge you?
I haven't yet, this bag is going to work for a lot of flights, but you could get caught up if you're flying some of the low budget airlines in Europe, kinda depends, just check the airline's baggage rules before you fly
I have used it all over the US, Latin America and more. Fits in the personal item for Spirit and Frontier, but keep in mind this bag will let you over fill it so you cant over fill it past capacity and expect it to fit.
You mentioned that if you had to put bag in sizer, it would probably not pass as a personal item.
Airplane space is so tight as it is. I would not want to put a 28 liter pack under the seat. Only a last resort.
Does the 35l look so much larger?
I would get the 35 L and not pack it so much. Maybe add a small sling for your personal item.
What do you think?
35L doesn't look that much bigger. You can take a personal item and put it in the overhead, not a big deal except if its full then they may ask you to put your bag under the seat.
I used this model for a recent hiking trip in Japan, the nakasendo trail and I really love it. Even manage to squeeze in lots of souvenirs i brought along the way. However, I should have gotten the hip strap to evenly distribute the weight.
I always leave room for souveniers, I bet you got some good ones in Japan!
Was this the only bag you brought to Japan with you? How long were you in Japan for? Curious if this can be my one and only bag for my upcoming to trip to Japan!
@@j0404t I used this bag mainly for my 5day hike.
I was in Japan for 2wks so i brought luggage because i know i wld be shopping a lot 😂. I guess the trick is pack light and go buy in Japan.
@@j0404t I have several bags but by far my fav (and the ones I have done the longer trips with are the AER bags). I started with an AER TP2 and then realized I could push it and get an TP3 small. with the right travel kit, clothes, I have done 1 to 4 months in these bags. AER is tough to beat.
@@KurtRWalker Hell yeah. I realize I can never be a one bag traveler knowing my packing and shopping habits lol. Going to Japan for 2 weeks and bringing a carry-on luggage + Able Carry 13 + Trakke Sling. Bought the Bellroy Venture Ready 26 too, but that's staying home.
You got an interesting wall at your back. Great review on this video.
My bag collection is out of control 😆
Love that they got rid of the shoe compartment
not sure how useful those compression straps are, and definitely not a fan of those magnetic buckles
Question: were the packing peanuts in all 3 of the compartments? I’d be shocked if the main compartment was truly 28L.
I had one for about a year. It was just too heavy and overbuilt for me. I don’t travel with a laptop so the laptop compartment is just added weight and robbed capacity. The XPac fabric has literally no stretch so once the bag reaches capacity all the compartments and zippers start feeling very tight. The front slash pocket basically becomes unusable. Too many small pockets I never could fill them all so again wasted added weight and robbed capacity. Water bottle pocket was also very tight. Also the zipper pulls could get annoying. They always seemed to catch on the other zipper lines. I did love the overall aesthetics and materials but in practice the bag was just too heavy, tight, and somewhat fussy.
I’d really like see an Evergoods CTB26 review video.
Yes, I put peanuts in the front pockets too. They stick out enough that they have a little of their own volume. Some bags will push into the exterior pockets when you pack the main compartment fully. This one does too, but there is still room in those pockets so I needed to pack them with peanuts. It would be interesting to compare the X-Pac vs Cordura because of the stretch factor. That's my biggest issue with Aer TP, it's big and bulky. Which is good if you carry electronics and need that extra protection. But if you don't, it's just added weight.
@@OneBagTravels Yeah that is a good point, with my cordura tp3 small I do have a little bit of wiggle room that I wouldnt have if I get another one in xpac, and is it really that much lighter that I would notice?
@@KurtRWalker Listed as 3.79 lbs for Cordura and 3.62 lbs for X-pac, doubt you would notice that in a packed bag.
@@OneBagTravels Guess I have to decide if the waterproofing is worth the less stretchy and slightly more forgiving cordura fabric for packing.
@@KurtRWalker It's a tradeoff for sure. Lighter bag, waterproof, but stiff. Or heavier, softer, and squishier
It is a great one but I dont like small capacity bagpscks that have big chances of not beeing a personal item
It's so close!
@@OneBagTravels yeah, I am more confident with my cabinzero 28L, I got it after your video🥰
Good review. I am on the verge of buying this beast.
Thanks! It's a good pack, cant' go wrong with AER
@@OneBagTravelsWould the TP3 Normal size fit under a delta airline seat? And how is the quality for the TP3s?
@@Sniper_Man_Clips Maybe but it's a little big. Delta just says the bag has to fit under the seat, but seat sizes are so different on airlplanes. Since the Regular TP3 is basically a carry-on, I think you could'd be fine if that was your only bag. But if you had a full sized carry on, plus the TP3 they might make you check it. I think the TP3 Small is better sized for under seat travel.
@@OneBagTravels would it fit a 17 inc my gaming laptop?
@@Sniper_Man_Clips Pro Pack holds a bigger laptop but website says 16" so probably not. No way on the Dragonfly. It's hard to find bags that fit 17" laptops, but you can always just put it in a padded sleeve in the main compartment.
I have traveled with 35ish L backpacks as personal items for a few years now. Not a single time was I not able to get away with it. Some of the packs that I've used have been the Aer 35 v2, the Thule Subterra, the Heimplanet Transit, and the CTB35 from Evergoods. This 28 L is the smallest size I would go with and from experience it is very unlikely to encounter an issue with low-cost airlines such as Spirit or Frontier.
Was that bluetooth locator device not a Tile?
Yep, it's a Tile
This has been my experience with my TP3 small as well
To clarify, this will fit underneath most plane seats?
Yes, but that doesn't mean it will fit in the personal item sizer box for your ticket.
I'm wondering if the packs that claim waterproofness, using sailcloth and aquaguard zips tape their seams as well?
Aer doesn't say anything about being waterproof and they actually sell a rain cover for the Travel Pack. The X-Pac fabrics use waterproof fabric, and water resistant zippers, so I'd say this is a highly water resistand pack, but definitely not water proof. You could get away without the rain cover here for most uses. But for the Cordura packs they don't even use DWR or any other water proof coating, so at best they are only water resistant because the fabric is rather thick so it takes longer to soak in.
It seems like they go to the effort to keep the water out, but do they (and other similar packs) tape their seams?
@@RetroDiver No they do not. Most packs don't unless they go out of their way to make it waterproof, like a rolltop dry bag.
Interesting... thanks for the reply!
I saw you mentioned this pack as the best personal item pack, but it’s the 2 version. Is this one doesn’t fit is because the newer version?
I don't remember the dimensions of the 2nd version, but I don't think they made the bag bigger. It's one of those bags that's just slightly larger than personal item dimensions, you can usually get away with using it as a personal item unless you really overfill it.
If not fully loaded, would a TP3 fit under a seat for most international travel? I'm debating between the TP3/S
Not the regular sized TP3, it's more of a carry-on to put in the overhead. TP3 Small is a better choice if you're trying to use it as a personal item
@@OneBagTravels Thank you for your prompt reply! I think I'll get the Small before my trip in March :)
Other reviews have said the 35L version fits under the seat.
@@captainmerica6142 You may be able to fit the 35 under some seats, but airplane seats have different sizes, and it will unlikely fit in a personal item sizer so you might have to pay extra.
Which one would you recommend more, the travel pack 3 small x-pac or the flight pack 3 x-pac ?
I can't find what their differences are besides the price
Flight Pack is more like a regular backpack, it's smaller and the zipper doesn't open all the way so it's good as a personal item or EDC. Travel Pack has more of a traditional suitcase style opening and a large main compartment that's better for packing for travel, but it also compresses to use as a daypack. So Travel Pack if you will use it as a suitcase for travel, Flight Pack if it's just for daily carry.
Something I wonder, just a backpacking philosophy, if a pack this small cannot be used as a personal item, why not bring a 40 L backpack and have space to bring things home? There is not much weight difference between this pack and say the Osprey Farpoint. It seems practical to pack small/light and have extra space with a larger pack, and have room for purchases while traveling. There are so few premium options that truly fit personal item dimensions, I don't understand why the big companies are not supporting that niche...
For sure, leaving space in your bag is a great idea. I think if you're carrying a bag like this and it's packed to the brim, then you should carry a slightly larger bag with a little space. I always find myself needing extra room for souveniers, snacks, whatever. My goal packing this bag would be to underpack it a little.
I’ve used this on US flights as a personal item many times with no issues.
I do use this as personal item plenty btw.
Is the x-pac material look wrinkly?
X-Pac is a very stiff fabric, some of them crease and wrinkle more than others. It's just the nature of this fabric, over time though the wrinkles give the bag character 😀
Which is better Aer travel pack small or Cotopaxi 18L?
Aer Travel Pack Small is my favorite between these two
Thank you. I’m waiting for the Black Friday sale to make my purchase. Thank you for doing such in depth reviews and helping your subscribers and viewers make the right choices
@@Alatar67 Good call, I haven't seen anything yet, but last year they did 20% off site-wide, but just for the day.
Will you be reviewing the Aer City Pack Pro?
Probably eventually. I'm not really sure what the deal with that bag is, it looks just like the Travel Pack, but with more small pockets on the front? Maybe a comparison would be good.
@@OneBagTravels- looking forward to that comparison.
@@OneBagTravelsYou are correct they are very similar bags. Plenty people out there who I know would kill for a comparison video between the City Pack Pro & Travel Pack 3 Small (both in X-Pac).
@@kasimvahora2484 That would be a good one, I put it on my list
I'd love to see that video too. I keep looking but cannot find anyone who has done a compare. I bought the city pack pro but the capacity seems small. Trying to decide if it's worth risking possibly being over the personal item size for more capacity here. Would love to see what you can pack in 1 vs the other.
I picked up Travel Pack 3 X-Pac, reg size. Hoping it works well for my travel loadout. It's going to compete with my Patagonia MiniMLC for air time. MiniMLC fits under the seat (spills out a bit) which is highly useful when I get a standby seat and the overhead bins are full. I'm going to see if an under-packed Travel Pack3 will fit under the seat on Southwest Airlines.
Exciting, I'm curious to see if it will fit
Would love to hear your thoughts once you've used it on a trip!
@zing99 so, how did it go? I still can't decide TP3 or TP3small
@@fercho.7776 I haven't taken the TP3 out for a while. Been using smaller bags. I'm due to fly this week so I'll put it into rotation and post about it.
Just boarded 737-700 window seat. TP3 fully packed (not over stuffed) barely fits under seat. Have to tuck my toes under the bag. It works. Some flight attendants might flag it as too long but I think it should work. It required a little angling to get it under the seat and it’s awkward to remove, but it does work.
Hello!
Have you seen “The North Face Base Camp Voyager Travel Pack” (35L)? Can you do a review about it and compare it with Aer Travel Pack 3? They seem similar.
I really like how you review. So technical.
I like that one, I haven't tried it but in general North Face gear is decent quality but nowhere near as good as AER. Interesting side note, I just checked TNF website and the Base Camp Voyager Duffel has been listed at $125 for 2 years with no price increases, unusual for bag companies these days.
@@OneBagTravels thanks! Hopefully you’ll review it…there’s literally just 3 reviews on youtube (2 are the daypack version)
These two Aer bags are the best they have; they have a lot of non-practical products.
Admittedly I haven't tried them all, they have a few really great packs, and quite a few that are just ok.
What is the weight of this one? Aer website says the same as the non x pac one but I read this one is lighter.
They list the Cordura bag as 3.79 lbs and the X-pac version at 3.63 lbs. But on my scale the X-Pac is 3.74 lbs. I don't have the Cordura version to compare though.
Thank you.
I’m still torn between a premium purchase like the aer tp3 small or a cheaper option like the Osprey farpoint 40. Weight isn’t a deciding factor. Any thoughts?
@@geep8591 What are the most important things you want in a backpack?
Comfort whilst wearing, quality of the material, different storage options for 1 week travel. And has to meet UK/EU cabin sizes (I'm EU based). I’m veering towards the Aer TP3 Small…For me the Osprey looks more of an outdoors type backpack whilst the Aer looks more minimalist and all round better 😊
So incredibly sad that it doesn't stand up on it's own...... how do so many backpacks fail this test...
It's pretty standy uppy, depends on what you pack in it, I've seen worse.
@@OneBagTravels thank you for replying!! based on @9:20, it does though look like it's got some serious wobble to it.... I feel like it should be a 'standard behavior' of a backpack, but so many modern travel packs seem to fail this, or at least don't do it as well as one would expect a rectangular box to perform... thank you so much for highlighting this behavior to me at least, this makes the bag a deal breaker as the current bag I use that I want to replace ALWAYS falls over when I set it down, and it has been incredibly annoying. Does the way you need to pack it some really obscure orientation of things, or is it as simple as packing the heavy things on the bottom of the bag?
@@call_me_lazarus It's not really an obscure orientation. It's just that the bottom of the pack is fairly flat so if your weight distribution is fairly even and you don't have something super lumpy on the bottom, it will generally stand up on it's own. But it doesn't have a firm panel on the bottom, so what you put in the bag and how you put it in does matter. Unlike some bags that have a sloped bottom that won't stand up on their own no matter what you do. Or on the other end, bags that have a purposeful flat bottom that will stand up almost regardless of what you pack or how you pack it.
@@OneBagTravels you are going above and beyond with these replies, thank you for this insight... Maybe I will reconsider this bag then haha... This is all helpful to know. Thank you
The comment section is brutal..
Constructive criticism 😆
They seem like really good packs, but please for the love of God give them some character next time. So many travel bags are ultra boring. I realize that some people want to blend in, but a little bit of character never hurt.
This has always been the iconic "Aer" style, largely unchanged since their first model. They have some other packs with a bit more flair, but overall I think this is basically their vibe
Aer has always had a minimalist external design language with their trademark being the large aquaguard zippers. I don’t think they’ll deviate anytime soon. There’s always Cotopaxi if you want more character for a bag.