One-bag travel represents the ultimate freedom for many travelers. No check-in fees. No waiting at the baggage carousel. And peace of mind that your gear is always nearby and easily accessible. But making the most of one-bag travel involves picking the right bag for your needs. There are many great options out there but some will suit you better than others depending on your priorities, such as carry comfort, space, or ease of access.

Keen to embrace this way of traveling but not sure what bag to choose? The one-bag travel bag comparison below is a great place to start…

Small One-Bag Travel Carry

These bags are good for shorter trips and can double as day bags at your destination.

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

WANDRD PRVKE

YNOT Magnetica

GORUCK GR1 (26L)

Medium-Small One-Bag Travel Carry

These bags are solid options if you’re looking for good capacity for single-bag travel. However, they aren’t as well suited to daily use at your destination due to factors such as size or less adaptable aesthetics.

Tortuga Homebase Backpack

Arcido Akra

Minaal Carry-on 2.0

Medium One-Bag Travel Carry

These options have a bulkier feel to them, beefy in build with a slightly less sleeker feel than previous options.

Aer Travel Pack (updated to version 2)

Tortuga Outbreaker

Tom Bihn Tri-Star

GORUCK GR2

NOMATIC Travel Bag

Large One-Bag Travel Carry

It’s important to note that these options may have the same capacity as previously mentioned bags. However, they have a large feel to them and some will simply be larger.

Tortuga Setout

Timbuk2 Bruce Pack

Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45

Patagonia MLC

Heimplanet Monolith Weekender 40L Backpack

Tortuga Homebase Duffle Case

YNOT Viken Duffel