I bought a TikTok-viral travel backpack for a recent trip. For less than $40, it's the perfect carry-on bag.
Jordan Parker Erb
- Earlier this year, I kept seeing TikTok videos for a backpack that was said to be perfect for travel.
- I finally caved and bought the bag on Amazon for $34.
TikTok has a special way of feeding you videos about products you probably don't need, but that might come in handy someday.
That was the case earlier this summer when I continuously saw videos about a backpack that influencers claimed was a travel "must-have." Videos of the bag, often posted with the hashtag #ViralTravelBackpack, have raked in 137 million views as of Monday.
A video posted on May 26 solidified my decision to buy the bag. In the video, TikToker @bmekween said she "cannot go on a trip without this bag," and gave a tour of the backpack's features. The TikTok has 4.3 million views as of Monday.
In June, with a trip to Paris coming up later that month. And while it ended up being too small to bring on my trip to Europe, I've used it on several smaller trips since — and have found it really is a great carry-on bag for short trips. Here's why.
Several Amazon vendors sell a version of the bag, and most of them are less than $50.
I bought my bag — called the "carry on backpack" — from the brand VGCUB, but dozens of brands sell a version of the backpack on Amazon.
When I bought it in June, I paid $34.99, but the backpack goes on sale regularly. As of Monday, the cream-colored bag was on sale for $26.99, and there are plenty of colors to choose from.
The most important feature is the bag fits under an airplane seat or in the overhead compartment.
Coming in at about 12 inches wide and 17 inches long, the bag can fit under airplane seats without a problem.
Even if it were too big to fit snugly under the seat, it would easily fit into the overhead compartment, making it a solid carry-on bag for airplane trips.
Because I had lots of stuff to pack for my trip to Paris, I found the bag too small for an international trip.
The weather during my trip would oscillate between sunny and rainy, so I wanted to pack enough clothes for both circumstances.
Plus, I had a lot of different events going on — from a work dinner to wandering around Versailles for a day — so I needed appropriate shoes and clothes for each. When I packed a few different pairs of shoes, rain jackets, and work attire, the bag was too full to zip.
While I didn't end up using it for a longer trip, it's worked well for weekend excursions.
I used the bag for several road trips over the summer when I didn't have much to pack.
The bag can fit a pair of shoes and two outfits without packing cubes, just enough for a weekend trip. Using packing cubes, you can squeeze in a few more outfits.
One thing I don't love is how small the water bottle pocket is.
I like to travel with my 48-ounce Nalgene bottle, which unfortunately doesn't fit in the backpack's water bottle pouch.
Instead, I have to put the water bottle inside the backpack or travel with a smaller water bottle — my least favorite option, as I have to fill it up more often.
The bag has a host of handy pockets and compartments, including a specific place to put your shoes.
The bottom of the bag unzips to reveal a dedicated compartment to place your shoes in, though it's not separate from the rest of the backpack, so they'll still take up just as much space as they would if you were to put them directly in the main area.
The compartment is great if you're specifically worried about getting your clothes dirty with the shoes you've been traveling in.
It also has an area that fits most 15-inch laptops and little pouches for small items and toiletries.
It also has a port you can use to charge your phone if need be.
While I haven't used this feature yet, I do appreciate that it's there. You can charge your phone without holding the charger by putting a mobile charging block in the bag.
Overall, the bag probably won't work for long trips, but it's great for a short getaway.
Unlike a regular backpack, this Amazon bag unzips fully — like a suitcase — making it easier to find and remove items without digging through the entire bag.
With plenty of space for clothes and compartments for shoes and other items, the bag is the perfect carry-on for a weekend escape — but I wouldn't rely on it for long trips.
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