Top 5 compared
The best carry-on backpacks and duffel bags
A few days’ clothes in one bag you carry onto the plane, and no waiting at the baggage carousel.
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The top 5 at a glance
On some fares the only free bag is a personal item; a carry-on for the overhead bin can be bigger, but it isn’t always included. A travel backpack spreads the load across both shoulders for the long walk to the gate; a duffel squashes into a tight space, rides on one shoulder and works as a weekend or gym bag between trips.
Every airline sets its own sizes for both and changes them now and then, so the airline’s own website is the place to confirm them before each flight. Measure the bag packed, pockets and all, since a stuffed pocket can tip it over the limit. For checked bags, see our suitcases list.
What matters
- A padded laptop sleeve, if the laptop travels in the bag.
- A sleeve on the back that slides over a suitcase handle.
#1MATEIN Extra Large Carry-On Backpack
$20–$30
Sized for the overhead bin rather than under the seat, it’s a 19 x 13 x 8 in pack that expands when it needs to hold more, with shoulder straps that tuck into the back panel for carrying it duffel-style. Taygeer’s pack below tops it on rating but is sold as a women’s backpack; this one is sold for anyone.
What owners say: Owners fit it in overhead bins and under some seats, praise the well-planned compartments and the number of zippered pockets, and find it light for its size; the zippers divide opinion.
A closer look: Pack it unexpanded on the way out and keep the expansion zipper for souvenirs on the way home. There’s no padded laptop sleeve, so a laptop needs its own case in the main compartment, and the shoulder straps are best tucked away if it has to be checked at the gate.
- Expansion zipper for extra room
- Four compression straps
- Lockable zipper pulls
- Sternum strap, air-mesh back
- Water resistant
Best for: A week away, overhead bin
- Size
- 19 x 13 x 8 in
- Capacity
- –
- Weight
- 2.2 lb
- Carry style
- Backpack, straps tuck away
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- No
- Slides over a suitcase handle
- Yes
#2Taygeer Travel Backpack (16.8 x 11 x 7 in)
$10–$20
Taygeer sells it as a women’s travel backpack: a slim pack that goes under the seat or in the overhead bin, with three main compartments, a sleeve for a 15.6 in laptop, a wet pocket for a swimsuit and a separate bag for shoes. The main zipper opens it out flat, 180 degrees, for security checks, and two grab handles let it double as a tote.
What owners say: Travelers like how much it swallows for its size and how many pockets it has, the laptop section included, and say it slides under the seat and sits comfortably on its padded straps; a few had it wear out sooner than others.
A closer look: Pack heavy things against the back panel and the shoe bag at the bottom, and it carries well. Before a budget flight, measure it packed against the airline’s under-seat size, as a full front pocket adds depth. The wet pocket earns its keep after a hotel pool or a day at the beach.
- Shoe bag and wet pocket
- Opens flat, 180 degrees
- Three main compartments
- Nine pockets in all
- Two grab handles
Best for: Women flying with a laptop
- Size
- 16.8 x 11 x 7 in
- Capacity
- –
- Weight
- 1.7 lb
- Carry style
- Backpack or tote
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- 15.6 in laptop
- Slides over a suitcase handle
- Yes
#3Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6 Travel Pack
$100–$150
Osprey’s personal-item pack, sized at 16.9 x 13 x 6.3 in to meet most major airlines’ under-seat limits, with a main compartment that unzips 2 in to add 6L when a trip calls for it. A ventilated AirScape back panel, a tech sleeve, two stretch bottle pockets and a pass-through for a suitcase handle, all in recycled, bluesign-approved fabric.
What owners say: Travelers call it a quality pack that measures as a personal item and sits under the seat, with deep pockets and smooth zippers that open it like a suitcase, and say it carries comfortably.
A closer look: Leave the expansion zipper closed on the way out so the bag stays within the personal-item size, and open it for the trip home. The tech sleeve sits against the back panel, where a laptop rides safest, and the front pocket is cut for a quart liquids bag, which speeds things up at security.
- Ventilated back panel
- Two stretch bottle pockets
- Front pocket fits liquids bag
- 100% recycled polyester fabric
- PFAS-free water repellent
Best for: Flights with strict personal-item limits
- Size
- 16.9 x 13 x 6.3 in
- Capacity
- 26L (32L expanded)
- Weight
- 1.85 lb
- Carry style
- Backpack
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Tech sleeve
- Slides over a suitcase handle
- Yes
#4LUOCIP Travel Duffel Bag (35L)
$20–$30
A 35-liter weekender that rides on a shoulder strap or a suitcase handle, with a flat-bottomed shoe compartment underneath, a waterproof-lined pocket for wet things and a toiletry bag in the box. Five metal feet save the base from wear.
What owners say: Owners take it away for the weekend or as a personal item next to their carry-on, and like the shoe section, the many pockets and how roomy it is; one says stains wipe off it.
Heads up: At 20.5 in long it’s bigger than some airlines’ personal-item sizes, so check yours before counting on it going under the seat.
A closer look: Shoes go in the bottom section, which has its own zipper, so clean clothes stay clean above them. Slide the back strap over a suitcase handle to wheel the two together, and keep a phone and ID in the zippered back pocket.
- Shoe compartment underneath
- Waterproof-lined wet pocket
- Toiletry bag included
- Five metal feet
- Zippered back pocket
Best for: Weekends away and the gym
- Size
- 20.5 x 12.7 x 8.5 in
- Capacity
- 35L
- Weight
- 2.1 lb
- Carry style
- Duffel, shoulder strap
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- No
- Slides over a suitcase handle
- Yes
#5HOTOR Travel Duffel Bag with Shoe Compartment
$10–$20
A quilted duffel that weighs just 1.2 lb, with a shoe compartment big enough for two pairs of women’s shoes (sizes 7 to 12), an attached toiletry bag, an outside pocket for a phone and passport, and a sleeve that slides over a suitcase handle.
What owners say: Three days of clothes go in it, owners find, with shoes kept apart from everything else, and they’re taken with the look and the colors.
A closer look: The toiletry bag is attached, so it can’t be left behind on a hotel counter, and the outside pocket keeps a boarding pass handy. Between trips it works as a gym bag, with sneakers in the bottom and a change of clothes on top.
- Shoe compartment for two pairs
- Attached toiletry bag
- Quilted, water-resistant fabric
- Outside pocket for passport
- Two-way zippers
Best for: Three days of clothes and shoes
- Size
- 17.3 x 13.4 x 7.9 in
- Capacity
- 30L
- Weight
- 1.2 lb
- Carry style
- Duffel, shoulder strap
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- No
- Slides over a suitcase handle
- Yes
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1MATEIN Extra Large | #2Taygeer Backpack | #3Osprey Daylite 26+6 | #4LUOCIP Duffel | #5HOTOR Duffel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for women | Best premium | Best duffel bag | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $10–$20 | $100–$150 | $20–$30 | $10–$20 |
| Size | 19 x 13 x 8 in | 16.8 x 11 x 7 in | 16.9 x 13 x 6.3 in | 20.5 x 12.7 x 8.5 in | 17.3 x 13.4 x 7.9 in |
| Capacity | – | – | 26L (32L expanded) | 35L | 30L |
| Weight | 2.2 lb | 1.7 lb | 1.85 lb | 2.1 lb | 1.2 lb |
| Carry style | Backpack, straps tuck away | Backpack or tote | Backpack | Duffel, shoulder strap | Duffel, shoulder strap |
| Laptop or tablet sleeve | No | 15.6 in laptop | Tech sleeve | No | No |
| Slides over a suitcase handle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | A week away, overhead bin | Women flying with a laptop | Flights with strict personal-item limits | Weekends away and the gym | Three days of clothes and shoes |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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