Maelstrom 40-50L Yellow Travel Backpack

We currently live in Germany and wanted to spend our free time traveling with our kiddos. Dragging rolling luggage on cobblestones is a truly unpleasant experience. Running for a train or a plane dragging rolling luggage is also unpleasant. We experimented with a standard backpack on a trip but the shape wasn't optimal for packing things or accessing the things you had packed. I went on an epic quest to find something well suited, well appointed and well priced. I FOUND IT!!! This bag is near perfection. The ONLY thing I found fault with was the chest strap...it doesn't have enough free space at the top to slide far enough up that it sits across my breastbone. I'm barely 5'4", so the strap cut across my breasts, which wasn't comfortable. Not enough to deduct a star - but it's something the designer could take into consideration. Everything else was amazing. Seriously. Organization pockets galore. Smooth running zippers. Rectangular soft body with clam shell opening. Because it isn't structured it can be expanded and also cinched down so your belongings don't move around if the bag isn't full. There are adjustable clips on the sides and the bottom that cinch the bag firmly. You can even roll your jacket or sweatshirt and carry it on the bottom of the backpack. I liked that there was a metal reinforced pass-through opening from inside the zippered battery pocket for a charging cable to snake to the outside of the bag. I was intrigued by the plug-in ports on other bags until my husband reminded me that I couldn't wash a bag that had sewn-in electronics. Well thought out! The side pocket is able to hold a 40 ounce Hydroflask. I watched a video that showed the elastic being used to cinch the pocket and then wrapped over the top of the bottle for extra security. That technique worked very well! When I didn't use that method my Brita filter bottle fell out on the tarmac. Whoops. The shoulder straps were easy to wear, hook/unhook and hide. The top and side handles are both equally well-padded and easy to handle. I was happy that it had a chest strap but was disappointed that it cut me across my breasts. It hit my 5'10" husband perfectly across his chest. It was comfortable to carry even without the chest strap. Yes, I got sweaty because I was carrying everything on my back and the bag is really well padded. I would rather sweat than have my things banging against my back. I was able to run for transportation without any problem and both my husband and I have had spine surgeries. It fit into the paid carry-on section of the Ryanair bag tester without a problem. If you can pack relatively light you can get everything in this bag. I packed three tank tops, a pair of jeans, a pair of capris, a pair of shorts, two long sleeved shirts, two short sleeved shirts, a zip up hoodie, three pairs of socks, five pairs of panties, two bras, a satin robe, a nightgown, my Birkenstocks, a lay-flat belt, a full sized hair brush, my toiletries, my international power adaptor and charging cables,a power bank, 30 disposable contact lenses, my eye glasses in their case, a Sea-to-Summit dry-sil bag and a Sea-to-Summit laundry line (for handwashing my laundry) and my electric toothbrush in its case. I flew for a week to Virginia in the United States, came home for one day and then flew out to London for six days. I have lived out of it for almost two weeks easily. It has been on multiple planes, thrown into cars, been on the Stansted Express and the London Underground and it still looks great. My 5 year old spilled a Coke on my husband's backpack and the soda simply beaded up and I was able to wipe it off of the fabric. The only place that absorbed the Coke was the fabric of the zipper. SUPER! I didn't use the outside shoe pocket but it was nice to know it was there as an option. The rollybag strap would have been convenient if I was using this pack and my rollybag at the same time. I also liked the sunglasses loop, even though I didn't use it. I thought I might be able to clip keys or a portable speaker there in the future. The computer section had very nice padding and that section was up against my back, which felt like it would do more to protect a computer. It also opens completely to remove large electronics for airport security. I really liked the secret security pocket that went up against your back. If it was RFID protected that would have made it super secure - perhaps a future model will have that. This bag is about 1/2 lb heavier than the other two bags I ordered to check out BUT it was worth it for the organization and the durability of the fabric. I had no worries that my bag couldn't take the rigors of travel. This bag was amazing and I'm so glad that I bought them for myself, my husband and my teen. The green color is fresh and beautiful. The blue color is lovely and a nice change from black. I returned the "yellow" because it's a blah beige color and ordered another green instead. I have zero regrets about buying this bag and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to dump their rolly bag and travel with a backpack.