The Best Carry-On Backpacks of 2024

4. Aer Travel Pack 3: Most Versatile Carry-On Backpack

Gentlemen, your top choice of travel backpack may very well be the Aer Travel Pack 3. Stylishly designed, intuitively organized and thoughtfully furnished, you’ll find a spot for just about everything you need for a successful trip in the Aer Travel Pack 3. Aer already proved their bag design prowess in the original travel pack, and have truly outdone themselves to bring you this third-generation gem.

 

Aer has done some fantastic upgrades with the Aer Travel Pack 3. It’s slightly bigger at 35 liters (as opposed to 33 liters), and it fits a 16” inch laptop (as opposed to a 13” laptop). But it also has new load lifters for your comfort and to balance the weight on your back, and an improved compressed design so you can better access the main compartment while on the go.

All this organization comes wrapped in the tried and true Cordura material that will withstand travel to every corner of the planet. Aer has, however, presented this durability in a sleek envelope that, while perhaps a little boxy for some tastes, will feel right at home in the urban landscape.

 

Another thing I love is the unique hidden smart tracker pocket where you can stash an Airtag or Tile device to help locate your bag if it goes missing. If you travel with a lot of photography or computer gear like me, this gives some added peace of mind. 

 

The only thing missing is the shoe compartment, which Aer removed to make this bag more compressed. The plus side is that you get an extra 2 liters of space if you really want to pack them!

Take note here: This is just for urban travel and not designed to hit trails or mountain tops. Please also note that, at 35 liters, it’s a little on the small side compared to other backpacks on this list, so you’ll have to pack very meticulously.

 

It is nevertheless a powerful performer and perhaps the best travel backpack you’ll ever own! For more information, check out our full Aer Travel Pack review.

Pros

• Fantastic organization
• Sleek and stylish design
• Very organized interior
• Extremely durability
• Tons of pockets

Cons

• Capacity is smaller than other packs
• Exclusively designed for urban travel—not a suitable hiking bag
• Doesn’t have a dedicated shoe compartment