 This Product
Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L | |||||
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| Awards |  Best for Work Travel |  Best Overall Travel Backpack | Best for Ultimate Organization | |  Best Travel Backpack Under $100 |
| Price | $350 List | $230 List Check Price at REI | $249 List | $250 List Check Price at REI | $96 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This is a comfy and capable travel companion for longer trips or heavier packers | A travel backpack that’s easy to live out of for trips of all shapes and sizes | If you need to stay organized on the road, this is the ultimate travel companion | An upgraded bag that boasts plenty of storage capacity and a removable laptop attaché in a sleek package | A spacious travel backpack that’ll save you money for your next plane or train ticket |
| Rating Categories | Tortuga Pro 40L | Cotopaxi Allpa 35L | Aer Pack 3 | Thule Subterra 2 Con... | tomtoc Navigator T-6... |
| Storage & Protection (35%) | |||||
| Comfort & Fit (30%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Versatility (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | Tortuga Pro 40L | Cotopaxi Allpa 35L | Aer Pack 3 | Thule Subterra 2 Con... | tomtoc Navigator T-6... |
| Laptop Compartment | Yes; 16", padded and fleece-lined | Yes: 15", padded and fleece-lined | Yes: 16" padded and fleece-lined | No; padded and removable attache, 16" | Yes; 17" padded |
| Carry-On Friendly | Yes. The depth even leaves 1 inch of buffer. | Tight fit. Length and width are within most airlines requirements, but depth is 2 inches over many airline dimensions. | Yes. All dimensions are at/under the common U.S. carry-on maximum, so it should fit comfortably overhead. | Yes. Matches most US airlines bag requirements | Yes. All dimensions are at/under the common U.S. carry-on maximum, so it should fit comfortably overhead. |
| Anti-Theft Features | Lockable zippers on all but the small top pocket | Lockable zippers on main compartment, fabric loops to secure zipper pulls of laptop pocket, main compartment, and larger external pocket | Lockable zippers on main compartment, hidden smart tracker pocket | Back panel pocket with side zipper | Lockable zippers, |
| Carry-On Sizes Available | 40L | 35L, 42L | 28L, 35L | 40L | 28L, 40L |
| Carrying Options | Removable hip belt, 2 grab handles | Removable hip belt, 4 grab handles, luggage pass-through loop | Removable hip belt (sold separately), 3 grab handles, luggage pass-through loop | 2 grab handles, duffel strap conversion, luggage pass-through loop | 2 grab handles, luggage pass-through loop |
| Pockets with Exterior Access | 9 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Measured Weight | 4.5 lb (40L) | 2.96 lb (35L) | 4.14 lb (35L) | 4.0 lb (40L) | 2.43 lb (40L) |
| Max Dimensions | 22" x 14" x 8" (40L) | 22" x 12" x 11" (35L) | 21.5" × 13" × 9" | 22" x 14" x 9" (40L) | 20.47" × 12.99" × 9" |
| Features | Height-adjustable fit, 13" tablet sleeve, internal mesh organization, two water bottle pockets, removable waist strap, load-lifter straps, adjustable water bottle sleeve, | Wrap around suitcase-style zipper, 3 internal mesh pockets, stretchy water bottle pocket, front accessory pocket, key clip, side/top/bottom grab handles, pass-through suitcase strap, webbing loops, stow-away shoulder straps and hip belt | Lockable zippers, exterior passport pocket, load lifters, magnetic compression straps, lay-flat main compartment, compression straps, felt sunglasses pocket, large laptop pocket | Multiple carry options, zippered mesh pocket divider, shoe & laundry area, water bottle pocket, side, back, and top carry handles | Spacious laptop compartment that also fits tablet, dual access to main compartment, padded back panel, compression straps on both sides |
| Materials | Proprietary SHELL200 three-layered sailcloth: 200D recycled polyester | Shell 1: 100% recycled 840D TPU-coated nylon Shell 2: 100% recycled 840D ballistic ripstop nylon Lining: 100% recycled ripstop polyester |
1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign® approved) | bluesign approved 800D nylon/polyester | 1680D abrasion-resistant polyester on bottom of bag, 400D ripstop polyester for rest of exterior |
We found the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L to be a highly versatile travel bag that fit the needs of several different testers. However, its clean, professional aesthetic, paired with its functionality, made it especially appreciated for work travel.
Tortuga designed the Travel Backpack Pro with practical storage throughout the entire bag. The main compartment is large enough for casual clothes and some formal wear, while the electronics compartment can accommodate multiple devices. Most backpacks in this class offer some protection on the back, but the Travel Pro even has some padding at the front of the bag.
This model offers about 40 liters of capacity, which is ideal for a Monday-Friday work trip or a long weekend, and has dimensions large enough to keep formal wear from being folded too much. If you're a light packer, you might even be able to stretch this bag on longer trips with a quick stop at the laundromat.
Tortuga also uses a tougher fabric, the ECOPAK EPX200 waterproof sailcloth, on the outside of this bag, which reduces the likelihood of tears and keeps your gear dry in light to medium rain. The YKK zippers also warded off water, which was crucial for keeping our laptops protected.
Despite an eye-catching urban aesthetic, the Travel Backpack Pro is impressively comfortable. The two cushions in the back panel are almost an inch thick, and run the entire length of the bag from the shoulders to the hips. The hip belt is heavily padded and wider than most of the travel backpacks we've tested, measuring nearly 6 inches wide towards its back. This allows even the heaviest of loads to rest on the hip bones comfortably without fatiguing your hip flexors. We also loved the adjustable height of the shoulder straps, so you can adjust the fit to your torso length.
On trips where you're lugging around a full load, Tortuga also included a stiff support panel behind the shoulder straps on the Travel Backpack Pro, so you don't tweak your back in the middle of a vacation or career-defining work trip. This model also includes load lifters, which are great for adjusting weight on long walks to the bus terminal or Airbnb. We found the Travel Backpack Pro to be comfy even with up to 40 pounds inside, which is on the higher end for the packs we tested, though most travelers are likely to have much less weight in their bags.
The load lifters were occasionally stiff when adjusting them mid-walk, which made for a more annoying fit adjustment, since load lifters are most often adjusted while the bag is on. The hip belt also flops around when not in use, but it's easy to stow inside the bag when you don't want to use it, which is handy for in-office days.
The Tortuga has three primary sections: The exterior electronics/pocket-heavy section, the main clothes compartment, and the laptop/tablet sleeve. Together, these three areas make it easy to find what you need on the road and are easy to pack or unpack at the hotel or in your living room.
In addition to its ease of organization, the Travel Backpack Pro has a modular carrying system with Velcro-attached hip belts that can be put on or stowed in a matter of seconds. While we appreciated that Tortuga put two water bottle holders on this bag, they both are fairly narrow and didn't work with some of our testers' bottles. The main compartment easily accommodates suit bags, while the organization of the admin pocket makes it a breeze to keep track of your electronics and business cards.
While we found the Travel Backpack Pro to stand out among our travel backpack lineup for work-oriented travel, it's also a great choice for travelers enjoying an out-of-country vacation or flying home for the holidays, thanks to its plush padding, fit adjustability, and interior packing volume.
While the Travel Backpack Pro is great for multi-day trips, it feels too big to use for day trips to the coffee shop. It also has a boxier shape that made it stand out on public transport. This is technically a do-anything bag, but its sweet spot is general-purpose travel and multi-day work trips, especially if you need to keep a laptop or two with you. Its bigger profile may require you to take it off in a crowded subway or queue, but it also has more space for belongings.
This is a very thoughtfully designed bag that can be used for both personal and business travel. Its volume helps you bring everything you might need for a week-long trip, and the support system keeps the Travel Backpack Pro comfy even when weighed down. It's still not on par with the comfort of a backpacking pack, but it comes close to being the most comfortable bag in the travel backpack category. If it is within your price range, the Backpack Pro is well-made and protective, ensuring your next trip is uninterrupted.
If you want an even more comfortable pack, and are ok with a more outdoorsy look for your next travel bag, the Osprey Farpoint 40 is a great model with an even greater weight capacity than the Travel Backpack Pro. It doesn't have as much organization as the Tortuga, but its simplicity is great for personal vacations and weddings, when an admin pocket is simply more trouble than it's worth.
If you like the tech organization of the Tortuga, but want a slightly smaller package to travel with, Aer Travel Pack 3 is another excellent backpack with a pocket-heavy design that's similar to the Travel Backpack Pro. The Travel Pack 3 is a bit lighter than the Tortuga and also has slightly narrower dimensions that allow it to better transition to daytime use.
