Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I took this as my only bag on a ten-day trip that included three flights, two trains, several metro rides, and a few miles worth of walking to and from hotels. This bag did very well. To keep the bag from bulging, I used a set of eBags Ultralight Packing Cubes (worth the price--I tried some other cubes). The set is just the right size with my rain coat folded in between and a hoodie stuffed into the top. I think the cubes helped a lot to keep the bag in its natural shape so the zippers never seemed stressed. The way I packed it, it also stood up on it's own. Here is the list of the gray and blue things I packed (as shown in the pictures) for a spring-weather trip to provide some idea of the capacity: rain coat, hoodie, pair of shoes, 4 t-shirts, 2 collared shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, swim trunks, a variety of socks, underwear, and a small cube (6"x6") with chargers, plug converter, meds, and toiletries. (and the packing cubes of course) In the outer pockets I had a folder with all of my printed stuff, bag with sunscreen and liquids for TSA screening, earbuds, two paperback books, and sunglasses (next to the books). I would definitely recommend this style of travel over a suitcase. No waiting for baggage, no stress with stairs or curbs or puddles or metro "gaps", hands are free to deal with metro cards or passports or whatever, and there are no wheels so you can carry it on your lap when you sit. My one criticism is that the cinch-straps are attached to the outer pocket, which I guess helps pull it flat too, but I'd rather it was just attached to the main enclosure's outer panel. (8 photos of the bag as-packed are attached.)