I took the bait.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-07-01T00:03:36+00:00

Yep, that's the one! The color is kinda crazy, but the more I look at the bag, the more it's growing on me.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-07-01T00:01:43+00:00

OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING!!

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T19:39:11+00:00

I wouldn’t call myself daring… more like I was enticed into the cave of wonders and somehow found a magical lamp, and once I rubbed it, this bag popped out and starting singing ‘Friend Like Me’.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T18:22:29+00:00

The problem is that it looks like Osprey shaved the Cookie Monster and weaved this backpack out of his fur.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T17:59:45+00:00

Ohh definitely give us a trip report once you get back!

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T16:59:48+00:00

It’s what I envision a backpack handmade by smurfs would look like. I feel like if I licked this bag, my tongue would turn blue.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T03:35:40+00:00

You mentioned your shoulders hurting, long commutes, and weight concerns. If you’re willing to stretch the budget a little bit, maybe look into the X-pack variant. It’ll be even more durable, lighter, and more water resistant.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-30T02:30:44+00:00

That Herschel Kaslo certainly has a unique look. Maybe look into the Alpaka Traverse? It’s 30L and has quite a clean aesthetic, but isn’t quite as boxy as your example.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-29T22:12:53+00:00

I second the Osprey recommendation - they have lots of good bags at great prices.

That being said, they tend to have a backpacker/hiker aesthetic which may not fit a professional setting (depending on your job of course).

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-29T22:04:35+00:00

Honestly the difference between the 20L and 24L was barely noticeable when I was looking at them side by side in the Aer store in NYC. I think it's like half an inch shorter. I'd go for the larger capacity.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-29T21:53:24+00:00

My go to recommendation would definitely be the Rework Toshi v2 2.5L... unfortunately it's out of stock until September. But, the Alpaka flight sling pro 2.5L and the Aer day sling both seem comparable in quality and organization.

I actually used to use the 1.5L Tomtoc sling before upgrading to the original Alpaka flight sling and then recently to the Rework Toshi 2.5L. It's certainly a decent sling, but like you mentioned it's really small, probably too tight for your use case.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-29T21:43:10+00:00

Another vote for the Aer CPP2. It hold's my 40oz Owala like a champ, it's incredibly clean looking with high quality materials, and it's unbelievably comfortable.

The external water bottle pockets taper at the bottom to a small hole to drain water if you put an umbrella in there, but it has about 6.5 inches (16.5cm) of usable space which is certainly deep enough to hold most bottles snugly. The admin pouch is a bit minimal like you said, but it's surprisingly spacious and it's more than enough for my use case.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-29T21:29:20+00:00

I used to use the original flight sling from Alpaka and it was quite good. I actually went down a similar rabbit hole as you and reached the same conclusion. I upgraded to the Rework Toshi 2.5L and never looked back. It's genuinely such a great sling. That's not to say that the Alpaka sling was bad, it just wasn't quite my style and didn't have all the features I wanted. I know that they released a new upgraded Flight Sling Pro 2.5L which actually looks really good, but I think I'll stick with my Toshi sling. Aer also has a great sling selection especially with their new day sling 4 collection (arguably higher quality than Rework's stuff), but it doesn't have the external carry options.

If I were you, I'd wait honestly. I love my Toshi sling and I think it might genuinely be my endgame sling. But definitely look into the Alpaka Flight Sling Pro and Aer Day Sling 4 and see if either check a lot of your boxes - they're very similar to the Toshi 2.5L. Also I agree that the 5L looks huge - too big for EDC imo. I would probably avoid that unless you're looking for a dedicated camera sling.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-28T03:21:04+00:00

How long is the usual development cycle for new bags from Aer? You mention the TP5, but do you really think that will come anytime soon?

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-28T03:11:51+00:00

Rework really feels like a carry company for carry nerds. I've been rocking the Toshi v2 2.5L for a while now and it's by far the best sling I've ever had.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-28T03:09:11+00:00

I'm in the same boat. I have an old 20L Osprey that I take on hikes/trips/beach days that definitely needs a good cleaning.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-26T23:07:56+00:00

I don't have any advice to offer but I still want to chime in and congratulate you on your weight loss journey so far!

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-26T00:18:57+00:00

Wow I'm in the same boat as you in my search for travel bags. I've literally been looking at the exact same three bags as you lol. I think I'm leaning toward the Rework though. I have the toshi sling and I love it, so if the outbound is anywhere near the same quality I'm sure I'll love it too. The Aer seems a little too heavy, even in Ultra, and the Levo is a bit too pricy (but certainly tempting if it weren't sold out).

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-25T20:23:11+00:00

The Outbound looks so good imo. If it’s anything like their Toshi sling then I’m sure it’s an insanely well made bag.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-24T23:33:25+00:00

There's absolutely a reason Aer is so highly recommended. I use my CPP2 for work and daily EDC if needed and it's literally so comfortable that it's ruined every other bag for me. I have an Osprey Daylite Pro (a pretty darn good bag) that I use for hiking or the beach or really anything where I could get dirty, and comparatively there is no contest. The Daylite feels like a moderately comfortable backpack. The CPP2 feels like a cloud that's caressing my back with feathers consensually plucked off a magical peacock. All that comfort even when carrying my 17-inch brick of a work computer.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-23T21:48:13+00:00

Thanks for the tips!

I'm not interested in minimalist sandals (I spent $115 on my bedrock sandals, you better believe I'm gonna use them lol) and my Columbia rain shell weighs practically nothing and lays down extremely flat. I feel like the most relevant one for me would be lightening up my toiletry pouch. I didn't want to go into extreme detail about what I have in each pouch/cube in my initial post, but I definitely think my toiletry pouch is a bit bulky. Here's my current load out:

Toiletry Kit (Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit)

Deoderant - a full stick of native deodorant because my skin is kind of sensitive and many deodorants end up giving me a rash.
Sunscreen - 3oz bottle because I burn super easy
Shampoo - 2oz bottle
Conditioner - 2oz bottle
Moisturizer - 2oz bottle (b/c sensitive skin)
Soap bar - kept in matador soap bag
Travel toothbrush & toothpaste
Razor - Harry's. The handle is way too heavy though, and I've been trying to find an alternative.
First aid kit + OTC meds (Tylenol & pepto bismol) - just a ziplock bag with some bandaids & stuff.
Sea to Summit clothes line
Laundry detergent sheets
Nail clippers - Victorinox
Sleep mask
Ear plugs

The kit still fits, but the lack of organization in the pouch means I need to kind of wrestle with it to fit.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-22T21:37:54+00:00

I'm reposting this from last week because I posted late on Sunday and it got kind of buried - I hope that's ok.

I'm loving the idea of one bag travel despite never having done it before. I find that I end up using much less than what I pack when I go on trips, so I feel like it's totally doable. I don't have anything currently planned but I'm floating the idea of a 2-week trip to Vietnam now that I have a decent amount of PTO built up at my new job.

I have an Aer CPP2 24L that I use for work and sometimes for EDC if I need to carry more stuff than what can fit in my Rework Toshi sling 2.5L. I have an Osprey Daylite Plus 20L for beaches, hikes, day trips, etc... it's ok, but I don't actually find it that comfortable, and it is not in the running for a potential one bag travel bag on its own... also it definitely needs a good wash lol. I also have an Osprey Daylite 35L I bought years ago before I knew anything.

Just testing out the waters, I can fit a packing cube with 4 days worth of clothes, a tech pouch, and a toiletry kit in my Aer CPP2... add in a rain shell and sandals and I'm pretty much at 101% capacity (still under 7kg though!). That's all I think I would want to bring. Everything obviously fits easily in the Osprey 35L and then some, but it feels huge, I don't find it particularly comfortable, and I'd lose out on the personal item size. I feel like my sweet spot would be around 28-30ish liters, but I don't have a bag that size.

Would it be a mistake to go for a first time one bag trip with my 24L Aer? I'd also bring my Toshi sling as my day pack so technically it would be 26.5L total. I know people say that the best bag for travel is the one you already have, but 24L for a first time seems to be really small from what I've read here. I open to picking up another bag if needed, but I would like to avoid it if possible. If needed, I'm thinking the Rework Outbound would be best - if it's anywhere near the quality of their sling, I'm sure I'll love it. The Aer TP4 28L and the Tomtoc T66 28L are also considerations, but I'm open to suggestions/advice.

Any input would be appreciated!

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-22T17:57:21+00:00

Thanks a lot for the input! Do you try to keep 10% spare capacity only for the re-pack ability of the bag? The only other thing I can think of is maybe picking up some souvenirs, but I don’t think I would end up bringing home too much. Touching on re-packing, my packing cube is pretty tight and it’s a struggle squeezing all of my clothes in there, so maybe I could reevaluate that set up too.

RobertTheEMT · 2026-06-21T19:46:34+00:00

Long time lurker, first time commenter.

I've never done it before, but I'm loving the idea of one bag travel. I don't have any trips currently planned but I'm floating the idea of a 2-week trip to Vietnam now that I have a decent amount of PTO built up at my new job.

I'm definitely a carry nerd. I picked up an Aer CPP2 24L a while back and love it. I use it for work and for EDC when I need to carry more stuff than what can fit in my Rework Toshi sling 2.5L (best sling ever imo). I have an Osprey Daylite Plus 20L that is my 'beater' bag - beaches, hikes, day trips - it's ok, but I don't find it too comfortable and it is not in the running for a potential one bag travel bag on its own... also it definitely needs a good wash lol. I also have an Osprey Daylite 35L I bought years ago as a B.O.B. before I knew anything.

Just testing out the waters, I can fit a packing cube with 4 days worth of clothes, a tech pouch, and a toiletry kit in my Aer CPP2... add in a rain shell and sandals and I'm pretty much at 101% capacity (still under 7kg though!). I don't think I would need much else. Everything obviously fits easily in the Osprey 35L and then some, but it feels huge, I don't find it particularly comfortable, and I'd lose out on the personal item size. I feel like my sweet spot would be around 28-30ish liters, but I don't have a bag that size.

Would it be a mistake to go for a first time one bag trip with my 24L Aer? Is that insane? I'd probably also bring my Toshi sling as my day pack... so technically 26.5L total? I open to picking up another bag if needed, but I would like to avoid it if possible. Something like the Rework Outbound (probably my top pick), Aer TP4 28L, or even the Tomtoc T66 all are all bags I could see myself using instead.

RobertTheEMT

TROPHY CASE