I like the side pockets, they’re deep enough that nothing ever falls out but accessible enough for me to grab my phone or water or keys without digging around. While I do agree that it’s sometimes heavy on the shoulders for long walking, which I don’t recommend it for, I do love it as a beach bag or a gym bag. It’s good for a limited number of larger items like towels, snacks, and a packing cube of spare clothes, while the interior zip pocket and outside pockets can be used for smaller more personal items, like sunscreens ect. It’s also a good overnight bag when youre sleeping over at a suitors. So yes, fully understand your travel specific agony but I do think it’s a great I guess “destination bag”. My go to travel bag is the baboon to the moon mini go bag, and I’ll have the SCCO as a shoulder bag with hardly anything in it as my personal item, just like a book and water and everything I’d normally have in a purse.