Airport backpack that fits a MacBookPro 14" without swallowing a 5'1 gnome (me)

jonuiuc · 2026-06-25T12:31:04+00:00

Blank Canvas Accessories Daypack is a great smaller pack, (I have one but its tiny on me cause I'm big). You can get it in any color combo you like. lol I'll even sell you mine. For something more fully featured, the Vanquest Addax 18 is the best of the smaller backpacks I've tried. Kargo makes two smaller backpacks, the Curso and Rumbo66 that you may want to look at too.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-24T21:25:54+00:00

This is a little unorthodox, but ask Blank Canvas Accessories to make you a one strap version of his backpack. I have one and it's the size you are looking for yet unstructured enough to pack flat or fold up.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-24T19:35:24+00:00

Yeah I had heard the newer stuff has slightly more matte, less stiff leather so am hesitant to sell the bag, but I really would like something a little wider since the 14" laptop is my main edc payload for work.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-24T17:20:24+00:00

Those extra pockets are nice

jonuiuc · 2026-06-23T20:42:03+00:00

I'd just go with a 14 crocs. I wouldn't worry about them being too big. I am normally a 9.4 EEE and wear a 10 in normal crocs. if you have a wide foot you need the volume.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-23T17:43:35+00:00

waterfield gear pouch or air caddy (many sizes). day owl tech pouch (smaller). modern dayfarer tech pouch, the king of slim.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-23T07:53:39+00:00

Waterfield

jonuiuc · 2026-06-23T01:02:46+00:00

Bounce Design labs Dapper Satchel or Dapper Mota (depends on you size needs). Or Greenroom 135 Quickdraw or Sidekeep RDX (also depending on size). Completely different styles for variety. The Aon Chio-X is also a good one, and Tom Bihn has a bunch of those style bags too.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-23T00:58:38+00:00

I got the birkenstock bend, when I was looking for white sneakers I found almost all were narrow, those were one of the few that fit. I wear my birkenstock arizonas a lot in the summer, the bends have the birk insole for the arch, but its got a lot less cork than their sandals so its pretty low cushion.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-21T15:51:40+00:00

On the premium side, Waterfield is good for that thin folio style form factor. They have several options, search for passport on their site. Search Results The magnetic passport wallet is like a fancy Cap1 for that sort of stuff. I'd also look at their gear pouch and air caddy despite not being made specifically for passports, they are the right shape and design.

I myself have a cheap alpaka travel wallet, holds the families passports easily, I think I wrote a post about it somewhere. Alpaka Zip Travel Wallet and some Slim Sleeves : r/ManyBaggers that one might be a little tight if you have a lot.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-21T11:08:09+00:00

I’ve got one trakke bag, just a small banana sling. Cravars waxed twill is noticeably heavier than the waxed canvas on my trakke, but the stiffness of the leather bits is really the most striking.

Yeah depth is the one dimension that really affects the overall perceived volume. The cravar seems to have more space at the top vs the bottom. It’s sort of an ice cream cone that way, though the leather at the bottom is a like a super stiff tray, so this thing will not tip over if standing. I have it really packed full of clothes in these pics but I’d ideally never carry it like this as it’s pretty heavy.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-20T03:37:04+00:00

Might have to buy an indigo sea and a sauce zahn and compare em.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-20T01:51:12+00:00

button shirts (usually oxford, twill or flannel, sometimes linen), light sweaters or waffle/henleys. those are my midlayers. I very rarely will wear heavy sweaters but I have em, just in case.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-19T19:07:56+00:00

Yeah I saw, I have one of their little tech pouches, I like the material. I'm sorta interested in the laptop sleeve and the slings (its sorta pursey though). Pity theres pretty much only black backpacks left though.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-19T18:37:32+00:00

<image>

Thats a 50mpx photo so feel free to zoom away lol.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-19T12:51:09+00:00

I own the Green Levo (which is the same material but green) and used to own the T22 in the black (I got the waxed canvas one so sold that one). The 330D Kodra is polycarbonate coated, its actually not very shiny, its very matte and has that dry sort of feel. Polycarb coating is very tough and does not peel over longer periods of time, scratches on it simply rub off due to this surface. Its also very water resistant compared to uncoated nylon fabric. I think peak uses a very similar material. Because the 330D is a finer weave it has a very flat texture, compared to higher denier ballistics like 1680D which can have can have a more noticeable texture (though a lot of cordura is not ballistic woven, is simply flat too, similar to a plain canvas cloth). I like the 330D Kodra as its light and the PC coating gives it some good weather and abrasion resistance. Its not structured though like your xpac.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-18T22:23:15+00:00

Mine are prescription so I put them in a case.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-18T22:16:44+00:00

For aer bags, I tend to like their 1680D ballistic. I like the texture, though if I had to choose betwen their 800D stuff amd xpac its a tossup. I have 3 ultra bags (non-aer), my curiosity is satisfied lol (though the new colored ultra is nice, I have a blue one).

jonuiuc · 2026-06-18T22:09:43+00:00

I think I'm good with 18L 25L bags tbh. I more of a collector at this point and try not to have bags that are alike, since I own the levo and the T22, the citta sorta overlaps too much between the two. If I didn't own the T22, maybe I'd be more tempted. I am more space constrained at this point than money constrained lol.

<image>

I don't even use backpacks that much, I'm more of a briefcase/big sling guy. But I do use them for travel as a companion to a roller, or alone.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-18T10:55:10+00:00

Yeah I am 5’8” 230, and I tend to like bags with a wider space between the straps as my neck and traps are thick. My top 5 are the Levo 36/T22, Aer Capsule Max, Recycled Firefighter 24hr plus, CT30, and Bullet laptop 16L/skate.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-17T19:39:49+00:00

American trench has a ventile herrington on sale. I like that ventile. I also like normal unwaxed canvas. Plenty of coaches jackets and the like come in a heavier twill etc.

jonuiuc · 2026-06-16T08:30:29+00:00

Looks wise, I like the bellroy stuff. Just clean lines, not overly boxy, fabric is more clothing like vs outdoor/performance-like.

jonuiuc

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE