Matador On-Grid Packable Backpack Review
The brand looks to come in from the wilderness a little and provide a more urban focused packable. Did they?
Matador On-Grid Packable Backpack Review Introduction
Matador didn’t actually invent the packable backpack space - but it certainly was the company that pushed them to the front of the “smart items to bring on a trip” line. Packable backpacks put Matador on the map and made them the leader in this particular niche of higher quality packables that still retained some functionality. The only issue for some people was the fact that they are very geared towards the outdoor crowd in terms of design and looks.
Enter the On-Grid packable backpack. This pack was designed with the same theory in mind - that you’d want a smaller bag when you got to your destination - but also that you might want a more urban style when in a city. That’s a pretty fair assumption I think for a lot of people. Did they succeed?
This is my Matador On-Grid packable backpack review.
As always for full transparency, I reached out to Matador and they were kind enough to provide a piece for review. I did not however receive any money for this article, and Matador had no input on the contents - all views are my own. I do use affiliate links which help to support the site if you decide to use them to make a purchase, but you’re under no obligation to do so and there’s no additional cost to you. Thanks for stopping by!
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Matador On-Grid Packable Backpack Overview
As we already mentioned, the On-Grid is designed for a more all-around travel style and particularly in-city trips. That’s not to say you can’t use this off-grid or vice versa on the other packables Matador makes, but it’s urban styled and more minimal than the off-grid cousins.
This is a 16 liter total pack, and it’s made with a waterproof nylon. Now that doesn’t mean the bag is fully waterproof due to the zippers, but it’s definitely good to have.
The bag of course packs into its own pocket for travel, making it a convenient item to toss into your larger carry-on and just take it out when you get to your destination. Here’s some material specs from the site:
Volume: 16 liters
Weight: 7.5oz (213g)
Unpacked Dimensions: 10.5 x 17.5 x 8.5in (26.6 x 44.4 x 21.6cm)
Packed Dimensions: 6.5 x 6 x 2.5in (16.5 x 15.2 x 6.3cm)
Materials:
- 100D waterproof Robic® nylon
- UTS coating (adds up to 30% strength over traditional PU coatings)
- YKK® zippers
- Nylon herringbone webbing
- 210D nylon bonded thread with bartack reinforced construction
The bag retails for $64.99 and Matador does have sales around the major holidays like you’d expect.
Matador On-Grid Features
These types of bags are pretty simple but ultimately Matador finds a few ways to get some features into it. For one, the waterproof materials it’s made from are a big plus. Even if the zippers aren’t waterproof, it goes a long way so long as you’re not caught in a monsoon. But if you’re expecting that, there are other bags out there for you. That said, the zippers do have baffles that help protect against the weather.
The biggest feature overall is of course the fact that it packs into itself quite nicely. There’s a front pocket which you can stuff it into and it gets down to a nice manageable size (though not as small as something like Osprey’s packable, but that’s a much less substantial pack).
Further, since this is targeted for the city goer - there’s a laptop sleeve here too. Now I want to put on a big bit of tempering expectations here for a minute. There is a sleeve to hold a laptop, yes. But, this is a packable pack. There’s no padding so don’t go expecting to throw this thing around and have it protect your computer. For carrying from location to location or office or coffee shop like a normal human, it’s a great addition as most other competitors don’t have this.
Breathable straps, additional coatings to help the material strength, usable front pocket for smaller items, this has everything I would expect a premium packable to have.
It’s got water bottle sleeves as well.
How I Used It
Simply put, this is a bag for walking around with. It’s pretty straight forward. I used it around NYC in my testing, and also packed it in my carry-on to use on a recent trip to London. I put my camera cube in it and that allowed me to walk around with a normal looking bag and pack everything I’d need for a day out. Being able to fit camera cubes is a huge plus for me. Here’s a close up of the tight fabric weave.
The Good
Typical Matador quality here. The materials are cool, feel good, and look good. Seams are all well put together and tight. Hardware all feels good. I typically love the materials Matador uses on all their bags and this is really no exception to that.
I liked the straps quite a bit. Yes, they can’t be padded because it’s a packable bag, but these were nice and wide so it provided good surface area on your shoulders to help with support and comfort, rather than being too thin and sort of digging into your shoulders with any weight in it. Think vs. the “string” straps on some packables, etc. You won’t want to put too much in those.
The laptop slot was as advertised. No, it’s not going to protect much in a drop but it does mean you can separate it from everything else in the pack and it has somewhere to live. I think this is pretty necessary for any city pack designed to go with the mobile-professional/digital traveler.
I don’t use them, but it’s good to see water bottle pockets on such a light bag.
I like the front pocket, too. Last year I was testing the Wandrd packable and their implementation of the pocket on the top of the bag LOOKED cool, but it meant that any time you put stuff with any weight in there it caused the bag to flop over. None of that here. It’s a nice, functional little pocket.
End of the day, I like the looks here. It’s very minimal. Nothing really hanging off of it, doesn’t look like you’re a trail guide in the middle of a city square. That’s important for a lot of people that aren’t hikers and outdoorsy. It’s just not their look/style and this bag nails the quiet, urban look.
Love the top handle, too. It’s pretty substantial for a packable bag, and quite comfortable in real use. I found myself using it all the time when I was out and about.
The Bad
Not much. In fact, even less than “not much” for me personally. That said, I need to look at this from a wider lens and try and think what the community might poke at, too.
This is more of an issue with all packables, not just the On-Grid, but this isn’t any different. The breathability of the pack when it’s on your back is really not a thing. In hot places, you’ll get sweaty. That’s a perfectly fine trade off for me, but if that’s something you just can’t handle, this (or any packable) won’t really be for you.
It’s a little bigger when packed into itself than competitors like the Osprey or Sea to Summit, but these are VERY small and light bags. I’d almost look at them as emergency day packs that you prob won’t use, but you take them “just in case” since they are so small. Another trade off I’m willing to make, but this might ultimately be an ounce counting exercise for you if you enjoy getting weight and packs as small as possible. Something to consider.
You’re not getting protection for your laptop in here, or any sensitive items. Bring a cube or laptop sleeve to add to that if that’s an issue. Matador does make a great laptop sleeve, but I couldn’t really get it to fit in the sleeve here so again, keep that in mind. If using a case, a tablet might be better. In the same vein, this bag will kind of take the shape of any odd-shaped weighty items you put in. Pointy things can look a little goofy. If you care about how it looks, something to consider or just be sure you’re packing it in a way that allows it to shape how you like.
The Improvement Requests for the Matador On-Grid Backpack
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. I think that applies here. Being fully aware of what the tradeoffs are on packable bags, I wouldn’t really sound any alarms here or ask for unnecessary design changes.
Maybe one piece of “would be amazing to have but it’s not a deal breaker” is seam tape on the inside. Just to help with the waterproofing.
Final Thoughts On My Matador On-Grid Packable Backpack Review
So I’ve been using and recommending a different packable day pack for a long time - the Mystery Ranch In and Out (review here). This is also a great pack but it’s definitely for the outdoorsy set. Originally designed as a packable approach bag, it’s going to be noticed in a city.
You’ll find none of that here with Matador’s On-Grid. Here you get the same great packable qualities but much more minimalist in style. Sleek, black, nothing hanging off to distract you or scream “traveler backpack”. That’s important to a lot of people that just want to blend in. Frankly, this kind of doesn’t even look like a packable when you have fluffier stuff in it like a down jacket or whatever. Just looks like a sleek backpack. That’s a definite win. It’s also smaller than the Mystery Ranch.
So for me, I’m definitely going to be doing double duty with my packables. If I’m heading to the city, this would be the one I’d bring myself, and the one I’d recommend for you. It’s perfectly functional, well made, and for me personally had no major flaws. It worked well even with a heavier bit of kit like my camera cube. Is it perfect for YOU? Only you can decide that - but I’d recommend that you put this high on your list if you’re looking for a packable (and probably check out their outdoorsy versions too if that’s more your speed). You can ultimately decide from there based on your needs. This is as strong of a contender as I’ve found, however.
They sell directly from their website and have good, speedy shipping based on items I’ve purchased myself:
Wander more - and wander smarter everyone.
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