Matador Seg45 Review Introduction
Matador - why change a good thing? That’s a fair question if you ask me. The Seg42 was one of my favorite bags I’ve reviewed. It was one of Matadors two flagships. Why would you change that? Because it probably had a little room for improvement. Sometimes iterations can be a good thing. But were they in this case? Let’s see.
The bigger brother Seg in this case does get some tweaks. Let’s also note right away we were extremely amped to see the new colorway of Arctic white. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I’m admittedly beholding right now. We will of course get into detail about the rest. The biggest being that it’s now the Seg45 vs. the Seg42. That makes a lot of sense as 42 was a bit random. It’s still the segmented, go anywhere bag the original was. I’ll cover off on the updates and how it holds up over Version 1.
This is my Matador Seg45 Backpack review - the update to a classic. This time, I tested the bag on an 8 day trip to Spain from NYC. This trip required two planes of course, as well as two round trip long distance trains and a total of 3 hotel stints. So, some good packing and unpacking plus carrying around stations and airports. I also carried it for an approximate walk of 15 minutes 3 times in Madrid from hotel to train and back. Gonna be a photo heavy review, so buckle up.
As always for full transparency - I reached out to Matador and they were nice enough to provide me a review unit. That said, this is not a sponsored or paid article and Matador had no input into the content. I do use affiliate links to support the site, but this comes at no cost to you if you choose to use them. Thank you for stopping by!
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Matador Seg45 Overview
For the backpack nerds out there, the Seg45 needs no introduction. But for the regular people that don’t spend hours and hours each week thinking and reading about bags - let’s go over it!
Matador kind of revolutionized the game when they released the Seg. I really mean that. The Seg series was the first modern bag to come out with its own packing cubes built in. Or if you’re following: segments. Get it?
The Seg45 changes nothing about that concept. It’s made up of 6 different segments of varying literage. These can be used to segment out your packing based on style. Or not. The 45 stands for 45 liters.
The bag can also be used as an open, clamshell and single sided packer if you so choose. Matador actually makes some nice packing cubes, too, if you prefer.
This larger version is built more around flexibility but also being able to be used as a duffel style carry if you prefer. Filling it up and tossing it into the vehicle. The backpack carry system is not meant to be as robust as the smaller version or the GlobeRider 45. (GlobeRider 45 review here)
It’s a bag made from BlueSign approved materials and a few different water repellant features that I’ll outline below.
It’s meant to handle most you can throw at it, and I took the original with me on a safari to Tanzania. It’s got some good tech in the materials. Here are the size and materials stats from the website:
Technical Specs + Materials
Volume: 45 liters
Weight: 2lb 3oz (998g)
Dimensions: 22 H x 13 W x 11 D in
(56 H x 33 W x 28 D cm)
Carry-on compliant (most airlines)
Outer Materials:
- 420D Bluesign® PU coated nylon, DWR coating (PFC free)
- 420D Bluesign® nylon UHMWPE (Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) reinforced ripstop, PU waterproofing
Inner Materials:
- 100D Bluesign® nylon ripstop, PU waterproofing
Hardware:
- YKK® PU coated sealing zippers
- 210D nylon bonded thread with bartack reinforced construction
The bag sells for $200.00 USD as of March 2023 and comes in TWO colorways now (which is a first for the line): black and our version in arctic white. Honestly that’s a steal with current prices in the space.
Matador Seg45 Features
Bags like this are always fun to get into the features because this one has many.
Let’s cover off on the elephant first with those segments. The bag has six different segments and they vary in terms of the liters of each. There are labels in case you are literally obsessed with numbers and want to better plan your inputs.
For straps, there are a couple options. The Seg45 does come with a solid duffel strap, which is removable. I prefer backpack carry however and I used the stowable backpack straps (these have a sternum strap, too) as my weapon of carry choice. It’s a good feature that you can hide these away, however. Lastly on the straps, there is in fact a nylon strap-style hip belt. To me this is more of a stabilizer rather than a true weight bearing belt, but it’s still there if you need a little extra.
There is a quick grab pocket on top of the bag that uses Matador’s stretchy material, too.
Finishing off the outside of the bag there are grab handles on most sides made to help you pull it out of the overhead bin, car, trunk, jeep, etc. These are made of a single nylon strap in all cases.
Inside the bag there is not much to be found but one feature of note: there are two plastic hooks that you attach fabric loops to that are located on two of the segments. The intention here is that you can keep the segments out of the way a little bit if you’re using this as a traditional clamshell.
There is a simple laptop compartment on the back of the bag.
From a materials feature standpoint they are using YKK Sealing zips throughout the segments. These are different from the stiff, more-PU Aquaguard versions we’re all used to. I think in the evolution of the world of bag features, this is no small step. The zipper pulls have the usual shrink wrap treatment used in other bags of theirs and also have some reflective tech. Finally, the bag comes with Matador’s well used water repellant tech that all their bags have - it’s really good stuff and noted in the tech specs above. Note, this bag is not waterPROOF.
These zippers on the segments all have a nylon loop at the “closed” end that allows you to pull them through in a quasi self locking move. It’s not a full lock, but it works as designed and deters those looking for an easy mark. Don’t be a mark. Tupac wisdom.
Lastly, Matador used different color zipper pulls for the main compartment so you can quickly identify those from the many other compartment zippers.
The Good
Skin deep, it’s the inside that matters, I know I know. But holy crap that new colorway is great. One person might describe it as Storm Trooper-y, which can feed your Dark Side. My wife might call it a panda, which can feed your soft and cuddly side. Either way, it looks AMAZING. I’m effing into it all day. Ok glad I got that out of me. The addition of some ripstop colorization on the bag was a solid choice as well. Personality without going full Cotopaxi. I love Cotopaxi but not everyone wants to pull off that technicolor life.
Next, and I’ve never been shy to say this, the segments continue to be game changing. They allow unparalleled…uhhh…segmentation of your clothes (or gear). No packing cubes required. I use them in a pretty obvious way but it works amazingly well. Top pocket for my Venture pouch and AirPods Max if I take them, Explorer Slim toiletry kit if I don’t. Then, socks and underwear including Uniqlo Airism undershirts. On to the next one, Patagonia t-shirts, Uniqlo Heattech, and StrongCore merino long sleeve. Next Seg, pants and if I have a wrinkle resistant button up shirt. Lastly this time around I put my toiletries and hand wash soap in the final Seg (with Matador soap case). Easy peasy. In the bottom clamshell compartment I put my additional pair of shoes, two button ups for dinner, my camera in the Matador Camera Baselayer, my packable ReFraction backpack, and a nicer, very lightweight jacket for wearing to dinners out. (ReFraction Review)
In most cases Matador makes great material decisions and this bag feels high quality. The main materials are their usual, the sealing zippers I think are necessary, and I like the small details such as the security loops and different color pulls for the main compartment. Nice work. Further features like the stowable straps give you plenty of choice and versatility. I always like to see that.
In general, the updates were mostly all improvements. It does look like they made some adjustments to the backpack straps which I count as a “good”. (I will detail the v1 and v2 differences shortly so hold onto your socks for that).
The Bad
The first thing I’d note here (as I know a lot of people care about it) is that it doesn’t really hold its shape if you’re carrying heavier things on the top Seg. This can obviously be changed a bit if you switch around how you pack. But the bag is not a stiff sided bag, and it won’t stay in perfect shape in real world use. Not really something I personally care about, but it’s a common thought online so I’m noting that here.
Second, the hip belt is really not much more than a stabilizer belt. It’s not a true hip belt. That might prevent some people from picking this up if they have a lot of gear and have to carry it some distance. Pack some weight into it and try it out. On 45L bags, sometimes you want a real hip belt. Now this is also worth noting that the Seg45 isn’t meant to be a trekking bag. So this makes sense. Matador does make the GlobeRider 45 which has one of the best harness systems I’ve tried recently. Just have to understand your style and what you need.
Next, they’ve updated the grab handles to be less substantial in-hand. This is arguably not really something that affects function, but I LOVED the previous versions. They felt a little padded and had rounded corners - wicked comfy. So, I’d like to see that brought back. The newer handles feel a little cheaper, even if that’s unfair from a functional standpoint.
Like the original, I do think the laptop compartment leaves a bit to be desired but it’s not horrible by any means. It’s similar to the older Patagonia MLC 45 - just sufficient enough but doesn’t feel like the best. They actually fixed this on the Seg28.
Lastly, and I think it’s kind of obvious, in the Arctic White that I have I need to be prepared for it to get dirty. It’s just in its nature. You can’t keep a white bag clean. Especially an adventure bag. Would I still get this color option given that? Yes. Yes I would.
The Matador Seg45 vs. The Seg42
In a review like this, I think it’s important to compare to the previous version in case you are looking to upgrade. If you’ve decided to get the bag outright and a new bag is in your budget, then I’d skip this part and just target the current version. It’s positive in almost all ways.
Functional differences. These are the updates that contribute to the actual use. For one, it’s 3L bigger. You see that directly in one of the Segs (15L instead of 12L) and this is positive. The size is a little bigger overall in terms of its footprint. The backpack straps have been improved a little with some new mesh and more supportive foam as the padding, I liked this. The strap stowage is no longer a zip closure. The hooks for the backpack straps are spring loaded G-hooks vs. standard metal G-hooks that are stationary. There’s a zippered water bottle pocket on the new one. They’ve eliminated the pocket on the bottom of the bag and just have the top one. As noted above, they’ve changed the makeup of the grab handles. Security loops for the zippers. The sealed zippers have also been upgraded a little to a less PU coating and more of a sealed fabric (they are less stiff). The zippers were also updated to YKK (I think this was done on a previous iteration of the original, but the one I have is an early version and it originally did not have YKKs).
Non-Functional Updates. These for the most part are just details, and don’t really affect the usage. They’ve added some colored ripstop on the back for an aesthetic pop and it looks great. The new colorway is also a big update and it’s amazing. They’ve replaced a lot of the hypalon with nylon pulls and loops. They’ve updated some of the branding a little. Same spots, just tweaked.
I might have missed a little one or two, but these should cover most of the main differences.
Final Thoughts On My Matador Seg45 Review
If it’s not broke don’t fix it - but maybe you can make it even less “not broke”? Is that a thing? I think in this case, Matador took that second approach. The Seg45 is an improvement in almost all ways.
They improved the look with the new ripstop pattern and the colorways. We’ve got improved backpack straps, even if only marginally. Updated zippers and security loops. Better hooks on the stowable straps. New water bottle holder. It’s really all good stuff there.
I do think the grab handles were a slight downgrade and the laptop compartment is still a weaker point as was the original. But, I don’t think these are deal breakers, far from it.
The Seg45, like the original, remains one of my favorite bags on the market and I still think the Segments are the only TRUE revolutionary creation in backpacks in years. There’s a lot of gimmicks out there, but I don't think this is one of them. I really think this pushed the form forward a bit and I love using them.
So if you’re ready to leave the packing cubes behind (or not, don’t forget you can use it like an open clamshell, too!) then I think you have to take a really hard look at the Matador Seg45. It’s an awesome bag with very clever design and it’s well worth the price in terms of quality and materials. Well done, Matador.
As always with the indie brands, I’d suggest buying directly through their website for best service.
Wander more - and wander smarter everyone.
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