Tortuga Packable Backpack Review
Tortuga materials, in a personal-item sized packable format. How does it perform in use?
Tortuga Packable Backpack Review Introduction
Tortuga has come to market with a few new products this year (like their new compression packing cube, now included in my Packing Cubes Comparison article) so they’ve hit the ground running.
While they have always been known for fantastic travel packs using high end fabrics and giving you cavernous space to pack - those same packs aren’t really good for using once you get to your destination. You need something smaller and more reasonable. Well, how can we live the onebag lifestyle if you’re talking about bringing another backpack? If it’s a PACKABLE backpack, we can squeak through a loophole. By packing into itself, it becomes a pouch in your main bag. At destination, take that out and seize the day while out and about. Intrigued?
This is my review of the Tortuga packable backpack. I took this with me on an 8 day trip from NYC to China. I used it in both Shanghai and in Shenyang while sightseeing. This served as my daypack to hold a few items plus my camera gear (that I house in a Matador Camera Baselayer).
As always for full transparency, Tortuga was nice enough to send me a unit for review. That said, this is not a sponsored article, I received no money from Tortuga, and they had no input on the content of the review. 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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Tortuga Packable Backpack Overview
So as noted above this is Tortuga’s take on a packable daypack.
While having the usable space of any normal daypack, the super power here is that it can be packed into its own pocket (or laid mostly flat for when we get lazy) and put in your main pack while taking up very little space. Frankly, I think all travelers should have one and I take one on every trip.
This 19L packable is made from high quality materials, Tortuga is not skimping here. This bag is also a bit bigger than some other packables, but still easily fits under any airline seat out there. Even the budget ones. Here’s the tech specs from their site as well as a link to their materials page:
Bag Dimensions
18.1 x 10.2 x 6.3 in
46 x 26 x 16 cm
Pouch Dimensions
7.9 x 5.9 x 3.5 in
20 x 15 x 9 cm
Volume
19L
Weight
11 oz
308 g
Materials
You get the choice of black, or black, on this bag. :)
It retails for $80 USD as of June 2024.
Tortuga Packable Backpack Features
Trying a hawberry snack - the local speciality in Shenyang, CN. Amazing, ps.
Packable bags aren’t necessarily going to come barging through the door overloaded with features. The bag itself is the actual feature. But let’s highlight what’s here, because there are some table stakes for a lot of people and the Tortuga packable backpack has them.
First, it packs into its own pocket. Check.
It’s got water bottle sleeves, a sternum strap, and YKK zippers. Those zippers actually lock as well, if you’re so inclined. Not a feature I use, but I like that it’s there.
Additionally, I’ll call this a feature. The bottom is reinforced with Extreema fabric to help with abrasion resistance.
Lastly I want to call out the straps, because they have a nice bit of breathability built in that I don’t think most packables consider. There’s an airy foam here you can see in the pictures. The back panel as well as this.
The Good
The matching airy foam on the back panel.
Tortuga did a good job selecting materials on this one. For packables, sometimes it’s a catch 22 for manufacturers because you don’t want it to feel cheap (like some of the $10.00 Amazon packs) but you need it to stay light and packable. The 70D plus the reinforced ripstop on the bottom does a great job with this balance. The bag remains lightweight but doesn’t feel like a knock off.
The top pocket is usable - it’s a huge advantage to have these pockets. On the old Wandrd packable, putting anything in the top pocket made the bag flop over. I liked the implementation here. Usefulness is a key to onebagging.
The straps and back “panel”. I put that in quotes because this is a packable - there’s no real panel. But I have no idea what else to call it, lol. I like the material choices here because packables, often being solid nylon, don’t always breathe well. Now, people tend to overthink this and marketing has kind of warped how people search for this feature. A backpack on your back in hot weather is going to make you sweat. Accept it. Some can help a little, and these types of measures do help. I like how they implemented that here and you should definitely see some degree of improvement in that category.
I think many people are going to like the general size here. It was more than enough for me (in fact, I could have gotten away with less volume) but it means people aren’t going to have to sacrifice too much of their normal backpack usage. Not everyone wants to optimize every aspect of their carry experience, so I think 19L is a good place to settle. Plus, many folks are buying gifts and souvenirs so this is a good size to keep that in mind.
While this might seem minor - I like how the inside is a different color in part. Black bags make it harder to see things inside. The light gray adds some nice contrast to your items.
Folding this one is easy. Sometimes, folding the bags can be a bit of a pain (Mystery Ranch In and Out enters the chat, as awesome of a bag as that is).
The Bad
The bigger volume means a bigger packable cube. Not a deal breaker in most cases, but I’m just noting it. When folded in itself, there’s a bit more to the package than some other packable bags. If the absolute smallest form factor is what you’re after, this might not make it for you.
The price tag. They might have priced themselves out of many conversations for people here. $80.00 USD can be a tall ask for many folks when it comes to a packable, especially when competitors are charging less and a comparably priced packable has more features.
Neither of these are world-wreckers, but just my opinion there and I think it needs to be mentioned. For some, these are their top points.
Final Thoughts On My Tortuga Packable Backpack Review
Tortuga’s newest launch doesn’t really disappoint. Like I said, a packable backpack is something I think EVERY traveler should have. It’s really what allows you the freedom at your destination to not have to carry an oversized pack around all day. Put your pack/suitcase down, take this out, and go. Simple and effective.
I’ve reviewed quite a few over the years and this stands among the top options. It’s well made with good material choices, all the table stakes features you’d expect, and some thoughtful design choices like the reinforced bottom and the more breathable foam in the straps and back panel. Good job, Tortuga. These bags are hard to differentiate from each other and the straps materials here help it to show what it offers.
The lighter 70D fabric keeps the overall weight down while still having bigger volume than some of the competition.
Price is on the high side, but that’s always a personal choice and about how/where you find value. If you’re already Tortuga brand loyal, I think it’s a no brainer. If you’re not, it still should be one of probably the top 3 you check out in your quest.
As always with the indy brands, I’d suggest buying directly through their website for best service.
Wander more and Wander smarter, everyone.
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