Out of the travel backpacks we evaluated, the Thule Crossover Backpack 32L is a business traveler’s friend—with exceptional organization and comfort.
This large pack has interior organization to rival the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC for longer travel. But crammed to capacity, it wasn’t quite as comfy without a waist strap as the Patagonia or the Incase EO Travel Backpack. (The Crossover is available in smaller sizes, but this model offers the flexibility of being able to under-pack it to fit under the seat of a plane, or stuff it for car trips—or cram it in an overhead compartment.)
Price: $149.95
Where to buy: Thule, Amazon, Best Buy
Specs: 18.5 x 12.4 x 12.4 inches
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Claimed capacity: 32 liters
Construction: Nylon
Tuckable pack sleeves: No
External bottle sleeve: Yes (two)
Shoulder carry: No
Waist strap: No
Eyeglass sleeve: Yes
Extras: External kangaroo pocket
It’s an organizational titan with sleeves, slots, cubbies, and smart design throughout. I especially dig the external pockets: There’s a space for a water bottle on either hip, and both are constructed with elastic, holding the bottle tight to the pack. A central kangaroo pouch on the back of the pack was just large enough to hold a lightweight windbreaker. The bag’s business compartment has slots for pens and business cards, a passport, and a notebook, plus a bigger mesh pocket for a battery charger and just enough room to rest wireless headphones on top.
The main hold is big—slippers, a dopp kit, a camera, and an adapter caddy all fit fine. The laptop sleeve fit my MacBook, iPad, books and magazines, and Thule pads the panel facing your spine, too, so it rides decently. Partly that’s thanks to shoulder straps that are extra wide and perforated, allowing them to bend across collar bones and really conform to your shoulders. All that made the Thule one of the more comfortable packs I evaluated—just not quite as easy to tote as the overall winners.
Two oversized grab handles, one at the bottom and one at the top, make it easy to retrieve from under the airplane seat. Even when packed with all my gear, there was room in the bag to spare, meaning it would work well as an overnight hauler. Just take care not to over-cram it if you want it to fit in the underseat storage area.
See our review of the best travel backpacks for more information, including how we evaluated them. Check out the other travel backpacks we considered here:
