I think I've narrowed down my small backpack search to the Aer Go Pack 2, Aer Pro Pack Slim, and the Fjallraven Ulvo. Any opinions, particularly around how small they pack and how well they protect your laptop, gimme 😛
@christianselig it’s jumping up a price point, but I’d feel remiss not recommending Tom Bihn here. Their Synapse and Synik backpacks are great, utterly bombproof, and have a lot of useful organization. (Exactly which I’d recommend depends on the size of laptop you’re carrying and exactly how travel-specialized you want it to be.) https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks
@christianselig No, it is probably not the flattest bag available. I have never bought specifically with flat packing in mind. I was going for protection of my laptop along with weight and efficient use of space when I purchased it.
@christianselig I have an Aer Travel Pack 3 and love it!
I just use the built in laptop compartment, no extra case and haven’t had issues
I maybe have a few tiny dings that I have slowly noticed over 3 years…. Haha but that could also be a result of me packing the backpack too full along with that 😅
@mikaelacaron That's the large bag I want! Just when going to Apple Park and whatnot I want a smaller daypack I can bring that can hopefully fit inside the Travel Pack as it's a bit big
@christianselig I have the Ulvo and I really like it. Good laptop sleeve. But the backpack itself won’t pack that small, because it is a little stiff. Right now I use the small Skule, because I wanted to be able to attach my jacket on the outside. Also a good laptop compartment and it packs smaller than the Ulvo. Maybe it is worth looking into as well.
@christianselig I have the Go Pack 2 and love it. I use a Travel Pack 3 going to-from the destination but the Go Pack (or a Pro Sling if I want to be super lightweight) at the destination and it’s nearly perfect. I wanted something with more support but that laid flat for packing and wasn’t just a formless nylon bag.
I don’t put a laptop in it, but do have 11” iPad Pro in it, & it has a suspended pocket that works well for me. I only wish there were more small pockets inside for little things.
@christianselig depends a little bit on how hard you set it down and what else is in the bag. The laptop pocket is suspended off the bottom of the bag a few inches and has some thin padding ½”(?) if I recall (I can follow up when I get home if you’d like). If you just drop it off your shoulders, probably not, if you set it down normally, or have a soft sweater/jacket at the bottom you should be fine. Of that style of compact bag, it had the most protection I could find.
@christianselig the other 2 bags will probably have more padding, the pro pack slim also has a suspended pocket I think; but they don’t collapse anywhere near as flat because of the additional structure. If it’s your only travel bag, it’s probably not the right choice, if it’s a secondary bag for when you get to your destination that’s where it shines.
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