Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

Here’s the Carry-On Bag I’ve Used To Travel the World

Ehsan Haque's image
Ehsan Haque
Ehsan Haque's image

Ehsan Haque

Content Contributor

103 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 100U.S. States Visited: 24

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and mile...
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
Michael Y. Park's image

Michael Y. Park

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

28 Published Articles 510 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+U.S. States Visited: 50

Michael Y. Park is a journalist living in New York City. He’s traveled through Afghanistan disguised as a Hazara Shi’ite, slept with polar bears on the Canadian tundra, picnicked with the king and que...
Jump to Section

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

After traveling to more than 100 countries over 1,300 days backpacking the world, I know a thing or 2 about efficient packing and traveling light. Everything I bring has a reason and a specific spot in my bag.

However, the gear you choose to travel with is just as important as packing smarter and with purpose. If you plan to travel the world, your travel bag will quickly become your best friend.

I’ve been on Team Carry-On for years and have tried numerous suitcases and travel bags from all the well-known brands. However, one bag stands out as my favorite: the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L.

I just returned from a 2-month trip in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Malaysia) with a single bag, and I thought I would share what gear I brought with me. Here’s a look at the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L and why it’s my go-to travel bag.

About Topo Designs Bags

Topo Designs is known for creating environmentally sustainable yet durable backpacks and other gear with a vintage look. Although the aesthetic has an old-school look and feel, the products generally feature top-notch materials.

Topo Designs makes many different outdoor and travel bags, and the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L is one of the most popular. The company emphasizes sustainability and ethical, eco-friendly manufacturing by using materials like organic cotton and recycled nylon. It also plans to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Topo Designs also stands behind the quality and durability of its products with a lifetime warranty. Although many of its bags are produced in the U.S., the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L is produced in Vietnam.

Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L

Topo Designs travel bag 40L featured
The front of the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L.

The Topo Designs Global Travel Bag comes in a 30- or 40-liter backpack. Although I have both variants, I prefer the 40-liter version, which provides extra carrying capacity and organization.

The Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L was designed to be compact enough to pass as a carry-on while keeping you organized. The bag features a suitcase-style opening, allowing easy access while providing the benefits of regular backpacks.

When choosing a travel bag, I consider 4 main factors: its carrying capacity, design, organization, and aesthetics. Here’s a look at how the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L excels in each category.

Dimensions and Carrying Capacity

According to Topo Designs, the bag’s length is slightly large at 22.5 inches, while most airlines max out at 22 inches. Although the bag’s dimensions do not meet carry-on size restrictions for many airlines, the soft-side bag’s lack of a stiff frame sheet makes it easy to compress, making it compact enough to pass as a carry-on.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L side opening
The Topo Designs Global Travel Bag lacks a frame sheet, making it easy to compress.

In fact, I had only checked my bag thrice on more than 200 flights in the past 5 years. Those exceptions were on budget airlines with extremely small planes and minimal overhead space (mostly Caribbean Airways).

In addition to its size, Topo Designs’ bag has a 40-liter carrying capacity. However, I have found that the bag can accommodate much more than advertised.

Design

The Topo Designs Travel Bag 40L is made from durable materials. The exterior is a combination of sturdy 1000-denier nylon on the sides and heavy-duty 1680 ballistic nylon on the back, ensuring the bag lasts a long time.

The outside of the bag features a large organizational pocket, a side-facing slash pocket, and daisy chain webbing, which offers a way to lash stuff to the outside of the bag. Also on the front are Topo Designs’ PackFast attachment clips, which allow you to attach compatible Topo Designs daypacks to the front of the bag as a modular carry system.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L side
The bag features several zippered organizational compartments.

The exterior zippers are large, heavy-duty No. 10 YKK zippers, considered the industry standard. Topo Designs uses fabric zipper loops to secure the zippers instead of locks for security.

Once the zippers are tucked behind the loops, the bag becomes difficult to unzip quickly, making it an excellent theft deterrent and ensuring nothing spills out or gets lost.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L security loops
The zipper loops are effective theft deterrents.

On the back of the bag, some good padding for back support ensures it is comfortable for long periods. The harness system is supportive. The straps, however, could definitely be improved for comfort. A stowable padded hip belt provides even more support.

The bag also has a padded laptop compartment advertised as large enough to fit most 17-inch laptops. The zippered opening is relatively small, so you must angle your laptop to get it seated correctly. I have no issues placing my 13-inch MacBook Pro in the laptop compartment.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L side handle and laptop compartment
The laptop compartment opening is small, requiring you to angle the laptop as you place it inside.

The bag also has sturdy handles on 3 sides, offering multiple ways to carry it. You can use it as a backpack, hand-carry it like a duffle, or attach the included shoulder strap to the D-rings on the side of the bag to carry it messenger-style.

The bag allows you to stow away the backpack harness system, which is convenient, especially when you are pressed for space.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L stoaway straps
The bag has a zippered compartment up top to store the backpack straps.

However, it is worth noting that the bag is slightly too large for a shoulder strap and will probably hurt your shoulder if you carry it this way for too long.

Organization

Starting with the outside of the bag, there is a spacious front pocket. This larger front pocket has enough depth for bulkier items like books or snacks. The pocket is also convenient for quick-grab items like charging cables, a battery pack, or a passport.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L organizational pocket
There is plenty of organizational storage in the front pocket compartment.

The bag’s main storage compartment is U-shaped and opens like a suitcase. Its open-concept space provides plenty of storage space and further interior organization.

With this design, you have multiple options for filling the bag. The rolling method works; however, I use compression packing cubes for space and even more organization.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L fully open bag
The suitcase-style opening allows for easy access.

The 40L version also has another U-shaped entry to the secondary organization compartment (the 30L version does not), which is separated by an interior divider. The divider has 2 mesh pockets that create more compartments for separating clothing and gear.

Aesthetic

The Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L looks different from most bags nowadays. With this bag, Topo Designs opted for a strong heritage vibe. It is reminiscent of bags from the 1980s, with bright colors and a boxy shape.

The bag does a great job with minimal branding, as a single white logo is on the front of that pack, which I like. It is a subtle mention of the brand that really stands out. There is also a small Topo Designs logo on the inside.

Topo Designs travel bag 40L fully open
The bag features a bright yellow lining, making it incredibly easy to see what’s inside the bag.

The Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L comes in several different colors, including Ballistic Black, Olive, and Desert Palm/Pond Blue. While I have both the Ballistic Black and Desert Palm/Pond Blue colorways, I much prefer the latter, as it provides a yellow interior lining that makes seeing what’s inside your bag much easier (the Ballistic Black features a black lining).

Hot Tip:

With airlines charging higher baggage fees for checked luggage, many travelers are opting for strictly a carry-on bag. Check out our in-depth carry-on luggage size chart with dimensions for over 60 major airlines.

Advertisement

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a new bag for all kinds of travel, whether a quick business trip, a weekend road trip, or a longer international trip, consider the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L.

The bag offers excellent organization and a nice look, all for a reasonable price. Best of all, Topo Designs stands behind the quality and durability of its products with a lifetime warranty.

The high-quality materials make this backpack a great choice, while the internal pockets help keep your gear incredibly organized.

Ehsan Haque's image

About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status