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Summer travel is always exciting, but when you touch down at your destination with an oversized checked bag that you then have to lug to your accommodations, you may find yourself wishing you’d traveled lighter. That’s why bringing a backpack as a personal item is one of the best hacks for enjoying hands-free travel without ever needing to check a bag — and we’ve found the perfect pack for the job.
Currently on sale for as little as $41 for the holiday weekend, the Asenlin Travel Backpack is as spacious as a small suitcase, complete with packing cubes to help you make the most of your space while allowing you to travel with ease. Overweight bag fees are officially a thing of the past.
To buy: amazon.com, $41 with on-site coupon (originally $80)
If you’re going to travel with a backpack as a carry-on, this Asenlin pack is uniquely designed to be easily packable, effectively increasing the amount of clothes you can travel with while foregoing a checked bag. This 18.5-inch by 12.5-inch by 9.5-inch backpack comes with three packing cubes that are sized to fit in the bag to make the most of the limited space you have. It’s even the perfect size to slide under the seats of most commercial airlines, and opens like a suitcase so you’ll never struggle to find what you’re looking for.
The bag is made with a durable, water-resistant polyester Oxford cloth material that’s fit to withstand anything your travels may throw your way, and it also comes fitted with a simple sleeve at the back of the pack which slides over the handle of your suitcase if your shoulders need a break from the weight. Plus, if you opt out of using the packing cubes, the inside of the bag contains elastic bands that ensure your clothes won’t topple out as soon as it’s unzipped. And if you’re traveling with electronics, there’s a spacious laptop pouch built in as well.
To buy: amazon.com, $50
This packable travel backpack is the simplest hack to avoid checking a bag while still bringing along everything you need for your vacation, and shoppers can’t help but rave about the spacious yet lightweight pack. In fact, more than 5,600 shoppers have given the bag a perfect five-star rating at Amazon. One customer noted that they used this bag on a 10-day trip to Europe, sharing that it was “comfortable to carry” and “the packing cubes included were a nice touch” because they helped “fit everything I wanted to carry.” In fact, it has even been dubbed the “best carry-on” by one shopper who shared that they traveled around Mexico for a month and a half with “just this carry-on bag and a personal item,” and the pack was “perfect.”
Another European traveler was also sold on this backpack for their adventures, admitting that after they “did major research” to find a bag that would do the trick, this $41 pack “performed amazingly well.” They also shared that it was “so roomy, yet fits under seats [and] overhead bins.” One shopper even went as far as to say they plan on making this bag their “primary carry-on,” because there is “lots of storage” and is “quite sturdy,” with the packing cubes acting as a “nice bonus” for their extended vacation.
To buy: amazon.com, $50 (originally $61)
Traveling can be a stressful endeavor when you’re toting around bags that are difficult to carry and bursting at the seams, but the Asenlin Travel Backpack is the perfect workaround from checking a bag while still vacationing comfortably. Currently on sale for as little as $41 for Memorial Day Weekend, this spacious backpack and accompanying compression cubes are loved by international and domestic travelers alike, and offer the luxury of packing everything you need without splurging on a checked bag.
Other Carry-on Backpacks on Sale at Amazon
Matein Travel Laptop Backpack
To buy: amazon.com, $24 with on-site coupon (originally $42)
Vgcub Carry-on Backpack
To buy: amazon.com, $37 (originally $43)
Lubardy Travel Backpack
To buy: amazon.com, $40 (originally $54)
Vancropack Travel Backpack
To buy: amazon.com, $34 (originally $60)
Ytonet Laptop Backpack for Travel
To buy: amazon.com, $22 (originally $40)
At the time of publishing, the price started at $41.
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