Travel Light with this Travel Backpack

Perfect for so many uses, this Solo Grand Travel Backpack is perfect for travel or schlepping your gear.

Backpacks are so versatile these days.  They have some many well-appointed pockets, pouches, and organizing elements. 

One of my favorite backpack companies is SOLO New York.  They make really cool backpacks with an urban flair to them.  

SOLO makes everything from backpacks to soft-sided briefcases to tote cases to duffel bags.  Every bag they make is sleek and well thought out.

I often use a backpack for traveling but typically I also take along a carry-on bag. 

SOLO makes a backpack called the Grand Travel TSA Backpack that makes me question whether I need a carry-on bag for small trips.

A Travel Backpack?

By all intents and purposes, the outside of the bag looks like a backpack. 

But you can unzip the main compartment completely, it lays flat, like a suitcase, giving you ample space to pack enough clothes for a weekend easy.

I’ll admit, I had my doubts if I could really fit in as many clothes as SOLO suggested.  So I gave it a try.

I packed 3 shirts, a sweater, a white denim jacket, and two pairs of jeans in the main compartment.  I could have packed more.

Had plenty of room for my heals on one of the top big pockets.

And my toiletry bag fit in the top pocket.  

In addition, my laptop is in here too.

If you unzip the laptop area to lay it completely flat, it makes it easier to send through the security conveyer check without needing to take your laptop out.

Overall, there are four main pockets you can unzip to store your items in their own organized area.  Perfect for storing your headphones, papers, laptop, shoes, and clothes.

Grand Travel Backpack

FEATURES:

•  TSA Checkpoint friendly
• Fully padded 17.3″ laptop compartment
• Large main compartment with 30L capacity
• Front quick pocket and side mesh pockets
• Back panel slides over luggage handle
• Padded back and straps
• Compression straps in the main compartment for tighter packing
• Side pocket for water bottle
• Reinforced material at the bottom, resistant to staining and water
• Small strap on backpack strap to hold sunglasses
• Body size is 18″ x 13″ x 10″

PROS: 

• Nice looking back in an attractive urban dark grey material
• The middle compartment opens flat, like a suitcase and has ample space for a weekend trip
• Very comfortable to wear on your back
• Well organized with pockets to handle multiple purposes
• The large suitcase portion can also be used to carry camera lenses
• There’s a lot of room throughout the backpack to carry things
• The handle on the side makes it easy to carry the travel backpack like a suitcase when needed
• There’s a strap on the back of the backpack to tuck in the straps when using like a suitcase

CONS:

• Only available in one color
• The straps are not as comfortable if you fully load the travel backpack up, they are thinly padded
• Laptop pocket is not padded with a soft material
• The outside mesh pocket for water will not fit larger bottles – like a 40 oz. Hydroflask

The Grand Travel TSA  Backpack (UBN780) sells for $99.99 plus possible shipping from SOLO New York.

A Mom’s Perspective

The Grand Travel TSA Backpack really can hold a lot of stuff, it’s really surprising.  The main compartment can hold your clothes, shoes, etc.

But with all the other pockets, there’s space for your toiletries, shoes, a laptop, tablet, phone, water bottle, pens, papers, etc.

Or, if you’re not traveling, you can use the main “suitcase” like compartment to store your photography gear or gadgets…or tons of files if you need to transport them.

I love the versatility of this backpack.  It looks like a backpack but opens like a suitcase.  Perfect for a quick weekend getaway.

And surprisingly, it can hold a lot of your clothes as well.  I love it!

I liken the SOLO Travel Backpack to how Shrek feels about himself.  He feels he’s like an onion because he has a lot of layers! So does this backpack, yet, they all zip up!

I definitely will use this for a quick trip away.

When not using the Grand Travel TSA Backpack for clothes, the main compartment is very helpful because you can open it all the way.

This makes it easier to see what you packed in the main compartment. 

It’s unfortunate that it cannot hold a large Hydroflask but at least there’s a water bottle pocket.

The Grand Travel TSA Backpack is a unique backpack with tons of versatility, perfect for dads, moms, and teens.

*I was given a SOLO Grand Travel backpack in exchange for my honest opinion.  All expressed thoughts are my own.