Because I love the challenge of packing lighter than ever and because I love to shop, I purchased the Deuter Act Trail 28 liter backpack for a short trip. Although this bag is packed for one week, it has enough clothes for a month-long trip with a few trips to the laundry.
If you’d rather see a video review of this bag, check out my YouTube video where I fill it with even more clothing options.
Although this pack is made for day hikes, it makes a great travel bag as long as you don’t need a bag that can lock. I love this bag because it holds a lot, yet looks tiny. (Perfect for bringing a lot of stuff to a relative’s house for a weekend visit without looking like you are going to move in.)
POCKETS
Zippered side pocket: socks and a light wrap jacket
Other side pocket: wide-mouth water bottle
Front: cell phone, ID, boarding pass
Top exterior: Bag of liquids, keys
Top interior: Nothing, but there was space for a wallet and other small items.
Bottom: There’s an attached rain cover in the bottom zippered pocket.
MAIN COMPARTMENT
1 pair of jean shorts, 1 dress (can be dressed up or down) 1 skirt, 6 tops, 2 scarves (1 infinity, 1 sarong), robe, pajamas, underwear, two pairs of shoes, 1 sunhat, jewelry, purse, Kindle, tote bag, emergency kit, wipes, makeup bag, earphones, workout shorts, workout top, toiletries. Not shown: clothes worn during travel (pants, shell, top, cross training shoes).
SIZE AND FIT
The bag is sized to fit a woman’s torso which makes it quite comfortable to wear. The shoulder straps are well-padded, and the chest straps are adjustable for a perfect fit. Even though the hip straps are thin, they provide great support. I had no problem walking around the airport with this on my back. A nice touch added by the company is the yellow flower that you see. It’s a hair elastic which can be removed. I kept mine on the bag although I felt a little silly with it.
I got nervous when I ordered this bag online because technically the dimensions (24 x 11 x 9 inches) meant that it should have exceeded Delta’s height limit (22″). Although I didn’t get the chance to size it at the Delta gate, I did get to see how it fit Alaska Airline’s sizer which is more generous. Alaska allows up to 24″ in height. Clearly this bag will fit within Delta’s 22-inch sizer. On the Delta Airbus, the bag slid very easily into the bin with room for someone else to put a small bag in front of it. It could have easily fit under the seat too. Of course the width and depth were well within Delta’s restrictions (14″ and 9″ respectively).
THE VERDICT
This bag is a keeper. While it won’t replace my larger carryon backpacks for longer trips, it can certainly get me through at least a week of traveling in warm weather. Although I don’t look forward to colder weather, I’m looking forward to seeing how much winter clothing I’ll be able to get into this bag.
The s.o.u.l. Inspiration 