BAGSMART Faro 29L Carry On Travel Backpack Set Review

The BAGSMART Faro 29L Carry On Travel Backpack Set includes a backpack and sling. The former is our focus since that’s where most of the functionality resides. The good news is that, on paper, it has most of the features we expect in a travel backpack, such as compartments and roominess. However, it’s also a bit rough around the edges.

We found a few loose threads around the bag’s fabric. Plus, the harness system, though comfortable overall, falls short once you’ve been wearing it for prolonged periods because it lacks thick padding. We’ll discuss all that and more in the review below, so let’s get into it!

External Components

The bright orange colorway—ironically named “Rust”—dominates the Faro’s exterior with a bright and cheerful vibe. Though it’s suitably casual alongside the Oxford polyester fabric’s not-so-high 300-denier weight, it doesn’t take away in terms of durability. Poking around and getting a feel of the fabric reveals a reassuring resilience. Not so much that the Faro would be our first choice to take on outdoor treks, but the fabric can at least survive spritely tosses into car trunks or overhead bins.

That said, out-of-the-box fit and finish aren’t perfect, as evidenced by loose threads around the zippers. That’s already a concern in and of itself, but the zippers themselves are from SBS, which wouldn’t be our first choice of zippers. We typically prefer YKK zippers since they almost never break or have major issues. To be fair, while we’ve generally had hit-or-miss experiences with SBS zippers, the ones on the Faro are perfectly functional. The loose threads also don’t seem to get caught on them, so there’s nothing to complain about—for now.

One nice little feature BAGSMART put on the Faro is the tiny loops at the end of some zipper tracks. Thread the zippers into them, and they can slow down or deter pickpockets from opening your bag and helping themselves to your gear inside. Mind you, they won’t outright stop thieves if you leave your bag unattended, so don’t think these loops will solve all your security concerns.

The Faro has grab handles, though we’re not quite satisfied with them. The top one is fine since it’s mostly out of the way of anything. However, the one on the right side is particularly large and noticeably sticks out. Having traveled all over the world and among tightly packed crowds, we can tell you there’s a good chance this might catch on something—hopefully nothing expensive like a temple artifact or museum piece. Otherwise, they work fine as handles; they’re just not as flush as we’re typically used to.

There are also compression straps around the bag that help keep the weight tight and centered. We could nitpick about the buckles being unbranded, but they work well enough and don’t feel noticeably flimsy for us to worry. If nothing else, they do a good job of maintaining the Faro’s carry on compliance. That’s not to be taken for granted, either, as the Faro’s fabric is quite puffy and stretchable, so it can get bloated once you start overpacking. Depending on your airline, they might be lenient if you’re only an inch or two past compliance, but your mileage may vary.

The harness system is notably simple despite the Faro being a full 29-liter travel backpack. The shoulder straps have padding covered in mesh for breathability but not much substance to give them thickness. On the upside, weight distribution on your shoulders should still be good since the straps are relatively wide. For added support, there’s also a built-in sternum strap mounted on a rail. You can slide it around, but there’s no provision for the strap to be detached entirely. In other words, you either use it, or it just hangs around.

Fit Notes

A usual concern for us when we test a travel backpack right on the edge of carry on compliance is fit. Backpacks in this size range tend to feel cumbersome for those with smaller frames. Fortunately, the Faro is just the right length and doesn’t bump the lower back too badly. Additionally, the back panel’s mesh padding is surprisingly pliant against the body’s natural curve.

However, where the Faro falls short is with the aforementioned straps. Their width feels too broad on the shoulders, which isn’t comfortable during prolonged carries. Those with broader shoulders might not find that the case, but it’s noticeable for those with narrow shoulders.

Inside The Backpack

On the left side of the Faro is a water bottle pocket, and it’s quite deep. It easily swallows insulated bottles in the 18-20 ounce range, and since it’s made of stretchy mesh, it’ll hold them in place securely. Nitpicks? The stretchy mesh still feels a bit loose, but we won’t harp on it too much since it doesn’t stick out nearly as badly as the handle on the right.

At the back is the laptop compartment. The first thing we noticed is the lack of those small security loops we mentioned above. You’d think this is where those loops would make the most sense. Then again, if the idea is to slow down and deter pickpockets (i.e., slow them enough for you to notice someone’s picking at the bag you’re wearing), it should be pretty hard to pickpocket a whole laptop from a bag; you’d probably notice anyway.

To note, you can fit a sizable laptop here, like the 16-inch MacBook Pro. There’s no fancy organization going on inside, such as a pocket for tech accessories or an additional sleeve for a tablet. All that extra stuff goes in the front compartment. Additionally, there’s a notable lack of a false bottom to guard against bottom impacts. Plus, the back panel itself doesn’t provide any structural rigidity, so once your laptop is in there, you’ll definitely feel it.

Underneath the side handle is a zippered pocket. It’s well-hidden beneath a fabric welt, making this a sort of security pocket for valuable items. It’s also fairly easy to reach since the opening is close to your side while wearing the bag. Indeed, that seems to be the intended use case, as the pocket is ideally sized to fit a large smartphone (like a Max-sized iPhone) and a travel wallet.

As mentioned earlier, your tech accessories and other everyday carry items can fit in the front top compartment. Inside are two liner pockets at the back and three pen slots at the front. There’s no zippered pocket that could keep small memory cards and tools from getting tossed around. On the other hand, the area is generally very roomy, so you can at least fit multiple small pouches if you want a bit more organization.

Down below the top compartment is a large zippered pocket. It would otherwise be a large dump area for really chunky gear, like a pair of winter gloves, a buff, or even a slim toiletry bag. That said, there’s also a short key leash, so you’re meant to store them here, too.

The main compartment opens like a clamshell, with the front folding out. The resulting layout differs from the usual more book-like clamshells where the front swings to the side. Still, the pockets inside are oriented horizontally, so you’ll want the Faro correspondingly sideways in front of you while packing.

There are two pockets on the flap, a large mesh one and a comparatively narrow one. Space is a luxury since both are adjacent to the external pockets. As a result, we only utilized these pockets to store some clothing and extras, such as hats and socks.

The main compartment itself is a huge bucket space you can stuff with packing cubes and pouches. All in all, we could fit about five days’ worth of clothing here in various packing cubes. We like to mix and match different sizes depending on what clothing we bring, which, in turn, depends on the season. That said, if you don’t use packing cubes, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a built-in hold-down strap to keep loose clothing tied down.

Good news for those who travel with extra footwear: a shoe compartment is at the bottom of the Faro. It’s very spacious and has small ventilation holes to let moisture and odor escape. This compartment is very deep, which is good if you’re packing some serious footwear like boots or running shoes.

However, keep in mind that what you pack cuts into the main compartment, so you’ll want to strategize around that as well. If you decide not to use the shoe compartment, its fabric mostly stays out of the way, though you’ll probably want to roll it up neatly to make sure.

A neat inclusion with the Faro is a crossbody sling. It’s nothing fancy, with its pocketless interior, two exterior front pockets, and a handful of attachment loops. The strap is particularly barebones, though in a cutesy, scrappy way. It’s basically a drawstring whose length you can adjust by moving the knotted end.

Utility-wise, the exterior pockets feel too exposed to store anything remotely valuable such as a pair of AirPods or transit cards. We ended up using the main compartment as a huge dump area for everyday carry items. It’s very much suited for that purpose and still a welcome inclusion, especially if you don’t already have a sling.

As an aside, you can get the Faro as part of various sets at the time of writing. The one we chose includes a sling, but you can also get one that includes a rolling carry on, packing cubes, or even another backpack.