Bellroy Lite Travel Pack 30L Review

Bellroy is touting the Lite Travel Pack as their most travel backpack-like backpack, and we’re inclined to agree. Its rectangular shape and clamshell opening aren’t quite what we’re used to seeing since a lot of their backpacks usually have a peel-away front and irregular shape, as with the Apex Backpack or the Venture Travel Pack 26L. Yet, it retains that Bellroy styling we generally like, so familiarity isn’t checked for the sake of conformity.

Better still, the “Lite” in the name isn’t entirely without merit since this sizable 30-liter backpack feels much lighter than comparably sized backpacks. So, with all of that in mind, this is a travel backpack that’s definitely trying to stand out from the rest of Bellroy’s lineup, even more so in our travel-focused eyes.

External Components

It’s the subtle changes that sometimes draw our attention the most, and, in the case of the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack, it’s the rectangular shape. Bellroy has rounded bags and exotic-looking ones like the Apex, but the Lite Travel Pack’s rectangular shape gives it an air of efficiency. They’re giving us a harder shape with a cleaner look, plus the benefit of extra room in the corners to pack more of our gear—nice. That’s not to say the Lite Travel Pack looks like the black sheep in the Bellroy family, though.

The vanilla colorway we’re testing looks very in character for a bag with “Lite” in its name. The material is the typically textured diamond ripstop fabric Bellroy uses in the Lite lineup, and we suspect it’s what makes this 30-liter bag lighter than other similarly-sized bags, coming in at just under a kilo or roughly 2 pounds. For context, the Aer Travel Pack 3 Small (28L) and Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L weigh 3.79 lbs (1.79 kg) and 4 lbs (1.8 kg), respectively.

The fabric isn’t the most robust-feeling fabric in a world where 1680-denier ballistic nylon exists, but it’s good enough if your travels don’t involve going through a thorny brush between the hotel and the airport. Surprisingly, the Lite Travel Pack isn’t too floppy or saggy despite the lightweight fabric, and it manages to hold its structure well enough even when you don’t have it packed quite full. However, it’s malleable enough that it can start to look a bit lumpy if you pack it out unevenly—a small sacrifice in aesthetic for the benefit of a lighter bag.

So, what else does the Lite Travel Pack bring if it’s so lightweight? Of course, we shouldn’t expect a long list of external features if we want to keep the weight down. There are no external water bottle pockets, for example, nor is the harness system particularly sophisticated or comprehensive. You get two attachment points at the front, though, buried within the seam. These mostly stay out of the way when they’re not needed, so they don’t ruin the bag’s clean aesthetic. Mind you, it’s not that we don’t want them, as they’re quite handy when we need to haul a travel pillow and there’s nowhere else to put one.

Secondary handles are also present, with one at the side and one at the top. These are handy for taking the bag out of a plane’s overhead bin, from underneath the seat in front of you, or your car’s trunk. But in general, it’s just nice to have an actual handle you can hold onto for long periods since grabbing a backpack by the shoulder straps just doesn’t feel very elegant—we daresay even “uncouth” for a seasoned traveler.

While the lightweight ripstop fabric plays a significant part in keeping the weight down, the simplistic harness system is also a reasonable suspect. See, unlike the Aer Travel Pack 3 Small or Tortuga Backpack Pro 30L, you don’t get a full suite of straps for support. There are no load lifters or a hip belt. Instead, there’s only a trusty pair of shoulder straps accompanied by a sternum strap—quite basic for a travel backpack.

That may be so, but it’s not a harness system that feels lacking. There’s thick padding along the back panel and both shoulder straps, all of which are covered with very breathable mesh fabric to keep your back cool. It’s clear Bellroy didn’t skimp out on materials here, even if they kept the “system” part of the harness system modest. For context, whereas we felt they could’ve scaled up the harness system on their Transit Backpack Plus 38L since that’s a very large bag, the Lite Travel Pack feels more well-suited.

We do have a few nits to pick, though. For starters, a sternum strap mounted on notches isn’t our first choice. By comparison, we’ve preached on and on about how good sliding sternum straps are, and that remains the case here. We really prefer the granularity of a sliding adjustment over pre-determined notches like this. That said, it gets the job done, and it won’t bother you if you’re the type to set it and forget it when it comes to your sternum strap.

Lastly, the shoulder straps are partly detachable by undoing the clips on their bottom ends. You can stow them behind the back panel through an opening along the top edge if you do. This is a staple feature of most travel backpacks since it prevents straps from getting tangled with other bags, so we’re glad Bellroy didn’t miss out on this for their most travel backpack-like backpack.

Fit Notes

We generally have zero notes on the Lite Travel Pack’s carrying comfort. Bellroy did a good job applying just enough padding without going overboard and weighing down the entire bag. The sternum strap does have a habit of loosening if and when it’s slacked, but it holds its adjustment well enough when it’s under tension (i.e., when you’re wearing the bag).

We find the shoulder straps’ curved design agreeable in most cases, though your mileage may vary. In our case, those with smaller frames find the curve just right as it flows beside us and toward the back without feeling too constricting. However, those of us with large frames do find it constricting. With that in mind, the Lite Travel Pack’s 38-liter version may be a more suitable candidate for larger users since its straps would, presumably, have a looser curve.

Inside The Backpack

Also, within the back panel is a laptop compartment. It has a sideways opening, so access might be a bit tricky if you’re short on horizontal space (like if you’re in economy class). Still, a separate laptop compartment should make accessibility generally easier than dipping into the main compartment each time you need your laptop. You can fit up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro inside, so the 13-inch MacBook is absolutely swallowed. Fortunately, there’s about an inch of a false bottom below to protect from incidental shocks when setting the bag on a surface.

At the front of the Lite Travel Pack are two pockets. The bottom one opens from the right side, and is the roomier of the two making it the go-to storage for large gear. We usually put a packable jacket inside in case of a windy day or a small toiletry kit here to make airport security checks easier. Whichever it is, we’re glad that this pocket has a fair amount of independent volume and isn’t simply digging behind itself and robbing space away from the main compartment. In spite of its outward expansion, though, it doesn’t look all that lumpy or, more to the point, detrimental to the bag’s overall clean appearance.

Up at the top is the bag’s brain pocket (that’s what Bellroy actually calls it in their own video). Though significantly less spacious than the lower pocket, there’s organization to utilize inside, plus it’s easier to reach since it’s higher. Inside, there’s a passport-sized slip pocket with a pen slot beside it. There’s also a key leash so you can easily keep track of your house keys while you’re on vacation. All of that said, the overall organization is quite minimal compared to other travel backpacks with admin panels full of multiple pockets.

The setup here is better tuned for those with modest quick-storage needs, such as an easily accessible dump pocket for everything on your person before you go through airport security. If you want extras such as pockets for tech accessories and toiletries, you’re going to need a tech pouch and a toiletry kit, respectively.

The main compartment opens clamshell-style or like a suitcase if you prefer a more familiar description. The split isn’t equal, as there’s clearly a main bucket space on the right where most of your gear will go. The first thing travel backpack aficionados may notice is the partition covering the area. Other travel backpacks, like the Aer Travel Pack 3 Small and the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 30L, don’t have this feature since you’re meant to use packing cubes (which both brands sell separately). At the time of writing, Bellroy doesn’t offer packing cubes, so a bucket space cover is a good alternative to keep your clothing cinched down.

On the other hand, having the bucket space cordoned off like this doesn’t make it easy to reach in and grab something quickly, even if you place it near the edges. This means you definitely will want to utilize the secondary pockets outside if you anticipate needing a jacket or your gloves while you’re on the go.

Most of the bag’s 30 liters of space is dedicated to this bucket space, and it can fit quite a lot of gear. It’s wide enough for us to fit men’s size 11 shoes, and there’s definitely more than enough space if we want to wrap them in a shoe pouch. Those go in the bottom, while the remaining space above is where rolls of tops, bottoms, and underwear went. We tried not using packing cubes and sort of just freestyled how we packed, and, in total, we’re able to pack for a week-long trip. Additionally, packing was generally easy since the light ripstop fabric is very forgiving when trying to stuff the corners and make the most out of every ounce of space.

But before packing all your gear on one side, remember that there’s still the left side ready to be utilized. Here, there’s a wide mesh pocket and a sort of built-in packing cube. Bellroy says the latter is for smaller articles of clothing like underwear and socks. Sadly, if you’re thinking of using it as a tech pouch alternative, the central zipper makes that tricky since it means half the space is overhead. Meanwhile, the mesh pocket is also quite roomy like the bag’s other compartments, so stuffing it with extras like a journal or a toiletry kit is a suitable use for it.

Taken as a whole, the bag’s different pockets and compartments are laid out in a particularly convenient way. We’ve definitely seen travel backpacks with this level of compartmentalization. However, what sets the Lite Travel Pack 30L apart is how all of these compartments do not interfere with each other. They all have their own independent volume, and that’s important because having to worry which pocket has to be packed first in order to make the most out of the other ones is a hassle we’d rather not deal with—and with the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack, we don’t have to.