Matador GlobeRider35 Review

As usual, Matador has used top-tier materials and components to craft travel gear that looks perfect on paper. Plus, it comes at a fair price. So, what’s the catch? Depending on how you travel, there might not be one. We’ve already tested the 45 liter version of this pack, and we liked it. Let’s dive in, and we’ll explain!

External Components

The primary exterior material is 420D bluesign®-approved recycled nylon with a polyurethane waterproof coating. The fabric is lightweight but has proved durable in testing. We’ve been critical of past Matador packs’ lack of design to prevent sagging, but that issue has been remedied on this pack, improving the overall look.

The zippers are from YKK, the best brand in the business, at least at the time of writing. Small tabs on the end of every track assist in opening and closing the zippers. Additionally, you can feed the zipper pull through to make it more challenging for unfriendly hands to sneak inside. All exterior zippers have polyurethane coatings, adding to the pack’s already-high weather resistance.

The plastic hardware is from Woojin and UTX, which hold up well and are easy to use. The buckles are snappy, and we’ve had no issues with the hardware breaking or getting stuck.

This pack has handles all over, which is great for travel because you can quickly grab it from the overhead bin, the trunk of a car, or the closet when you’re ready to start packing for your trip. The pack’s front face has handles on all four sides. These have some padding but are pretty minimal, though we didn’t feel like it needed any more. Additionally, there are handles on the top of the back panel and one of the pack’s sides, for a total of six. Needless to say, it’s easy to grab and go, no matter where the pack is.

There are four buckled compression straps in total—two on each side—which do a great job at cinching the pack down. They are handy if you’ve overstuffed the bag and want to ensure it’ll fit into your airline’s slider at the airport or to ensure there isn’t extra space for your gear to flop around inside.

There’s one quite large water bottle pocket. We’re able to fit a big travel water bottle here (40 oz or more) or something else, like a travel tripod. The mesh snaps tight, and you can use the compression strap to ensure tall items don’t fall out.

Fit Notes

This pack has a thorough harness system, which enhances its comfort, whether traveling across the state or journeying to the other side of the globe.

The back panel is well padded with dense foam that conforms to your back and has mesh to promote airflow to keep you cool. It’s more breathable than we initially thought, which is a perk. Even on warm days or while riding a bike, it performs well. A frame sheet behind the padding adds structure and ensures you won’t get poked by gear inside the bag.

The shoulder straps have similar dense padding and breathable mesh, completing the package. Additionally, there are load lifters to move weight around, which is handy if you have extra time between hotel checkout and when you have to be at the airport or train station.

The sternum strap is easy to adjust and helps wrangle the shoulder straps, which was a quick task for most of the Pack Hacker team. The straps rest naturally on your chest, and the sternum strap is easily adjustable and doesn’t often move when you don’t initiate it.

The well-padded hip belt has the same comfortable mesh as the rest of the back panel. This area got a bit sweatier than expected, but we remained comfortable wearing it, and it’s effective at alleviating weight off your shoulders when the bag is completely full. A small mesh pocket on either side of the hip belt is handy for a snack or another small item.

The shoulder straps and hip belt are stowable, which is handy for transit. If you’re about to board the plane or a long bus ride, you can stow them both and use the pack’s handles to carry the bag without worrying about the harness system getting caught on things. Additionally, there’s a luggage pass-through on the back panel, so you can attach it to your rolling luggage without issue. You can slide it on with the harness system intact, though it’s easier when it’s tucked away.

Though it may seem overkill for a pack of this size, we find the harness system is very comfortable. We can’t knock adding features that make it more enjoyable to carry a bag all day, even if they add a little bulk.

Inside The Pack

The primary interior material used is 200D polyester with a polyurethane coating, which is lightweight but durable enough to handle the bumps and knocks of travel.

Most of the pack’s front face is a mesh stash pocket. It doesn’t have a topper but is a solid place to stow items you want to access quickly. Additionally, you can stow damp items here to ensure they don’t get the rest of your gear wet, like a swimsuit, towel, rain jacket, or umbrella.

A zippered pocket at the top of the pack’s front face has significant organization. There are two mesh pockets, four smaller ones for pens, pencils, or a stylus, and two zippered pockets. It’s a solid place to stow your items if you are trying to travel without a tech pouch, or you can use this to stow your everyday carry items. There’s a relatively large open area for larger quick-use items, like medium-sized over-ear headphones.

On the top of the pack, there’s a flat pocket with a soft liner to stow your phone, sunglasses, or other sensitive items you don’t want to get scratched. It’s easy to access and ensures your gear stays safe.

The main compartment has a luggage-style clamshell opening, which is handy for travel because it allows you to see everything from the top down and get into the nitty gritty of organization.

On the lid, there are two large and two small zippered pockets. These work well for socks, underwear, and small gear you don’t want to lose in the hubbub of the main compartment and don’t want to keep in the secondary compartments we just went over.

There’s a laptop compartment on the back wall of the main gear storage area, but you can’t access it from here when the bag is full since all the gear sits on top. The rest of the space is yours for the taking, though it’s pretty significant, so we’d recommend using packing cubes and other organizers to ensure your gear stays segmented and easy to find. Finding a needle in a haystack is a lot easier if the needle is inside a sewing kit!

Now back to the laptop compartment. It’s accessible from two areas and visible from three. Confusing? Let us explain.

As mentioned, laptop storage is located inside the main compartment. However, it’s not really accessible from there due to the bag’s design. The best way to access it is through dedicated zippers on the top and side of the bag. The zipper on the top of the pack makes getting to the gear on the top of the main compartment easy and allows you to get your laptop, too. The side access zipper is on the back panel and only allows you to get to your computer, not the main compartment. This system is somewhat challenging to get used to, though we like the various access points presented by the design. The laptop compartment is raised off the bottom of the bag and well padded to ensure your computer’s safety, which we dig.

Overall, we dig the design of this travel backpack. It offers segmentation where you need it and allows you to organize the big stuff. If you want every piece of gear to have a home, this pack might not be for you. However, if you’re into packing cubes and other organizers, you’ll feel at home with the Globerider35!