Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack Review

It's easy to drop a small fortune on travel gear, but sometimes all you need is the basics. For casual domestic trips or even short international romps, you can safely haul your gear without breaking the bank in the barebones Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack. Aside from the attractive price, this pack is nothing to write home about. The feature set is unimpressive, the padding and straps aren't the most cozy, and it looks cheap and dated overall. But the bottom line is that travel is downright expensive—I appreciate it when I can save a buck wherever possible—and I can attest that Amazon's popular offering is durable for the price and often all I need for short, impromptu jaunts. Read on for my full review of this popular budget pick, and be sure to check out my article on the best travel backpacks to see how it stacks up to the competition.
 

Table of Contents

• Carrying Comfort
• Organization
• Carry-on Capabilities
• Quality and Durability
• Fit and Sizing
• Other Versions of the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack
• What We Like/What We Don't
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Carrying Comfort

I'll begin with a word of caution: I would not recommend the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack for anyone setting off on seriously long or demanding trips where you'll be hauling the pack for hours on your back. It simply doesn't carry well enough. The shoulder straps have adequate padding but feel rough and scratchy, and are on the narrow side for a 40L pack. The "hipbelt" is practically useless for this volume (it's a thin webbing strap clipped to the base of the pack). For anything over 35L, meant to be hauled any distance, I think it should be required to have a padded hipbelt that at least somewhat transfers loads to your hips. The shoulder straps can be stowed away in a large zippered pouch behind the back panel.
 

On the plus side, the pack offers a variety of carrying options, including a duffel-style removable padded sling in addition to the padded shoulder straps for schlepping it over one shoulder or cross-body. For this reason, if you think of this pack more as a duffel bag than a "backpack," it may hold more appeal. Most duffel bags in my closet don't boast great carrying comfort over long distances, and have mediocre shoulder straps at best (even on the massive 120L models). If you keep weight and bulk low, the shoulder straps are fine for trotting between terminals or across town, but add in a computer, cameras, and a week of supplies, and you'll wish you'd splurged on a comfier pack. At around $30, though, if you just need a basic vessel for short trips, this pack will suffice. 
 

Organization

Again, there's nothing fancy in the organization department with the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack, but I'm not entirely disappointed with it (and maybe a bit impressed given the low price). You get an impressive array of pockets, lockable, confidence-inspiring zippers (that unfortunately aren't YKK, which we know to be durable), an expandable volume, and luggage pass-through on the back panel.  
 

External Pockets

On the outside of the pack, you have a small but tall zippered pouch on the front panel and a large opening to another large front zippered pocket. The main compartment opens clamshell-style and hinges on the side of the pack, allowing for a massive opening but making it trickier to access gear from the top of the pack like in a standard backpack. This also makes it feel more like a duffel. Immediately behind this main zippered opening is another zipper that wraps around the pack, and when opened, extends the internal volume a good deal for more gear-intensive missions. This is a nice touch, but it adds a good deal of bulk and weight. Finally, at the back of the pack is a large zippered laptop sleeve. On the sides of the pack are compression straps for snugging down loads. 
 

Interior Pockets

The inside of the pack offers an impressive amount of storage for a budget model. The large front pocket has seven interior pouches of varying sizes to keep small trinkets organized—none of which are zippered. The main compartment is basic, but there is a large zippered mesh pocket on the lid and internal compression straps for snugging down unruly piles of clothes. The back laptop pocket only has one generously-padded sleeve with a Velcro closure that easily swallows a 16-17" laptop and plenty of other slim electronics. This is a must for me in any travel backpack.
 

Carry-on Capabilities

With "carry-on" in the name, you'd expect the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack to meet airline sizing requirements... and thankfully it does. With expanded dimensions of 21.5 x 13.8 x 9.5 in., airlines shouldn't bat an eye. I've also been able to pack less, close the compression zipper, and cinch the pack down small enough to make it pass as a personal item on certain airlines paired with a roller carry-on. The average carry-on luggage size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, including handles and wheels, which is accepted by most major U.S. domestic airlines. While some carriers like Southwest allow slightly larger bags, it is best to adhere to the 22 x 14 x 9-inch standard to avoid gate-checking.
 

Quality and Durability

This is definitely an area where the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack shines, and one of the main reasons I justify its slot as the "Best Budget Travel Backpack" in our round-up. While the polyester face fabric doesn't have a denier rating, it is thick and confidence-inspiring in the field. After months of tough, real-world use, I have yet to find a single rip, frayed seam, or loose thread—which is my litmus test for any budget-oriented travel pack. There is no value in a bargain price if the bag fails when you're miles from home, but this pack holds its own against the rigors of the road. Beyond the shell, the components are equally solid; the zippers lack the YKK pedigree of premium bags, yet they run smoothly and feel beefy enough to handle overstuffing. The buckles and straps are also well-made and durable, with no signs of cracking under pressure. Yes, this level of ruggedness comes with a weight penalty, but for the peace of mind it provides when hauling sensitive tech and travel essentials, it’s a trade-off I’m happy to make. Say what you want about Amazon as a company, but their "basics" line is impressive given their low price.
 

Fit and Sizing

As I mentioned earlier, components of the fit, carrying comfort, and layout of the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack are more reminiscent of a duffel bag than a true travel backpack. As such, there is very little adjustability. An adjustable sternum strap provides extra tension to keep the load stable, a welcome feature given the pack's otherwise limited adjustment range. It does lack load lifters—a detail I miss on extended carries. The harness system and shoulder sling are straightforward, with up-and-down adjustability, and can handle a typical transit-to-transit load with ease. The pack only comes in one size.
 

Other Versions of the Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack

Aside from availability in a couple of different colors, the 40L Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack is all you get in this design. Amazon does make an Amazon Basics Travel Laptop Backpack, which is perhaps its closest relative. The Laptop Backpack has a more standard "backpack" silhouette, with plenty of pockets and organization, in a smaller volume than the Travel Backpack. It can hold laptops up to 17 inches, and also has luggage pass-through on the back panel—a handy touch when using it as a personal item with a rolling carry-on.
 

What We Like 

• Stellar price-to-value ratio.
• Impressive durability for the price.
• Adequate feature set with plenty of pockets for organization on the road.
   

What We Don't

• On the heavy side.
• Minimal padding and support in the shoulder harness and hipbelt.
• Boxy, unflattering, and overall cheap look.
   

Comparison Table

The Competition

A quick glance at the comparison chart in our Best Travel Backpacks round-up shows that most of the competition soars well north of $100. $30 barely gets you a nice meal in today's economy, yet somehow Amazon has kept the cost of its signature travel backpack incredibly low. At such a budget price, I have a lot of hesitation adding it to an article with travel giants like Peak Design, Cotopaxi, and Osprey, but I genuinely think it offers a lot of value. That said, if you're willing to spend more, you can easily experience more comfort and gear protection. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the premium Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L. Peak Design makes the crème de la crème of travel gear (more catered to the creative crowd), and their travel packs are top tier. Their Travel Backpack is decked out with loads of pockets and travel-centric features, and it carries well considering its bombproof durability. It even looks sleek and stylish to boot. It meshes seamlessly with Peak Design's ecosystem of packing and camera cubes, so if you're a traveling photographer or videographer, it doesn't get much better than this. But... it's 10 times the cost of the Amazon alternative.
 

Though it's still well over $100, the REI Ruckpack 40 is another popular budget pick with a jack-of-all-trades design. It's much more comfortable to carry than the Amazon pick, and is crafted with more premium materials. Our team also likes to use it for light day hikes, making it a great pick for trips that may involve some backcountry travel. It's also on the lighter end of the spectrum for a 40L pack. Finally, the Cotopaxi Allpa 42L is another popular pick in this volume class. I've taken this backpack all over the world, and feel like I keep finding pockets and pouches each time I use it. It's overly complicated for some, but I actually like the layout and use it for lighter loadouts. It doesn't carry heavy gear as well as others and can feel floppy when packed out, but otherwise is a fantastic design at a more affordable price.