Nomad - The 3-in-1 expandable hemp backpack for nomads

Grab a coffee. This is long:

I'm a dinosaur, past travels highlighted by memories of lugging around large, heavy suitcases. This time around, for a 3-week jaunt to France, Germany and Turkey, I set out to do what I've only imagined. A multi-week excursion with nothing but a carry-on (and my trusty messenger bag). Let the research begin ...

I settled on the Nomad as my travel bag. It had a lot going for it. I like the company vibe, the backstory. I've been in touch with them personally and they are responsive. I like that. The bag itself is well made. I like (generally) the design - more on this later - and the color and the feel. It's robust, or at least seems like it is. Note: It survived well this trip, but time will tell how durable it really is as I plan further excursions with it.

Biggest draw for me was the expandability claim (roll top, kangaroo pouch, etc.). Keep in mind, I'm moving from ~100 liter capacity suitcase to a carry on, so the expandability gave me some comfort. Plan was to go into the trip as dialed in as possible, but still have room to add things should the need arise. On this point alone, the bag shone! I left 'small' but maxed it out at the end. Bear in mind maxing out the bag does affect the carry-on claim (I did have to check it in at the end) but that's the side effect of shopping while on vacation!

if you are looking for a robust, light, carry-on for multi-day or even week/multi-week excursion - this bag is great. Aim for a small start, but know that you have options for that extra pair of shoes, pants or knick knacks you purchased. Other features (clamshell opening, backpack straps, etc) only add to the PROS column and you simply can't go wrong with this bag - in my humble opinion.

BUT (not a negative 'but', but a I have more to say 'but')

While I would normally end my review here, and as great and as admirable as this bag performed - and if I may - I had thoughts I wanted to share. These are not things that would make me reconsider the bag, but merely thoughts on some of the features and how they (potentially) could be improved or reimagined. Because ... why not!

- Laptop sleeve: They exist in almost all bags, but here's the thing. I don't travel with a laptop. Some people can't live without their tech. I travel to escape it (at least as much as possible). A phone, a powerbank, an wall plug adapter (if needed) and cable. That's it! A person with the need will love the sleeve, but for the old, newb, ultralight packer (like me!), I'm seeing a couple of inches of extra space - another shirt or two? pants? Maybe a few extra pair of all too important undies. Thought: A removable laptop pouch.

- Water bottle holders: The bag has pockets on the side for water bottle, and at first (when bag wasn't too full) I could squeeze a bottle in there. But when I maxed out the bag, and without any flex to the pocket material, I couldn't get the bottle in there. Thought: Flexible/Mesh water bottle pockets.

- Backpack straps: They are a great feature, but can be a nuissance (even on hiking backpacks they are). They dangle, they whip around when swinging the bag into overhead bins, they accidentally catch things (feet?). Thought: a mechanism to cover or stow the straps when they are not necessary, like a zippered cover that can be rolled aside when straps are needed.

- Kangaroo pouch (bottom of the bag). I'm nit-picking this one as I absolutely love this concept. Explandable, stowable, robust, etc. Checks the boxes. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit my larger running shoes in there, so I had to be strategic with how I used it. Also, while it performed, I did have some concerns with the fact that the pouch itself is not fully enclosed as part of the larger bag. Admittedly, this was psychological on my part. Indeed the strap system worked, but I wasn't initially aware (when I purchased) that the pouch wasn't fully enclosed. I feared things might fall out (they didn't). Thoughts: First, make it a bit larger (or wider). Maybe it could be made to fit a full pair of - say - 8000 kicks waterproof boots? Second (and mainly for peace of mind), consider a design where the pouch is either fully enclosed (zipper, or fully sewn to the main bag) or even add a couple of snaps to minimize the gap. Keep the straps at the bottom thought. Love those.

Additional Notes: While I considered it, I didn't puchase the front pouch that can be purchased separately. I opted to stick with my old messenger bag that I've used for years. For expandability (and maybe a touch of OCD), I will likely get the front pouch, and if I had it, it might have impacted some of my thoughts above.

My little sidebar aside, the bag performed great. I had no discernable issues with it at all. I moved it around like mad between stops, but no issues, no damages. It's an excellent bag. Worth the price in my opinion and easy 5 stars.

PS: Their shoes are ...

Ordered in October but had an issue with shipping with UPS. My order was not going to be what it was because of limited supply but Bernardo made it better with some socks which are very nice to wear. I'm happy with the customer service and the bag!

Like the nomad bag pack, the everyday bag pack is made of an amazing material and has many compartments to store things. I have tested the bag pack also for traveling and I must say, for a short trip, this bag pack is ideal, plenty of space for clothes and electronics, very comfortable on your back even if a bit heavier. As usual, 8000kicks provided me with a piece of equipment which is already un-missable! Obrigado!

Love the features! And I had a small manufacturing defect, for which they offered to cover the costs for a local seamstress