Best Bags — Curated from The Hiro Report

Peak Design has a sale going on their newish roller bag which knocks the price down from stupid expensive to really expensive. I decided to take the plunge as I needed a new bag for some upcoming summer travels. I have to admit, it's really great! The wheels and extendable carbon fiber trolley handle are ridiculously smooth, and I really like the layout inside with lots of spaces to hook things in and tie them down. It looks great and I like that you can keep it really slim or expand it out as needed. My only gripe is the outer "laptop" compartment which really should not ever be used for a laptop; it doesn't provide nearly enough protection. I honestly wish they'd given that space over to more internal storage. I do not recommend getting this at full price, but on sale it makes for a really nice (if pricey) bag.

I'd never heard of this brand before, but I got this bag this week to carry around my camera and some spare gear for daily outings and have been super impressed with it. It's got a super light, abrasion- and weather-resistant X-Pac fabric exterior, a removable padded camera insert, tons of interior and exterior pockets with built-in organization for things like pens, AirPods, memory cards, wallets, and more. It also has a hidden RFID-blocking passport pocket. The shoulder sling also features a really unique dynamic leveling system so that the bag stays level as you move about, making it easier to safely get precious gear in and out of the bag.

This is a really clever roller bag setup that features built-in vacuum bags for compressing your effects down to the smallest possible volume. Apart from its core gimmick, it's also got a bunch of premium/fancy features like a built-in battery and wheel locks.

I'll admit, I have a bag problem. This one is my new obsession. A compact (and expandable) sling bag perfect for carrying a small mirrorless camera and a few other everyday carry things. This Taiwanese company makes a bunch of beautiful leather and canvas bags for travel, biking, etc., and although I don't bike, I like that this bag has the extra around-the-waist strap available to keep the sling in place while hiking/running.

I own a couple of products from Alpaka and I have enjoyed them all. They tend to have really nice tech materials and thoughtful design, so I'm pretty stoked about this new gaming sling that they've made. You can remove the straps and use it as just a carrying case for your Nintendo Switch 2 or Steam Deck, but it can also fit an X100V, your keys, your passport, your phone and wallet if you wanted to have it as a shoulder bag for going through the airport. Looks great.

OK, it’s not a backpack, but I did pick up this camera sling this year and used it quite a lot. It’s surprisingly spacious and offers modular inserts for getting the perfect fit for your gear. I do wish it had more storage space for non-camera gear.

Hands down my favorite backpack for both working from a coffeeshop for the day or for taking into the woods for a day hike. $$$$

If you've been reading the Hiro Report for a while, you probably know I have a minor bag problem— Much like the principal author of the Federalist Papers, I can never be satisfied. This new 2L sling from Clever Supply Co will probably be my next purchase. Apart from looking great and offering some nice internal organization features, it also comes with a thoughtfully designed modifiable camera cube that can be adapted to hold an impressive array of camera types and sizes. Check out the always excellent Benjamin Haisch's walk through of all the things he can fit in this thing.

Every once in a while, I get a marketing email that makes me incredibly itchy to make an irresponsible purchase. The launch announcement for this bag from one of my favorite brands, Evergoods, nearly sent me spiraling. Imagine the classic Jansport-style backpack we all carried in school, but completely upgraded with high-end, durable materials and thoughtful design tweaks for the modern, tech-loving adult. I want one.

I bring this thing with me everywhere for carrying all my tech gear when I travel. Doubles as a nice little camera cube in a pinch. $$

I’m by no means the world’s most organized person, but I’ve learned over the course of a few decades and many continents that travel is smoother when you pack in an organized manner. After trying everything from budget Amazon brands to REI and Peak Design, my favorite packing cubes are these 8L ones from Evergoods. They’re lightweight but durable and open flat into two compartments for easy access. They are also terminally sold out, but a new batch are available for pre-order now—grab some for holiday travel!

Evergoods makes my favorite travel and EDC backpacks. They’re back with a new collaboration with Carryology, bringing beautiful (albeit pricey) waxed cotton shells to some of their most popular designs. These look perfect for either a motorcycle ride across Patagonia OR a quick trip to a Brooklyn coffeeshop to get some design work done. Don’t want to drop $400+ on a backpack, but still want the good stuff? Get on the waitlist for the restock of their CTB 20L, the dream carry-on backpack.

Christian Selig wrote an epic post detailing his struggles with finding the perfect travel backpack. As someone who tried out several bags last year trying to find the same thing, I really enjoyed reading the details of his much more thorough search. Fun reading for any fellow bag or gear nerds.

Evergoods' Civic Panel Loader 24L is one of my all time favorite backpacks, and this week they launched their new, smaller 16L variant. I could see this being an awesome day pack or hiking variant when you don't need to bring a ton of gear.

Orbitkey is a neat company making all manner of EDC and office items in a clean, minimalist design. They’ve just launched the Kickstarter for a new travel tech pouch / organizer that looks great. I have similar pouches that I love from Peak Design and Evergoods that I love, otherwise I’d be all over this.