A great addition to the Travel Backpack market, the AER Travel Pack 2 is a highly functional, though slightly smaller, travel pack for modern nomads. The various storage compartments for electronics, shoes, and other accessories are all well plotted out in the pack, and nothing seems out of place. Again, it is slightly smaller than the other packs on the list at 33l, but if you are highly organized this shouldn’t be a problem.

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AER is another example of crowdfunding generated projects that have grown into innovative young companies. Beginning in 2014 with a bag that combined a gym bag and an office bag, they have expanded their collection to include one bag travel packs. Aiming to create simple, durable, and utilitarian packs, they have since begun selling everything from slings to totes and briefcases. Their addition to the travel backpack market with the Travel Pack 2 is a well organized and very attractive pack. 

Storage

While the AER Travel Pack 2 only sits at a smaller 33l, it has some very great storage pockets that will keep you well organized as you fly through airports and trot the globe at unprecedented speeds. The main pocket opens flat to give great access to all of your cargo. Within this main compartment are two smaller zippered pockets for improved organization.

On the bottom of the pack is a shoe compartment that will fit up to a men’s size 13 shoe or your dirty laundry from a week of travels. Along the top of the pack is a quick access pocket for items such as your passport or wallet. On the front of the pack is a thin slash pocket for documents or books, and along the side is a water bottle pocket that won’t fit a Nalgene but also zips away when not in use. 

On the top of the pack there is a zipper that opens halfway down and allows for access to small valuables. There are organization pockets within this pocket for a camera, pens, magazines, headphones, you name it! The organizational opportunities of the travel packs are always something that surprise me because I like to have everything in “its spot,” and the Travel Pack 2 seems to have a place for everything.

Laptop Sleeve

On the back of the pack, there is a zippered pocket with room for a 15” laptop. The pocket has weather-resistant YKK zippers to help you feel a bit more comfortable putting your life’s work in your backpack, because who really understands the cloud?

Comfort and Harness System

The backpanel of the Travel Pack 2 has stretch mesh for a layer of comfort. It has a vertical vent system to help with airflow. The shoulder straps are fairly thin and remind me more of an old school bag than of something you would want to wear for a long day of exploring a new city.

There are some loops that will allow for a hipbelt to be attached, but the hipbelt itself is sold separately, which is a negative for me.

I would rather have the option of taking off the hipbelt to keep the pack looking more professional. As a friend once told me, “It’s better to look at it than to look for it.” There is a sternum strap on the shoulder straps, which helps to manage some of the load, but without the hipbelt, all of the weight will be on your shoulders and that can become tiring at the end of the day.

Security and Material

Along the valuables pocket and the main compartment are lockable YKK zippers. The laptop pocket does not have lockable pockets, but it does have toggles that could have a lock looped through them. It is not as secure as you would expect for a pocket that holds the most expensive item in the pack. The compression straps that run along the side of the pack when buckled cover the zippers, which, like in the Osprey Farpoint 40, adds an additional level of security. These small features help with your sense of well being while traveling busy city streets.

The pack itself is made with a 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior, which is about as tough as it comes. The YKK zippers are burley, and they use Duraflex plastic hardware, which are also tough and reliable. The overall weight of the pack is a comfortable 3.7lbs, which is great for a small pack that is built like a tank.

The Bottom Line

AER has developed a very modern and well-organized carry on travel bag. It is not as large as most packs and is missing an included hipbelt (though that can be purchased separately), but the organizational options are great and have room for expansion. With the size of the pack, you will never have to worry about not being able to use it as a carry on, which is always reassuring.

At a cost of $230, it is a bit more expensive than I would have liked for a pack of its size and functionality. The materials it uses are high quality, and the durability will likely be lifelong. A small investment in a great pack now is never a bad decision, especially if you are a digital nomad that has a home base but who travels on short and sweet business trips often. If that’s you, I think the AER Travel Pack 2 would be an excellent option for your lifestyle. 

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