I ordered this bag for 2 recent trips. The first was a 2-week trip to Europe in which my friend and I would be traveling on the train from one town to another every couple of days. I did not want to worry about lugging a bag through the streets or down the aisles of the train. I also did not want to have to pay for a checked bag on the airline. This bag was perfect. I was able to pack almost everything into this bag that I would need for those 2 weeks. I did have another small carry-on item. I put the Weekender in the overhead bin on the plane & kept the other bag with me in the plane (or the train). It was so much easier to swing this thing up onto my back and just walk than to lug it behind me. Well, I didn't actually "swing" it up. It wasn't especially heavy, but I couldn't safely swing it up. What I did was just what I would have done with a regular backpack---lift it up onto a seat or table or some higher surface, then back up to it and slide it on. The waist strap made it much easier to carry for long distances, but I did not use it that often. Admittedly, I did stuff the bag so it was bulging, but everything fit, I was never questioned by airline staff, and I was able to pull out the water bottle holder if I needed to to free my hands up.

The second trip was a river rafting trip in Peru. Again, I wanted to have only a carry-on bag. I had to change planes 3 times and was afraid my important gear might get lost. I could not chance arriving in Peru without my sleeping bag, etc. I was able to take the bag on my US Airways flight, but LAN Airlines made me check it due to its weight. The size would have been fine for a carry-on with LAN, but it turns out they limit the weight (it's a pretty small limit) for carry-ons. Still, I was able to get my sleeping bag, my inflatable sleeping pad, my river shoes, even a travel size blow dryer for when I got back to civilization! I did take a small "personal item" like on my previous trip. I also packed a light duffel inside the bag so I would have that bag for extra items (souvenirs, t-shirts) when I returned home.

The bag did it's job. As a backpack, it was so easy to carry. The compartments helped me to organize things. The bag was deep enough for my sleeping bag. The cinch straps help to make the bag even smaller & tighter. The outside pockets are easy access. I love this bag. The only thing I didn't like is that I really wanted a purple one, but it would not be available in time for my trips!