Vagabond Jet onebag travel etc

  •   Category Weight
  • Bags
    2.19 lb
  • Crossbody
    1.44 lb
  • Comfort
    3.21 lb
  • Dopp kit (toiletries + charging)
    1.52 lb
  • Clothes (in backpack)
    7.62 lb
  • Clothes (worn)
    0 lb
  • Total 15.98
    lb
    • oz
    • lb
    • g
    • kg
  • Consumable 1 lb
  • Worn 2.09 lb
  • Base Weight 12.89 lb

Ok, fine, maybe it's 1.5 bags with the crossbody... or is it 2? 1.2?

Planned this to be lightweight, comfortable, and simple while traveling and going on frequent day hikes (both during travel and at home). I have a separate list for ultralight backpacking - this is more for touristy trips and day hikes which are more common for me nowadays. I partially picked this pack because I trust GG shoulder straps from a previous pack (the Gorilla) to be comfy hiking for thousands of miles.

Emphasis on simplicity. IMO, a crossbody or something similar makes things easier than strictly one bag + pockets. The backpack fits as my personal item under an airplane seat. I never want to get up because something is in the overhead bin. This way, all my energy can be acutely focused towards making sure my wife stays hydrated before she gets a headache "for no reason." You need to take bigger sips, babe... no, I just watched you take baby sips!

I don't wait to check any bags. I don't rush onto the plane to get overhead bin space. Zero hassle getting through security quickly, and I walk straight out of the airport after landing. I don't worry about dropping off heavy luggage early or timing the hotel check-in, it's all just seamless.

Packing order:

  • Down puffy and rain jacket stuffed into the very bottom, which are then...

  • ...compressed by the packing cube holding the remaining clothes. 

    (If I want to bring an extra pair of shoes, they go in now. I can fit shoes and 3 days of clothes in the pack, but to make room I drop the book or something.)

  • Everything above the cube is easily accessible: the dopp kit (toiletries + charging stuff) and headphone case sit next to each other...

  • ...then the neck pillow goes on top. These 3 items can be shifted and pulled out easily, or moved into the big mesh pocket.

  • Book (or laptop) slides into the laptop sleeve, and that's it for inside the main!

  • Water bottle in a side pocket. The other side pocket holds another water bottle or snacks, etc.

  • The big mesh pocket often starts empty but is always useful for random stuff like a hat, the headphone case or pillow, snacks, trash, things my wife asks me to hold for just a second...

  • I usually put my keys and sunglasses into the exterior zip pocket once I get to the airport.

  • Shoulder strap pockets are nice to hold a phone, powerbank, or anything smaller that you want handy.

Everything else that I want to grab often is in the crossbody or normal pockets. Just in case you're worried about a grumpy gate agent, it's easy to shove the crossbody in the big mesh pocket right before boarding.

Pics: Before a 4 day trip to Vancouver this year.

Full packed layout Crossbody layout

Some things are obviously optional. Making a few cuts from this setup can very easily get the backpack under 10 pounds base:

  • Instead of the 13 oz Owala, bring a 1.2 oz smartwater bottle. (I can fit 2 big smartwaters in each side pocket for hikes.)

  • I don't bring the pillow for short flights where I won't sleep. Half a pound.

  • I can leave the big headphones, book, and gameboy at home to save ~1.5 pounds.

  • Wearing clothes multiple times so you can pack less cuts pounds quick. Doing laundry during trips is underrated. If I can do laundry once or twice a week, this setup definitely works for longer trips.

  • I bring a pair of lightweight "running" sandals when I'm going to the beach or something like that, and just buy a cheap towel after arriving. The outside mesh pocket is perfect for separating dirty sandals, rain jacket, or anything else that ends up getting wet.

  • Work laptop adds 2 lbs 14.7 oz (46.7 oz), but let's not think about work.

The pack carries well enough I usually don't hesitate to bring the comfort items.

*Updated Dec 2025