My wife and I recently took a four-day trip to Mexico City. To keep things simple and avoid any lost luggage during our transfer in Dallas I wanted to just bring one bag. That, and the last time I was there someone rifled through my checked bag and stole several things. (I still love you, Mexico.)
The easy choice was the Chrome Urban Ex 2.0 Rolltop 30-liter bag ()鈥攎y go-to for shorter trips. One of the biggest draws is the pack鈥檚 size adaptability. The main compartment is big enough to hold everything I need for three to four days, including clothes, toiletries, a laptop, a rain jacket, and an extra pair of shoes. Thanks to the rolltop closure, it can also expand to hold four or five more liters of stuff on the way back, and it can be cinched way down and serve as a small day pack.
This adaptability came in handy several times on our trip. In Mexico City, the bag was great for day excursions when all I wanted to carry was a rain jacket, a long-sleeve shirt, and a bottle of water. Some days we walked up to 15 miles, and the bag carried well, whether it held almost nothing or was weighed down with water and gifts.
When it was time to head home, the ability to increase the volume proved essential. As a parent, of course, I could not return empty-handed. After some careful shopping鈥攖he kids didn鈥檛 get anything too big鈥擨 was able to expand the rolled top just enough to stuff everything in and close the buckle. I looked ridiculous because the bag was now extra tall, but everything stayed put, and the over-filled bag still fit just fine in the overhead compartment on our plane, a newer Boeing 737.
I鈥檓 also sold on the Chrome rolltop鈥檚 organization. Inside, the bag is refreshingly simple. There鈥檚 just one cavernous main pocket, a laptop sleeve (inside the main pocket), and two smaller zippered exterior pockets. I鈥檝e come to hate bags that are 鈥渇eature-rich鈥 with pockets because I end up spending too much time trying to find whatever I鈥檓 looking for. There are very few places where anything can hide in the Chrome bag.
Finally, I love that the Chrome bag is waterproof. The weather was dry in Mexico City, but if we鈥檇 been caught in a rainstorm, the fully-welded, 600-denier, polyurethane-coated polyester would have given me complete confidence that not a drop of water would destroy my books, postcards, electronics, or anything else stored in the bag.
I liked the Chrome bag so much that since returning from Mexico I鈥檝e been on a rolltop kick and tracked down two other packs you might also look into:
Osprey Transporter Roll Top ()
The 25-liter Transporter has more features than the Chrome, but doesn鈥檛 go overboard. My favorite add-ons are the mesh back that breathes well on sweltering days, two side water bottle mesh pockets that can be accessed while I鈥檓 wearing the pack, and a side zipper that makes it easy to stow my laptop without opening the rolltop compartment. The bag is not as waterproof as the Chrome鈥攖he Osprey鈥檚 seams aren鈥檛 sealed鈥攂ut it still keeps most moisture out.
Ortlieb Commuter Daypack City 27 Liter ()
Even simpler than the Chrome bag, the Ortlieb Daypack has one huge pocket, a laptop sleeve, and one exterior pocket. Like the Chrome it won鈥檛 let a drop of water into the main pocket, even if you spend an hour in the rain. Made from a feathery-but-still-durable nylon, the bag itself weighs a scant 28.2 ounces. (Compared to 32.5 ounces for the Chrome bag and 32 ounces for the Osprey bag.)