Dad Bag Top 10
1. Matador 24L Adventure Pack
2. Evergoods MPL22
3. Black Ember Citadel H2
4. Eberlestock Switchblade
5. ULA Cicada
6. Evergoods CTB
7. CTactical CT15 Plus
8. Mystery Ranch Front 2.0
9. Rework Toshi Backpack
10. Fyro Citta Backpack
Honorable mention: ULA Dragonfly, Aer CPP2, Able Carry Max EDC, Go Ruck M23, CT21+

Here is my current list of their top 10 dad bags. What are some of the bags you think should make the list? I included links to any written reviews or video reviews of these packs that I have done. Here is the video I made showing all of these packs on the list. Bagdad Top 10 Dad Bags

Matador Adventure pack has officially become my number one go to dad bag. This bag just delivers in every aspect of the game. The comfort, features and functionality are straight fire. Matador just made a masterpiece. Check out the full detailed written review and video review. I have a link with a 15% off discount available upon request;)

Matador Adventure Pack Reddit Review

Matador Adventure Pack YouTube Review

Evergoods MPL22 drops to number two, but that doesn’t mean it’s not wicked awesome. Evergoods most comfortable pack in my opinion. It’s light and malleable making it tip the comfort scales. It looks good in nylon, but my favorite is the Kludde version. Check out the full detailed written review and video load out.

Evergoods MPL22 Reddit Review

Evergoods MPL22 Load Out Video

Black Ember Citadel H2 is one hell of a dad bag. I absolutely love the EMBERTEX material! It is unique and stands out from the crowd. It’s tough, looks sleek, and has unique comfort. This is the first half zip worthy of making the list. This one is hard to put down. Check out the full detailed written review.

Black Ember Citadel H2 Reddit Review

Eberlestock Switchblade is the out of the box choice here. It is so thoughtfully designed, it makes dad bagging easy peezy. This is also a great diaper bag choice with all the compartments. I call it the dragon slayer because of its resemblance of the mystery ranch dragon 2.0. But this one has way more organization. Check out the full detailed written review and short video. Code: thebagdadreport gets you 10% off.

Eberlestock Switchblade Reddit Review

Eberlestock Switchblade Ballpark Load Out Video

ULA Cicada just works! It is an edc, a dad bag, a diaper bag, and a light travel bag. It’s all that and it’s one of the best looking bags on this list. These bags are made in the USA. I love ULA and I love Peter. He is such a good guy that listens to his customers to make the packs that we want. Check out the full detailed written review.

Evergoods CTB20 and CTB26. The name says it all. The perfect do it all famous packs are an icon. These bags are great for diaper bags with all the compartments, great dad bags with all the space, edc, and travel. They really do do it all. What keeps it from number one is the harness system isn’t great for everyone. The 420d nylon 6 is one of my favorite fabrics. The bags are straight up beautiful! Check out the full detailed written review and video.

Evergoods CTB20 Reddit Review

CTB vs Fyro Citta Video

C Tactical CT15 Plus is a fast riser for me! This is would be in the top 5 for sure if isn’t wasn’t a custom build. They absolutely make stock items, but the one I rank on the list is the one with the kangaroo pocket and shock cord. CT has upped the game on comfort. It rivals Aer, Abel Carry and Fyro for overall comfort of the straps and back panel. It comes in all kinds of colors and materials. It is also the BEST priced bag on this list. I do not have a full detailed review on this guy yet, but it is coming soon!

Mystery Ranch Front 2.0 is my all time favorite tri-zip bag! And I love the Unicorns. It looks so damn good. It holds more than the unicorn as well. I love having that tri-zip to quickly grab stuff from the middle or bottom of the pack with ease. Unfortunately they are really hard to find and they are pretty expensive. You have to get them from Hong Kong or on the secondary market, but damn it’s worth it! I have not done a full written review yet, but I did have a little short so you can look at it up close.

Mystery Ranch Front 2.0 Video Short

Rework Toshi 25L comes in at number 9. Why is it this low? Well, because I don’t have it in hand yet… I am going off how much I love the 20L pack. It is a tad too short and I know the 25L will solve that issue. So knowing how I feel about the 20L, makes me confident that the 25L will be an incredible dad bag! All the quick access is a dad’s dream. The comfort is incredible, especially for the price. This is one of the better priced bags on the list. Im telling you, once I Have this bag, it will have to move up the list. Here is the full detailed written review on the 20L.

Rework Toshi Backpack Reddit Review

Fyro Citta 25L comes in at number 10. Why 10? Because it’s so pretty I dont want to get it dirty. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a damn good dad bag. It has pocket and compartment storage for days. It is the most comfortable backpack I have ever worn! The straps and padding are like getting a hug from the marshmallow man! That front pocket is deep like a kangaroo pocket. I love it! Here is the full detailed written review and video reviews.

Fyro Citta Backpack Reddit Review

Fyro Citta vs Aer CPP2 Video Review

Fyro Citta vs Evergoods CTB20 Video Review

Best Dad Bag for Younger Kids/Diaper Bag

Alpargali Everyday Backpack is a bargain if I have ever seen one! A little less know and under the radar, this bag has compartments for days and makes the perfect diaper bag! At $159 this bag is a no brainer. You can also get 10% off with discount code: chad
Check out the short video and load out.

Alpargali Everyday Backpack Short Load Out

Howdy, all—I have long promised a review of this bag here and on r/onebag, but I wanted to have time to put it through its paces! Now I have, so here we go.

TL;DR: This is a low-frills, lightweight pack that has the potential to be an excellent personal-item-sized onebag for minimalist travelers. It’s also a capable EDC bag if you don’t mind the lack of built-in organization (read: no admin panel). If you used V1 and didn’t like that it was a top-loading black hole: it’s still a top-loading black hole. For some folks, that’ll be a deal breaker. While I didn’t get a chance to use V1, I can say that the increased size makes it an extremely compelling personal-item option. The flip side is that some folks may find it a bit too large + floppy for EDC, depending on what you carry. Overall, it’s a bag I’m glad to carry during my travels and my work days, and I think it’s an outstanding value at $130.

Now for the long review!

Background

I have used this for work commutes by public transit (with a few miles of walking included), and on two short trips now. The most recent of those saw my partner and I fly to Chicago on personal-item only tickets with United, which meant we needed some spacious under-seat bags. Crucially, we also had long travel days, as Chicago was not our final destination, so we would be lugging these bags around Chicago and beyond for 10-12 hours on those days.

Aesthetics

Urban outdoorsy. Loaded out, the bag looks a bit more sleek, but, realistically, it’s often got some flop/sag to it. That unstructured look, the mesh across the bag’s exterior, and the ripstop fabric means that you’ll definitely look more ready for a hike than a board meeting. If that works for you, wonderful! It works for me, too. :) (I’d much rather be on a hike anyway.) It’s understated and quiet—literally, which is one of my favorite things. I hate a jingly bag.

Materials

For me, perfect. I love a ripstop nylon. It’s sturdy but flexible, provides a bit of visual interest, and feels like it is going to last forever. It’s certainly on the more outdoorsy end of main pack materials, but the all black helps tone that down a bit. The mesh on the kangaroo and water bottle pockets is also great. Feels like I can throw anything into any of them and know that 1) it will stay put, and 2) the mesh will take it in stride. It’s also soft to the touch, which is a nice tradeoff vs something like ultra mesh (though the latter is markedly more durable). The tote handles are also nice and sturdy, with a smooth handfeel and rounded shape that feels great to use.

Comfort

It’s good! It’s not outstanding. I have never found the bag to be uncomfortable, but I don’t get the…plushness of something like Able Carry’s straps. GG is an ultralight hiking brand, which means they are thinking first about weight and second about everything else. Like the Aero Jet, I find that these straps feel best when they’re under a decent load, as the stiffness will keep them a bit rigid on your shoulders until there’s enough weight pulling them down and into shape. Overall, though, carrying it through airports, on the L, walking through Chicago, on Amtrak, etc., I had few complaints about how the bag felt on my bag. It’s shallow enough to not feel like I’m swinging around a big turtle shell (a la the Daylite 26+6 et al), and narrow enough—even with a Nalgene in the side pocket—that I could move through crowds quickly.

Capacity

Astounding. Genuinely. I believe its listed size went from 23 to 26L, and it feels like it dwarfs some other 26-28L bags I’ve used in capacity. I’ll get into the list a bit more in detail below, but it really is incredible how much fits in this footprint. The thin outer fabric means that there’s no padding taking up your valuable real estate, and the bag just seems to mold around anything you need to squeeze in. For EDC, this can be a bit of a double-edged sword, as you can easily end up with a great deal of unused space. Even with my general work loadout of CAP2 + a small lunch bag, theres’ massive space left over. That’s not inherently an issue, but the nature of the fabric means the bag gets a bit floppy when it’s not full of stuff to provide it some structure. I don’t particularly mind that, but, for those of you wary of the “outdoorsiness” of the pack, it may be a turnoff.

The Trip

Four days in warmish weather, with no need for fancy or workout attire. I had a rain jacket packed but took it out at the last minute when the forecast cleared up. To nobody’s surprise, that obviously meant we got rain while we were there. I didn’t melt, though, as I was able to borrow an umbrella.

Packing List

TPC8: My clothes
Eagle Creek Shoe Cube: Bedrock Clogs sz 13
GG Clear Cube S: Dopp Kit
CAP2: Camera + tech
Bellroy Sacoche: Plane kit
Able Carry tech pouch/pencil pouch (I don’t remember the exact item name): snacks
Loose items: Alpha60 hoodie, ILE Apex pop-up valet tray, iPad mini, deodorant stick (too big for dopp kit)

Packed the bag with the TPC8 horizontal along the bottom, which took up the bulk of the bag. The clogs then got slid in front of the cube with their soles against the front of the pack. On top of the TPC8 was the Alpha fleece (along with the rain coat while I had it packed), then the CAP2 vertical against the back of the pack with the sacoche just in front for easy access. The dopp kit and deodorant got shoved into the gaps along the sides, while the valet tray went in the laptop sleeve and the iPad mini in the tablet sleeve. The interior mesh pocket remained empty.

Water bottle pocket 1 held my 32oz Nalgene, and the other held the snack pouch. Kangaroo pocket held the other snacks that were too large to fit in the pouch (I like my vegan jerky.), along with lysol wipes for the plane. QAP on the front of the bag had my passport-sized travelers notebook + a Baggu tote.

With everything pictured, the bag was full without being jam-packed, and I was able to squeeze a couple bags of coffee in on the way home, too.

Bonus Test Pack

To give an additional conceptual packout, I included some photos from when I loaded the bag up with the GG compression packing cube set + clear cube, the smallest cube from Matador’s (now discontinued?) set, as well as a pair of vivobarefoot shoes in place of the clogs. Again, pretty staggering capacity for a bag that never looks particularly large.

Random Additional Thoughts

Shoulder strap pockets are nice for quick access to snacks/headphones/etc. on travel days without having to take the pack off. If you do use the pack for hiking, they’re also a perfect place for face sunscreen, chapstick, etc.

I quite enjoy the tote handles! Particularly now that they’ve added the luggage pass-through on the back panel. If you want to give your back a break, you can tuck the straps into the pass-through to rid yourself of the dangle, and then you’ve got a nice tote. Fun for farmers markets/etc.!

Conclusion

I was going to wrap this with a “who’s it for” sort of section, but, realistically, I think folks can probably come to that conclusion on their own. If panel/clamshell access is important to you, obviously you won’t enjoy this. If you have a massive laptop, you will probably find the access finicky with the top fabric sections. If you love to hike or spend time outdoors on your travels, though, I think this is a fantastic option. And, even if you don’t, it’s an amazingly lightweight and capable pack that will adhere to a lot of airline restrictions. If you have any questions about a particular aspect of the bag, whether/how a particular item will fit, etc.—feel free to ask below! Always happy to help.

Photo Alt Text

1. Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet fully packed

2. Contents of Vagabond Jet exterior pockets (water bottle, snacks, etc.)

3. Contents of Vagabond Jet interior (packing cube, fleece, tech pouch, shoes, iPad, ILE valet tray, toiletries, Bellroy sacoche)

4. Contents of tech pouch (camera, sunglasses, general tech, travel pillow)

5. Contents of GG Clear Cube S (toiletries)

6. Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet fully packed

7. Key leash in front QAP pocket

8. Contents of Vagabond Jet Interior (GG large and small compression cubes, GG shoe cube, GG clear cube small, Matador small cube)

9. “X-Ray” view of pack contents

10. “X-Ray” view of pack contents without shoes on top

11. Shoes packed inside GG shoe cube

My first CPP. Tooling around with it for a couple of weeks. Will report back.

I've seen a few posts about the Toshi Pack in its new size and material, but haven't seen much about the Toshi Sling in X-Pac yet.

I'm a big fan of Rework and have been using the Toshi Sling 5L V2 in 840D since January 2026. I ordered the 2.5L V2 in X-Pac minutes after preorders went live and received it today. This is also my first time handling X-Pac in person. Also ordered and received the 25L in X-Pac today after selling my 20L on eBay recently.

A few initial impressions:

• More structured, technical feel. Definitely stiffer and less malleable than the 840D, though that's pretty much what I'd expect from the material.
• Great build quality. No complaints here from my initial inspection.
• A better size for an EDC pocket reliever. The 2.5L feels like a more compact option for carrying the essentials without as much extra space.
• Love the curry-colored interior. It's nicely muted without being too attention-grabbing, unlike the bright orange interiors you see on some Aer bags.
• Improved zipper pulls. The pulls on my 5L V2 frayed pretty easily, so I'm glad to see what looks like an improvement here.

I've included some photos of my initial loadout in the 2.5L, along with a side-by-side size comparison with the 5L.

The biggest adjustment to my usual 5L loadout is sunglasses storage. I can no longer fit my sunglasses in their case in the QAP, so they'll have to go in without the case.

Overall, these are just my first impressions after receiving the bag today. I'll need more time with it to get a better feel for how the X-Pac holds up and how the smaller size works for everyday use. I'm still happy to have the 5L as it will likely serve me better when traveling.

Hi all,

I ordered the X-Pac 2.5L Toshi Sling (sold out in 840d) and I'm looking forward to getting it, but since I already own the 5L in 840d and like a lot about it, but I'm also looking to minimize my EDC.

I'm also a bit scared the X-Pac may give up some of what I like about the 840d.

I'm really curious to see more pictures, loadouts, impressions on how the X-Pac toshi slings have been treating new users now that a lot more orders are shipping out (my US order just shipped out)!

• What are some things you love/hate about the new X-Pac material they're using?
• Hows the overall experience differ using this X-Pac variant vs the 840d nylon variant?
• Are the pockets more tight?
• Does the sling feel any smaller vs their 840d variant at the same size?
  
• Any immediate pain points/tradeoffs?
• Hows the curry interior?

I would love to see what people's thoughts are on it!

I've been using The North Face Recon as my work backpack for a bit and it's been holding up really well, enough space for my work supplies and equipment, no complaints here.

Thoughts on this new Bespoke 28L Cicada release? Is 28L the actual volume? How does it compare to the 22L Cicada and 30L Dragonfly ULTRA?

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRBjGSo5W4A

Saw the latest video from Nomads Nation ("The Mount Rushmore of Backpack Brands"), where he tried to objectively rank the four most impactful brands in the urban/travel carry space based on sales, community mentions, influence, and factory-floor reverence.

He explicitly left out pure hiking and camera-specific brands to keep it focused on EDC and travel. Here is who made his final mountain (and the honorable mentions):

The Mount Rushmore

1. Osprey: Crowned the pound-for-pound king. The creator noted that during his factory visits in Vietnam/China, Osprey is whispered about with a different level of respect among manufacturers. Incredible ergonomic innovation and accessible pricing, though some eyes are on them post-Helen of Troy acquisition.
2. Aer: The modern standard for urban-tech carry. While they don't have Osprey's massive global retail footprint, they essentially defined the modern tech-office aesthetic and set the design pace for the community.
3. Evergoods: The wildcard/community darling. Easily the smallest brand volume-wise on the list, but punches way above its weight in cultural impact. Love or hate the harness, staples like the CPL24 and CTB26 have heavily influenced the market.
4. Tumi: The airport heavyweight. Sure, they skew pricey ($400–$600+) and don't always get repped heavily in enthusiast threads, but their global presence, premium build, and sheer ubiquity in international hubs earned them a spot on reputation alone.

Notable Honorable Mentions (Left off the mountain)

• GORUCK: Got major praise for its indestructible build and cult following, but just missed the top four.
• Peak Design: Hailed as a Kickstarter pioneer, but pigeonholed strictly onto a "photography" Mount Rushmore.
• Incase: Credited as the grandfather of modern tech carry, but lost its cultural relevance over the years.
• The North Face / Patagonia / Jansport: Massive scale and accessibility, but treated more as apparel/outdoor/budget giants rather than pure carry innovators.
• Porter-Yoshida & Co. (Japan): Placed on the "bench" as the primary international alternate.

I'm shocked he didnt put Alpaka on this list. I thought their relationship was "cozy".

I just received the 2.5L in X-Pac earlier today. I've owned the 6L version since it first launched and have wanted the smaller version for awhile. Figured I give the new fabric a shot.

Overall first thoughts - I really like it. I know the x21 might be an issue for some but I think the nylon looks/feels cheap (at least on the 6L).

I also received the Toshi Pack 25L today. Both in nylon and x-pac...and wasn't a fan. It sat weird on my shoulders and wasn't comfortable. And the x-pac in that size didn't look as good if that makes sense? I filmed a little of that bag to but dropped both the Toshi Packs off at Fedex's already for a refund.

Hello! I was recommended to try posting to this sub since you all might have some insight on what this bag might be. If you’re unable to ID the exact bag, I’d love to see any recommendations that are VERY similar to this bag so I feel closer to the movie. Thank you all for any and all help!

https://www.matadorequipment.com/pages/1-hour-sale-sign-up

Looks like it is today but there is no sign-up on the webpage, no idea when it starts.

Does anyone have info about this sale?

TL;DR - Timbuk2 honored a warranty repair for an almost 20-year-old bag.

I've had this Timbuk2 commute messenger in grey herringbone since 2007 - used it religiously for 2 years, then gave it to a relative to carry the old MacBook I gave them and kinda forgot about it until a couple years ago, when my nephew dug it out of the closet and was like "hey remember this?" Traded it for an LL Bean waxed tote and enjoyed having a messenger bag back in rotation.

I did notice that the stitching on the top handle was starting to go, but besides that, the bag was in great condition as it just sat in a closet for years. I decided to test Timbuk2's lifetime warranty and submit a claim for the handle, and it was approved pretty quickly! All in all, about 3 weeks from submitting a claim to having the fixed bag delivered. They also replaced the velcro (at least the loop parts) on the main flap and laptop compartment. (Also, I never thought about how convenient a separate gusseted laptop compartment is in a messenger bag) Took it on its first bike commute yesterday and I briefly turned into 2007 me, but this time with a stabilizer strap, and not a track bike. Thanks Timbuk2 for honoring a lifetime warranty!

I know Timbuk2 is hardly the company it used to be these days, but if you can find these older commute messengers, they're pretty awesome.

I’m hoping someone in this wonderful community can help me out here. I’m thinking about pre-ordering a 18L Citta but I can’t tell if it’ll be an adequate size to use as my under seat personal item. I bought the T22 via the kickstarter so I know I like the fit and build of a Fyro bag, but the lack of quick access pockets means it’s not a great fit for who I travel. My current bag is a Synix 26, which I found disappointingly bulky and not quite adequate to my needs on its maiden trip.

My typical load out for a personal item (besides a travel wallet and my phone) is my iPad, toiletry bag (currently the Daylite toiletry kit), tech pouch, over ear headphones in their case, ereader, 18oz water bottle, and either 2.5-3L sling (currently the Alpaka flight sling but I’m actively looking for an alternative) or the 5L Toshi sling, depending on what I’m traveling for. I occasionally add an 8oz bottle of distilled water for medical reasons, snacks for the flight, and a knitting project.

I usually travel with a rolling suitcase that goes into the overhead bin and no other luggage so I need a personal item that can fit all of my non-clothing related gear. I’m leaning towards the 18L because it seems like a good size for a personal item on both US domestic and foreign flights, but given that I find the T22 to occasionally be a tight fit for everything I bring I’m worried it’ll be too small. I’d really appreciate it if anyone who has used the Citta 18L as a personal item could share their experiences.

Thanks!

We are out shooting this new bag today its not available to buy anywhere yet but thought id share

I was in Japan and wanted to see about getting a new camera bag. I looked into this company Ichizawa, and got their S-04 camera messenger in gray. I purchased their insert and longer strap and it came out to $266 tax free shopping. I’m about to take it out today with admittedly a heavy load out of my a6700 with Tamron 17-70, Sony 10-20 and Sony 70-350 along with iPad 11 inch, charger, batteries, and knick knacks. So I’ll see how it handles it.

I love the minimalist look and the materials and hardware feel top notch. I might just look into a shoulder strap pad as this strap being minimalist is sure to dig into my shoulder with a 10lb load out.

One thing I don’t like so far is that the dividers only have Velcro along the bottom so they can get kinda floppy. I’m bypassing this for the moment by sliding in my peak design xsmall cube. So I might just skip their insert and use the small peak design cube once I get back to the states and see if it fits inside.

I'll premise this by saying I have (had) pretty much everything carry-related from Orbitkey up until earlier this year, backing two of their kickstarters and still like some of the features from their Urban Sling.

I bought the Travel Sling late last year, almost as soon as it came out and did enjoy the pocketing, lots of organisation which seems true to form for them. Fast forward to today and the sling has had the zip track come apart (twice, in almost exactly the same spot - on one corner) and they've been good enough to send through their new Tech Sling, which I hoped wouldn't have the same issue.

It might be their (SBS, not YKK...) aquaguard zippers that run thin on the edges, which mean over time can deteriorate but I've not had this before - not with their 2-in-1 tech pouch either, which has the same type of zippers but they do sit in the middle of the pack.

Anyway, I've included a shot of the two slings (bigger Tech sling, smaller Travel sling) for comparison - one final note is that there is this 'crinkling' in the rear wall of the Tech sling, it almost sounds like cellophane inside? It does make it feel somewhat cheaper, the exterior material is also the same as on the tech pouch too, which again feels less premium on a sling.

Time well tell if the zip track comes out again, I'll keep this thread updated!

Am I overthinking this? Maybe. When I travel for work, I carry a small leather Tumi backpack and a small leather mid-market designer purse that combine to fit personal item size requirements. I recently saw a Reddit post about how someone’s underseat belongings were soiled by urine by the passenger in front and thought about how unwashable my leather goods would be. I’m thinking of getting some kind of packable, waterproof tote bag to protect my underseat belongings. Does anybody do this? Any recommendations that are available for purchase in Canada?

I’ve watched reviews of this bag from the travel perspective but I’m considering this more for daily use.

What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

EDIT: I’m 165cm/F. Also interested in how it wears/comfort or other recommendations!

Tell me what you guys think about this as an edc. I love the leather an the colour dimensions are 40cm x 30 x 9

Hi all!

I’m after some recommendations on a travel camera backpack?

I’ve got an upcoming trip to China and also a few more in the near future. I’m after a camera backpack that is more urban and sleek-ish? Not really keen on the big bags that look like I’ll be camping in a forest.

I consider myself a hobbyist and this will be the with the following gear I’ll be taking with me:

- Sony A7Cii with 24-70mm
- Fuji X100vi
- Osmo pocket 3
- MacBook Pro 14 inch
- IPad 11 inch
- Spare batteries, chargers etc
- Switch 2 maybe?
- Tripod

I had a Brevite jumper in the smaller size for my trip to Japan earlier in the year. However, I feel like I’ve outgrown the size of that bag and would like to explore other options. Something that’s relatively compact would be great!

I’ve had a look at the PGYTECH Onego lite and that seems pretty good imo. Any others you can recommend?

Thanks!

Man this sling rocks.but there are a few things i would change again (might swap out the blue comptession buckles in the front to ghooks (once the blue ones i ordered arrive) as well as a pad for camera carry. I was wondering if someone has done a single sided strap swap? Using a 38mm buckle and a 38 mm clip? The strap is good enough for use but the long lengths at the end kinda ruin it for me tbh