Best 40L Travel Backpacks | 2024 Updated Guide

Are you looking for the best travel 40 litres backpack for your next adventure?

Whether you are traveling interstate or overseas, you need a travel backpack that is light, durable, and within your budget.

We have put together a list of travel backpack that suits male or female. These 40L travel backpacks have different features and different price points that will suit your budget and requirements.

Why should you consider a 40L travel backpack?

40L backpack allows you to maximize your carry on space in your travel backpack without having to check in your backpack.

It also allows enough space for you to most of the things you need for your vacation. You will be able to easily fit 12-15kgs of items in your bag and you will be able to fit your laptop or your tablet as well.

What should you look for in a 40L travel backpack?

Weight – You need to look for a backpack that is lightweight. Not only will you be carrying less weight but you will save some weight of the backpack that you can use to carry other items.

Comfortable design – A well-designed travel backpack will take the weight off your shoulder or your back and distribute evenly. You should look for a well-padded back and good back support with straps.

Storage space – You will want to utilize as much space as possible in the travel backpack. A good design of the backpack will allow you to maximize the space inside the backpack and also allow you to pack and unpack your items easily.

Safety – The safety of your items is really important when you are choosing a backpack. There are cheap materials of backpacks that can be slashed easily and there are quality materials used in backpacks which makes it a bit more difficult for someone to take your belongings.

Here is our review of the best 40L travel backpacks that you should consider to buy in 2021.

Best travel 40L backpack (table format)

BrandSizeWeightFeaturesMax Laptop SizeGenderPrice
Asenlin18.5 x 12.5 x 9.5 inches3.08 lbsFlight Approved Luggage
Water Resistant Bag
3 Storage Bags
15 inchUnisexCheck Price
Volher 18.00 x 13.00 x 8.00 inches2.20 lbsWater Resistant
Secret Pocket
Charge Port
15 inchUnisexCheck Price
Vancropak 20 x 14 x 7 inches2.95 lbsExpandable
Secure Pocket
Water Resistant
17 inchUnisexCheck Price
Eagle Creek22.00 x 14.00 x 9.00 inches3.31 lbsLifetime warranty
Good padding
Quality material
17 inchFemaleCheck Price
Dinictis 19.6 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches2.64 lbsBack strap
Carry like backpack or suitcase
Protective foam for laptop
15 inchUnisexCheck Price
AER22 x 14 x 9 inches4.4 lbsMultiple carry option
Duffel-style
Durable 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior
15 inchUnisexCheck Price
Osprey Farpoint 4022 x 14 x 9 inches3 lbsDuffel-style backpack
Comfortable shoulder straps
Lockable padded laptop compartment
15 inchUnisexCheck Price
Kelty Women’s Redwing24 x 15 x 6 inches2.10 lbsStrong HDPE frame sheet
Load lifter straps
Hybrid-loading top or side
17 inchFemaleCheck Price
Pacsafe Vibe 407.09 x 13.78 x 19.69 inches2.25 lbsCut-resistant material
Ant-theft design
Nylon, Polyester material
15 inchUnisexCheck Price

Best 40L Carry On Backpack for Travel

If you are time-poor and don’t have enough time to read the whole article, then you should consider below 40L travel backpacks for your next trip.

Best women’s 40L travel backpackKelty Women’s Redwing 40 Backpack is a well-padded and well-ventilated travel backpack specifically designed for women travelers.

Best men’s 40L travel backpackOsprey Farpoint 40 is a solid duffel-style backpack with comfortable shoulder straps.

Best budget 40L travel backpackDinictis 40L travel backpack has good back support with a back strap. You can carry it like a backpack or suitcase and it has protective foam to protect your laptop or tablet.

Interested to find out details of the 40L travel backpack so you can choose the best travel backpack, then please keep reading.

Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack

This backpack can hold up to 7 clothes as well as a pair of shoes. It has a separate space where you can keep your laptop.

The 3 storage bags are handy to organize your bag. There is also space where you can put your water bottle or an umbrella.

This bag has got a reflective safety strip which is a good safety feature to have on travel bags.

This company claims to have upgraded their bag several times and used multiple tests to ensure they provide a high-quality product.

Key Features:

  • Comes with three storage bags to organize your things
  • It has a pocket to hold a 17inch laptop
  • It can either be fixed on the trunk pole or you can carry by hand
  • Made from high quality polyester oxford cloth material
  • It is water-proof and it has explosion-proof zipper

Volher 40L Travel Backpack

This water-resistant 40l travel bag has a strap at the back of the bag which can be used to securely attach the travel bag to a suitcase so that you won’t need to carry your bag.

There is a hidden pocket at the back of the travel bag which has been cleverly designed so you can keep your most important items securely in this pocket.

There are 2 elasticized mesh pockets on the side of the bags that are great for things like water bottles and umbrellas.

When you are traveling you will need to charge your phone on the go. This bag has a USB charger port with a convenient external connection so you can charge your phone easily.

There is also an interface for headphones so you can listen to music or talk to someone while traveling.

This bag has good padding throughout the bag where it needs to including the back and shoulder strap so you can carry the weight comfortably.

There is a separate compartment to carry your laptop or your tablet as well.

Features

  • Back strap to secure the bag to a rolling luggage
  • Hidden pocket at the back helps secure important items
  • Side messed pockets for your umbrella or your water bottles
  • Charge port or headphone interface
  • Multiple padding on the back and shoulder straps for support

Vancropak 40L Travel Backpack

This is an expandable bag that can be expanded from 20147 inches (23L) to 21149 inches (40L) by opening up the zippers.

This travel bag is an ergonomically designed bag that helps to take the pressure off your shoulder and neck by introducing padding on the top back of the bag.

There is a handle to carry the backpack as a bag or simply carry it as a backpack.

It also has a zipped compartment inside the bag to keep your important items like your passports and your wallet.

It complies with flight regulations and IATA flight maximum size requirements.

Features

  • Expandable design that looks like a suitcase
  • Sponge padding to protect laptop or tablet
  • Water-resistant backpack
  • Detachable zipped pocket at the back to secure important items
  • Ergonomic design that can fit 17.3 inch laptop

Eagle Creek 40L Travel Backpack

Eagle Creek is priced at a higher-end however they offer a lifetime warranty for their travel bag. They use quality durable 450D Geo Ripstop, Bi-Tech and 600D Helix Poly material which makes the bag last for a long time.

This 40L travel bag has large openings that have two packing compartments so you can separate your things easily. You can keep your dirty clothes or shoes on the bottom compartment and your clean things on the top.

They use quality self-repairing zippers and their top zippers can also link to their central lock point making the bag extra secure.

This travel backpack is made for women and they have added extra padding to make this backpack more comfortable to carry.

You can store your 17-inch laptop in the main compartment where it has extra padding and protection for your electronic device.

Features

  • Lifetime warranty
  • Well padded backpack
  • Stylish backpack to suit female travelers
  • Carry it like a suitcase or a backpack
  • Good size to fit 17 inch laptop

Dinictis 40L Travel Backpack

This is a polyester backpack with nylon lining. It has a shoulder strap that is hidden which allows a traveler to carry the backpack or lift it to carry it around.

There are trolley straps available which allows easy travel.

The protective foam-padded compartment is ideal to store a 15-inch laptop or a tablet.

The front side of the bag which is a separate compartment makes it easy to organize your items.

Features

  • Multipurpose front pocket can accommodate small items like mobile, glasses
  • Sponge padded compartment for laptop or tablet
  • The main compartment is separated by a mesh inner compartment which can be used for small items
  • Side pocket for umbrella or water bottle
  • Back straps to help distribute evenly

AER Capsule Pack Max 40L

AER started their company from a crowdfunding project in 2014. Their initial design idea was that they wanted to combine an office bag and a gym bag.

Capsule pack max is a 40L travel bag. It is a duffel-styled carry-on backpack that is spacious and stylish. You can carry this travel backpack in multiple ways.

It is a durable travel backpack that is made of 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon exterior and YKK® AquaGuard® zippers.

There is a laptop pocket with a soft lining that fits up to a 15.6″ laptop. The straps are ergonomically designed and the shoulder strap is removable.

The backpack has a padded mesh back panel that gives a feel of fresh air in the backpack.

If you are looking for a bit smaller travel backpack then you should check out 35L AER Travel Pack 2.

Features:

  • Durable bag exterior made with 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon
  • Ergonomically designed straps
  • Spacious storage with duffel-style main compartment
  • Multiple way to carry the backpack
  • Long lasting YKK® AquaGuard® zippers

Osprey Farpoint 40 Men’s Travel Backpack

This backpack is made out of light wire frame suspension that helps to transfer the heavy load that you are carrying from the harness to the hip belt making carrying the load comfortable.

The back panel has a mesh that improves the airflow. The outside of the bag has a zipper which makes it easy to organize your items.

This bag has a dual front compression strap and also dual front mesh pockets which are useful to keep your water bottle and umbrella.

There are padded handles on the side and the top of the backpack that gives options to carry the backpack in a couple of different ways that you feel comfortable.

There is a zipper back flap that can be zipped for extra protection of the backpack from different weather conditions.

There is a separate lockable compartment to keep your laptop and tablet securely away from the rest of your items.

Features

  • Duffel-style backpack with large internal compartment
  • Suits carry on size for most airlines
  • Padded compartment for laptop or tablet
  • Pocket for for sunglasses or devices keep them scratch-free
  • Shoulder straps, stowaway, and hip belt with a rear flap which can be zipped are available to carry this backpack comfortably

Kelty Women’s Redwing 40L Backpack

Kelty Women’s Redwing 40L backpack is quilt-through construction and a rugged polyester taffeta shell that is made for the bag to last long.

This 40L travel backpack comes with a smart hybrid-loading design you can load and unload your items from the top or the side of the backpack.

There is a top pocket available for small items and the front pocket can be accessed easily for your jumper or bigger items which you may need to load or unload frequently.

There is a front compartment for electronic devices and there is a handle on the front of the backpack so you can carry the backpack easily.

If you need to carry your trekking poles or walking sticks, there are loops on the side of the backpack to store them.

On the side of the backpack, there are secure side pockets that are decent size compartments. Below the side pockets, you will find stretchy pockets that are useful to carry your water bottle or umbrellas.

Inside the backpack, you will find a sleeve to store your laptop or your hydration pack.

The shoulder straps and hip belts are built for women’s shape so it is comfortable when you are on the move.

To keep the load stable, this backpack provides an aluminum stay and dynamic airflow back panel.

Features

  • Comfortable shoulder and load lifter straps
  • Hex Mesh back panel so it’s well ventilated
  • A compartment can be used for laptop or hydration sleeve
  • Hybrid-loading design so you can pack and unpack from top or side of the backpack
  • Rugged polyester taffeta shell makes this bag sturdy and comfortable to carry

Pacsafe Vibe 40L

Pacsafe vibe is a 40 litre travel backpack that comes in Granite Melange, Grey Camo, Jet Black colours.

This travel backpack is made from Nylon, Polyester and it has a Polyester lining. This means it is a cut-resistant material to keep your belonging safe. This backpack is made of lightweight mesh inlay so it is durable and easy to carry.

It is a backpack that can be carried like a suitcase or a backpack so you get a choice of how you want to carry your bag.

It has well-padded shoulder straps and it has a waist and sternum strap that allows this bag to be carried comfortably.

It has a clever design that allows the wire reinforced shoulder strap to be securely locked with a padlock to a safe place where you can safely store your valuable belongings.

Additionally, if you want to store your credit card or IDs in a safe place, this backpack provides an RFID blocking pocket in the backpack.

Features

  • Cut resistant material
  • RFID safe pocket
  • Carry like a suitcase or backpack
  • 15″ shoulder drop to carry the backpack comfortably
  • Nylon, Polyster, Polyester lining for durability

FAQs about 40L travel backpack

Can you carry on a 40L backpack?

Most of the airlines will allow you to carry on a 40L travel backpack.

If you are able to carry on a backpack, it will help you to check out early, get out of the airport without waiting for your luggage and best of all it may save you some money if you are flying with budget airlines that charge extra fees for luggage.

Is 40L backpack enough?

40L is a good size to carry most of the things that you need for your next trip. Whether you are traveling locally, interstate, or internationally, you will be able to fit a lot of things in a 40L travel backpack.

How to maximize space in your travel backpack?

  • Pack only important thing you need. If you can buy something at the destination, do that.
  • Packing cubes are a great way to save space. It also allows you to separate your dirty clothes from your clean ones.
  • Consider rolling some clothes to save space.

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Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a travel backpack for women, men, or unisex, we hope this article has provided you with a guide to buying a travel backpack for your next trip.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop us a note in the comment section below.

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