Osprey Transporter™ Travel Pack 36

Dependable Travel Backpack for Long and Short Trips

After traveling with a 45L pack that was too heavy for me on my last trip to Europe I was looking for a smaller, more manageable pack. Osprey’s Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 has been an ideal traveling companion for long and short trips. Somehow it’s both spacious and compact, with room and organization for all my clothes, toiletries, and gadgets.

Suitcase Space With Backpack Convenience

The 36L Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 weights just over three pounds, is carry-on friendly (19.3H X 16.5W X 12.6D IN.), and features a clam-shell style opening for easy packing. I like having the packing options of a suitcase in a backpack because I prefer wearing a bag rather than carrying it (although this pack can be carried like a suitcase, used with an additional shoulder strap, and slipped onto the handle of a large wheeled suitcase). Also, I travel with a lot of outdoor gear, so I tend to put my gear, toys, and shoes (including two wetsuits, assorted neoprene accessories, a tow buoy, water shoes, goggles, snorkel, a large Turkish towel, and more) in my checked luggage, then I use this pack for my clothes and any items I need during the first few days of my trip. 

Both of the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36’s main packing compartments are sealed with zippered mesh covers that keep things in place without adding significant weight or bulk. On my way to Sweden last month I used the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 as a carry-on bag, filling it with compression packing cubes stuffed with clothing. During my travels within Sweden I have experimented with packing clothes directly into the pack on one side, then using small packing and/or compression cubes on the other side for smaller items like hats, gloves, neck gaiters, and scarves. I think I prefer eschewing the cubes with this pack because it allows me to layer and pack in a way that fills up the corners of the bag better. 

The Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 allows me to haul a lot of gear as a carry-on bag, and it’s ideal as a weekend or week-long getaway bag. I can easily fit these items into the pack: three pairs of pants (thermal sweatpants, jeans, chinos), two pairs of shorts, and a sports bra in the main compartment and three packing cubes in the top compartment that contain: two pairs of gloves, a wool hat, a swim top, swim shorts, a swimsuit, four pairs of socks, six scarves, two neck gaiters, a merino hoodie, merino long johns, merino jacket, merino short sleeve t-shirt, and an ultra-thin post-swim kaftan. Alternately, I can fit my 3/2 wetsuit, goggles, and snorkel into the smaller packing compartment instead of the three packing cubes. Either way, this pack holds enough clothes for a week-long trip, especially when I pack merino tops that can be worn for five or six days at a time before they need to be washed.

Gadget Compartments

Because I never travel without my devices, I appreciate the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36’s dedicated laptop compartment. I always pack my 13” MacBook Air into its own case before I place it into a pack, and I was happy to find that my case fit into the sleeve (there’s space for a 16” laptop). Both the compartment and the sleeve are lightly padded and designed to hold the laptop a couple of inches above the bottom of the pack so that my Precious doesn’t crash against the floor when I put down the pack. If I don’t overstuff the main compartments, I have enough room in the laptop compartment for a couple of notebooks and my iPad mini, too.

On the top of the pack there is a flat compartment where I stash a bag with all my prescriptions medications (which I have emptied into Ziplock bags for easier transport). Inside the compartment there are a few flat sleeves were I stash my earbuds case and my laptop charger. A contrast colored lanyard holds my keys for me. I know that almost all packs have these, but I desperately need them, and I appreciate when brands make them very visible. There is a flat zippered pocket on the bottom of this pouch where I store my passport, a mask, and my wallet. It feels very secure. 

Overall, these two compartments worked well for me, but I wish that the laptop compartment was on the front of the pack since I usually put my pack into train luggage racks and airplane overhead bins with the straps down, which leads me to worrying that there will be too much weight on my most expensive possession. I also wanted a bit more volume for that top pouch and maybe a bit of padding in the inner sleeves of that pouch. It’s pretty slim and flat, so it would be nice to gain an inch, allowing me to use my padded chargers pouches. 

Extra Stash Pockets

The Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 has two extra stash pockets that I found incredibly useful, thanks to my last-minute packing approach. The top pouch is located on the top of the pack, and runs the width of the pack. It’s just deep enough to hold my reading glasses, my sleep mouthguard (which I am never without), and an extra asthma inhaler. When I take weekend trips, it’s usually where I put deodorant, toothpaste, and other toiletries. 

There’s also a large zippered pocket on the side of the pack that is just the right size for my medium-sized water bottle and small pouch that holds various cords and adapters (or a larger water bottle). When I use the pack as a carry-on bag I stuff it with last-minute items: an extra pair of socks or my padded gadget bag containing my water camera. For short trips, it’s where my water bottle and snacks live. 

Yoga to Go

When I travel I tend to accumulate things, and this trip is no different. My knees and back are screaming at me from all my time on my bicycle, so I bought a yoga mat. The problem is: I can’t carry one more thing! Not a problem with the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36. The pack has very durable nylon loops on the top and front of the bag that allow me to strap the mat in place with a bungee cord from my bike basket. I’m not great at taking the time to roll the mat into a neat bundle, but it stays in place! 

Weatherproofed

I tend to jump into using test items without reading the instructions because I want to experience the product without being influenced by what I know about it, so I was thrilled to witness the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 toughness on the night I arrived in Sweden. After a disastrous sendoff (that included having my car towed to a mechanic’s lot at midnight the night before I departed, losing two credit cards that same day, and moving items into my storage locker just a couple of hours before I had to be at the airport), I arrived in Sweden at 11:30pm in the middle of a downpour. I foolishly took the train to the station nearest my accommodations rather than to the central station (where there are always cabs waiting), assuming I’d be able to order a cab on my phone. When my cell phone didn’t actually work, and I was beyond exhausted, I begged a stranger to get a cab for me. He did, but it never arrived. Or maybe it did, but I couldn’t find it. Meanwhile, I wandered in the deluge, moving from location to location, getting drenched and upset. The falafel sandwich in my pocket was soaked, I was starving, and I was beyond worried that my devices were going to get waterlogged. I ended up sitting down to cry, then I composed myself and took the train back to the central station, where I found a cab. I was too stressed to even check inside my bags for damage.

By the time I checked in at my apartment I was sure that my laptop wouldn’t even turn on, but it was totally dry on the insides of the compartments! Although the zippers are not waterproofed, the outside of the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 is, so I was very excited to see that the water had just rolled off the surfaces, thanks to the carbonate coating. 

The Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 is made out of bluesign® APPROVED 630D NanoTough™ material. It’s a100% recycled, ripstop high-tenacity nylon, and the bottom of the bag is made out of bluesign® APPROVED 840D NanoTough™ material that is 100% recycled high-tenacity nylon. The coated material has a smooth, almost shiny, feel to it, which is very different than other bags I have used in the past that have a more textured feel from the woven nylon. I read on the Osprey website that the DWR coating is free of PFAS. That is good to know because we need to stop using forever chemicals that pollute our land and water. 

Versatility and Durability

I have already used the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 in two ways: as a carry-on bag and as my only bag for short trips. Its deep main compartment allows me to pack the clothes I need, as well as a pair of shoes if I want to take fewer clothes. I plan on using it in colder weather to transport my open water swimming gear to remote lakes when the temperatures drop and I will need lots of warm clothes to put on post-swim. 

I appreciate that I can carry the bag in a few different ways and that I can grab the bag off of a luggage rack using the top or side nylon handle. The bag has adequate dense padding in the shoulder straps and on the back of the pack that make if comfortable to carry, the straps are adjustable, and there’s a waist strap that I can remove from its hiding place to make the pack more secure. If I want to check the bag for my return flight (which I will likely do because it will be full of clothes and gifts), I can pack the straps into a zippered panel on the back of the bag.

I’ve been impressed by the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36’s durability. The seams have not leaked or bulged, the zippers, while not waterproof, are very hearty, and the zipper pulls make accessing the bag’s compartments quick and easy. All of the nylon straps used on the bag are an inch wide or wider, and after a month of use do not show any signs of wear. This is a solid bag that carries a lot and still feels comfortable to wear. Some packs can be so deep that I hit things when I move around, but the Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 is just the right depth to hold a lot but not feel unwieldy on my back. I’m six feet tall and have a very long torso. I found it very simple to adjust the straps for a good fit.

Since I’ll be in my current location for a month and because I bought a bicycle when I arrived in Sweden, I shipped my suitcase from my last location to my new one and rode my bike, Pinky, to the train station, baskets loaded with groceries and items I was too lazy to pack into my suitcase. I’ve been surprised by how well I can manage riding the bike with the pack on my back. I was worried it would be too heavy or interfere with my balance, but it worked well for the two to four miles I had to ride between the train station and my apartment.

Bottom Line

The Transporter™ Travel Pack 36 has been ideal for all types of outings and for travel lasting from a few days to a few months. It would help if I was better at packing so I could carry less stuff, but it’s been very easy to travel with this bag. Most packs and suitcases are too heavy for me once I pack them, but this bag is manageable. 

I have hauled it, strapped it onto my back, cycled miles wearing it, dropped it, dragged it, and placed it on many dirty surfaces. It repels dirt and water. Nothing sticks to it. If I was worried about germs, I could wipe the bag down with a some cleanser and a cloth. It’s been a most useful travel companion!

DETAILS

Volume: 36 L

Dimensions: 19.3H X 16.5W X 12.6D IN.  (49H X 42W X 32D CM)

Weight: 3.22 lbs (1.46 KG)

Available in four color palettes: Frosty Mint/Soundwave Grey, Blue Flame/Nocturnal Blue, Raven Black/Black, Euphoria Purple.

Brand: osprey.com

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main image from osprey.com