Howdy BIFL-ers and fellow travelers. I put together a comprehensive list of all the exceptional carry on travel bag companies on the market. This list emphasizes brands that strive to produce packs with the highest quality, use only the best materials, craftsmanship, all while offering complete lifetime warranties, and suburb customer service. If you want more information, this guide is also available on my site with photos and links to specific backpacks.
What Type Of Bags Are In This List?
For this list I focus on brands that make travel friendly backpacks in the “max-carry” category. Generally this means backpacks with carry on dimensions in the 33-45 liter range, with panel loading, or duffel bag styles, and multiple carry options including carry handles, shoulder straps, and/or backpack straps.
Companies must have a full lifetime warranty against defects in materials and manufacturing; stand by the guarantee for the entire duration of the product, or the owners lifetime (hence BIFL); use only the highest quality fabrics and materials; have an excellent reputation for warranty repairs; and offer superb customer service.
Which Brands Aren’t On This List?
I wanted to focus on travel brands that are going to be a good option for “most people”. Meaning affordable, high quality, and functional for carry on travel. There are a lot of specialty brands on the market that make outstanding travel bags. However I don’t think a very heavy, expensive, leather or waxed canvas duffel bag with brass hardware is a good option for “most people.” I realize this is subjective, so feel free to disagree.
Where Did I Get My Information?
I have experience with many, but not all, of the companies on this list. Most of my information comes from reading company warranty information, emails with manufacturers, independent product reviews, and the good folks on subreddits such as this one, as well as r/onebag, r/backpacks, and r/ManyBaggers.
A Note On Lifetime Warranties
While a company may have a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship for life, they are not all created equal. Manufacturers often have caveats on what is covered (defects, wear and tear), to whom the warranty applies (original owner or any owner), and how long the warranty will last (lifetime of the owner, or “practical lifetime of product”).
BIFL Ratings
Because of the wide range of warranty policies, materials used, and customer service experiences, I broke companies into two categories:
A Rating
These companies offer true BIFL full lifetime warranties for any owner, not just the original owner. They stand by their products to the very end, offering a guarantee that is over and above the industry standard. They have exceptional customer service, and will generally cover any problem, for any reason, forever. They use only the highest quality sourced materials, fabrics, and accessories on their products. Their customer service is fantastic, and they will bend over backwards to ensure you are satisfied.
B Rating
Runners up. These companies offer full lifetime warranties, covering all defects in materials or manufacturing. They have caveats however. For example, the warranty might only apply to the original owner, or only offer a warranty on the “practical lifetime of the product,” which is determined by the company. The materials used are generally good, but may not be the highest quality available. With some exceptions, customers are generally happy with these companies and their products.
BIFL Travel Brands In Alphabetical Order (A Rating)
Cotopaxi
Type of warranty: 61 year full warranty, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: 61 years
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: They pay
Policy Information: https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/contact
The 61 year warranty is a tongue-in-cheek way of saying lifetime, as 61 years is the average lifespan of a person in the developing world. For practical purposes, I consider this to be a full lifetime warranty.
Cotopaxi uses 1000D TPU-coated polyester, and 1680D ballistic nylon in the Allpa 35, as well as reinforced handles and lockable YKK zippers. They also have great customer service, the “llama” team is both fun and helpful.
Eagle Creek
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship, also covers product failure regardless of cause
Duration: Practical life of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: They pay
Policy Information: https://www.eaglecreek.com/warranty.html
Eagle Creek offers a robust No Matter What™ warranty, which covers defects in craftsmanship and materials for the entire life of the product. They will repair or replace your bag due to product failure for regardless of reason, even if it’s your fault. They will even pay for shipping.
Evergoods
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://evergoods.us/pages/warranty
A true connoisseur of the manufacturing process will appreciate the level of detail that goes into Evergoods products. From 500D high tenacity nylon, Zote EV50 foams, to lightweight aluminum paneling, their products are built to last.
Filson
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical life of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: They pay
Policy Information: https://www.filson.com/guarantee
Filson bags are constructed using sturdy materials built to last a lifetime, including solid brass zippers and hardware, bridle leather straps, durable waxed cotton twill fabric, and high denier nylon. Filson backs up their materials and craftsmanship with a full lifetime guarantee that covers any owner, for the life of the product.
GoRuck
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or manufacturing, including reasonable wear and tear
Duration: Forever
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: Yes
Shipping: You pay
Policy Information: https://www.goruck.com/scars-lifetime-guarantee/
GoRuck offers arguably one of best products in the industry, and is considered to be the “gold standard” in quality by many minimalist travelers. Goruck uses the best materials, including 1000D Cordura® nylon, beefy YKK zippers, and their double stitched seams are tested at over 400 lbs.
As like most companies, the guarantee does not cover excessive use, or unusual circumstances, and they will not fix your pack forever for any reason. But their liberal use of the guarantee means that unlike most companies, they will fix your bag for almost any reason, either for free, or for a reasonable price.
Jansport
Type of warranty: Full lifetime
Duration: As long as you own it
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: Yes
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.jansport.com/customer-service/lifetime-warranty.html
Another true lifetime warranty. Jansport will basically cover any repair your bags needs, for life. They will charge you for non-warranty repairs, if the damage is something obviously unrelated to the bag’s use. But in most cases, they will just repair your bag, or send you a new one.
LL. Bean
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: As long as you own it
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/513705?page=null
In February 2018, L.L. Bean discontinued their famous lifetime guarantee, to guard against fraud and abuse. However they still have one of the best warranties in the business. They stand behind everything they sell, and will cover defects for life. You still have one year to return any product for any reason, with proof of the original purchase.
Mission Workshop
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays to send it, they pay return shipping
Policy Information:https://missionworkshop.com/pages/lifetime-warranty
Designed with the biker in mind, Mission Workshop bags also work well as One Bags because they are designed to be both robust, and waterproof. Constructed with the highest quality materials, bags like The Fitzroy utilize 100D nylon, urethane coated zippers, and a sturdy internal frame sheet. They back up their products with a full lifetime warranty that covers any owner.
Mystery Ranch
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical life of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.mysteryranch.com/guarantee-warranty-repair
The founder Dana Gleason has been making some of the best packs on the market since the 1970’s, and some of the original packs are still in use. He started Mystery Ranch in 2000 and began focusing on packs for the military and wildland firefighters. Their travel packs use a 500D nylon Cordura® similar to the material in their military and fire packs. To say these packs are great is an understatement.
Osprey
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, any reason, any product, any era*
Duration: Life of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: Yes, but cosmetic wear and tear not covered
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.osprey.com/us/en/customer-support/all-mighty-guarantee
Another favorite among onebaggers, Osprey makes great products, and backs them up with a fantastic warranty. The All Mighty Guarantee, covers rips, tears, and broken parts, for any reason. Their packs use materials focusing on being strong and lightweight, the Farpoint for example uses 210D ripstop nylon combined with 600D packcloth.
*One point worth mentioning is their guarantee isn’t the same in every country. It doesn’t necessarily cover the bag if damage occurred outside of the native country. This could be important for international travelers, as damage in SE Asia won’t be covered if the pack was purchased in the US.
Patagonia
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, for any reason
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.patagonia.com/ironclad-guarantee.html
The Patagonia warranty is purposefully short, only 3 sentences. They guarantee everything they make, period. They use two main materials for their travel bags, ballistic nylon, and polyester ripstop. The Headway MLC 45L uses heavy 940D Cordura® ballistic nylon, where the Black Hole version of this bag and the duffel use weather-resistant TPU laminated 900D ripstop polyester.
Red Oxx
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, unconditional, no questions asked
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: Yes
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://help.redoxx.com/article/6-our-warranty
I have never owned a Red Oxx product, but everything I read about them is overwhelmingly positive. Their bags are all hand made in Montana, they use 1000D Cordura® nylon, large #10 YKK self-locking zippers, and stainless steel snaps. They back up their products with a “No Bull” warranty, covering any issue, for any owner, for life.
Tom Bihn
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.tombihn.com/pages/contact-us#faq47
Tom Bihn is probably the most recommended brand on r/onebag, a subreddit specializing in minimalist and one bag travel. I have owned the Tristar for about 3 years now, it’s been all over the world, including a camel ride through the desert of Morocco, and it still looks brand new.
Their bags are built to last, with 1050D ballistic nylon (Tristar and Aeronaut), ripstop nylon lining, large YKK water repellent zippers, and beefy buckles and handles. Tom Bihn backs up their quality with a full lifetime warranty, covering any owner of their products.
Runners Up (B Rating)
These companies all offer full lifetime warranties that cover defects in material or craftsmanship, but there is some caveat. Many of these companies will only cover the original owner of the pack, they might be a newer company with an unproven track record, or they might have mixed reviews from independent customers.
Aer
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in material or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.aersf.com/warranty/
Aer makes great products and has a great warranty, however they have only been around since 2014, not long enough to cement their BIFL status. Their lifetime warranty also only covers the original owner. Their bags are built to last though, the Aer Travel Pack 2 is constructed with ultra-durable 1680D ballistic nylon, large YKK zippers, and Duraflex hardware.
Boundary Supply
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in material or craftsmanship
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Implied any owner in FAQ*
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://www.boundarysupply.com/pages/faq2
The Boundary Supply line is pretty exciting, with their modular Prima System, and new X-Pac bag line. But again, they have only been in existence since 2016. Not long enough to determine their BIFL status.
*Note: The Boundary Supply policy does not address who is covered under the lifetime warranty, the original owner, or any owner. I did not receive an answer after emailing the company for clarification. This reflects poorly on their customer service rating.
Chrome Industries
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy information:https://www.chromeindustries.com/warranty/
This one was debatable, Chrome almost made the A-List, but a few small points made me put them down here. Chrome bags definitely use highly durable materials, but some sources on r/BuyItForLife have mixed thoughts on the quality. The fact that their warranty only covers the original owner is the clincher. I believe a company should stand by their product, no matter who owns it.
eBags
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.ebags.com/help/warrantyebags
Many owners consider eBags to be a BIFL brand, they make great bags popular with many one baggers. They do have a full lifetime warranty, but it only applies to the original owner. Their bags are durable and well made, but the materials they use are vague, the TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible has YKK zippers, but is constructed with a “poly fabric” material.
Greenroom136
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials and craftsmanship
Duration: Life of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.greenroom136.com/tnc
Greenroom136 is a small company out of Malaysia. They use 1000D Cordura nylon (same denier as GoRuck), and durable YKK zippers and hardware. For all practical purposes it appears they should be a BIFL brand, but because I don’t own one of their bags, and there are fewer mentions of them on r/BuyItForLife, it is hard to assess their reputation.
While the warranty states it does not cover wear and tear, most repairs are done free of charge. They will charge you if they need to replace a product. The one downside is they are headquartered in Malaysia, and shipping for warranty repairs can be expensive.
Gregory
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials and craftsmanship
Duration: As long as you own it
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://www.gregorypacks.com/Warranty.html
Gregory appears to be another great brand for travel, although I have yet to try one of their packs. Most reviewers and comments on subreddits seem to be positive. However Gregory is a little vague about the materials they use, for example the Praxus 45 and the Border 35 both use a “durable nylon fabric” and have “zipper closures.” I’m not sure if this is a result of them being a large company, that is required to outsource material from several different manufacturers or if they don’t want to disclose the material for another reason.
High Sierra
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials and craftsmanship
Duration: As long as you own it
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://shop.highsierra.com/WarrantyRepairs.html
For the price, High Sierra makes great packs and uses (mostly) good materials. They are well known for their school style backpacks, outdoor packs, and rolling luggage, but they do make a few bags I would consider as good for One Bag travel. The AT8 Convertible Carry On is made out of 840 denier nylon, but the Vulna Travel Pack doesn’t disclose the material. They have a full lifetime warranty, but it only covers the original owner.
MEI (Mountain Equipment Inc.)
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: As long as you own it
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://meipacks.myshopify.com/pages/warranty-return-policy
MEI has been producing hand-made travel backpacks since the 1980’s. They use high quality materials, including 1000D Cordura® nylon, EVA foam, and durable rubber handles. Because they are made by hand MEI bags are customizable, you can add a water bottle pocket, padded laptop sleeve, or a different color. These bags are BIFL with the excpetio
Peak Design
Type of warranty: Full lifetime warranty
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Any owner
Wear and tear: Yes, but does not cover cosmetic wear and tear
Shipping: They pay
Policy Information: https://support.peakdesign.com/hc/en-us/articles/201695743-Lifetime-Product-Warranty
For all practical purposes, Peak Design should be a BIFL company, they use quality materials and have an outstanding warranty that covers any owner for the lifetime of the pack. Their Travel Backpack is made with weatherproof 400D nylon, EVA foam padding, and stainless steel components, a solid pack. Peak design does have some mixed reviews though on the quality of their materials and craftsmanship. However warranty claims for these issues seem to be mostly positive. The company has also only been in existence since 2010, which makes me want to hold off on an A rating.
Standard Luggage
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://www.standardluggage.com/pages/warranty-satisfaction-guarantee
A Canadian company based in Toronto, Standard Luggage has only been around since 2015. As a newer company I am tentative to give them a higher BIFL rating. Standard only makes one travel bag, but it looks solid. The Carry On Travel Backpack is constructed from 1680 denier ballistic nylon, YKK zippers, buckles and straps. They back their packs up with a full lifetime warranty for the original owner.
The North Face
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information:https://www.thenorthface.com/help/warranty.html
I have owned several camping related North Face products over the years and have been mostly pleased with them. One warranty issue with a zipper on a tent I’ve owned for 20 years was repaired for free with no problem. The North Face makes mostly climbing, backpacking, and camping gear, but they do offer one One Bag travel backpack, the Overhaul 40. I would consider it generally a BIFL product because of the full lifetime warranty, but the materials used are not disclosed on the website. Saying the bag is made out of “nylon” is not good enough.
Timbuk2
Type of warranty: Full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://www.timbuk2.com/pages/warranty-repairs
Timbuktu bags look solid, I’ve never owned one so I can’t attest to the quality. They don’t disclose the material used for their two main One Bag packs, the Never Check Backpack Duffel (which isn’t a duffel), and the Wander Backpack Duffel. I find this to be disconcerting. Some customers have also have issues with their customer service, as related in this Reddit thread.
Topo Designs
Type of warranty: full lifetime, covers defects in materials or craftsmanship
Duration: Practical lifetime of product
Who: Original owner
Wear and tear: No
Shipping: Customer pays
Policy Information: https://topodesigns.com/pages/warranty-and-repairs
I really wanted to give Topo Designs an A rating. They have great packs and use great materials, the iconic 40L Travel Bag uses 1000D nylon, 400D nylon pack cloth, and heavy duty YKK zippers. With mostly positive thoughts, they do have some mixed reviews on r/BuyItForLife. Also the fact that the warranty only applies to the original owner also made me relegate them to the B list.
Submitted January 14, 2019 at 07:15PM by GeoffMeetsWorld http://bit.ly/2FquZlX
