PelicanAegis Backpack 25 Liter - Travel Backpack (Black)

I was in the market for a small backpack, to be used as a personal item for air travel. I needed something near the max allowable size, while also offering a bit of protection. This Aegis 18L bag is the perfect candidate and has exceeded my expectations so far. This is what you get when a premium case company designs a bag that barrows elements from rock climbers as well as the military. The build quality is second to none and I have no worries about this thing lasting for years to come. There aren’t many pockets, but that was a feature in my book. Instead, the modularity of this bag rivals $300 camera bags, actually beating many I’ve used. Pelican sells their own modular add ons, which I’m sure are amazing. I happened to have a few x-pac pouches laying around from CountyComm, which easily attach to the interior with some soft shackles. Now I have two pouches near the top to store small loose items, as well as a larger removable pouch depending on my needs. You can use the military style molle attachments both inside and outside of the bag. The molle loops are nice and tight, so you won’t have your attachments dangling off the bag like some cheaper options. I also appreciate the daisy chain loops around the perimeter of the interior. This allowed me to attach my pouches, as well as some carabiners to hang things (keys, rope, harness, etc) from the highest point of the interior. All of these items can be removed in about 30 seconds if I need to utilize the full interior of the bag. Overall, I really could not be happier with this bag. It will complement my Pelican Air 1595 TRVL perfectly on my upcoming trip. Allowing me to bring my drone, laptop, camera and other electronics into the cabin of the plane, while still offering plenty of protection. Then converting to my daypack once we arrive at our destination.

I have been traveling globally for the last 20-years and also served in the military. I have used a lot of bags and I can tell you that this bag is my favorite. Very durable material, including the zipper (and might I add the zipper is smooth. It doesn't feel like it's going to bust at the seams when closing the bag), spacious, sleek design and look, comfortable shoulder straps, and multiple compartments. It fits well in the overhead bin or under the seat. I was sold the moment I saw that it had a vacuum seal capability to fit more clothing/items. This company has brought an innovative feature to the luggage world. Whether you're a minimalist and like to travel light, or you're a person who doesn't like the hassle of checking a bag on short getaways, this bag is for you!

Initial impressions1. Well constructed2. Plenty of space for the “must haves” for daily work3. Laptop access is very easy to use. Not hindered by the straps4. Two smaller internal laptop pockets for cell phone and ear buds or cord5. Very comfortable6. Sleek design7. Size. Holds everything with not access issues8. Clamshell design. Opens flat on deskCon1. Price2. Could use one of two more pocketsI’d by again! This is a great bag for a person that uses laptop/ notebook and carries a lunch.

Overall, it’s an over the top protection backpack.For $220+ you’re paying for two things, the quality of the brand and the reputation of their products.$220 is an insane amount to buy for a backpack without question. To premise that statement, I’ve used every variety of backpack on the market from JanSport, Incase, 511, Nike, and certainly Pelican since 1995.Every bag for every type of situation.Going to school in middle school in my Forest Green JanSport. Being one the first to adopt Incase with my first purchase of a laptop at the Apple Store as a young adult. Using 511 and Pelican gear on all four of my deployments. I still have my black 511 bag and used it on construction sites regularly. This is my second Pelican backpack. I had a daily Pelican soft backpack, but ended up returning it, because it was getting damaged and wore out too fast. I watched a few videos on YouTube to see how hard the exterior was on this 25L and it gave a good impression.The Cordura 500D material is a descent fabric. It’s not Kevlar or even Dyneema. On a scale of 1 to 5 of tear and rip resistant, Cordura is a 2, Kevlar is a 3 and Dyneema is a 5+. The Cordura used on this backpack is decent. Over time the fabric will get fuzzy and worn down. It’ll look pretty ugly over time. The shell is rock solid, without question. I’m certain that if I fell down a flight of stairs my back would be perfectly fine. As for my brand new MacBook Air M4 inside… I don’t want to put that to the test and find out.The thing they should have done was use the shell around the entire backpack. It’s only on the face. I would have preferred 360 protection, especially for the price. I was also hoping that there would be a hard protective shell around the laptop section, but there isn’t. The good thing, at the very least, is that there is a 3-inch space between the bottom of the laptop holder and the the bottom of the backpack. You can refer to the photos and the measurements I took. The laptop pocket can definitely hold a MacBook Pro 16-inch, but only in the 25L version.On the inside of the main compartment there is only one pocket. It’s considered a soft pocket for your delicates like sunglasses or maybe your keys, but obviously not at the same time. Dealer’s choice though.You have a molle system around the main compartment and a Velcro system on the inside lid of the hard shell. You have options. You can buy the Pelican organizing system they sell and create compartments of your choice. It makes sense, if you know Pelican then this is what you’re getting into. Modularity. If you ever wore a plate carrier, you know what I mean. By the end of it, you’ll have so many internal compartments, your bag will go from $220 to probably $300-$400 in value alone with all the additions to meet your needs.Next, the zippers. They have a rubberize style zipper that’s designed to keep water out as much as possible. There’s a good chance you’re going to need to keep some chapstick to maintain the lubricity of the zippers. Similar to Ozarc Trail and Yeti coolers. For me, I’m not a fan of it, because it’s just another point of failure over time. The main pocket is the only one with locking capabilities. The other two exterior pockets do not. Ironically, you would think the laptop compartment would grant a double zipper with a lock loop, but nope. Not even the side pocket either. You could take the laptop and side pocket zippers and lock them together. I would assume that was Pelican’s attempt to cut down on costs.Side pockets… the side zipper pocket/compartment has two internal compartments. And it has the water zipper protection treatment. Technically, you could put two or three magazines in there if you intend to use this as an EDC bag. You can put some med scissors, tourniquets, clot bags, and smaller medical rapid response components in there as well. On the other side we have a water bottle holder. You can put anything from 36oz-20oz bottles in there. You can refer to my photos for size, fitment, and protrusion internally and externally. You can use the clip system to secure your bottle in place from it either falling out or being quickly stolen when traveling about.Finally and subjectively the most important thing, the looks. It looks cool. It looks modern. It looks like a Pelican. It looks subtle, but for some reason it doesn’t look subtle either. It looks simple, but if I saw someone walking around downtown or at the airport, the bag would stand out regardless of what color you get. I bought the charcoal, because it seemed low profile, could hide dirt and debris better, and on a hot day it wouldn’t draw too much heat to my body. On a quick tangent; two things, first, the back section is designed like aftermarket vent systems used on plate carriers. I had those on my LBT vest. It makes a massive difference in heat dispersion. It is a harder material, but you want that for long term comfort, airflow, and heat dispersion.Second, why are there no rubber/elastic holders for the backpack straps that dangle around at the bottom. In the product photos they looked like they had them because they were properly stored. You can’t even disassemble the straps from the loop-clips to add aftermarket strap holders/organizers… back to business…I intend to use this backpack to travel with for 5-6 months in South East Asia. For the next 6 months I’ll be putting it through a soft trial run. EDC kind of thing to see how it stands up. I don’t want this backpack to fail me overseas while traveling. I’ll be throwing it around, dropping it, and dragging it every where I go. If it can survive the Florida environment, I think it can make it through SEA.In conclusion… I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars, because they didn’t provide the shell around the entire bag for the price being paid. Using Cordura instead of Dyneema was another reason. Cordura is nice, but it’s a material I would use for a kid’s JanSport backpack, not a Pelican.This is a brand new system Pelican has created for travel. I figure I’d give everyone the full run down before you dropped $200+ on a backpack.Is it worth it?For me, yes.Is it worth it for the ordinary person who just wants a backpack, absolutely not.Pelican is made for a particular consumer. A consumer who wants modularity, reliability, functionality, and versatility.This is not an ordinary backpack for the ordinary person.

Purchased to complete the set and recently used for a 30 day work trip. Couldn't be more pleased with my purchase. Tough, we'll made and dependable, in line with Pelicans hard use reputation!

I feel like Batman when I use this beast of a bag. While it only has one compartment inside the bag, its great for anyone who wants to modify what they use it for on a day to day basis. It fit perfectly under the chair on the plane, and held up will in some light rain. Will be traveling with this bag for years to come. I'd suggest getting a "Grid-it" board from amazon as well. Its great alternative to the bag being an open shell of space.The water bottle holding side pocket is awesome too! Not too tight that you have to jam your finger in to remove your flask or wahtever you put in there.