Recently, Bellroy unveiled the Lite Travel Pack, a backpack truly designed with travel in mind. Its spacious capacity accommodates all your essentials without weighing you down. In today’s review, we take a closer look at the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack—a lightweight travel backpack that promises to cater to your travel needs.
The “Lite” name isn’t just a label; it genuinely feels lighter on your back, a noticeable difference on long journeys. Bellroy has crafted this pack specifically with frequent travellers in mind, setting it apart within their lineup.
In our review, we’ll dive into the Lite Travel Pack’s design, layout, materials, and other key features. We’ll also share our firsthand experience using this backpack, giving you insights into its performance and functionality.
Bellroy Lite Travel Pack Review – Design and Functionality
Unlike Bellroy’s typically rounded designs, the Lite Travel Pack sports a rectangular shape, giving it a distinctive look and an edge in functionality.
This streamlined, squared-off design not only provides a more efficient use of space but also offers a sleek, minimalist aesthetic—ideal for travellers who want both form and function in a backpack.
For our Bellroy Lite Travel Pack review, we chose the black 30L model, which strikes a great balance between capacity and portability. However, if you’re someone who requires even more storage, Bellroy also offers a 38L version, catering to those who need that extra bit of room for longer journeys or additional essentials.
With these size options, the Lite Travel Pack is versatile enough to meet a variety of travel needs, from weekend getaways to extended trips.
Like other bags under the Lite product line, the Lite Travel Pack uses a textured diamond ripstop fabric. This unique fabric uses recycled materials, making the backpack significantly lighter than other bags.
The front of the Lite Travel Pack has two attachment points buried within the seam to retain its clean aesthetics when not in use. In addition, it has two secondary handles: one on the side and another on top for your convenience.
This backpack has two shoulder straps. Like the back panel, they have thick padding with breathable mesh for comfort when carrying the bag. Also, it features the embroidered Bellroy Owl logo on the left shoulder strap.
The Lite Travel Pack also has a sternum strap for additional support while carrying the bag.
Front Pockets
The Lite Travel Pack comes equipped with two front pockets designed for quick, easy access to essential items, adding a layer of organisation that frequent travellers will appreciate.
The bottom pocket is notably spacious, with a zipper on the right side that allows for convenient entry.
This compartment is ideal for storing larger, bulkier items you might need on the go, such as a packable jacket, compact toiletry kit, or even a small umbrella. It’s designed to give you immediate access to these essentials without having to dig through the main compartment, making it especially useful for items you might need in a hurry.
Positioned above the bottom pocket is what Bellroy aptly calls the “brain pocket.” Although it’s more compact, this pocket shines with its thoughtfully arranged internal organisers. Inside, there’s a passport-sized slip pocket, perfect for stashing your travel documents securely, along with a dedicated pen slot and a key leash.
This pocket is a great spot for items that require quick access but also need to be organised, such as your passport, boarding pass, a pen for filling out forms, or keys. This internal organisation means you won’t have to rummage around to find what you need, even in the middle of a busy airport or crowded train station.
During our review of the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack, these front pockets proved invaluable. They allowed us to pack and retrieve our most-used essentials with ease, freeing us from the hassle of searching through the bag’s main compartment.
For a traveller on the move, this streamlined access enhances the overall experience, ensuring you can be both organised and efficient.
Main Compartment of the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack
The main compartment of the Lite Travel Pack opens in a convenient clamshell style, allowing you to access all of your belongings at once—perfect for both packing and unpacking.
The majority of the 30L capacity is dedicated to the primary storage area on the right side, offering ample room for larger items. This main section is spacious enough to accommodate bulkier gear, like clothing, electronics, or even a pair of size 11 men’s shoes, making it ideal for travel where flexibility in packing is a priority.
On the left side, the backpack includes a mesh pocket, adding a layer of organisation for smaller or more specific items. This pocket is a great spot to store a journal, toiletry kit, or other essentials that are compact yet need to be easily accessible.
It’s particularly useful for keeping items separated from the main compartment, ensuring they remain organised and easy to locate.
Additionally, the left side of the backpack is equipped with a built-in compartment designed to function much like a packing cube. This area is ideal for smaller clothing items such as underwear, socks, or T-shirts.
By compartmentalising these essentials, it keeps them neat and separate, preventing them from shifting around in transit. The packing-cube-style compartment not only saves space but also ensures that you can keep everything organised, a small but thoughtful detail that frequent travellers will appreciate.
Laptop Compartment
The back panel of the Lite Travel Pack features a thoughtfully designed laptop compartment, which we greatly appreciate for being separate from the main storage area. This separation not only adds an extra layer of protection but also enhances accessibility, allowing you to quickly retrieve your laptop without needing to dig through other items.
The compartment opens from the side, making it easy to slide your laptop in and out with minimal fuss—ideal for navigating airport security or quickly setting up at a workspace. It’s spacious enough to comfortably fit a 16-inch laptop, accommodating larger devices with ease. Additionally,
Bellroy has incorporated a 2.54-centimetre (1-inch) false bottom to help protect your laptop from shocks or accidental drops, providing peace of mind during travel. With this feature, you can feel confident that your laptop or tablet is well-protected from everyday bumps and impacts, adding another layer of practicality to the Lite Travel Pack.
Key Features of the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack
The market is filled with a variety of travel backpacks and bags, making it challenging to choose the right one. Let’s explore the key features of the Lite Travel Pack and see what sets it apart as an excellent travel companion.
Accessible Essentials
One of the standout aspects of the Lite Travel Pack is its well-thought-out compartments. During our review, we found these pockets incredibly useful for keeping our belongings organised and easily accessible while on the move. The bag includes a convenient top pocket with internal organisers specifically for smaller items like keys, pens, passports, and other travel essentials.
Additionally, a lower pocket provides ample space for a light sweater or jacket, ensuring you have quick access to these items without needing to open the main compartment.
Excellent Organisational Dividers
The Lite Travel Pack is designed with built-in packing cells and zippered dividers, which can be easily popped out to access your items.
These compartments allow you to keep your belongings neatly separated and organised, reducing the time spent searching for specific items. When not in use, the dividers can be folded flat, saving valuable space and offering flexibility depending on your packing needs.
Versatile Carrying Options
This backpack offers three convenient ways to carry it, enhancing its versatility as a travel bag. Like a standard travel backpack, you can wear it comfortably on your shoulders, and if needed, the shoulder straps can be tucked behind the back panel for a streamlined look.
For added convenience, the bag also features a luggage pass-through, allowing it to sit securely on top of a suitcase. Alternatively, you can carry it by one of the sturdy side or top handles, giving you additional flexibility in crowded spaces or when you prefer not to wear it on your back.
These versatile carrying options greatly contribute to a smoother, more comfortable travel experience.
Discreet and Secure Laptop Compartment
The Lite Travel Pack also includes a dedicated rear laptop pocket, designed to discreetly house laptops up to 16 inches. This pocket is secured with both a zipper and a flap, keeping your laptop safely out of sight and protected from bumps during transit.
For business travellers or those needing quick laptop access, this compartment is a practical and secure addition, allowing you to access your device without disturbing the main compartment’s contents.
In our experience, these features make the Lite Travel Pack a well-rounded and highly functional choice for any traveller. Bellroy has truly crafted a bag that balances convenience, versatility, and security, making it a valuable travel companion.
Specifications
Hands-on with the Bellroy Lite Travel Pack
For our Bellroy Lite Travel Pack review, we took this bag through its paces to see how it performs in real-world travel scenarios, and it delivered impressively across the board. The first thing that caught our attention was its lightweight construction.
For a 30L bag, the Lite Travel Pack is remarkably light, which makes a big difference when you’re navigating airports or carrying it over long distances.
We managed to fit two fully packed Amazon Basics medium packing cubes, one additional stuffed Amazon Basics small packing cube, a toiletry kit, AirPods, a power bank, sunglasses, and a MacBook Pro—all without any trouble. Despite packing it to capacity, the backpack remained comfortable to carry.
Bellroy has struck a perfect balance in the padding, adding just enough to provide comfort without adding unnecessary weight. Even when fully loaded, the bag felt stable and well-supported on our backs.
The use of ripstop fabric is another highlight. While it doesn’t stretch, the material’s flexibility makes it easy to utilise every corner, maximising the bag’s capacity.
This flexibility allowed us to fit more items while keeping everything secure, as the fabric gives just enough to accommodate slightly bulkier items without strain.
We also appreciated the bag’s rectangular design and built-in compartments, which allowed for convenient and efficient packing. Although packing cubes weren’t strictly necessary, the Lite Travel Pack’s compartments made organisation a breeze, enabling quick access to essentials without disturbing other items.
The structured design kept everything orderly, whether it was packed to the brim or carrying just a few items.
Despite its lightweight fabric, the bag maintained its shape admirably, showing no signs of sagging even when packed minimally. This sturdiness speaks to Bellroy’s thoughtful design, as the bag looks sleek and well-structured regardless of how much you’re carrying.
The Lite Travel Pack impressed us with its durability, comfort, and capacity, making it an excellent choice for travellers seeking a lightweight, well-organised backpack.
Bellroy Lite Travel Pack Review Summary
The Bellroy Lite Travel Pack is a highly functional and versatile travel companion, crafted with thoughtful design features to meet the demands of frequent travellers.
Its lightweight 30L build, made with durable diamond ripstop fabric, offers ample space while maintaining a sleek, structured appearance, even when lightly packed.
The rectangular shape and well-placed compartments simplify organisation, and with the option to fit packing cubes, it comfortably accommodates all essentials without unnecessary bulk.
One of the standout features is the accessibility of essentials through two front pockets, including a spacious lower pocket and a “brain pocket” with internal organisers for smaller items like keys and a passport.
The clamshell-style main compartment provides flexible packing options, with additional mesh and packing cube-style dividers, ensuring that everything from clothes to electronics has its designated space. This design streamlines travel, saving time and hassle during transit.
Bellroy also delivers on comfort and convenience, with well-padded shoulder straps and versatile carrying options, including handles and a luggage pass-through.
The separate laptop compartment, secured with a zipper and flap, is both discreet and protective, making it ideal for travellers who need quick, safe access to their devices.
The Lite Travel Pack balances durability, lightweight materials, and smart storage solutions, proving to be an excellent choice for those who value functionality and style in a travel backpack.
Bellroy has succeeded in creating a bag that feels as good to use as it is to carry, making it a valuable investment for any traveller.
