PacSafe VentureSafe 25L

Excellent bag for travelling, surprisingly durable. 18 months of use and still going strong – I bought this bag for travelling around Europe and also for everyday use. I have used this bag on almost a daily basis for over 18 months, which includes 8 months of travelling to 25 countries in Europe and Asia, and this bag looks virtually new to this day. It has been surprisingly very durable despite how lightweight it is (with the exception of the small glued on logo coming off the on the front, but that's really inconsequential) with virtually no wear and tear marks on the bag. The zippers still work perfectly. One thing you will definitely notice with this bag is the quality of materials used.

The reasons I bought this bag were for its light weight (about 800 grams) and security features. Both of these are excellent. It is very light weight and the neoprene-padded straps are very comfortable. The bag comes with an attachable waist belt, but I found this was never really necessary to use, since a 25L bag can't hold that much weight anyway.

My minor complaints with the bag are;

- The bag is designed for taller people, I'm 5'9'' and find that I need to have the straps completely tightened for a comfortable fit, and even then I wish it could be tightened more, as the bottom of the bag rests on the upper of my backside. I wish the straps could be tightened even more.

- Single zipper on the front means it needs to be open from the side, meaning items can fall out if its full.

- No zipper compartment. I like to have organization compartments in my bags but this one is a bit light on that, with only two compartments in the front. The work around for this is to make very good use of the keyring holder. I use a small zipper coin pouch with a carabiner which can easily be connected to the keyring holder, and also I attach other items like keys, USB drives, etc. to this ring with small carabiners - its very handy.

- The straps to tighten the shoulder straps are pulled from the top, not the bottom like normal bags. This is due to the wires running through the straps to prevent theives cutting them. This is all fine, except that the loose ends of the tightening straps can sometimes fall out of the elastic loops which are to hold them, which can sometimes be annoying. At one point I used rubber bands to secure them. Not a big deal though.

- The bag does not sit upright when placed on the ground - it will roll over onto its front. This because the bottom of the bag is not flat. This isn't that much of a big deal, just something to be aware of if you want to put the bag on a table or something, it can easily fall off unless you sit the bag flat on its back.

Some things I do like are the attention to detail and technical aspects of the bag. I'm an engineer so I like features.

- The two cinching straps on either side of the bag are great when the bag is not full and you want it to be lower profile, but I use them much more for supporting larger items in the two stretchy side pockets, e.g. a 1.5L water bottle, or a pair of flip flops. Its even possible to fit a shoe in each of the pockets if you want to go bear foot or rotate between shoes and flip flops.

- Neoprene padded shoulder straps. I don't think I've worn a bag with as comfortable shoulder straps as this bag. The neoprene's high density foam and smooth material on the outside works really well, unlike some straps which are rough and can rub on your shoulders after prolonged use. I've worn this bag for days on end without any discomfort. Due to neoprenes thermal properties, it can get hot and sweaty in humid conditions, but the comfort makes up for it.

- Support for a hydration bladder. There is a hole at the top for the tube to pass through and a velcro strap on the inside to hold up the bladder. These also have alternative purposes. You can pass headphones through the hole at the top, and the velcro strap can be used to hold items at the top of the inside of the bag (so it doesn't get lost at the bottom).

Despite my minor gripes with the bag I still highly recommend this bag for travel - the issues mentioned above are not major for me and I've mentioned some work arounds. This bag has stood the test of time with over a year of constant use and its still going strong, I have absolutely no regrets from buying this bag. I just got back from a 3 week backpacking trip in southeast Asia using only this bag (yes, I'm crazy, and yes, that's how much I like this bag). This bag has been taken through the wringer - it has been in the icy cold of winter in Europe, its been to the beach in Thailand, I've used it in the hot and humid climate in Asia, I've used it as a gear bag for rockclimbing in the mountains, It's been on day trips, weekend trips, and backpacking trips.

In summary, I did a lot of research before investing in this bag and I am glad I chose it. The security features are unbeatable for travel, and its a great bag for everyday use too - I still use it everyday; when I was studying, I used it for university, and now I take it to work everyday. I expect years more use from this bag. I tried to make this review as least biased as possible, but as you can tell I'm quite enthusiastic about this bag, I love it. And no, I'm not in any way affiliated with Pacsafe, and I don't work at a shop which sells this bag, I'm an electronic engineer who likes to travel and enjoys the outdoors.

Awesome Backpack – Closing the zips takes a bit of getting used to, but is great for peace of mind when travelling. Only the main compartment can be actually locked (the other two pockets are theft resistant - not theft proof) You need to use a pad lock on the harness as well if actually locking it to furniture etc. Good, roomy pack, with nice accessory pockets and a built in laptop sleeve. Theft/Tamper proof, rugged build, size, clever pockets. Expensive.