Onebag: Western Rise Voyager Travel35 Backpack Review
Note: This post contains Western Rise affiliate links. I get a kickback at no extra cost to you if you like what you see and purchase their products through my links.
In this golden age of onebag travel, it’s hard to imagine anything really innovative going on now that many of the heavy hitters in travel packs have solidified their positions as reliable bags for most situations. During my year and a bit of traveling and working throughout the Balkans, I used two of the most well-known in the industry for the two halves of my trip: the Osprey Farpoint 40 and the Cotopaxi Allpa 35.
Each of them is adequate, but there are some issues with each that bug me and make neither the perfect travel pack. I thought that I might do a review for each after my trip, spending so much time living and working out of them. But, to be honest, these bags have been reviewed into the ground, and Western Rise presented me with a much more interesting opportunity: reviewing their new travel pack, the Voyager Travel35.
I’ll admit that I was skeptical at first, since I kind of assumed that everything has been tried before, and this is Western Rise’s — a company that specializes in travel clothing — first attempt at a travel pack. Well, I suppose there is always room enough to be surprised. I won’t leave you hanging until the end: I love this bag. And it’s not just because I’m an affiliate or it was sent to me to review, which, full disclosure, I am an affiliate and was sent this bag to review. It’s a bag that has somehow truly filled the gaps in what made my previous bags kind of good, but far from perfect.
Let’s get into it! Here’s my experience testing the Western Rise Voyager Travel35 backpack in the field and a series of pleasant surprises that increasing made me believe they have actually talked to full-time travelers and built something of a near-perfect bag.
“A series of pleasant surprises increasingly made believe they have actually talked to full-time travelers and built something of a near-perfect bag.
Aloha! My use case for this review was a two week trip to Hawaii.
Personally, I think it’s boring as hell to unbox a fresh travel pack and pretend like you can even begin to know how it holds up without actually traveling or living out of it. Lucky for me, I had a two-week trip to Hawaii lined up just after getting back from the Balkans. So I unpacked that bag and packed the Western Rise Voyager Travel35.
After getting into the nitty gritty (and inside all the different compartments), I’ll tell you how it was flying with it. For now, let’s do take a look at what I thought just after unwrapping it. First impressions do count for something!
First Impressions: The Western Rise Voyager Travel35 backpack has a sleek aesthetic compared to a lot of travel packs.
Most travel backpacks fall into two different shape categories: traditional and “boxy”. Traditional backpacks have a shape more reminiscent of a standard hiking backpack with a rounded curve along the front (think the Osprey Farpoint). The boxy types are usually designed that way to be more friendly for air/train travel — they fit more easily into an overhead bin or under a seat without too much wrangling. My preferences have kind of shifted over the years from a more traditional backpack to one more specifically designed for long-term travel, which tend to have this more boxy shape.
The Western Rise Voyager Travel35 is in the boxy category. The all-black design is a very sleek and smart aesthetic, more suited for digital nomads combining remote work with the pleasure of travel. It looks professional and doesn’t scream “I’m a filthy backpacker” into any establishment you end up in like a lot of bags do. There is not much loud branding at all to speak of, something I enjoy about Western Rise’s products generally. You’ll only see the embossed logo on the zippers, and on a patch inside the bag. To me, this is a sign of confidence from a company that the product stands on its own through function and quality.
Another thing I immediately liked about the Travel35 is the lack of prominent straps and dangly things. The thin hand straps and gear loops are fairly close to the pack and don’t take up much space on the top and sides, which can be annoying with other packs when they get caught on things as you cram your bag into various spaces (security, overhead bins, etc.). If you’re looking for something minimalistic and modest — a pack that won’t look out of place in any setting — the Travel35’s got the look. Now, let’s see what we can fit in it.
Throwing the Voyager Travel35 around a Hawaiian lava field for fun.
Here’s what I packed for Hawaii in the Western Rise Voyager Travel35 Backpack.
Now, I usually like to pack light, especially when I have access to a washer/dryer as I would at both the Hawaii condos. For the purposes of this review, however, I intentionally overpacked. I really wanted to see what this bag could handle both in terms of organization and comfort. If either were lacking, I was definitely going to notice over the course of two weeks.
It’s important to note that the Travel35 is part of Western Rise’s Voyager modular packing system. Western Rise designed it to be paired with other items in the Voyager series: the RollTop15 Backpack, TechSling, and Packing Cube Set. The Travel35 sort of acts as your mobile command center while you can pop out the RollTop15 or TechSling when you’re hitting the cafe or out and about town. Since I was only sent the Travel35, I can’t evaluate how well these work together. But I did stick with the spirit, using my Peak Design packing cubes, Cotopaxi Bactac 16L day pack, and Cotopaxi Allpa X 1.5L sling bag.
I never really packed my sling bag, which had everything I wanted to access in airports and flights, so I’m not including those items in my list. As long as I had a jacket out, I could pack the sling bag into the Travel35 if I wanted to. But I pretty much never pack my sling bag since I generally always have it out or on when moving between locations.
Here’s a quick rundown of the packing list for this trip. Note that the list excludes what I wore to the airport and the quick access items in my sling bag. However, in a pinch, I did fit my other track jacket in there when I was getting hot.
Western Rise Voyager Travel35 packing list for 2 weeks in Hawaii
Clothing (5.31 kg/11.7 lbs)
5 T-shirts
2 short sleeve button downs
1 tank top
3 pairs of shorts
1 pair of track pants
1 bomber jacket
3 pairs boxer briefs
3 pairs of ankle socks
1 pair of crew wool socks
1 trucker hat (clipped on outside)
1 pair of sandals
1 pair of trail runners
Tech Stuff (1.85 kg/4.07 lbs)
2020 M1 MacBook Air
Suunto 9 GPS watch
Assorted cables
Ugreen 65W charger
Toiletries (0.51 kg/1.12 lbs)
Philips Norelco OneBlade trimmer
Philips Sonicare toothbrush
Nail clippers
Beard comb
Ear plugs
Assorted liquids: face lotion, deodorant, eye drops, sunscreen, toothpaste
Other Stuff (1.29 kg/2.84 lbs)
Travel Journal
Passport to National Parks
The War of Art by Scott Presser
First aid kit
Dive-safe phone case
Bandana
Nitecore head torch
Water bottle (clipped on outside)
Carabiner (clipped on outside)
Organization (2.17 kg/4.78lbs)
Western Rise Voyager Travel35
Cotopaxi Bactac 16L day pack
Extra stuff sack
Peak Design packing cube (small)
Peak Design packing cube (large)
Topo Designs pouch for toiletries
Souvenirs (0.84 kg/1.84 lbs)
T-shirt from Heavenly Hawaiian Kona Coffee Farm
T-shirt from Volcanoes National Park
Greeting bead necklace from resort
Replica USGS Kilauea summit marker
8oz coffee beans from Heavenly Hawaiian
2 postcards from Heavenly Hawaiian
Hiking medallions for walking stick
Token from Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
Heaviest Total Pack Weight: 11.97 kg/26.39 lbs
Everything I packed. In this demo, I even packed some of the bulkier items I wore to the airport.
An assortment of souvenirs from Hawaii that I still somehow managed to fit in the Travel35 on the journey home.
Western Rise put a lot of thought into organization for the Voyager Travel35.
The pack looks great — it’s got that going for it right out of the box. But for many travelers, form is completely secondary to function. When I opened the bag to explore the organization, I knew that whoever designed it had either traveled long term or at least consulted with people who do. The thoughtfulness applies just as much to what isn’t there — no weird pockets or compartments that you’d hardly ever use in reality. There are 5 simple zippered compartments that all gel very well for a seamless packing experience, provide easy access on the move, and keep you organized throughout your journey.
While I address each of the compartments of the Voyager Travel 35, I’ll show you how I packed them, and in the order that I found it’s easiest to pack. The shoe compartment is super convenient, but it also eventually led me to pack in this specific order:
Shoe compartment
Main compartment
Tech compartment
Top quick access compartment
Side pocket
With the Travel35, start packing with the shoe compartment.
If you’ve ever tried to live out of a backpack for a while, then you know how additional shoes are the bane of a digital nomad’s existence. Shoes are bulky and awkward not to mention filthy with whatever muck you’ve been getting into. It’s about time someone designed a standalone shoe compartment that makes sense!
The Voyager Travel35 has a dual zip shoe compartment at the very bottom. Something to note is that the space where your shoes go will eat into the space of the main compartment a bit. That’s why I’d recommend packing your shoes first. It’s harder to cram them in with the main compartment already packed and also you have a better idea of the final space you’re working with in there. This is a situation when size DOES matter. I wear a Men’s 13, and my Van’s were approaching the limits of the shoe compartment lengthwise.
I thought it was going to be impossible to fit my bulkier trail runners in there for the journey home, but I somehow managed by smushing them down as much as possible. I kind of HAD to make this work because, well, they smelled. We got completely soaked through the day before on an adventure to catch Kilauea’s lava fountain (success!). These are the Arcteryx Norvan LD trail runners that I wore as my only shoe for 8 months in the Balkans. Needless to say, when they get wet some past demons are unleashed. I and every passenger on that plane was grateful for the Travel35’s shoe compartment that day.
It’s going to be a tight fit if you wear over Men’s 13.
Still managed to zip my clown shoes shut.
The shape of the Voyager Travel35 maximizes main compartment space.
The main compartment of the bag has a semi-clamshell front-loading design with incredibly easy access on the go. I’m definitely no fan of top-loading backs, but also full clamshell designs, like with the Allpa 35, can be equally frustrating to get into quickly when you need to. You pretty much have to lay the pack flat on the ground. With the hybrid design of the main compartment, you can lay the Travel35 flat like normal, like when you have a good surface to pack on. However, you can also easily access it while the bag is upright. If you unzip it on both sides from the top, the flap can fold outward. That allows you to take things from the main compartment on the go as well as get items from the two zippered inner organization compartments.
While the shoe compartment does take up some real estate in the main compartment, I still comfortably fit both a large and small packing cube from Peak Design with plenty of room to spare for my jacket, flip flops, and toiletry bag. Since both the main compartment and the front flap with the two zippered organization compartments both lie flat, you can pack in whatever order you prefer. For some reason though, I preferred packing the organization areas first. I packed socks and underwear in the top and a lot of my miscellaneous items in the bottom. The undies were softer and left room for my bulkier bomber jacket near the top of the main compartment.
You can see by the last photo in the gallery below how the angular design of the front flap allows you to maximize the space of the organization compartments. Apart from the shoe compartment (which is unavoidable), no part of the bag is really interfering with the other when fully packed. Even with what I would consider an overpacked bag for two weeks, there’s plenty of room to zip it shut without having to use force.
Straightforward organization that maximizes the usable space of the main compartment.
“How did it take someone so long to design a comfortable laptop compartment?”
Finally, a bag where your laptop doesn’t create a bulge against your back.
A lot of travel packs irk me when it comes to laptop and tech storage. It either bulges out against your back to the point the bag is uncomfortable to wear, or it’s weirdly in the front where the weight will be pulling back on you. I haven’t had a backpack that ideally executed laptop storage until the Travel35.
My 13” 2020 M1 MacBook Air slid into the laptop pocket with plenty of room to spare. The pocket closes with a magnetic flap near the top. On the outside, there’s a smaller pocket for a table or e-reader — I’ll probably store my Wacom Intuos drawing tablet here in the future. On the other side, there’s a zippered pocket perfect for storing cables and other lose tech stuff. The middle section still had space enough for me to pack my Cotopaxi day pack for excursions. I’m thinking this might be the space the Voyager RollTop 15 slots into — I can’t comment on how flat it packs compared to my day pack, but it’s 16L vs 15L, so I imagine it’s pretty comparable.
Even with all this packed in the very back, the dual padding panels in the back of the Travel35 kept the bulge away. How did it take someone so long to design a comfortable laptop compartment? I don’t know, but I’m glad Western Rise did it.
The Western Rise Voyager Travel35 gives you ample tech storage without compromising on comfort.
The Travel35’s top quick access compartment keeps essentials at hand in the airport.
I don’t mind flying so much. There’s something about the inner peace of a block of time that you have no choice but to binge films you kinda wanted to see but weren’t a priority over the last 5 years. The scramble through the airport is what I hate. Especially the mad dash to get everything out of your bag that needs getting out at security.
While the soft felt interior of the top quick access compartment would be great for protecting a pair of glasses or a phone, I used it for my liquids. Located just behind the tech compartment, it’s a quick wham bam to get my laptop and liquids into the tray. Another cool little detail: there’s a magnetic removable keyring in the top compartment. This little feature is great for nomads constantly on the move from BnB to BnB — plenty of mine have just had a lone loose key in the lockbox. I can tell you right now that thing is going straight to the netherworld after a few rakias if I don’t have it on a dedicated keyring.
Although the top compartment is fairly simple, the soft interior and the detachable keyring are thoughtful features that I appreciated even though I didn’t know I needed them. It shows how Western Rise has anticipated certain use cases and even helps you pack a bit less, e.g., no need for a sunglasses case or a keyring from home.
You might have a key clip in your bag…but does it detach and work as a keyring?
The side pocket provides even more convenient, on-the-move access.
Hydration on the road is important, especially when running through airports, then running around more to your accommodation in a place like Hawaii. At first glance, you might assume that the Travel35 doesn’t have a water bottle holder. It doesn’t, at least not in the traditional sense. But on the sides, you’ll notice two zippers. One of these opens to separate small compartment where you can store a water bottle or whatever else you like. It gives the option to store it inside the bag completely, or you can partially zip it up for easy access to your bottle, kind of like a traditional holder.
Personally, I preferred to clip my water bottle to the outside, while I used the side pocket for my wall charger and some snacks.
On the other side, there is a zipper with a similar shape. This one opens up to the main compartment, however. You could use it as a second water bottle holder with the half zip, or use it for easy access for a light jacket or something. I’m impressed with the design of these two unassuming pockets — they maintain the aesthetic symmetry of the bag but also give you options.
The side pocket, fully zipped.
The unzipped side pocket with my wall charger.
Where it counts: How comfortable is the Western Rise Voyager Travel35?
The Voyager Travel35 can hold an impressive amount. But, so can many other travel backpacks. The Holy Grail is a bag that you can fully pack and still wear comfortably for a decent amount of time. I’ll admit, I was on the edge of my seat when I fully packed it the first time, since this is the point where a lot of travel packs lose me. They almost never have the same amount of engineering devoted to support that a backpacking pack does. But, holy…
“Western Rise uses a magnetic clasp system here, which cuts down on the amount of annoying dangly straps.”
Western Rise somehow didn’t compromise on aesthetics, space, or comfort. The padding of the straps is very generous — even fully loaded they don’t dig into your shoulders. As I ranted about earlier, all you feel against your back is the cushion of the breathable back panels — no laptop bulge. The weight distribution is perfect — close to your back without that feeling of being pulled back. I’m 6’2”, and the pack sits comfortably enough that I didn’t feel the need to take it off whenever I had the chance.
I rarely use hip and chest straps unless I’m actually hiking for miles, but I tried them out. Western Rise uses a magnetic clasp system here, which cuts down on the amount of annoying dangly straps. The design provides additional support, while also satisfying people like me that just want them out of the way.
The shoulder straps work a similar way, and I’m kind of mystified as to how they support a full pack without coming undone. The magnetic clasps are right at the bottom. If you want to stow the straps out of the way to make it easier to put the bag in a bin or under a seat, they fit nicely into the top of the two padded panels. There is also a pass-through area on the side for a luggage handle. It really seems like they’ve thought of everything.
It didn’t really bother me that much, but the only potential point against the Travel35 on comfort are the very thin handles on the top and sides. While they give the pack a nice sleek and flush look, some might find they cut into your hand a bit if you have to hold a fully-loaded pack in hand for a while. This is a very minor point, and really the only potentially negative thing I could come up with against the Travel35.
No compromises detected: the Voyager Travel35 is just as comfortable as it is spacious.
Smooth Flying: Air travel with the Voyager Travel35
Heading to Hawaii, I had a flight from Raleigh to Seattle with Alaska Airlines, then Seattle to Honolulu with Hawaiian Airlines. There was a short flight in the middle with Hawaiian from Honolulu to Kona. Then, the same route back home, all with Alaska.
Security was an absolute breeze. Liquids and laptop out and back in in a flash.
Both airlines have the same standard rules as most non-budget airlines in the US: one carry-on and one personal item. I’m not sure of their dimension and weight limits, but I never came under scrutiny of an “ocular pat-down” and had no trouble getting the Travel35 stowed in the overhead bin on each flight. I was impressed with the legroom on both airlines — I’m fairly confident I could have fit the Travel35 under the seat if I had to.
The few times I did need to get something out of the bag mid-flight, the organization and position of the zips are such that I never needed to actually get the bag out of the overhead bin. The bag definitely passes the carry-on friendly test.
Durability: Too early to tell, but I’m not concerned.
One trip is definitely not enough to fully evaluate a bag’s durability. But what I did see convinced me that the Travel35 will be in the rotation for many adventures to come. The ballistic nylon shell (420D Ballistic Nylon ROBIC with C0 DWR coating, to be specific) feels bombproof to the touch and sheds dirt and water easily. The zippers glide like butter, and trust me, I was by no means gentle with this bag. I really can’t see them failing anytime soon. The magnetic design of the shoulder straps make it more likely that a strap will simply come unclasped rather than tearing away from the bag. The stitching of the band around the pack that functions as handles and gear loops feels very solid. It would take a lot to rip it off.
The Travel35 seems up to the task of the sometimes violent nature of travel: the pulling, dragging, tossing, and blunt force trauma that any pack will experience at some point along the way. I was consciously not very careful with how I handled it. So far so good! I wouldn’t hesitate to depend on it for even months at a time.
Final Thoughts: Who is this pack for?
As someone who just completed 14 months moving around and working in the Balkans, I wish Western Rise had released the Travel35 sooner. This pack has been expertly designed for exactly this purpose. The organization feels so fluid while on the move or just living out of it. Especially in the context of the full Voyager modular system, a lot of thought has gone into building travel pack for adventure and work. It’s the best pack I’ve tried for a digital nomad use case (yes, I was sadly working a bit in Hawaii).
Really though, it’s great for anyone who wants to travel more effortlessly. If you want to downsize and commit to one bag, I genuinely believe this is one of the best bags to easily organize and pack, although the price may not be so entry-level. It is certainly an investment. I have used cheaper onebags, but there is always some sting in the tail — things that might frustrate people new to packing only a carry-on size backpack for a big trip. I think it’s worth skipping that trial and error and go right to a bag that’s as comfortable as it is versatile. Oh, and it looks pretty good, too.
If you’ve stuck around this long and found this review for one of the newest travel packs on the scene helpful, consider using my link to the Western Rise Voyager Travel35 and take a closer look. I always try products from affiliates before recommending them, and only recommend products I believe elevate the travel experience. This backpack does that. Look out for it in future adventures! ༄
