Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 35 (CTB35) Review - EPIC Minimalist One Bag Travel Pack

[@seechangenyc280]

Nice review (as usual)! I hate to repeat all the great points you made but..My take: great looking bag. Love the Evergoods aesthetic. Sleek. Quiet elegance. Nice silhouette, despite size. Pockets galore in all shapes and sizes on the outside - and 2 water bottle pockets, to boot. New and improved back panel that cures the issue for the those of us getting stabbed in the back by the CPL24 and CHZ22. Though the belt isn't removable, with the storage solution they designed, you won't even know it's there (mean feat). Straps feel softer (I might be hallucinating). Love the hug. My only gripes: I wish it were 2 inches shorter, to better fit my frame, even load lifters would have helped. And I would have cut down on the space in the laptop compartment to reduce weight/size. But that's all about me, as 30L is probably my sweet spot. All-in-all, a stellar travel bag. I'm too short and torso challenged to wear it for EDC and it might be too much for me as a travel bag - so was glad to hear your other options. Your opinion: is the CTB too long for someone 5'6" with a 17" torso, at 130lbs? I keep putting it on and and taking it off wondering if it's just too much. 21" long is far from my comfort zone of 17/18/18.5 (max!) long...funny, the CHZ22 and CPL24 fall in that range but my back won't have them (I think the rigid bottom is the culprit). Maybe with more wear... There's a new Tortuga on the horizon that's adjustable...A GR2 26L and GR1 21L are on their way. I always wanted to get my hands on a Bellroy Transit Pack (but would have to settle for 20L, likely) and Aer has always been in the air. For now: it's back to my TB Synapse19/Synik22 (they're too tight for travel and the next size up in both are too long) and a tote.

[@dtwomack]

I’ve got the same Leatherman Tool. I fly with it always. Always a good idea to pull it out and show TSA, but never had a problem.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience traveling with that! That’s great to hear you haven’t had it taken away!:)

[@TS-pu8cv]

Great review, thanks! One thing that is missing as in almost all reviews of every backpack is to show how they look not fully packed, especially when are worn. I'm wondering why almost no-one shows this very important backpack's aspect.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I agree, definitely one of the things I most look for when I’m deciding whether to purchase a bag!

[@MrTheTruedots]

Hey Danny, great review, thanks a lot! I am still eagerly waiting for my to be delivered, so your review just reinforced my decision to purchase CTB35 :) I'll try to use it as a large EDC bag (I carry plenty of stuff for my 2-year old, wife, etc so extra space is very welcome). Cheers!

[@dannypacks]

Hey Dots! Thanks for watching and that’s awesome you’ll have a chance to try this one out soon! It’s a really impressive bag and I definitely understand the temptation to use it for edc, I really hope to see some of these updates in the cpl24 v3 haha

[@derkatzenfuerst6077]

Thanks for the great review! I'm still undecided between the CPL 28, the CTB 35 and the Able Carry Max, but this was very helpful!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! All are really great options, just depends how much space you need and your organizational preferences

[@sashinger5230]

What did you end up with?

[@davidjoseph4459]

Hey Danny. Love your videos. I am just getting ready to order the AER Travel Pack 35L in X-Pack. I have the CTB35. It’s really big to me for the size. I have the GoRuck 34L that’s about the same size but the CTB35 seems larger. I also have a ton of other bags like the Bellroy Transit 28L and Transit Plus 38L. So I really wanted an X-Pack bag so I ordered the Able Carry Max 30L. It seems so small to me. It seems smaller than the Evergoods CPL28L or the Bellroy Transit 28L. So I am back to wanting an X-Pack for minimal travel. I just cannot get everything I want into the Able Carry Max 30L. This Evergoods CTB35 just seems a little flimsy to me compared to the CPL28. I also don’t like the waist belts in the CTB35. It bugs me that I can’t remove them. Getting to me question, sorry, do you have any experience with X-Pack in the AER Travel Pack or anything else? Do you think the x-pack will give me a more premium feel than this CTB35 has? You seem to know a lot about bags so I thought I would give you an ask. I owned over 50 bags but sold some and gave many away. Always looking for the perfect bag. I am convinced if they made a GoRuck GR2 in X-pack I would be in Heaven. Also, I didn’t like the AER Travel Pack 2 due to own problem, the compression straps. That’s now solved with the compression straps being located between the zippers instead of across them. I just hated having to undo the straps every time I wanted to get into my bag. So the AER Travel Pack 3 in X-Pack at 35L May give me a bit nicer appearance and more solid feel than the Evergoods CTB35. Thanks in advance for any input. Trying to get as much advice as possible so I can quit blowing money on bags. Haha. Thanks again and have a nice weekend.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the support! Definitely tough to find that ideal travel bag, although the price may be a little crazy it might be worth looking for a Kaidan gr2 on the carryology Facebook group as it is an xpac gr2 and it is really nice. I really hope goruck offers a regular xpac version in the future, besides that I have had good experience with other xpac bags, one that I like a lot in the travel bag space is the tortuga outbreaker. I haven’t used Aers xpac but given their quality on their other fabrics I imagine it will feel great and i think it would be a great alternative to the CTB (I enjoyed that one but had similar issues with the harness and waist belt)

[@by4157]

You know bags too!

[@dazed4daze]

Great review. Evergood is one of favorite brands.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I agree, I’m a big evergoods fan and I’m excited to see what they come out with next!

[@MrSobakaforte]

Good review - just to clarify - the handles are plastic- they don't have an aluminum stay in them. The aluminum stay is in the side of the bag, underneath the side handle. It creates rigidity when you grab the side handle so it doesn't sag under weight. You can see it just inside the bag in a sleeve.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the clarification! :)

[@sashinger5230]

Great review, Danny! Looks like a great pack but it seems very wide and deep. Quite bulky overall. Since I‘m a taller guy I would‘ve preferred more height to have a more streamlined form. Might opt for the Able Carry Max.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! I agree on the width and the able carry is a solid alternative although it won’t be able to hold quite as much

[@sashinger5230]

@@dannypacks Yeah, you're right, it's smaller. How did you like the CTB35 comfort wise compared to the Max?

[@mdognrdog]

Aside from the bag itself, the coolest thing in this video is the clear plastic toiletries kit in a tube. And it seems to be the one product that's never identified by name or linked to in the description. Spill!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good catch! That is the litetravel freshen up kit and I have added a link to the description now :)

[@LaurenceWayneLee]

What’s the measured space of the main compartment? Trying to figure out how my packing cubes would fit. Thanks!

[@minimalisa]

Ver well done, Danny! This bag's organization and style is very appealing. I wish it were about 1-1.5# lighter. I appreciate the ideas on other bags to look at, especially the Bellroy. Cheers to more bags (and reviews).

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! I’m glad the video and suggestions were helpful and I agree it would be great for the bag to be just a bit lighter, but that organizational layout helps make it worth it for sure:)

[@mathiasjost5694]

Hello Danny, thanks for the review. A comparison with the new Tortuga Travel Backpack 40 l would be great.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad then video was helpful! Great idea for a comparison video as well, very tough choice between the two!

[@Travelingandjournaling9093]

I thought I had my mind made up to purchase but the lack of load lifter, built in waist pack, and and the should straps not as comfy has me rethinking. I have the Aer 28L and it checks all my boxes just too small and I wanted something different but for overall value I think it’s my better option to get the 35L. Thanks for making me think twice.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! Although I like this one a lot, I prefer the aer travel pack 3 for the reasons you mentioned

[@NataRaChaTa]

Good review. The bag is looking good, sleek and premium. It’s like you able to travel with this bag whether urban or adventure style. But it’s really expensive bag, including shipping cost to SEA, price may be up to 400$. 😭

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! Although the bag is great I agree the price point is pretty high and there’s a lot of great options in this price and below

[@Metroidtamer010]

How would you compare this in size and bulk to the Rush 24?

[@christianbearden28]

It doesn’t look too huge on you. I’m 6’2” and 235 lbs. I’m curious if I could get away with using it as an edc? I have the CTB 26, but it’s just a hair too small.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! At 6’2 there’s a chance it could work depending on your preferences, for me it’s just a little too wide in addition to the height

[@bwatt286]

Hi Danny, Trying to find a one bag travel for long term travel. Considering this bag, the AER TP3 or the new matador globerider 45. The CTB35 seems much bigger than the AER TP3? Do you think it is big enough for long term travel? or should i step up to the matador. Appreciate any advice.

[@Churchie0814]

Hey Danny! Currently deciding on a whole new refresh to my setup - currently don't have an EDC (just getting back to the office) and have been using a 46L Osprey for my all travel bag (carry-on or one bag). Considering how big I want my EDC to be - typically have a simple tech loadout (laptop, chargers, notebooks) for work, and like to carry shoes and a change of gym clothes. For this, the CPL24 seems to work fine. Haven't been able to try the CPL28 (out of stock), but did get my hands on this CTB35 - LOVE the materials, but just debating if its slightly too big for an EDC. I'm also a big guy - 6'4 with 46-47" chest, 250 lbs, so curious what your thoughts are there. On the 45L front, was deciding between peak design travel 45L and the CTB. Just thinking if I get two of: CPL24/CHZ22/CHZ26 space, CPL28/CTB35 space/Able Carry Max (30) space, and Peak Design Travel 45/Osprey 46L, what's the move??

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and definitely some good options to consider there! For daily use I agree the CPL24 would be a great option, and the CTB can really hold quite a bit (for my height it feels slightly big but at 6’4 it might be a little more manageable). The peak design bag is a pretty good travel bag overall although I’ve never been a fan of the harness system so for one bag travel, I would probably try to leverage the CTB (it can’t hold quite as much but it’s fairly close) or I would lean towards the osprey for extra space as their harnesses tend to be really comfortable, hope that helps a bit :)

[@elpanch]

Hello and thanks for the review! I have seen comments and reviews of the zip lines fraying the fabric / stitching inside of the bag, specially around corners. Have you seen this in your bag and/or experienced any issues with this?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! So far I haven’t noticed any major issues with this thankfully

[@zackwool]

If price is not a factor would you go with this or Aer’s Travel Pack 3?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and definitely a tough choice! I would really be very happy with either, I guess if I had to pick one i would lean towards the aer travel pack 3 as I find the harness a bit more comfortable and I like the shape more (it’s less wide than the CTB)

[@zackwool]

@@dannypacks interesting. Now we’re getting somewhere. Alright. Same scenario: price is not a factor. Which would you choose: Aer Travel Pack or Goruck GR2 34L?

[@dannypacks]

@@zackwool another really tough choice haha I do think the GR2 is more durable, but I'd still lean towards the Aer if I had to pick one, primarily because its more comfortable for my preferences and I also like that it includes compression straps / water bottle pocket

[@zackwool]

@@dannypacks sounds to me like the air is one of your top 2 to 3 travel bags! Thank you for being candid. Part of the reason I asked the question was in a lot of your reviews you mention price point when you’re concluding if the bag is good or bad. Of course doing so is not wrong. It is valuable information. Also I am not saying that I have unlimited funds, but sometimes I would like to just hear the reviewer say what is best as opposed to what is good or best for the price….because it is hard for the listener to know how much price is playing into the equation. In my personal scenario, I live overseas full-time. Travel is a part of my life. And I prefer one bag travel any time I can. Right now, I am on the hunt for the absolute best bag for one bag travel. I do not love the aesthetics or the over-organization of the air travel pack, but I do see a pattern in terms of how often it is chosen as one of the best. Thanks Danny! Great job. Keep up the good work man!

[@by4157]

Love this. Sounds like you are my twin.

[@brynevans2936]

Thanks for the review! How tall are you? Just wanting to know if the back panel will be the right length for me or if it will be a bit too short-sometimes since I have a tall back, when I do the hipbelt of a bag up the top of the bag sags away from my shoulders. Thanks!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! I am 5’11” :)

[@marcduncan616]

Came here to research the CTB, but what is that detergent thing at 9:09???

[@seantang89]

Hey Danny, what do you do with all of your bags? Do you keep all of them?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good question! I keep most of them, but I will sometimes resell bags that I have purchased myself :)

[@davidrauche5592]

Hi Danny, do you prefer the Evergoods CTB 35 or the GoRuck GR2 Kaidan? I’m worried the CTB might be to heavy. Of the two, which one is more bulky in your opinion? And thank you for your reviews and consistently. Always looking forward to your reviews before I pick up bags.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the support! I’m glad the videos have been helpful and definitely a tough choice between those two. I would say the CTB definitely feels a little bulkier (particularly the width) and heavier than the Kaidan. After years of using the 1000d gr2 the weight on the CTB doesn’t bother me too much but it is quite a bit. As for which I prefer overall, there’s a part of me that really likes some of the pocketing on the CTB but I really love the aesthetic and materials on the Kaidan and I think it’s a little more comfortable for my preferences (I also really don’t like that I can remove the waist belt on the CTB lol)

[@davidrauche5592]

@@dannypacks thanks Danny for the reply!

[@epektuz]

Is it true that you don't need a load lifters for the straps?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and so far I haven’t felt the need for them as the way the straps are designed still keep the weight close to your back. Hope that helps a bit and please let me know if there are any additional questions I can help answer:)

[@themightyapefish]

Bigger or smaller than GR2 34L ?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! I would say this feels a little bigger than the GR2 especially the width

[@Jacked2theTs]

You must not do to much hoofing it to a hostel from a metro station… waist belts are game changers when you got a 20-30 min walk. In airports? Yeah, not necessary, but definitely nice to have in somewhere like bangkok and not staying near the metro. Have the weight supported at the hips, actually helps with the breathability between the pack and back. Vs the bag hanging off your shoulders and pivoted down right against your back.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I can definitely see the value of a waist belt when having to walk over longer distances. I have used travel bags with and without there waist belt for long walks in Thailand, Italy and a few other places where I was commuting a lot and i still typically preferred to just use my travel packs without the waist belt generally but I can definitely see that being different for many others

[@stfuerik]

how is this material with pet hair and dist compared to the cpl material

[@MrSobakaforte]

Its fine - their mountain fabric is much smoother than the cpl/chz material. This fabric doesn't hold pet hair. Its a completely different fabric.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I agree with Conrad’s comment, it does better with hair than the CPL:)

[@matthewhendricks396]

nice, that reason alone is why i have returned my CPL bags. i don't even have pets and it is gross if i ever set them down. Aside from that, Evergoods has my favorite aesthetic and design.

[@happ1122Aa]

Is it use for laptop 17.3",how much its price? .

[@Radonkey]

Can this bag fit underneath the seat on an airplane or does this only fit in the overhead bin?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! Unfortunately this would likely be too big to fit under the seat of most airplanes and would need to go into overhead storage

[@errydm]

Great video, as usual. Thank you! Based on videos I saw the organization of this bag is one best out there. Also the look of the backpack is pretty nice. But still, I prefer my Goruck 26l Workshop Slick, because it has a more simple organization, it is lighter and 26l is more than enough for traveling.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! The goruck is definitely another excellent option, still one of my main go to when traveling:)

[@dannyb6093]

Great Content. Just subscribed!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!:)

[@davidkora]

Really liked your review, very thorough. Wondering how this bag compares in real-world use to the Able Carry Max. I'm torn between the two bags, a bit worried that this one going to be too big for me but heard that the Max is quite chunky as well. I know that the CTB35 has 5l larger capacity but is the actual size difference significant?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! Imo the CTB feels a fair amount larger than the max. The max isn’t a small bag by any means but it feels more compact (especially the width, the CTB is pretty wide)

[@davidkora]

@@dannypacks Thanks Danny, appreciate your input! Great content on your channel, keep it up!

[@davidjoseph4459]

@@davidkora I have to say, the Able Carry Max doesn’t feel like a 30L bag. I bought it in an X-pac dark camouflage, and I love the look. I love to do some minimal travel, but the Able Carry Max feels like 26L not 30L. It sticks out a little more than my 28L Bellroy Transit backpack but the Bellroy fits quite a bit more thanks to a little taller and wider. The Evergoods 28L v2 CPL feels larger than the Able Carry Max also but I don’t have it with me. The CTB35 feels massive compared to the Able Carry Max. It makes me wonder how bag companies actually measure internal liter sizing. Anyways, as a minimal traveler, I really like the Evergoods CPL 28L or CTB 35L. However, my favorite is the GoRuck GR2 34L. It truly fits everything perfectly. I would say this Evergoods CTB 35 feels less structured and not as good for the laptop as the GoRuck GR2. I also truly like all the accessory pockets and etc can buy that go with the GoRuck GR2. Danny mentioned it at the end. The dual, main compartments with one slimmer and one larger really makes the GR2 perfect for organized minimal travel. However, if you want a little more business looking, the Evergoods looks a little less tactical. Anyways, one other bag I don’t have yet is the AER Travel Pack 3. They now have it in X-Pack and it only costs $275. It typically gets best reviews as a minimal travel bag. Cheers.

[@_krakra_]

Which holds more Tom Bihn T30 or Evergoods?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good question! I would say the evergoods would hold mare than the Tom Bihn synik 30 and techonaut( wasn’t sure which one you meant)

[@_krakra_]

@@dannypacks hey! Yeah i meant T30. The only gripe i have for CTB35 is that is is heavy when empty. A little worried when max weight is 7kg.

[@intravenousradio]

i love evergoods design and quality - but i hate black bags. and my two favorite bags from evergoods - the cpl28 and ctb35 - are only made in black. please evergoods let us have more colors to choose from.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! Although I love black bags I agree it would be nice to see the bag offered in more colors, I’ve really been liking my coyote Ctb26 so far and I thought the olive one looked great as well!

[@Typh00n120]

Thanks for the review! Seems like a good bag but No lockable zips? Fail

[@orbispictus6127]

Those zippers are actually lockable. Just use some Nite Ize s-biner (smallest size). They work like a champ.

[@tacdoc8736]

I love Evergoods gear & the dudes behind the brand. I've been a fan of Jack since his GR days and believe him to be a genuinely good person. My only ongoing grievance with their bags is the insistence on having the external pocket openings on the "wrong" side of the CPL centric designs. Jack has mentioned they did this is because he (&/or) Kevin were once bike couriers and when they wanted something from inside, while slung on one shoulder, it made more sense to them to one shoulder sling it on the L shoulder, rotating around to access with the right hand. I believe 99.9999% of R handed people one shoulder sling a backpack on the right shoulder, so this is the opposite of what almost all of their user base needs or wants. This has repeatedly been brought up with every single release, on FB, IG, and YT. In many other regards they are very receptive to feedback from the customer base, and have modified designs to better serve the majority of users. I'm not sure why they've dug in so hard on this, and it drives me nuts. I currently own a CPL and CHZ. I would probably own every release if this one single, infuriating and nonsensical, design flaw was addressed. It's not reasonable to expect the overwhelming majority of all users to adapt to a design concept. The design concept should be adjusted to reflect the overwhelming majority of the target user demographic.

[@sirkswiss]

The pocket orientation works for me. Given the amount of people who happily own their products, I suspect the users who find it problematic are more vocal than those that are fine with it. Lots, if not most packs have the pocket orientation on the opposite side so I don't end up slinging them around, so I'm thankful there's one brand who does it this way.

[@the_nma5119]

For the price its not worth it. I never returned a bag this quick.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I can definitely see how the price might not be for everyone!