Thule Subterra Backpack 34L

It took me some time to select a new backpack looking for a size sufficient for about 1 week air travel, comparing multiple well-known brands at a local store, but they didn’t offer Thule products. For these relatively short trips I avoid checking luggage. I prefer a backpack over a roller bag. After several trips I‘m still happy with my choice. Storage capacity is sufficient and checks all airlines carry-on limits. Aesthetic, quality, and functionality are great. Zipper quality is w/o any complaints. Well balanced when (fully) packed and comfortable to carry on back also because of padded straps and back panel. Functional carry handle on top and side. Main compartment can be reached via folded magnetic top or from zipper at the side. Comes with a separate internal bag the fits perfectly even when fully packed. I love that internal bag! 1st thing at destination is to take it out and use backpack for daily trips. Front panel opens maybe 80% which is more than sufficient for access. It has several pockets, some with zippers. Because of quick access and relatively secure storage I use this for passport, wallet, and valuables when at airport. Main compartment has an additional flapped pocket, good for secure storage. Separate zipped padded pocket at backside for e.g. laptop (16“ Mac Pro fits).The entire design is great for my needs, very robust construction, high quality materials, especially zippers.Although money was not really a criterium for me, I would say the price is more than fair. After several trips I cannot detect any wear marks at all. BTW I appreciate the quality of Thule products. If I need a larger backpack I definitely would consider a Thule product.

I purchased this bag for a weekend trip, as I wanted something that could hold my laptop and some clothes. I LOVE this bag. It fit perfectly under my seat and had a great pocket for my laptop, as well as a nice large compartment for some clothes. It also comes with a packing cube that takes up the entirety of the large compartment, but you don't need to use if you don't want. I used it for clothes and then still had room at the top for a few items. The front pocket is so well organized. I had my chargers in that pocket and it had a great clip for your keys. The thing I liked most was the side access. There are two zippers on the side of the bag so you can access the laptop or the main compartment without unrolling the top of the bag. Very handy while going through security and needing to take out my laptop. Finally, the bag was super comfortable to carry. The straps were perfectly padded and the back was nice and stiff, but also very padded, so there was alot of support. Highly recommend for someone looking for an easy carry-on bag that you can use for your laptop and some clothes for the weekend.

I have a 17" and a 14" lap top, a Samsung tablet and several folders. All fits in perfectly in the bag. The best part that you can reach the items inside the bag from the side, no need to dig in the bag to find something. The front pocket is also well distributed and smartly arranged. The best part: the bag fits under the seat in front of you on the plane. Since im flying at least 2-3 times a week, this is the best part for me! When i go through the TSA checkpoints at the airport, its very easy to pull out all the lap tops from the bag, no hustle. Since it also has a top magnetic seal, i dont have to worry that anything falls out from the bag. I tried to buy this bag at the airport, they sell it, but for $20-30 more...I looked it, tried it out and ordered one through Amazon. Its definitely worth the money! Great brand, feels durable and a good quality. Dont think about it, buy it!

I have worked steadily on doing more with less without under packing and needing to buy more when i arrive. In the past year, I have gotten into single bag packing as in, as often as possible, only having a carry-on. This bag is perfect. I can get a good 4 days worth of clothes (more in the summer) by being strategic about what I pack (i.e, 1 or 2 pairs of easily collapsible shoes). This bag is both function and looks good. I have enough compartments for my clothing and my electronics. I love that I can access the back from the top and the side and that i can access the laptop pocket from the top and side as well. The compartment section in the front is great for other tech stuff. I like to pack my cube in such a way that optimizes its space too. I.e., two smaller cubs (shirts, underwear, pajamas) and a shoe bag go in there. Heavier items like jeans, sweaters or thin jackets go in the bottom of the cube, with the two smaller ones and a shoe bag on top. I smash down, zip, and put it in the backpack. Just like that, I am ready to go. And it is not at all difficult to carry, even with electronics on board. Great bag for minimalist but not skimpy packers.

UPDATED:I’ve travelled with this a few times and docked a star after spending more time with it.This bag is clearly bullet proof and will last forever. My only complaint is the front compartment is way too cramped and, as I tend to travel with a lot of tech (Nintendo switch/wireless headphones/cameras/etc) it becomes quite annoying to use and way too small.If this bag had a bigger front compartment, some small item organization in the main compartment, and a small item compartment on the outside, I would give it a 5.That’s my only qualm. Otherwise I love it and especially love it as a day bag! For long trips it gets too cramped.ORIGINAL REVIEW:I've had this bag for a few weeks, and haven't done a big trip with it yet, but so far I'm really enjoying it.This bag has a ton of volume, but when you're just using it as a day pack, you barely notice how large it is. The bag itself is quite light and comfortable to wear, and has a very streamlined look when empty. There are plenty of organizational features in the outer compartment and it's easy to keep everything separate.My three favorite features are the inner packing cube, the side handle, and the side zippers. The packing cube is of much higher quality than aftermarket cubes, and it has a handle so you can easily isolate your clothes. In fact, I have the cube packed right now waiting for my wife to give birth so when it's time to go to the hospital I'll throw it in the bag and be packed in a matter of seconds! With the side handle, it makes it super easy to carry and throw in the car and I love how it feels like a briefcase in that case. Finally, the side zippers make it super easy to access a laptop or the main compartment, and I'm looking forward to breezing through security with it next time I fly.Two things to keep in mind: the bag doesn't stand up on its own, which can be annoying if that's what you expect. I am not bothered by this. Also, if you use it as a day pack when not traveling as I am, you might find you're stuffing everything into the front compartment, which can mean it gets messy in there. I wish there was some organization compartments in the main compartment to avoid this, even a single mesh compartment in there would be nice.I spent a ton of time reviewing bags and watching youtube videos. I found the Subterra to be one of the best values out there: the price is almost half that of other well rated bags, and the materials feel just as strong. I bought another daypack at the same time thinking I'd only use the Subterra for travel, and I quickly returned that one as I realized I already had a perfect daypack with the Subterra.Finally, if you're like me and a little larger, this bag won't look silly on you like some of the small day packs. I really like how it looks on me. I'm thrilled with it so far and will update the review once I do a bigger one-bag trip!

Excellent bag, and from my experience this is above and beyond the normal quality Thule bags. I am addicted to the search for the “perfect” backpack - I’ve tried so many I’ve lost count and I currently have a selection of favorites: my Tom Bihn Synapse 25, Incase Icon Diamond Wire, Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L, and Tumi Roll Top. With that in mind I can say, this is an impressive bag, worth the money, and a new addition to my collection. When traveling with it, I loved being able to put my normal packing cubes inside the big cube that comes with the bag and then pull it all out on arrival and I was able to use the bag as a day bag anytime I needed to carry extra and it never felt super bulky. I will say though if you are looking at this bag just for everyday carry, it’s probably going to be too big — unless you carry a ton of stuff and pack modular. Also the package arrived as expected and seller checked in to make sure it arrived and and in good condition. 5 stars all the way around.

Let me start off by saying I absolutely love this backpack. I purchased it for work as I wanted something that was functional yet classy enough to bring into a corporate setting. I live in Seattle and the rain has yet to defeat it. I’ve traveled with it multiple times now and it is extremely spacious while fitting perfectly under the seat of an airplane. Additionally, it has ample space to fit my large 17” laptop in a case. It has a special padded compartment for a laptop if you want to skip the additional case - but I prefer another layer of protection. The outer pocket is extremely deep as well and has multiple zipper pockets and compartments for all of your knick-knacks. All around 5/5

You can easily squeeze in 4 days of cloth and additional pair of sneakers / dress shoes (depending on how light or not you pack), and your hygiene - chargers etc bags, laptop and tablet. Really comfortable and lightweight. Lightweight, perfect fit under the plane's seat, even though it's a bit large on dimensions, once you take take all cloths and your stuff out, will look cool on a business trip (not on "executive" level meetings maybe). Purchased the "Mineral" color, its a dark blue, but still has its colorful touch. Doesn't look like a regular backpack for sure, more trendy and cool.

Excelente calidad, diseño cuidado y bien pensado. Thule es sinónimo de calidad y buenos materiales.

I bought this backpack becos of the positive reviews. I like the versatility as I can use it as a carryon on flight as well as a daily backpack. The side openings are also very convenient to assess the main and laptop compartment. I'm thankful the delivery was fast as I'm going to use this backpack for tour in Japan.

Great bag, but amazon sent the wrong colour. It stod black in the description but they sent me a blue.

Wonderful bag, quality is very good and in most case pretty par with Timbuk2 brand quality, I had to replace it since I am looking for something more ergonomically and functional. Awesome compartment setup fits anything in there that carry your daily electronic and extra space for clothes, drinks and etc.This is a great bag for commute and travel seriously. 34L is perfect size for what I need daily. 40L might be too big. This bag is like a size of a human body torso.Laptop fits perfectly from the top drop in, the only thing I am worry is the zippy head inside for the laptop compartment may contact the laptop edge at the top. There is a potential chance to scratch the laptop. I don't carry Apple laptop which is more durable, some elegant laptop like the ASUS may be prone to scratches. I wish the side zipper access to laptop compartment could open a bit wider, sometime I struggle to squeeze the laptop in and out of the laptop because of the length or horizontal length of the laptop keyboard.Just a note, it will fit almost any laptop up to 15" with the similar dimensions of MacBook Pro even the older thicker version would work from the size access and from the top access.If you carry a bulky laptop like those gaming ones, you only be able to access from top. The side access; good luck squeezing it through.

So far have used it for two business trips. Great bag for 2/3 day trips where you also need your laptop. The side pockets have actually proved much more useful than I expected, especially for taking out the laptop (which as someone mentioned is a bit tight for 15.6 but not too bad). Looks good as well, quite a nice slick design. Is fairly comfortable to carry around. Overall I would recommend this, I have tried cheaper bags from unknown brands on Amazon and the quality is usually adequate for the price. This is not a cheap bag but certainly good quality, hopefully it will last for the long term