Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Review

If you’re looking for a backpack for long term travel then you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I will be reviewing the Nomatic 40l travel bag which I have been using since March 2018!

TLDR; If you’re in the hurry here’s the pros and cons of the Nomatic 40l travel bag!

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Nomatic Travel Bag Review

About Me And My Lifestyle

I’ve been living out a single backpack traveling the world since April 2016 as a “Digital Nomad”. I run this blog which has a fairly big readership and also I used to be the head of SEO and organic growth at Foundr Magazine which is one of the largest online business magazines in the world.

I have a very active lifestyle and do crazy shit from climbing the world’s third-highest mountain pass with everything I own to meeting the Dalai Lama. I don’t spend much time in a single spot and usually move from spot to spot on a weekly basis and I sometimes bike across countries with my backpack so having the right gear is a huge deal for me.

At the start of 2018, I upgraded my full-time backpack to the Nomatic 40l Travel Bag and in this pretty long article, I’m going to share my opinion about it.

Transparency: I WASN’T given the Nomatic 40l Travel Bag for Free (unlike most other blogging people writing “Nomatic Travel Bag Review”. I paid for it (along with the Vaccum pack) with my own money, however, the links to Nomatic.com on this site are affiliate links so if you click through and buy the bag, I earn a small percent at no extra cost to you! 

To put the bag to a test I have been living out of the Nomatic Travel bag full time and ever since I got it I have taken over a dozen flights, went hiking for hours through rice fields and also rode nearly a 1000 kms across the island of Flores (in rains) on a motorbike ;)

Countries Traveled with the Nomatic Travel Bag: Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Tunisia, Vietnam (so far)

Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Review

The Nomatic 40L Travel bag was designed for longer trips. The travel bag is a combination of some of the best features from the backpack, duffel bag, and general luggage.

The idea behind creating this is to create the ultimate travel bag to help you spend less time fussing around with your luggage and more time on the good stuff; your journey.

Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Dimensions

• Weight: 4 lb. 8 oz.
• Capacity: 40L, Designed to fit the maximum carry on size allowed on standard airlines, fits in the overhead compartment as well as the under seat as storage in flight.
• Outer Dimensions: 9″ H x 21″ W x 14″ D
• Large Opening Dimensions: 19″ x 12″

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The Nomatic 40l Travel Bag has over 20 important features that make it the most functional travel bag ever made! On top of being packed with extreme functionality, the bag has a sleek minimalist design, is made of strong weather-proof materials and is built to last.

Now this backpack has a ton of features, a little too many to be honest haha and I’m going to dive into the ones that I like/don’t like/got my attention.

You can use the Nomatic Travel Bag as a duffle bag as well as a Backpack! How amazing is that? and also it uses the same strap system so that when you are using it as a duffle bag the backpack straps are snug and vice versa.

The only con is that the straps are on the back so you are holding the bag horizontally which for someone tiny like me might be a little weird as the bag can’t be held touching the body.

Personally, I don’t use the Nomatic 40l Travel bag as a duffle often, it’s more of an additional feature for me. I tend to use it when I’m in more urban areas and giving talks at coworking spaces or conferences.

The Waterproof and durability of the Nomatic Travel Bag were one of the major reasons I actually decided to buy it. I just did a 1500km long biking ride around the island of Flores in Indonesia and since it was the end of the rainy season I ended up getting a few days with rain.

When I was biking the island of Flores it began to pour, in the past I would have to stop to put a bag cover over my backpack, however with the Nomatic travel bag I was able to carry on biking through the beautiful island.

I was able to bike around without having to worry about my electronic devices getting wet thanks to the great waterproof material and zippers.

The dimensions of the backpack 21″x14″x9″ which is big for an everyday carry backpack but perfect for a carry on travel backpack, it fits the carry on requirements for the majority of airlines thus perfect for someone like me who hates checking in luggage when flying (trust issues).

If you are tall it might be good to use as a daily bag but for someone tiny like me, due to the lack of compressibility it’s not necessarily the best backpack to use to go cafe hopping every single day, but as a full-time backpack it’s amazing.

Due to the incredibly thin (yet strong) material on the Nomatic 40l Travel Bag, the volume on the inside of the bag is incredible, you can fit sooooo much stuff in it. The true volume is 45L but it’s honestly more spacious than most 60L backpacks I’ve used.

For most people, a compartment just for shoes may seem like a waste (Well you can use it for something else) but for someone who lives out of a backpack, the ability to have a spot especially for their shoes or flip flops is a life saver.

You can ship the Nomatic Travel Bag & all of Nomatic Backpacks anywhere in the world (except active war zones :/ ). I managed to ship mine to an address of a friend in Malaysia.

You are responsible for Customs, Duty, Taxes, or any other importing fees for international orders, however, Nomatic’s team is incredibly responsive and helpful in the entire process. So it doesn’t matter if you are in the USA or India, you can get the Nomatic Travel Bag.

Free Shipping is a plus for anyone in the US (you only pay sales tax if you are in Utah).

The bag comes built in with an RFID Safe pocket and comes included with a TSA Approved lock to lock it up. This might not be useful for the majority of travelers out there. But it’s an additional feature that adds a special security touch to the Nomatic Travel Bag.

The bag comes included with a laundry bag?! no seriously, it’s a tiny laundry bag that you can hang on any hook or doorknob of an Airbnb you rent. It fits in at the bottom of your shoe compartment.

There’s a water bottle pocket at the top of the bag that’s separated from the rest of the bag on the inside with waterproof material. I personally would love to also have a bottle pocket at the side for the times when you are using the backpack normally and want your water bottle to be easily accessible.

The laptop AND Tablet compartments are located right next to your back so you can open up your bag to lie the laptop flat when going through security at airports. It fits Laptop up to 15″ but you might struggle if you travel with a bigger laptop. You can use the tablet compartment for a kindle like me if you don’t use a tablet.

The Nomatic Travel Bag comes with padded hip straps that are removable which is such a convenience as you can use them when you are going on long journeys and have them off when you are just going around town and you don’t have to leave them dangling around.

The straps come with pockets that you can keep your passport and boarding pass in (How cool is that?)

If you are not satisfied with the Nomatic Travel Bag or any other Nomatic products, you can just send it back thanks to their 100% 30-days money-back no-questions-asked guarantee.

Misc Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Features

The Nomatic Travel Bag is a backpack with so many features that I’m sure I’m missing into diving into them all so I’m just going to highlight a few more than I really found interesting.

• Sock and Underwear pocket
• Notebook pocket
• Cord Mangement system
• Roller Bag Sleeve
• Fleece Lined Valuables Pocket
• Large Opening for Easy Packing

However, it’s not necessarily perfect. It depends on your needs, if you are a digital nomad like me, the Nomatic Travel Bag might just be your new travel backpack! Here’re a few downsides to the Nomatic bag.

Due to the structure and material of the backpack, it’s not necessarily the best daypack to carry around town to go into a cafe. But then again how many people go to a cafe with their full-time travel backpack every day.

Get the Nomatic Travel Pack which is designed for everyday use as well and you have got the perfect (but little expensive) combination.

The weight of the bag may not be a ton for a bag this size, but it can be a definite thing to be aware on if you’re planning on using it as a carryon. I haven’t had any issues for me.

Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Price

It’s not really cheap, at $200+ for a fucking backpack?! that’s a pricey purchase for a lot of people (no shit Sherlock!). That’s almost half a month’s salary for a lot of people around the world so it’s not necessarily the best backpack if you are on a tight budget.

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It is however great value for someone who’s focused on being extremely functional and I personally live out a backpack so it’s like a home to me and I did a ton of research before getting the Nomatic bag and honestly, I’m happy with my decision.

Maybe give the Osprey Fairpoint 40 if you are looking for a more budget option. The Quechua backpacks are pretty great too, I used to use them!

Do you still have doubts about getting a Nomatic Travel Bag? Let me know your concern in the comments below!

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Nomatic 40l Travel Bag FAQs

Who are the Nomatic backpacks for?

The idea behind the Nomatic backpacks is minimalism with great functionality.

In fact, if you’re a young professional and you have the money, I say you should definitely invest in one of the NOMATIC backpacks. It has a really sleek look that still feels appropriate for work and a lot of features that will make your life a whole lot easier.

Because the backpack is a bit pricey, I wouldn’t recommend this backpack for college students. It doesn’t seem to match closely enough with their needs.

As for the Travel Pack, again, it would work great for business professionals who have to travel frequently for work as a carry-on bag. I would be hesitant to recommend this bag as your only travel bag even for a short 3-day trip.

Especially for those people that travel pretty frequently just because it doesn’t seem to have enough space and organization to handle the job. Plus the design looks pretty sleek but it might be too sleek for travel.

What Kind of Warranty Do the NOMATIC Bags Have?

NOMATIC states that if you are not 100% satisfied with the quality of your bag you can simply return it back and claim a total refund. No questions asked!

This demonstrates that Nomatic really stands by their product and they’re confident in the quality of their product and more importantly that you will love it.

How Does NOMATIC Handle International Shipping?

Their terms of sale for international orders are FOB destination. For those of you that don’t know, this basically means you have to pay all freight and duties or taxes as per the destination.

NOTE: The duties and taxes based on you are not built into the cost so you are left to calculate that amount and convert it to your local currency manually.

How big is the Nomatic travel bag?

The dimensions of the backpack 21″x14″x9″ which is big for a daypack but perfect for a travel backpack. Outer Dimensions: 9″ H x 21″ W x 14″ D

How much is the Nomatic backpack?

The Nomatic 40l Travel Bag costs $279.99. The other Nomatic Backpacks are:

• Nomatic 30l Travel Bag – $269.99
• Nomatic Travel Pack – $259.99
• Nomatic Backpack – $249.99

Nomatic vs Tortuga

If you’re looking for a backpack for long term travel then you’ve probably land on either on a Nomatic Backpack review or a Review of one of the Tortuga Backpack reviews! But who in the fight of Nomatic vs Tortuga?

Here’s the pros and cons of both Nomatic & Tortuga!

• Company: Tortuga has been around since 2010 so is more established as a travel backpack maker, however Nomatic started out making wallets and later expanded to backpacks and now luggage. Winner: Tortuga
• Future: Nomatic is working with influencers and people actually in the field like Peter McKinnon when it comes to making products as they did with their Camera Backpack so I only see Nomatic getting more popular and expanding. Winner: Nomatic
• Shipping: Tortuga stopped accepting international (non-US) orders on December 31, 2018. They said that they would resume but its 2024 and they’ve been no updates. While Nomatic ships internationally. Winner: Nomatic
• Refunds: Both Nomatic and Tortuga have 30 day return policies (You have to play for shipping with both of them). However, based people in forums its not easy to get your refunds with Nomatic. Winner: Tortuga

Nomatic vs Peak Design

Another popular comparison on the internet is Nomatic vs Peak Design. Here are the pros and cons of both Nomatic & Peak Design!

When comparing Nomatic backpacks to Peak Design backpacks, it’s evident that Nomatic offers a wider variety of models to cater to different needs. Nomatic understands that every individual has unique preferences and requirements for their everyday carry, and they have developed a diverse range of backpacks to accommodate those varying needs. From compact daypacks to spacious travel backpacks, Nomatic covers a broad spectrum of options.

On the other hand, while Peak Design may not offer as many models as Nomatic, they excel in providing a high level of customization for their backpacks. Peak Design understands that some users prefer the ability to personalize and fine-tune their backpacks according to their specific preferences and organizational needs. By focusing on customization, Peak Design ensures that their backpacks can be tailored to suit individual lifestyles and organizational systems.

The emphasis on customization sets Peak Design apart from Nomatic. Instead of offering a wide range of pre-defined models, Peak Design enables users to adjust and modify their backpacks through interchangeable dividers, modular compartments, and attachment points. This level of customization allows users to optimize the organization and functionality of their backpacks to a greater extent, providing a tailored experience that perfectly matches their unique requirements.

Nomatic 40l Travel Bag Alternatives

While the Nomatic backpack is great, based on your needs you might want to consider on of these Nomatic backpack alternatives instead.

1. GORUCK GR2 – Best Overall Nomatic Backpack Alternative

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What Redditors had to say about it

u/Outcome005– “I used the GR1 21 liters backpack for all my college time, and it is awesome. And now I use it as a work and travel backpack. You cannot mess with a GORUCK”.

u/SilkyChineseFood- “I have a GR2 and use it every day. I hike and travel all the time and get the GORUCK as hand luggage on the place. Had it for a year or more, and it still looks brand new”.

u/hackatac- “If you’re looking for the toughest bag in the market and ready to compromise to carry the extra weight, then you should buy a GORUCK backpack. I have owned the backpack for nearly 2 years and have performed 2 GORUCK challenges using it and it still stands out and is fantastic. I would say out of the 10 bags I have it carries weight on the shoulders, unlike others. I’ve put 100 pounds in the bag, and it is still comfortable”.

The GORUCK GR2 is a great travel and EDC backpack. While the GR1 is great for EDC, the GR2 is fantastic for both EDC and travel. If you want to stick with just one backpack for all your needs then this is it. This carry-on-compliant bag has all the pockets and organization you need. You can travel hands-free with this bag which makes it the “one backpack to rule them all”. It is durable enough to last a lifetime and is perfect for a week-long trip. With the GR2, you get what you pay for.

Highlights

• Specifications: The GR2 comes in two sizes 35L and 40L. There is no difference between the two backpacks except for their capacity and size. There is a 1.5” height difference between them. While both the rucksacks look boxy and huge, I recommend you buy the 35L unless you have a very specific need for the 40L.
• Material: This backpack is made from highly durable 1000D Cordura Nylon material. This makes it tear, abrasion, and water-resistant. You could be out in the rain and not worry about your electronics getting soaked in water. This makes the GR2 perfect for off-road adventures. The bag works well in cities and hiking or camping as well.
• YKK Zippers: Made from parachute 550 cord, the YKK Zippers are the best premium zippers in the market. They self-lubricate the more you use them and don’t become sticky or gritty over time. They will feel more smooth, the more you use them and are very durable and virtually impossible to break or tear apart.
• Comfort: The GR2 has thick padding everywhere so you don’t feel anything from inside the bag. The extra thick padding on the shoulder straps ensures that the straps don’t cut into your skin if you carry the bag around for longer durations. The spaced-out ridges and breathable mesh on the back panel give it good breathability and ventilation.
• Organization: There are two large compartments, the inner compartment having three pockets and the outer compartment having three pockets and a built-in field pocket. The spacious main compartment opens up completely flat, making it easier to pack and organize. The separate bombproof laptop compartment features a false bottom to keep it secure when the ruck is put down. The GR2 has a lot of MOLLE panels that you can use to customize the backpack.
• Compartments: The outer compartment has four internal pockets: two large mesh zippered pockets, one small go-to zippered pocket, and one built-in field pocket. The inner compartment has three internal pockets: one large elastic pocket, one large mesh zippered pocket, and one small go-to zippered pocket. The external slant pocket at the front is great for things you need to grab on the go. The laptop compartment is behind the heavily padded back panel and can fit a 17” device.
• Great EDC Backpack: Although the opening of the main compartment is not ideal for an EDC you can open the zippers partially to make it work like a regular EDC. Its laptop compartment, ample space, and various pockets and compartments make it excellent for everyday use.

2. Tortuga Travel Backpack – Best Carry On Backpack For Travel

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What Redditors had to say about it

u/jaymeetee- “I’ve been living on a Tortuga backpack since May 2nd, 2015. I can assure you that I am pretty happy with the Tortuga materials and quality”.

u/AdventureInAbsurdity- “Tortuga makes great backpacks, made for long-term one bagging. If you are looking for unboxing, customer service, and daily use, you can’t purchase a better product”.

u/BenThereNotYet- “I’ve owned the 45L Tortuga backpack for almost 2 years and have made dozen trans-oceanic trips around the world from last year to the beginning of this year. It is usually considered a carry-on but was once forced to gate-check it. I make sure I hide the straps on most occasions. Two years later, the bag looks brand new and has been a great investment for me”.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack is an incredible backpack explicitly made for travel. It’s perfect for short and long trips and is designed to fit all your belongings in a carry-on size. This Backpack has impressive features that make it a top choice among travelers.

Highlights

• Smartly Designed Storage: The Backpack features a balanced design and many options for storage, so everything has a place to call home.
• Luxurious Comfort: The suspension and straps redefine comfort, making those lengthy journeys seem effortless.
• Hip Belt Haven: The hip belt provides outstanding support for a journey without tiredness, going above and beyond.
• Week-Long Warrior: This rugged Backpack is a reliable ally for week-long hiking trips.
• Built to Brave: Made of durable, water-resistant materials, the bag scoffs at deterioration.
• Eco-Friendly Chic: An environmentally conscious touch, the main fabric proudly displays the label of recycled materials.
• Harness that is like a cloud: The padded, height-adjustable harness provides a secure fit without sacrificing comfort.
• Suitcase-Like Opening: The Backpack’s innovative suitcase-like opening style deserves special mention. This design feature simplifies packing and accessing your belongings and lets you see all your packed items simultaneously.
• Tech-Savvy Companion: The Backpack features a dedicated and well-padded laptop compartment that can comfortably accommodate a 16-inch MacBook Pro or similar-sized laptops.
• Traveller’s Pleasure: The Backpack complies with carry-on requirements, reducing stress at the airport.
• Globetrotter’s Assurance: No matter where your travels take you, a global warranty attests to its quality.

Nomatic Travel Bag Accessories

Nomatic have a couple of travel accessories that make packing your Nomatic bags easier to pack! Here are a couple of their accessories that you might want to take along;

• Nomatic Vaccum Bag
• Nomatic Toiletry Bag
• Nomatic Compression Packing Cube (I’ve reviewed this)
• Nomatic Shirt Organizer
• Nomatic Waist Straps (included)
• Nomatic Laundry Bag (included)

I personally use the Vaccum bag and I love it as it makes packing my Nomatic 40l Travel Bag so much easier. It’s made to perfectly fit the backpack!

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