In our opinion, there is always a much bigger incentive to carry on than to check in your bags. From the possibility of an airline losing your enormous suitcase before it makes its way under the plane to Southwest now charging for check luggage, carrying on is officially the best move when it comes to traveling. That said, it's seemingly impossible to bring more than a few outfits into a bag with less than half the capacity of a checked bag, which can make packing difficult.
Just ask House Beautiful's digital designer, Soumi Sarkar, who is admittedly not an amazing packer. "The idea of fitting everything I needed for a recent trip to Miami into only one personal item had me panicked because I didn't want to travel that light," she says. "I knew I needed to get a bag that was bigger than my regular backpack but would meet luggage requirements and hold all the stuff I wanted to take with me."
Basically, she needed a piece of luggage big enough to fit all of her belongings but not so big that the flight attendants may need to place it under the plane during the boarding process. So, after hours of research before her trip, Sarkar ended up snagging a travel backpack from Coofay that changed her whole packing process—for the better. Keep reading to find out how and where to buy it.
What Is a Travel Backpack?
You may have seen several travel backpacks on Instagram. The original travel backpack brand, SpaceVac is like the physical embodiment of the phrase "work smarter, not harder" because you can actually fit an entire week's worth of clothes into this vacuum-sealable backpack that is no bigger than a traditional school bag. Just watch it in action on Instagram below.
Sarkar's bag is similar to SpaceVac, but a lot more affordable (SpaceVac's basic backpack is $120, and Sarkar's Coofay one is only $34). Both the SpaceVac one and the Coofay one are designed with specialized compartments for specific items, including folded clothes, shoes, books, tech, and more. When asked why Sarkar chose her Coofay backpack over one from another brand, she said, "I was on the hunt for something that was spacious enough to hold all the stuff I needed for three days of travel, wouldn't break the bank, since it was ostensibly for just this particular weekend trip, and wasn't ghastly to look at. I scoured Amazon until I found this one, with over 8,000 reviews and with four-plus stars." Once you've stuffed your items into the backpack, zip it up and head out!
Why Do You Need the Coofay Backpack?
A travel backpack that can fit as many (or more) items, outfits, and gadgets as a traditional carry-on with a handle and wheels is always a good idea. You may not use it for every trip, but for those last-minute ones for a few days, you'll need something that allows you to bring plenty of stuff. "I really liked the backpack. It has so many compartments, which really helped me stay organized because I brought a lot of stuff: clothes, shoes, toiletries, documents, and all else," Sarkar notes. "Unlike having to shove things down in a traditional backpack, this was really easy to pack because it opened all the way and laid flat, kind of like opening up a traditional suitcase."
Does the Coofay Fit a Lot of Clothes?
Simple answer: yes, it fits a lot of clothes (and other necessities). Sarkar used this backpack for a three-day weekend in Miami and managed to bring a lot of stuff there. "It definitely fit all that I needed. I managed to squeeze in two pairs of pants, a pajama set, five tops, a bag of toiletries, my cosmetics bag, a hair straightener, a pair of shoes, a book, and a notebook." Even the most chronic overpackers can make this work.
Is It Easy to Travel With?
It is our personal opinion that a big part of a suitcase's appeal is as much about its internal capacity as it is its ease of carrying. Of course, anything on wheels will be easier to travel with than a backpack, but since this Coofy backpack fits both in the overhead compartment and under the seat, according to Sarkar, it's a trade-off. That said, Sarkar admits that it's not painful or uncomfortable to lug through the airport. "Something people don't often talk about is how heavy a backpack can get—imagine trekking through security with your carry-on on your back!" she says. "The Coofay's straps are wide and cushioned, which really helps on the shoulders, and there's padding on the bottom, which helps support the lower back. All of that really helped with lugging it around through the day."
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Specialized compartments for clothes, shoes, and more
- Made of waterproof material
- Available in multiple colors and sizes
- Shoulder straps are padded for easy carrying
- Standard size fits under airplane seats and in overhead compartments
Cons
- Some may struggle to carry it when it's full
Should You Get It?
If you are a frequent traveler and enjoy a good weekend getaway, there's no need to pack only a few things in a carry-on that you may have to check anyway. Instead, pack way more than you may even need into a backpack that's both comfortable to carry and fits under the plane seat. "I actually noticed that a ton of other people were walking around the airport with this exact backpack in a ton of different colors. It is clearly a crowd favorite for personal item-only travelers," Sarkar adds.
Jessica Cherner is House Beautiful’s Associate Shopping Editor, a role she’s honed since joining the editorial team in September 2022. Since then, she’s been testing and reviewing viral products, carefully curating timely gift guides, and tapping her vast network of interior designers to weigh in on decorating debates that often have the Internet divided. Though most of her day-to-day is product-focused, every now and then, she manages to publish a few home tours, which are the types of features she has written over the course of her eight-year career and in previous roles at 1stDibs and Architectural Digest. In her current role as a shopping editor, Jess has mastered the art of swapping decor in and out of her own New York City apartment to fulfill her seemingly never-ending quest for the perfectly styled space.
