Last updated on March 2nd, 2023 at 09:39 pm
Nomatic Navigator vs Tortuga Outbreaker – Today, we compare 2 of our top travel backpack choices – the Nomatic Navigator vs Tortuga Outbreaker to help you choose the backpack. Read here Nomatic Navigator Backpack Review
If you’re anything like us, you’ll always be on the lookout for the ultimate travel backpack. Read here Tortuga Outbreaker Backpack Review, Aer Travel Pack Review, Aer Travel Backpack vs Tropicfeel and Tropicfeel Shell Backpack Review Let’s look at the best features of these two bags and which one we think is the winner!
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What to Look for in a Travel Backpack?
When looking for a travel backpack, there are several key factors to consider:
- Size: Consider the size of the backpack and how much it can hold. You’ll want something that is the right size for your needs, whether you’re going on a weekend trip or a longer journey. Two popular sizes to consider would be a carry-on, which ranges from weekend travel packs to up to 35L backpacks. We prefer the latter as we want the flexibility of packing more or less, and 35L carry-on backpacks are just the holy grail, for us, between, short trips and longer trips.
- Comfort: A backpack should have comfortable straps and a padded back panel to prevent discomfort and injury. Look for a backpack with a well-padded waist belt and straps that can be adjusted to fit your body. Check if the travel bag you’re getting is good for your height, and will be able to help you balance the load on your back. Especially if you’re purchasing a bag that will carry devices like laptops and cameras, as these can easily get heavy. Comfort is also important to consider when you’re planning to go on hikes and will need to carry your backpack with you.
- Durability: Consider the materials and construction of the backpack. Look for high-quality zippers and fabric that can withstand wear and tear. We like to have backpacks for a long time, and as we go on long and frequent trips, we need to make sure bags are sturdy, handle in and out of transport all the time, and can stand the test of time. Also, a good way to save money!
- Accessibility: Look for a backpack with multiple compartments and pockets that make it easy to access your items. A backpack with a front-loading design can be particularly useful for travel. Some side-loading bags are made especially for accessing cameras easier, so make sure you know exactly what you need your bag for to not miss on details you’d like to have.
- Weather resistance: If you plan to travel to a place with different weather conditions, look for a backpack that is made of water-resistant material or comes with a rain cover. Water resistance is almost a no-brainer for us as we love to travel in the tropics, or when you’re going out for a day, and need to visit the beach or a waterfall, it’s just easier not to have to worry about your things getting wet. Have a rain cover as an alternative always ready in one of the pockets.
- Security: Consider a backpack with lockable zippers or RFID-blocking pockets if you’re concerned about theft or loss of personal information.
- Price: Price is also an important factor to consider when choosing a backpack. Look for a backpack that offers a good balance of features, durability, and cost.
- Style: We don’t want to fully discount the right balance between durability, usefulness, and the right style for you. You can have a good backpack while having one that fits your “style” sense or what looks attractive to you! We normally choose darker bags so as not to worry about cleaning and washing bags during long trips, but we don’t mind adding some pop of color to our bags!
Nomatic Navigator vs Tortuga Outbreaker – Which Travel Backpack to Choose
Nomatic Navigator Travel Backpack 32L Backpack Top Features – What We Love
The Nomatic Navigator backpack features a number of compartments and pockets for organization and storage, including:
- A dedicated laptop compartment that can fit laptops up to 17 inches
- A main compartment with a built-in divider and multiple pockets for organization
- A front pocket with a built-in USB charging port
- A side pocket for a water bottle
- A top pocket for quick access items
- A hidden back pocket for valuables
- Expandable side pockets for additional storage
The backpack is made from durable, water-resistant materials and features padded straps and a back panel for comfort. The straps are also adjustable and can be hidden away when not in use. The backpack has a total capacity of 32 liters and is designed to be comfortable to wear even when fully loaded. It is a versatile backpack that is well-suited for travelers, commuters, and anyone who needs a durable and functional backpack for everyday use.
The backpack is made from a combination of durable, water-resistant polyester and nylon materials.
The main compartment features a built-in divider and multiple pockets for organization, including a mesh pocket for smaller items and a zippered pocket for added security.
The front pocket has a built-in USB charging port that allows you to charge your phone or other devices on the go. The charging port is connected to a built-in power bank (not included) that you can use to charge your devices.
Nomatic Backpack Review: The side pocket is designed to hold a water bottle and the top pocket is perfect for quick access items such as keys or sunglasses.
The hidden back pocket is located on the back panel of the backpack, which can be easily accessed by unzipping the back panel. It is designed for items that you want to keep secure and hidden.
The expandable side pockets are located on the sides of the backpack and can be expanded to increase the backpack’s storage capacity.
The backpack has a total capacity of 32 liters and can be easily expanded to 35 liters.
The padded straps and back panel are designed to provide comfort and support when carrying the backpack, even when it is fully loaded. The straps are also adjustable and can be hidden away when not in use.
The backpack has a sleek and modern design that is suitable for both men and women.
The Nomatic Navigator backpack is designed to be a highly functional and versatile backpack, perfect for travelers, commuters, and anyone who needs a durable and practical backpack for everyday use. It has a lot of compartments and pockets that allow you to organize and access your items easily and efficiently.
Tortuga Outbreaker 35L Backpack Top Features
Tortuga Outbreaker is a Carry-On 35L
The Tortuga Outbreaker can easily be considered the ultimate carry-on. Carry-on backpacks are important especially if you’re planning to have a fast and efficient trip that allows you to skip check-in luggage time, and having to wait for the conveyor belt and all the unpacking time, not to mention having to log around a suitcase with you.
For us, the Tortuga Outbreaker is easily a casual backpack you can carry anytime with you and can easily turn into a full-time bag that you can carry for your long-term travels. As full-time digital nomads, we know how important this is.
Also, Tortuga Outbreaker is a 35L backpack, the maximum international weight for carry-ons (fits the overhead bin), so this helps you not worry about overpacking for whatever country you’re traveling to.
Tortuga Outbreaker is Easy to Pack
Thanks to its front-loading design and clamshell opening, Tortuga Outbreaker is carefully created to make packing and unpacking easy and seamless. We’ll have to say that organizing luggage with the Tortuga Outbreaker is one of our favorite features!
Most of the problems we get from backpacks are that you’ll have to cram all your things to fit into the bag, which although it can help you carry all your stuff, you’ll have to pack and unpack several times.
With the Tortuga Outbreaker, not only will it hold all the stuff you’ll ever need (ha!), but it’s also very easy to get access to your things later on.
You definitely get the best backpack organization features you’d like in a bag with the Tortuga Outbreaker:
- Front organizer pockets with easy key clips
- Padded laptop sleeves for your devices with their own TSA-approved compartments
- Mesh Pockets and Side Pockets (space for two water bottles if you wanna pack more than one!)
- Flat front pockets
Ahh, the growing pains of getting older. If you’ve been a long-time traveler, or if you’ve had to carry a huge travel backpack for several months on end, you’ll understand that comfort should be no. 1 on your list when it comes to the ultimate backpack.
Tortuga Outbreaker has a height adjustable style and a 32-60 inches hip belt that helps you carry 80% of the weight of the bag, transferring the weight from your shoulder to your hips.
Ruben has back issues and this feature is just perfect for helping us make our trips much more comfortable and enjoyable.
And last but not the least, Tortuga Outbeaker is definitely built to last – which makes the investment totally worth it. Tortuga uses the X-Pac® VX21 fabric, sailcloth that is weatherproof (we love our tropical countries so we need bags that can stand any weather and rain), and tear-proof. You also get high-quality, YKK® zippers and Duraflex® buckles, all top-class, lockable, and water-resistant zippers.
Nomatic Navigator 32L Travel Pack – Pros and Cons
Pros – Nomatic Navigator 32L Travel Pack
Large capacity: With a 32L capacity, the backpack is able to hold a lot of items, making it ideal for longer trips or for those who like to pack a lot of items. It’s definitely the ultimate carry-on backpack to have!
Durable construction: The backpack is made of high-quality materials, including water-resistant fabric, that can withstand wear and tear.
Multiple compartments: The backpack features multiple compartments and pockets, making it easy to organize and access items.
Comfortable to wear: The backpack has padded shoulder straps and a waist belt that can be adjusted for a comfortable fit.
RFID-blocking pockets: The backpack comes with RFID-blocking pockets, which can help to protect your personal information from theft.
Cons – Nomatic Navigator 32L
Expensive: The backpack is relatively expensive, which may be a drawback for some people. It’s definitely an investment that we generally think is okay if you’re looking at a backpack that will stand the test of time.
No rain cover: The backpack does not come with a rain cover immediately, which can be an issue for those who plan to travel to places with different weather conditions. Good thing is that this is easily solvable with any their own accessory rain covers you can get. You can get your Nomatic Navigator Raincover here. Without the rain cover though, the Nomatic backpack is made with 840D Ballistic Nylon & durable water-resistant materials, so it should be able to stand some instances of water splashes. But to err on the safe side, get their accessories as well!
Structure: The Nomatic Navigator backpack has a rigid and structured design, which could make it hard to fit in tight spaces or in overhead compartments of airplanes. Now this can be a pro or con, depending on how you look at it, but for us, it’s more of a pro (than a con) as if you travel to so many places, these bags with rigid structures are just more durable, movement-proof, time-tested, and the things you have inside are more protected against getting squished.
Pros and Cons Tortuga Outbreaker
Pros – Tortuga Outbreaker 35L Backpack
From its 35L size that perfectly fits as your cabin luggage, to its clamshell opening and organization features, the back structure that help your back get more comfortable and transfer to carry the bag weight to your hips, and the weather-proof and tear-proof fabric, we just love everything about the Tortuga Outbreaker.
This bag can easily fit a short weekend trip to months of travel.
Cons – Tortuga Outbreaker 35L Backpack
The only con we see with Tortuga Ourbreaker is if you’re actually looking for bigger luggage for check-in, like a suitcase. Suitcases of course have their own place for travel, so if this is the bag you’re looking for, you’ll have to get another one.
Final Verdict: Nomatic Navigator 32L vs Tortuga Outbreaker
WINNER: Nomatic Navigator 32L Travel Backpack
We pick the Nomatic Navigator 32L Travel Backpack for this battle!
The perfect travel backpack will of course be up to your personal preference. For us, we definitely love a backpack that we can use as a carry-on, strong and sturdy that can stand all the types of traveling we wanna do, full of compartments and accessible pockets for all the organization we require, RFID secured pockets, and more!
How about you? Tell us what you’d pick between the Nomatic Navigator vs Tortuga Outbreaker or if you have another favorite travel backpack for us to check out!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.