Is The Nomatic Backpack The BEST Travel Luggage?

The Nomatic backpack promises to deliver the perfect backpack and claims to be the best luggage for digital nomads and travelers. After years of living out of a backpack, we were eager to test out and write a Nomatic Backpack Review.

Nomatic has created a travel backpack designed to carry all modern essentials, including electronics, clothes, and daily items. With a smart design and quality build, it’s a piece of luggage well suited to most travelers’ needs.

After testing the Nomatic luggage out on several trips we feel we’ve got a firm grasp on this piece of travel gear. In this review of the Nomatic Backpack, we break down everything we love and everything we don’t. We’ll also cover who we believe the Nomatic backpack is best suited for.

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Nomatic Backpack Review

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Design

The Nomatic Travel Bag has a sleek appearance. It looks cool without being flashy or drawing too much attention, which can be helpful when traveling. This backpack won’t look out of place whether you’re at a cheap hostel or traveling for business, so it’s an excellent option for various types of travel and lifestyle. 

As any great travel backpack should, the Nomatic travel bag fits comfortably underneath an airplane seat, so you can use it as a carry-on bag and a day pack while traveling. Thanks to the side handle, it can also be carried as a briefcase to accommodate different circumstances and areas of use. 

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Key Features of the Nomatic Backpack

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Water Resistant

Of course, it’s not a good idea to throw your Nomatic Travel Bag in the lake (your things will be destroyed!), but you shouldn’t worry about a bit of rain splashing on it thanks to the water-resistant material.

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Zippers

The YKK zippers are built to last a long time and not get snagged when you’re trying to open and close the backpack. Compared to other backpack zippers, these zippers do a much better job keeping water outside the backpack, so all your valuables stay nice and dry inside.

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Expandable

The Nomatic travel bag has a 20-liter storage capacity that can be expanded to 24 liters thanks to a convenient zip-out design. The expandable capacity comes in handy if you need to carry extra water for a day trip, a few more good books for a long plane ride, or a spare warm sweater.

On days when you don’t need as much gear, just zip the backpack down to its original 20-liter size so that it doesn’t take up any more space than needed on the subway or bus ride. 

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Magnetic Water Bottle Pockets

A water bottle is an essential packing item for every traveler, and the Nomatic travel bag has found a way to make carrying water a bit more convenient (not to mention way cooler). 

The side water bottle pocket is magnetic, so the pocket expands when you need to put a water bottle in, then snaps back in place when not in use, eliminating the extra space and keeping the backpack smooth on all sides.  

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Backpack to Briefcase:

One of the best things about the Nomatic luggage piece is the variety of uses, thanks to the functional design. The patent-pending strap has an innovative capacity to switch back and forth between carrying the backpack on your back or as a briefcase. 

This feature is super helpful for travelers who do a combination of business and leisure travel. Head out for a day of sightseeing, then attend a business meeting without needing to change your backpack. 

Even if you’re not doing “business travel,” the briefcase feature is still a cool function. Maybe you’re a photographer who doesn’t want to keep taking your backpack on and off to get your gear, or your shoulders have gotten tired. 

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Exterior

The unassuming and sleek exterior design hides some of the cooler features of the Nomatic backpack. However, this neutral appearance helps you fit into any situation, be it a business meeting, a casual encounter with friends at a local café, or a day of touring a new city. 

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Structure

Unlike some travel backpacks, the Nomatic backpack has some structure to the sides, which keeps the pack from sagging or your gear getting jostled around while you’re traveling. 

The back panel has padding that allows for airflow along your spine. This isn’t going to prevent sweat build-up entirely, particularly in tropical climates, but it’s certainly much better than flat-back designs, both in terms of ergonomic padding and ventilation.

The Nomatic Backpack has a sternum strap to help balance the weight on your shoulders, but there’s no waist strap. Some travelers prefer not having a waist strap because it gets in the way too much, while others find the feature helpful. It’s all a matter of personal preference; if a waist strap is super important to you, you can purchase one separately for the Nomatic. 

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Color Options

Black is the only color available for the Nomatic Backpack. Again, depending on your preference, this could be a bonus or a fault. It certainly simplifies your choices while shopping, but on the other hand, it gives you less chance to personalize your backpack. 

The good news about black is that it goes with everything and can look either highly professional or provide a laid-back everyday use sort of vibe.  

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Durability

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a new piece of travel gear only to have it break or get damaged before you even leave the airport. 

Backpacks are something way too many travelers compromise on in terms of price. It’s easy to find a cheap $15 or $20 pack that looks nice enough. But probably nine times out of ten, the budget bags won’t even last a week. Then you’ll have to search for a new one because the zipper snagged or worse – your belongings got water damaged. 

Although the Nomatic Backpack is more expensive than other travel bags, the higher price comes with higher quality. This bag was no doubt built to last – and designed to make sure all your belongings make it safely (and in an organized manner!) to your next destination. 

The water-resistant material does an excellent job of keeping things dry, and the padded laptop sleeve provides a safe place to store your computer while on the go. 

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Additional Features

The Nomatic travel bag also comes with a sunglasses case, a bonus to help prevent your favorite pair of shades from getting bent or tangled at the bottom, inconveniently out of reach at the moment when you most need them. 

Some people have commented that the Nomatic Backpack has a bit of a “boxy” appearance, but this is mostly due to the extra padding and organized compartments. This added structure keeps your back happy and prevents your gear and personal items from sliding around so much when you’re out and about. 

Interior

The interior design of the Nomatic Backpack is a practical work of genius. If you’re the type of person who likes to have things organized (or has had difficulty keeping things organized in the past), then the Nomatic Backpack is a dream come true! 

Pockets and compartments are designed with techies in mind but can come in handy to keep art supplies, hygiene products, passports and documents, medications, or whatever other odds and ends you need neat and organized. 

Perimeter Zipper

A huge plus in the organization and accessibility score, the full perimeter zipper on the Nomatic Backpack gives you access to all parts of the bag. This means you don’t need to unpack everything to get to that one essential item which ended up beneath everything else. Simply lay the backpack flat, unzip, and locate your item. 

Accessories Pocket

Many backpacks have a front pocket with space for some pencils, pens, and maybe a few papers. The Nomatic Backpack takes this farther with neat little mesh pockets that can be used to organize headphones, your wallet, or keep a special souvenir safe. 

This also leaves more room in the main pouch for bulkier items like an extra sweatshirt or large books. You can quickly access what you need in the backpack without messing up the organization and needing to unpack and repack all your belongings. 

Hidden Pockets

Who doesn’t love hidden pockets? The Nomatic Backpack has a few, including one on the back for an easy way to keep cash on hand. 

There’s also a non-descript padded pouch on the top of the backpack for easy access to your mobile phone or other essential items you want ready-on-hand. 

On the inside of the accessories pouch, there’s a lockable pouch that can be used to carry passports, credit cards, or other sensitive and valuable items safely while traveling. 

Laptops and Technology 

The Nomatic design team planned almost everything to create a safe and convenient way to carry multiple electronic devices in your backpack. 

A laptop of up to 15 inches can be securely stored in the laptop pouch. In the panel in front of the laptop, there is an additional pocket to store a tablet, as well as a keyboard, mouse, and cable. 

There are cord pass-through holes throughout the backpack so you can charge your devices while on the go. No need to end up at your hotel or hostel with a dead battery! It’s easy to keep your power bank in the accessories pocket and thread the cord through to charge your phone so it’s -on-hand. 

Retractable Key Chain 

Are you one of those people who are always fumbling with their keys? Being honest, probably everyone has had a moment of panic when they thought they forget their keys, dropped them in the dark and struggled to find them. 

Once again, the Nomatic Backpack delivers with a convenient retractable key chain that keeps your keys securely in place and always attached to the backpack when you’re on the go. 

Functionality

While the Nomatic travel bag was designed with travelers in mind, there’s no reason you shouldn’t buy it if you’re a student, office worker, or simply looking for a cool, super organized way to keep your belongings safe while out and about. 

With the adjustable strap which can turn the Nomatic travel bag from a traditional backpack to a briefcase, you won’t look out of place showing up at work with this awesome pack. 

With all the pockets and organization options, it’s hard to imagine who wouldn’t be able to use this backpack. Nurses, artists, college students – you name it, the organization is practically flawless for numerous lifestyles and work situations. 

If you intend to use the Nomatic backpack for travel, it’s good to note that it will easily fit underneath an airplane seat as a carry-on. When turned on its side, the backpack can also be securely attached to a suitcase like a trolley sleeve as an easier way to carry it while going through the airport. 

The water-resistant material means it’s much easier to clean this backpack than other bags. Spills, dirt, and dust can be wiped off with a damp cloth without damaging the backpack or getting the contents wet.

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Drawbacks of the Nomatic Backpack

A lot of the drawbacks to the Nomatic Travel Bag come down to personal preference, but it’s still worth mentioning a few things. First, the lack of waist straps can be a significant deterrent for travelers who are planning on walking a lot while carrying a backpack. It is possible to purchase Nomatic waist straps separately, but since the backpack is already a bit pricey, the extra expense might not make it worth it for you. 

Another thing to consider is the carrying capacity. At 20 liters (24 when expanded), the Nomatic travel bag is good for one or two days of traveling, possibly a bit longer if you’ve really nailed down how to travel light. If you already know you’ll need something bigger than that, look for a different backpack – or know that the Nomatic will be used as your day pack for shorter trips to supplement a larger suitcase or travel bag. 

Some people may be disappointed that the bag is only available in black. In most circumstances, having a black bag can be beneficial, since it never looks out of place. However, if you absolutely need color, you’ll have to go with a different backpack.

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