Wow. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning as I pulled a silver Topo Designs Mountain Pack out of the box. On initial review, this 36.8L backpack has every feature I look for in carry-on bag: an easy-access laptop sleeve, sturdy harness system, cinch straps, bottle holders, exterior attachment points that actually make sense, and just the right amount of internal organization. This made-in-the-USA backpack is a great size for OneBag travel and is backed by Topo Design’s lifetime warranty.
The price tag is a bit steep, but Topo Designs adds a lot here to be excited about. Is the Mountain Pack right for you?
| Pros | Cons |
| + High-quality materials | – The bag might sag depending on size of load |
| + Compression straps help keep the bag adjust to your load | – Lots of loose/hanging straps allow for an untidy silhouette |
| + Made in the USA |
Who is Topo Designs?
Topo Designs is a Colorado-based company that prides itself in producing colorfully designed & USA-made products for the socially-aware traveler. Topo Designs’ MAP Guarantee includes a lifetime warranty on their products and a way to repair (instead of replace) products that have lived past their prime.
Our charcoal Mountain Pack is among their more conservative designs. This same product comes in a number of bright & high-contrast options if you are looking to add a little more personality to your travel bag. Topo Designs’ signature Rover Pack and Klettersack come in an eye-watering variety of colors and trims that allow you to pick the design that best captures your style.
Topo Designs Mountain Pack Specifications
- Dimensions: 11.5” x 19” x 7” (width x height x depth)
- Capacity: 36.8 Liters
- Laptop Sleeve: Yes (fits most 15″ laptops)
- Material: 1000D nylon with 400D nylon pack cloth & 210D pack cloth liner
- Zippers: oversized YYK (water resistant)
- Hardware: Plastic
- Made in the USA
- Price: $169 MSRP (check the current price on Topo Designs website or use StandbyWithMe’s referral link to get $15 off your first purchase)
How does the Topo Designs Mountain Pack look?
I love that this toploader bag combines the vintage aesthetic of classic hiking backpacks with new-age materials & thoughtful features. The Topo Designs Mountain Pack looks equally at home at the office, on the trail, or at the airport. Having such a versatile backpack replaces the need to have multiple bags for different occasions.
I was hesitant to pull the trigger on the charcoal colorway (those who follow me know that I am partial to choosing bags that stand out in a crowd). Any worries I had about this color being boring were immediately erased after reviewing the bag’s appearance upon unpacking it for the first time.
This Mountain Pack colorway is much closer to a bright silver than a dark charcoal. The silver pops against the muted gray & black accents, and the high-visibility yellow interior certainly adds a sporty highlight. It was immediately apparent just how many straps hang of of this backpack. I count six separate compression straps, two ice pick loops, and an adjustable sternum strap. This doesn’t include the much-appreciated backpack harness adjustment straps or the main compartment’s G-hook system. Topo Designs made a very unique backpack with this Mountain Pack, but it may not appeal to minimalist-inspired travelers who appreciate clean lines.
Topo Designs prides themselves in making backpacks that stand out in a crowd. If the silver/charcoal colorway is too plain for your liking, Topo Designs offers the Mountain Pack in a few other colors (including a wild red/blue/yellow option).
How does the Topo Designs Mountain Pack feel?
The Topo Designs Mountain Pack is made of the uber-durable 1000 D fabric. Those who nerd out about their bags & backpacks will immediately recognize this as a high-quality exterior. What exactly is it, though?
1000 denier (1000D for short) nylon is a heavyweight fabric that is the gold-standard when it comes to constructing rugged outdoor gear. 1000D fabric on the outside of a bag will be thick & heavy, which is why the ligther & more pliable 210D fabric lining the inside of the bag. This ruggedness becomes very evident upon handling the Mountain Pack. The material feels sturdy in our hands, and the fabric is noticeably thicker than the average backpack. This is not your run-of-the-mill carry-on bag!
The internal liner feels smoother and thinner than the exterior. The 210D fabric used on the inside of the bag is still plenty durable without adding additional bulk to the Mountain Pack.
How does the Topo Designs Mountain Pack fit?
The Topo Designs Mountain Pack is listed as having nearly 37 liters of capacity. The dimensions allow for this bag to be compliant with most airlines’ carry-on policies. Do not let that fool you; this is not a small backpack.
This bag is a little over 19 inches tall, so it can feel large on the backs of smaller travelers. I stand at 5’7” and Topo Design’s Mountain Pack fits me quite well. The Mountain Pack fits similar to Millican’s 25L Oli The Zip backpack that we tested in 2020, and it feels like it has a slightly smaller footprint than eBag’s Mother Lode Travel Backpack (due largely to the Mother Lode’s lack of ergonomic back support).
The 11.5 inch width of the backpack means the Mountain Pack fits perfectly underneath an airplane seat. As a frequent non-rev flier, this is a very important test for any carry-on bag. Just be sure to keep in mind that the 36.8L capacity can make this bag fairly bulky when fully packed. If you load up your backpack with clothes & other easily compressed items, tightening the cinch straps will noticeably slim down the Mountain Pack’s profile. Honestly, this backpack performs best when pushed to the limits. The Mountain Pack feels a out of its element if you don’t pack much in it, so packing it big and taking advantage of the compression straps really plays to its strengths.
Most importantly, the backpack straps & overall harness system are comfortable. The back panel is ventilated and feels very cushy. The padded straps are simple, but they do include a few thick attachment loops that will fit standard carabiner clips in addition to dedicated loops for the chest strap.
The waist strap is an unpadded inch-wide strap. It is surprisingly supportive given how basic it is, but do not expect it to help out too much with the weight of a heavy loadout.
Features of the Topo Designs Mountain Pack
This bag is absolutely loaded with features. Topo Designs’ Mountain Pack has very quickly become one of my favorite backpacks to travel with. The toploader design with an adjustable G-hook closure means that the Mountain Pack is able to fit a lot of gear and keep it out of the elements.
For example, I can completely fit an assembled Penny board into the main compartment along with a weekend’s worth of clothes. If you need a large backpack that can adapt to weekend trips or extended OneBag travel, the Mountain Pack packs a punch.
Water-Resistant Zippered Pockets
While toploader backpacks can be a divisive subject with passionate fans & avid naysayers, Topo Designs offers travelers the best of both worlds by including an exterior zipper that allows for quick access to the main compartment. Not only does this allow you to access your stuff without undoing the metal G-hook, but this makes getting stuff at the bottom of the bag (one of the biggest detractors of toploader backpacks) a breeze. How awesome is that!
The second zipper on the front of the bag opens up a shallow pocket that runs parallel to the quick-access zipper. This compartment is a good place to store keys, passports, and other small items.
The larger zippered pocket on the flap, affectionately named the “brain”, is where I store items I want to access quickly on a flight like snacks & headphones. When flying with this bag underneath the seat in front of you, this is the easiest zipper to reach.
2 Water Bottle Pockets
The Mountain Pack features identical water bottle pockets on the sides of the backpack. Each has an adjustable drawstring closure and are quite deep, so you can stuff long & narrow items into these pockets. If you aren’t using these pockets for water bottles (note that thick Nalgene bottles will be a very tight fit here), I found that my small tripod or my JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker fit perfectly here.
External Straps
The ice pick straps that dangle from the bottom of the bag add a rugged look, but you can put them to good use by fitting something like a lightweight tripod here too. Use common sense here: these straps are thin and meant for carrying light items. These straps also serve as daisy chain attachments between the main zippers, which allow for even more attachment points. Put those carabiners that you have lying around to good use by snapping them on here.
For larger items like yoga mats or sleeping bags, the thicker compression straps at the bottom of the bag provide additional external storage options. If you don’t need to carry a large load or external items, cinch the Mountain Pack’s compression straps tight to slim up your backpack’s profile.
Overall Impressions of the Topo Designs Mountain Pack
If it isn’t clear already, I am completely enamored with the Topo Designs Mountain Pack. The go-anywhere, do-anything design of this backpack is exactly what I look for in a carry-on bag. The Mountain Pack is a great option for the One Bag community.
The high-quality construction makes me confident that this backpack will last me for many years to come. This Topo Designs backpack is well-made and packed with features. The fact that this bag is handmade in the USA is a cherry on top. Topo Designs hit it out of the ballpark with the Mountain Pack!
Recommended For: Style-conscious travelers who want a backpack that is large enough for OneBag travel & will last a lifetime.
Do you have feedback on the Mountain Pack or any other Topo Designs products? Connect with us on Twitter (@standbywithme) or leave a comment below!
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