I was first introduced to Topo Designs while browsing the r/onebag subreddit, and their American-made Y-Pack is one of the simplest (and most wallet-friendly) that they produce. With a simple construction and vintage-inspired design, Topo Designs makes their bags stand out with unique colorways and built-to-last materials. The Y-Pack is no exception.
Topo Designs has since updated their Y-Pack and moved their production from the USA to Vietnam, but I was able to get my hands on an original Made In USA bag (notice the American flag tag on the bottom right-hand corner) that was manufactured a few years ago.
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The Y-Pack is a top-loading flap pack with minimal internal organization. The large main compartment has a single elastic laptop sleeve, and the flap contains a smaller zippered pocket. That’s it. Those two compartments are all you get with the Y-Pack, which makes this backpack more suited for carrying gear between two points than a school/office bag that you might need to access multiple times per day.
If you are someone who wants a simple & durable bag that looks as good as you do while flying, this offering from Topo Designs may be right for you.
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.
This bright red bag is a good example of the Topo Designs philosophy: vibrant colors & vintage-inspired designs. Many of their offerings are a modern take on old-school hiking rucksacks.
While the Y-Pack comes in a wide range of vibrant colors, this is one of the simpler designs that Topo Designs offers. 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.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 11” x 16” x 5” (width x height x depth)
- Capacity: 23.8 Liters
- Laptop Sleeve: Yes (fits most 15″ laptops)
- Material: 1000D Cordura nylon fabric exterior & 210D nylon interior liner
- Zippers: oversized YYK
- Hardware: Metal G-hook
- Price: $79 MSRP (Check the latest price on Amazon or take $15 off your first purchase from Topo Designs)
- Made in the USA (newer version is now manufactured in Vietnam)
How does the Topo Designs Y-Pack look & feel?
The Y-Pack is a simple backpack made up of over-engineered materials.
The Y-Pack’s styling is a modern take on vintage rucksacks. The simple silhouette and flaptop closure give the Y-Pack an iconic design that will stand out from the crowd without looking like it’s trying too hard.
Red 1000D Cordura brand fabric blankets the exterior of the bag and will stand up to anything you can throw at it. Heavy duty 1000D fabric is ideal for those who need to trust that their gear will withstand abuse. You would have to try very, very hard to wear this material to the point of failure.
While the exterior fabric is tough and rugged, the backpack straps are among the lightest I have ever felt. The material looks and feels like a modern-day seatbelt, and there is no built-in padding on the straps at all. However, you will find thin foam padding lining the back and bottom of the Topo Designs Y-Pack to protect the backpack sleeve.
The seatbelt-like material is very light and slightly slippery, but the wide straps were surprisingly comfortable. Even with a full load, the Y-Pack’s straps did a good job distributing the weight.
Editor’s note: it is worth mentioning that Topo Designs updated their Y-Pack recently and made some noteworthy changes. These updates include:
- Two exterior water bottle pockets with elastic closures
- Swapped out the seatbelt backpack straps for conventional padded backpack straps
- Capacity updated to 23.8L (though the external dimensions remain nearly identical)
- Manufacturing moved from the USA to Vietnam
How does the Topo Designs Y-Pack fit?
With the original wide seatbelt backpack straps, the weight of your load rests comfortably on your back. I was surprised by how well this bag feels when packed with a weekend’s worth of stuff. If you are looking for a bag that can carry a couple changes of clothes and a few accessories, the Y-Pack will serve you well.
The size of the pack will fit most people well. The height isn’t awkwardly too long or too short, and the width is fairly average. The Topo Designs Y-Pack fit equally well on our athletic 5’2” female and 5’7” male testers. The foam insert along the back & bottom of the Y-Pack provides structure and support while wearing it on your back.
While I appreciate the simplicity of Topo Designs’ straps, I would caution against packing this bag too heavily. Substantial weight can be uncomfortable to carry for extended periods of time with the original Y-Pack’s harness system.
I can’t comment on the latest iteration’s padded backpack straps, but I would imagine they are more comfortable for heavier loads being carried long distances. For me, the original bag’s seatbelt-style straps worked well for the basic packing list that I will bring along on a weekend nonrev adventure: two changes of clothes, a toiletry kit, a book, and my mirrorless camera case.
Features of the Topo Designs Y-Pack
I mentioned earlier that Topo Designs updated their Y-Pack to a 23.8L capacity without making significant changes to the dimensions. While some of that storage increase is likely attributed to the two water bottle pockets that were added on the sides, it makes me think that the original 14.4L listed capacity wasn’t quite accurate. I’m not sure if Topo Designs didn’t include the top flap pocket in their original capacity estimate, but the original Y-Pack can easily fit a weekend’s worth of gear regardless of the listed capacity.
Large flap pocket with oversized YYK zipper
Wow. I was told that the zipper on this bag was large, but that didn’t prepare me for just how beefy this zipper actually is. Seriously, you have to see it to believe it.
This pocket is quite roomy, but it is the only quick-access pocket on this bag. This is where I would keep my passport, keys, boarding pass, snacks, and anything else I would want to grab without having to rummage through the large main compartment. There is no internal organization inside, but the pocket is wide enough to use smaller pack cubes or zippered pouches to help keep things orderly.
Padded laptop sleeve
A padded laptop sleeve is an absolute must for anyone who travels with valuable electronics, and Topo Designs has included a laptop sleeve in the Y-Pack. With foam inserts padding the back and bottom of the bag, you have some protection that also serves double duty to help this bag hold its shape when lightly packed.
The sleeve itself is quite spartan. It is no more than a simple elastic sleeve in the high-contrast interior lining to keep your laptop or tablet separate from the main compartment. This sleeve is the only internal organization in the main compartment, but it is roomy enough to hold your charging cables or other small gadgets that you may want to keep separate.
Roomy main compartment with drawstring closure
One perk of having such a simple design is that there is virtually nothing that will get in your way while packing. The cavernous main compartment will swallow whatever you throw at it. The drawstring closure, coupled with the adjustable top flap pocket, gives you some flexibility to pack large items that may not fit as well into a bag that is secured with zippers.
The only concern I have with the Topo Designs Y-Pack is the metal grommet attached to the fabric that makes up the drawstring closure. The grommet & fabric looks fairly basic, and I have seen these attachments wear out on cheaper bags. I haven’t had any issues yet, and I’m sure it would be cheap to fix it with an aftermarket grommet. That said, I am keeping my eye on the drawstring grommet because this appears to be the weakest part of an otherwise superbly built backpack.
Conclusion
All things considered, I really like what Topo Designs had put forth here.
Their take on an old-school rucksack is a polished product that looks good and doesn’t feel gimmicky. I envision myself using this bag for quick 1-2 night turnaround trips, and I think it would be right at home on your average day hike.
The newer version with the external water bottle pockets & padded straps will serve you well, but I have to admit the Made In USA tag on the original Y-Pack was a major selling point for me. In my eyes, the simple silhouette and lightweight straps of the original bag are exactly what this bag was made to do: be a simple no-frills bag that looks good & will last a lifetime.
Recommended For:
The no-frills adventurer who wants a simple yet stylish rucksack that will last a lifetime.
| Hits | Misses |
| + Rugged construction & quality materials | – No water bottle pockets (fixed with latest update) |
| + Stylish colorways | – Not external attachment loops on front of bag |
| + Durable metal hardware | – Drawstring grommet feels flimsy |
