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The dance between airlines and their passengers’ luggage has long been a delicate one. There’s nothing like waltzing up to the check-in counter with a bag you’ve painstakingly packed to be under the weight limit, only to find out it’s not—and shipping to your destination will cost an extra $75, please and thank you. Or arriving on board a budget airline with your “hand luggage” to be confronted with that stingy little box with clearly marked dimensions that certainly don’t match what you planned to carry on the plane.
Because of this, frequent travelers are used to cram as much as possible into the few square inches or liters that physics allows – and when a bag comes along that seems to offer the Mary Poppins-like ability to hide a shocking amount of stuff, it’s worth noting. . And when the bag in question is 20% off for a limited time? Everyone should know about it.
Target’s Open Story brand is known for its stylish and truly functional travel accessories—we’ve previously written about fan favorites like this suspiciously Away-like hardshell suitcase and the brand’s no-brainer, just-buy luggage scale that’ll save any of the aforementioned overweight baggage fees. This oversized backpack looks to be the next installment in that march of well-designed essentials, and has a staggering number of lengthy five-star reviews attesting to its supreme functionality. Overall, it earned 4.7-star reviews across 90 reviews (with 73 of those being five stars).
The 35 liter capacity bag has a clamshell closure that opens completely flat and one external zipped pocket that opens to reveal a series of slip pockets for small items such as passports, reading material and the like. The interior reveals two zip-protected sides that are equipped with every conceivable form of storage compartment for clothes, toiletries and more, organized with scientific precision, and the back of the laptop accommodates a machine up to 17 inches in size. One reviewer below describes using packing cubes, but given the internal structure of the bag, we’re not even sure that’s necessary. The entire strap can be closed using adjustable external fasteners and in addition to the padded backpack straps, there are side carry handles and a rack for use with roll-on hand luggage.
Not every review is stellar, and some of the worse reviews offer perspective on the bag’s size, which at 19.25 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 8 inches deep is perhaps a hair larger than, say, a traditional banker box. For some reviewers, the weight was too much—but that population pales in comparison to the number of customers who happily hugged the bag’s circumference and stuffed it full of everything they needed for trips of up to three weeks (in the example of a reviewer on -below, who brought him on a solo trip to Italy).
Enough of me though — check out what some of the most informative reviews had to say (it was hard to narrow it down) or just scroll all the way down to grab this magical bag in time for your next trip.
“I took this as my only bag for two weeks in Europe and it held up amazingly. It fits nicely under the seat in front of me on my flight and holds an absurd amount of stuff. Very strong zippers and seams. A little uncomfortable on the shoulders when heavy, but manageable.” — Lg
“I used this item as a personal item on a Spirit flight. I was a little nervous that it would be too big, but I had no problems at all! I tried not to overdo it, but of course I did anyway. The slimming straps definitely helped. Since then I have used it several times for weekend trips. All the different pockets and compartments make it perfect for any little trip.” —Jamie
“This worked great for my long flight! I was able to bring some clothes and all my things that I needed for my long flight. The computer pocket and small pocket were great for easy and quick access. I wanted to make a suitcase in the form of a backpack and this is it.” — RebF
“Single best luggage buy. The size is perfect for avoiding carry-on fees when traveling by plane. So many well designed, comfortable and maintained compartments. Carry like a backpack, store like a suitcase! Chef’s Kiss!” — LFT Travels
“I used this for a trip to Europe and it was great! I used compression packing cubes and they held up a ton! I love that it still has a secure place for my laptop and easy access pockets. Holds up really well!” — skb324
“If you’re flying Spirit or Frontier, this is definitely a must-buy. I used it for the first time on a Frontier flight last week, and just as I expected, I was stopped during the boarding process (along with about 5 other people) because I didn’t pay the extra carry-on fee. Fortunately, I was able to crush it, tighten the straps on the sides, and unbuckle the straps to fit in the small metal container. At this point I was like “I have to give this thing a 5 star review” so here I am. Now I’m buying one for my dad and my brother. “Mia.”
“I needed a backpack for a 3 week solo trip to Italy and this was amazing. It was so sturdy and lasted the whole trip. It carries so much and the different compartments are super comfortable. I like how it opens completely. It was very comfortable to wear and to walk around. I have used this bag several times since my trip and it has not disappointed me. The ONLY negative I can think of is that the zipper handles didn’t have a thick enough opening to use miniature locks (for travel safety). So we had to get a little creative to make sure I could “lock” the zippers. That’s literally my only complaint though. I recommend this bag all the time.” — kbskate
“Bought for my significant other at the last minute when he was flying to Vegas for a bachelor party. He didn’t buy a carry-on or a checked bag and just planned to use a backpack. After packing all of his stuff, I realized it wouldn’t fit, so I quickly bought this for pickup! It was great! The bag held everything needed for 4 days value of things. He’s also a BIG guy, so his stuff takes up a lot of space. Everything and everything was prefect and Spirit airlines had no problems” — Cat
