Osprey Farpoint 40L Men's Travel Backpack, Black OS

Why it's worth it

The Farpoint 40 opens flat like a suitcase, fits within most airline carry-on limits at 21.7 by 13.8 by 9.1 inches, and hides its harness behind a zip panel when you check it. For a week abroad with no baggage claim, it's hard to beat.

This is the pack that lets you skip baggage claim. Its listed dimensions of 21.7 by 13.8 by 9.1 inches sit inside most major carry-on limits, and Wirecutter has named the Farpoint 40 a top pick across multiple travel backpack updates. The Points Guy measured the same footprint. You'll still want to check your airline's rules on a budget European carrier, but for the big carriers, you're fine.

The front panel unzips all the way around, so the pack lies open on a hostel bed and you can see everything at once. No digging down a top-loading tube to reach the shirt at the bottom. Dual internal compression straps hold your clothes flat, and the mesh lid pocket takes chargers and cables. There's a direct-zip 3-1-1 pocket up top for your liquids bag, which saves a real minute at security.

From our review of 8 osprey backpacks

What we like

• +This is the pack that lets you skip baggage claim
• +The front panel unzips all the way around, so the pack lies open on a hostel bed and you can see everything at once
• +The harness and hip belt zip away behind a back panel
• +Owners who travel with it for weeks at a stretch consistently report the fabric and stitching hold up through repeated airport…

What to know

• –Forty liters is the stated volume, not the usable volume when you're wearing it
• –It's not a trail pack