Collection: Front-Loading Backpacks

  • Free Shipping

  • Helpful Support

  • Worldwide Warranty

A good travel backpack should pack like a suitcase but carry like a backpack. Your travel bag should be front-loading like a suitcase and open side-to-side like a book.

Most travelers start off with a hiking backpack. But hiking bags don't work for travel because they're top-loading. That means that every time you need something from the middle of your bag, you have to dump out everything above it, get what you need, then repack your whole bag. You shouldn't be making a mess every time you grab something from your bag. And you shouldn't be unpacking and repacking your bag every day. The solution is a front-loading travel backpack.

Easy Access

A panel-loading backpack is one where the entire front of the bag opens. This wide access gives you more space to pack and organize your bag. This way you can see everything in your bag at once. Grab just what you need without having to unpack and repack all of your clothes.

At Tortuga, we recommend a bag that opens to the side, like a suitcase, so that you have two separate compartments to pack. On the right is your main compartment. Roll or fold most of your clothes there. On the left is a smaller compartment with one or two pockets. The side-by-side compartments help to separate your stuff.

A clamshell opening bag is perfectly designed to pack on your bed or a luggage stand. Bags where the front panel opens downward, not to the side, are harder to fit on a bed or stand for easy packing.

Ultimate Organization

Organize everything just how you like it with a panel loader travel backpack. The side-by-side compartments mean you can pack your big stuff like pants and heavy shirts in the main compartment. Then pack your medium to small items like socks and underwear on the left side.

If organization is important to you, add a set of packing cubes to break up a larger compartment into smaller cubes. Then you'll know exactly what stuff is where in your bag.