For everyone at Knack, 2021 has been a year of One Bag Travel. From reconnecting with family, to adventuring abroad, Knack Packs have made (cautious) traveling during the COVID pandemic a whole lot easier. So this week, we're sharing some travels that we've been on, and the Knack Packs that came with us. 

Chad's Pick For One Bag Travel

Series 2 Large Expandable Backpack

Recently, my wife and I traveled to Los Angeles for a 4 day trip where I got to test-drive a prototype of the new Series 2 Large Knack Pack. We arrived at LAX on Thursday and flew back east on Monday so my Knack Pack not only had to fit my laptop, tablet and accessories, but enough clothes to cover a business meeting, a nice dinner out, biking on the beach in Santa Monica, and hiking around Griffith Observatory. I was really happy that it passed the test with flying colors: everything fit and the bag never look over-stuffed.

We stayed in Westwood at the Plaza La Reina which was fairly central to a lot of the places we wanted to see and, more importantly, to places where we wanted to eat. We had great carnitas tacos at Blue Plate Taco in Santa Monica, checked out Salt and Straw in West Hollywood for insanely good sea salt and caramel ice cream, and enjoyed the best flat white I’ve ever had at Profeta in Westwood (which was a stone’s throw away from the hotel). We also threw in some rooftop lounges, craft cocktails and dim sum and flew home ready for a vacation after a jam-packed, but very enjoyable, long weekend.

Keith's Pick For One Bag Travel

Series 1 & Series 2 Medium Expandable Backpacks

This summer we traveled to New York to surprise my father-in-law for his 86th birthday. The trip was one of the most memorable of the year because of the surprise on my father-in-law’s face. He was astonished and said it was the best birthday gift he’s ever received. We spent four days goofing around the area, from home cooked meals, to 4th of July fireworks shows in lower Manhattan, to being tourists for a day in New York City. 

I used my Knack Pack in many different ways. We traveled to New York with our bags unexpanded and took our carry-on suitcase so we could carry some gifts and extra stuff for the surprise. This was a unique trip, because of the surprise we stayed in a hotel for a few nights, but we kept most of our things at my in-laws house. The Knack was perfect for expanding and taking essentials back-and-forth between hotel and the house for the first few nights. Then, we spent the final two nights at my in-laws house but the uses kept growing from there. When playing tourist in Manhattan my Knack went with me everywhere and it was the perfect backpack for the few items we purchased while tooling around the city and carrying water for everyone to stay hydrated. 

When we flew back to the west coast we had collected additional items that wouldn’t have fit in our carry-ons without having to expand and check them. This is why a Knack is so versatile, we were all able to expand our Knack Packs and fit all of those extra items in our Knacks without having to expand our carry-ons and check our bags. I often times think this scenario is overlooked. Look, not everyone is a One Bag Lifer but for those people who occasionally need extra space from time to time, Knack has you covered. It is the perfect bag if you’re out for the day and pick up a few items, or need room layers throughout the day,  or if you’re traveling across town or across the country. If you own an expandable suitcase, you should own an expandable backpack.

This particular trip we were able to save on checked bag fees on the way home for four family members. That savings adds up quickly. Not to mention it saves you time from waiting in line to pick up your checked bags. We were able to get off the plane and head straight home. This is critical when you’ve got two hangry kids that traveled across the country and want to get home to eat and get to bed. 

Elisa's Pick For One Bag Travel

Series 2 Medium Expandable Backpack

I really put my Knack Pack to the One Bag Life test on a recent three-week trip to Italy, when I *boldly* committed to packing 21 days worth of clothes - plus the laptop, tablet, camera stuff, and chargers that I needed to do work remotely - into the Medium Series 2 Knack Pack. With a bit of strategic outfit planning, the 35 liter bag actually had room to spare. 

I moved around a lot during the trip. From Venice, through Tuscany, and all the way down to the Amalfi coast, I didn't spend more than two nights in any one place - which meant, of course, packing and unpacking nearly every day. But keeping my clothes in the separate travel compartment and neatly folded in packing cubes took the hassle out of this ritual.

Once my clothes were out of the bag and the expandable travel compartment zipped up, my Knack Pack carried my camera, laptop, and many snacks - and kept it all dry (November is rainy season in Italy). I loved that it was slim-line during sightseeing, but I could expand to carry groceries and wine. 

I'm an extremist when it comes to minimalist packing, so the Medium S2 was perfect for my trip. But for anyone else planning a One Bag Europe trip, I'd recommend the new, 46 Liter Large Series 2. 

Where are you going to travel in 2022? This chart compares all Knack Packs to help you figure out which Knack Pack is perfect for your upcoming One Bag Travels.