Beast28 Ultralight Technical Backpack

I've been using this since it first came out, so six years now?. Personal carry on for travel, hikes with the dog, inbounds ski pack, day pack at festivals, extra luggage, work bag, farmers market bag, tool carry, etc. Not one tear or broken plastic bit. It's so good I never even bother with the packability feature. I had one of Matador's first packable bags, and one glaring issue it had was the water bottle pocket size. That was resolved here, and I regularly carry two full 48 oz nalgenes without issue. The front pocket has great space for stuffing, the frame/straps/belt are all comfortable and carry up to more weight than anyone would be able to fit, and pretty breathable to boot. It's not waterproof, but it gives a reasonable amount of resistance to getting things wet for a zippered bag. I've even managed to get a janky diagonal ski carry using the front daisy chains.

If there is one con I've had, it's the hydration system. There's a large buckle which closes the bladder sleeve like a laptop sleeve, and two small buckle loops on either side. It should be a good system, but many bladders (like my older CamelBak, hydrapak, or platypus) are made with a hook, or otherwise don't have a place to loop that the buckles will fit through. It's not possible to tighten the loops at all so my bladders always slipped off, making the bag a little more awkward. But that's it.

I’ve been backpacking with this bag for 10 months now. I’ll never go back to a full frame bag. This one is so much more comfortable and enjoyable. No more dreading travel days because it’s so easy to carry around in cities or on the back of a motorbike. It’s the perfect size. Outside the US, it fits as a personal item on flights. And if you pack it lightly, it can be a personal item on some US flights too. Also customer service is amazing and helpful. They really guarantee their products and want you to love it. And the bag still looks new after all this time. I’m a big fan now and have gotten many more products. My partner switched from the Cotopaxi Allpa when she tried my bag. I switched from an Osprey bag. This one is too comfortable not to.

Last week I was invited to a last minute trip to Norway. Looking for a lightweight day, hydration pack that could handle the terrain and possible overnight backpacking was a unique combination I wasn't sure I could find in short time. I own two other Matador bags and have loved them both. Went ahead and ordered this bag with high hopes and it did not disappoint. The combination of lightweight abilities to hike everyday and hold hydration/clothing/food but also sturdy to feel like it could handle the rugged terrain was perfect in this bag. Everyday I kept saying, I love this bag and had no second thoughts or complaints. At first glance it seems smaller than I expected for a 28L but it's ability to expand and also hold a low profile when not full impressed me. Can't wait to test out the packability features. Matador just does right by its products and I'll be back for more.