10 Tips for Shopping Target Clearance

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a Target clearance shopper. You see, my parents met at Target (they both worked there in the 70s, and my Mom still works there!), so Target is in my blood.

At a very young age, I remember getting so excited when I would find things on sale, and shopping the day after Christmas was a family tradition.

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Now as an adult, I have taken shopping Target clearance to a whole new level. It used to be that 50% off was when I bought, but not anymore. I typically wait for 70% off – or 90% off when it happens! If I miss something at 50% off, I figure I didn’t need it and there’s always another sale. I am committed to saving as much money on gifts and items for my family as possible.

The last Thursday in July is typically the bi-annual big toy clearance (a huge portion of toys go 70% off to make way for Christmas toys). In honor of that, I thought I would share my 10 tips for shopping Target clearance.

1. Understand how things get marked down: Most items will be marked down 30% off/50% off/70% off. Mark downs typically happen every two weeks (with the exception of seasonal items, which get marked down much faster.) Popular items (like food, beauty products and electronics) will start at 15% off. Holiday and seasonal items (Valentine’s, Easter, Summer, Back-to-School and Christmas) will go down to 90% off – YEOW!
   
2. Pay attention to deal cycles: The BIG clearance mark-downs are cyclical. For instance, the big toy clearance happens at in late January and the end of July/early August (on a Thursday) every year. Mark your calendar and start paying attention to mark-downs prior to the sale.
3. Learn when your store does mark-downs: Do certain departments get marked down on certain days? Pay attention. When you are in the store and you see mark-downs happening (usually in the morning), jot down the day. (Check out Kayla Aimee’s post for a general mark-down calendar by day.)
4. Look on back end-caps: You will find most store clearance on the back end-caps. I always make it a point to walk up and down all the back aisles to monitor what has been marked down.
   
5. Don’t just look on back end-caps: I know I just said look on back end-caps, which is true. Most clearance will be on back end-caps, this doesn’t mean you won’t find clearance in aisles, so it is good to check the regular aisles too. This past week, I found lots of photo albums on clearance, as well as canned pineapple marked 50% off in the canned good aisle (which is considerably better than the 15% off that I usually see food marked down to).
6. Look at how low the price is: There is misinformation out there that if a price ends in 4, that this is the lowest the price will go. This is not true. You need to look at if the item is marked down 30% off, 50% off or 70% off. If the item is marked down to 70% off (and isn’t seasonal) then that is as low as it will go. Clearance stickers also say in the top right corner how low the mark-down is, just in case you aren’t good at mental math!  Read this excellent postby All Things Target for more on this.
7. Signs aren’t always right: Just because I sign says 30% off, doesn’t mean everything in the area is 30% off. For instance, even though this display in jewelry/accessories said 30% off, I found purses as high as 70% off in that area. That’s why the signs say X% off or more.
8. Shop at Target often: Of course, visiting Target often will ensure you learn your store and don’t miss any great deals. There is a Target right on the way to my kids’ day care, so I often stop in after work before picking them up.Visiting multiple Targets will also give you a better sense of the stock and where the best store to shop is when a big clearance sale hits. Nashville has two Targets that I regularly monitor. For the summer 90% off sale, I knew that one store had 5 times the clearance of the other one I go to, so that is where I headed at 8 a.m. last week Tuesday. It was definitely worth the trip as I got $725 worth of stuff for $75. 
9. Read Target blogs: Target blogs are a great way to monitor the best deals available. I loveAll Things Target and Totally Target. Some frugal blogs, like Money Saving Mom, also share Target deals.
10. Follow Target blogs on Facebook: Often times I find that I learn of Target sales faster through my Facebook feed. I especially love the All Things Target Facebook page. The community is super active and always sharing what they are finding at their stores. This is SO helpful because then you know what to look for.

Additional tips when shopping clearance items (at any store):

1. Budget: Spending lots of money that is outside the parameters of your budget is never wise, so be sure to pay attention to your spending.
2. Review your receipt: Sometimes an item that is supposed to be on clearance will not scan properly, so be sure to pay attention when the cashier is ringing up your order AND review your receipt after the sale is complete.
3. Return what you don’t need: Sometimes, I get a little crazy and will overbuy during a major clearance sale (like last week’s 90% off summer clearance). My philosophy is to snatch up what I think I want, evaluate what I want when I get home and return what I don’t need. Even if it was only $1, if you don’t need the item, the $1 is better in your bank account.
4. Storage: When shopping clearance, it is important to have a place to put what you buy (especially when stockpiling gifts).
5. Stay organized: Overspending and buying things you don’t need is not good! I keep a spreadsheet of all the people I buy gifts for and what I have bought so I don’t forget. Over-buying doesn’t end up saving any money.

Three final tips for saving money at Target

1. Sign up for the Target debit card: This is NOT a credit card. It is a debit card just for Target that syncs with your bank account, AND you save 5% off on all purchases. I love this. Since I am shopping at Target anyway, why not save an additional 5% off? I buy a lot of groceries at Target too because you save more money on them when you use your Target card. The only thing to keep in mind is that it takes a few days for the money to come out of your account.
2. Download the Target “cartwheel” app: It has tons of coupons in it that can be stacked with sales and manufacturer’s coupons, making for some awesome deals.
3. Price-match to Amazon: Target will price-match anything in store to Amazon. You just need to take the item to the service desk, along with the Amazon app showing the price and bam! they will match it. Even better, you can still use your Target red card to save more money.

7 Reasons Your Clothes Look Cheap

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If you want to look like you spent a lot more money on your clothes than you really did, you need to stay away from these seven things.

1. Gathered seams

Designers like these because they can make clothes more forgiving and help hide fit issues that arise when you use flat, smooth seams. Also, sharply tailored garments are more difficult to make, more expensive, and can be worn by fewer people. Think about it — the better something fits you, the worse it is going to fit pretty much everyone else.

Instead, look for pieces with clean lines and sharp tailoring, and always choose pleats over gathered seams.

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White Off-the-Shoulder Dress, PIXIE MARKET, $42

Pink Blazer, FOREVER 21, $30

2. Embellishments

Embroidery, sequins, beading, and studs look amazing when they are applied by skilled craftspeople using high-quality materials, but not so much when they are done by machine on a $20 T-shirt. Even if an embellished piece looks OK in the store or in a picture, you know that once you start wearing it for real, it's going to fall apart, and nothing looks cheaper than a jeweled sweater with missing jewels.

Instead, focus on simple, unadorned pieces, and use your jewelry and other accessories as embellishments. Don't make the garment do all the styling work for you.

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Gray Cropped Sweater, ABERCROMBIE & FITCH, $34; Pearl Earrings, GALA BY DANIELA SWAEBE (Available at Max & Chloe), $48

3. Cotton knits and jersey in dark or saturated colors (black, navy, rich jewel tones, and bold primaries)

These are great at first, but throw them into the washer and dryer a couple times, and the color starts to fade and they are noticeably fuzzier than when you first bought them.

Instead, stick to cotton knits and jerseys in light colors, like grays, pastels, and white, and when you do have a darker or more saturated knit, spot-treat and hand-wash it at home, or spring for dry cleaning.

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Cream Cropped Sweater, FOREVER 21, $28

4. Lace

Once you've held real, high-quality, handmade lace in your hands — the kind of stuff they use to make wedding gowns and couture dresses — you know that the flat, flimsy, machine-made stuff fast-fashion brands use really doesn't measure up. Sure, occasionally cheap lace can surprise you, but if your goal is to look like you spent more than you really did, it's best to leave that $40 lace dress for someone else to buy.

Instead, go for fine mesh. It's not as girly as lace, but it is still feminine and sort of see-through, and it looks pretty much the same whether you are buying it from H&M or Saks Fifth Avenue.

Black Mesh Peplum Dress, ASOS, $73

That said, if you absolutely cannot live without lace in your life, try to stick to pieces that use lace only as an accent, instead of all over. And look for lace that is delicate and has a raw, uneven edge that follows the shape of the lace itself instead of being folded over and sewn like any other piece of fabric.

Navy Lace Tank, RIVER ISLAND, $44

5. Small, complicated prints like paisley and tiny, multicolor florals

The smaller and more complicated the print is, the more opportunities there are for something to go wrong (aka for it to end up looking cheap).

Instead, when you are shopping on the cheap, focus on simple, graphic prints, like stripes, polka dots, and plaids in high-contrast color combos, like black and white. If you can't squint at the print from 10 feet away and still instantly recognize what it is and all its parts, then skip it.

6 Tips for Clothes Shopping During Store Clearance Sales

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I love it when I go shopping and find that my favorite store is having a huge sale. Gearing myself up to spend a certain amount and then learning that I’m getting way more bang for my buck is one of the best feelings in the world. However, it took me years before I realized that the feeling of snagging a huge score while shopping didn’t have to be completely random. In fact, you can track a store’s sale cycle so you always get the best price for whatever clothing and accessories you want.

Stores want to keep their shelves and racks filled with clothing and accessories, but they get new merchandise so frequently that eventually, items that aren’t selling must be put on clearance in order to move it out the door. This is when it’s your turn to score.

If you know exactly when an item will be on sale, you can decide whether you want to wait to buy it on the cheap, or you think it’s worth the extra money to buy it beforehand. Having the option gives you the chance to be the savviest shopper possible.

Understanding Sales Cycles

Don’t get me wrong – stores want you to pay top dollar for the goods on the shelves. That’s why they put higher-priced items right at the front of the store, and sale and clearance items way in the back. But just because a jacket is 30% off doesn’t make it any less fashionable, does it?

Between seasonal sales and the regular sale cycle, there’s really no reason you should have to pay full price for any article of clothing or accessory – unless, of course, it sells out and you don’t get a chance to make your move. Armed with the information below, you can save money, look fashionable, and dress the way you want for cheap.

1. Wait Six to Eight Weeks
The typical retail store lets a new item hang out on the shelves for six to eight weeks before it’s marked down. Merchandise in retail stores is ever-changing, so shop owners can’t afford to have old items languishing on the racks and taking up space. Furthermore, after six to eight weeks of buying, there might only be a few of a specific item remaining – hardly enough to take up room on a display. Therefore, it’s moved to the sale or clearance section, usually at the very back of the store. There, it can be lumped with other sale items to be snapped up by savvy shoppers.

2. Thursdays Are Best
If you want first dibs on a pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing, your best bet is to try shopping on a Thursday. Stores know that most people come to the mall or the shop on the weekend, so they begin preparations on Thursday to mark down old merchandise and rotate new merchandise into the store.

By shopping on Friday and Saturday, you might score a great deal, but you might also have a limited selection – that’s not good if you want something specific. By shopping on a Thursday, you can have the best selection paired with the best prices to snag the item that you desire.

3. Ask Around
I once found a dress on sale that I loved, but they didn’t have my size. Instead of leaving empty-handed, I asked one of the retail associates if she could check around to see if any of their other store locations had the same dress in stock. As luck would have it, there was another, and the store had it shipped to my house for free.

If you see something you want but the pickings are slim, ask to see what the store can do for you. In many cases, the salespersons want to keep the sale in-house, so they’ll bend over backwards to make sure you’re happy. While clearance buys are often limited, most stores have inventory elsewhere, so if you really want a great deal, it’s worth it to ask. You can also check smartphone shopping apps to see if they have the item in stock online.

4. Know the Return Policy
Clearance buys are often a great deal, but it’s important to read the fine print. Finding a shirt for $5 is great, but not if you can’t return it if it doesn’t fit.

Always read or ask about the clearance return policy. In most cases, all clearance jewelry sales are final, but plenty of stores offer store credit in lieu of a refund for clearance clothes. Stores do not want to see out-of-season merchandise boomeranging back to the store since they need space for new wares. That’s why most clearance return policies are pretty short, usually around 14 days.

5. Shop End of Season
One of the best times to get the most bang for your buck is to shop around the end of a season. Keep in mind that retail stores are a couple of months “ahead of the weather,” so you could still pick up a cheap sweater and get a month’s worth of wear before it’s time to bring out your spring wardrobe.

Generally, stores overhaul their merchandise in line with the New York Fashion Weeks in September and February, so keep an eye out. You can get excellent deals on summer fashion by shopping in September, and you can snag winter fashion on the cheap in February.

6. Know When Not to Buy
You’re going to pay a premium price if you shop too early or during the wrong month. For instance, it’s unwise to buy jewelry around Christmas, when you’ll probably pay top dollar for your baubles. And some items never go on sale – high-end designer shoes and accessories are usually pretty constant in price, especially if the item doesn’t technically have a “season.”

7 Best Lightweight Backpacks of 2016

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Whether you’re planning an epic thru-hike, a 5-day trek in the mountains, or a quick weekend jaunt in the woods, keeping pack weight down is key. The lighter your backpack, the more you’ll enjoy hiking, which makes a world of difference on backcountry trips.

Lightweight backpacking isn’t just for long-distance trekkers anymore. The entire outdoor industry is going lighter and there’s good reason for that. Lighter packs are more comfortable. Your backpack will be one of the four heaviest items on your back (backpack, shelter, sleeping bag, sleeping pad), so it’s a great place to start reducing overall weight.

I’ve researched and tested dozens of lightweight backpacks to narrow this list down to the very best of the best. Whatever your hiking goals are, I hope this post helps you find the perfect pack to keep you comfortable on the trail for many years to come. Enjoy!

CRITICAL BACKPACK CONSIDERATIONS

COST - A solid lightweight backpack shouldn’t break the bank. That said, if you take care of your backpack, it will last for many years and thousands of trail miles. So it’s not a bad idea to invest in a good piece of equipment. I recommend a range of packs from budget buys to high-end purchases and talk about the pros and cons of each.

WEIGHT - Your backpack will be one of the four heaviest pieces of gear you carry on backcountry trips (backpack, shelter, sleeping bag, sleeping pad), so it’s an important piece of gear for keeping overall weight down. The options I recommend have a good balance between weight, comfort, and durability.

FRAME - The lighter your overall pack weight, the less frame you’ll need. Most of the packs I recommend have simple frames that will be very comfortable carrying loads up to 35lbs. If you prefer to carry heavier loads, choose one of the packs I recommend with a sturdier frame.

VOLUME - The volume of your bag will limit how much gear you can carry in it. Most experienced lightweight backpackers can easily fit their gear in a 40-50L pack, even for a thru-hike. If you’re new to lightweight backpacking, you might want to choose a pack with a larger volume and work your way down. Also, if you plan to use your pack for snowy winter trekking, consider bumping up a size in volume.

DESIGN - A backpack doesn’t have to be complex to be exceptional. It’s often the companies that keep design elements simple and streamlined that make the best packs. At the end of the day, your backpack is just a sack to carry other gear comfortably. So don’t feel the need to overdo it with a ton of excess compartments, pouches, zippers, clips, and straps.

MATERIAL - Most lightweight backpacks are made from one of two materials: ripstop nylon or cuben fiber. In general, cuben fiber is lighter, but more expensive. Both materials are durable and highly functional for backpacks.

FIT - Fit is one of the most important factors in a comfortable backpack, but it’s also one of the toughest features to pin down until you have a pack fully loaded and on your back. The packs I recommend are well known for their comfort. Measure your torso length and hip belt size before ordering and you should be good to go.

BUYING ONLINE - Check the seller's return policy before you buy, but you can almost always return an unused pack within a certain timeframe after purchasing. I recommend buying your top choice, trying it on at home when you get it, and returning/exchanging it if it doesn’t fit quite right. I’ve been buying lightweight backpacks online for years and I’ve yet to have any problems.

KEY DESIGN FEATURES

MAIN COMPARTMENT - Most lightweight backpacks have one large top-loading compartment for storing the majority of your gear. That’s really all you need. Extra compartments and zippers add unnecessary weight. Pack items you won’t need until camp (shelter, sleeping bag/pad, stove) in the bottom of your pack and you’ll be set.

REAR MESH POCKET - Most lightweight packs have a large mesh pocket on the back. This feature comes in very handy on the trail. It’s great for gear you want to stow quickly or keep easily accessible, like a rain jacket or water purifier. It’s also good for airing out wet gear.

HIP BELT - A good hip belt is a critical feature of any backcountry pack. Your hip belt will hold most of the weight of your pack on your hips, which keeps your shoulders from tiring. Hip belts should be comfortable and transfer weight without slipping. Every pack on this list has a solid hip belt.

SHOULDER STRAPS - Shoulder straps will hold a significant amount of your pack weight as well. You’ll want them to have comfortable padding and be well spaced to avoid chafing and odd pressure points. Every pack on this list has comfortable shoulder straps.

HIP BELT POCKETS - I’m of the opinion that a backpack isn’t suitable for the trail unless it has hip belt pockets. With a lightweight pack, you won’t need to take breaks nearly as often, so you’ll want some items easily accessible (snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses, camera, etc.). Most of the packs I recommend come with built-in hip belt pockets. If they don’t, I highly recommend buying aftermarket hip pockets.

SHOULDER POUCH - I’m also very fond of using a shoulder strap pouch on my packs. I use it to hold my camera and sunglasses while I hike. That way those items are always protected and easily accessible. A couple of the packs I recommend come with shoulder pouches, but most don’t. So you might consider an aftermarket shoulder pouch if it sounds like a good fit for you.

WATER BOTTLE HOLSTERS - Hydration is key, so your water bottles should always be easy to get to. It’s shocking to me when I test packs where I can’t reach the water bottles with the pack on. That’s just not acceptable. Every pack on this list will allow you to grab your water bottles easily while hiking.

WATERPROOFING - In general, it’s not a good idea to rely on any backpack for waterproofing. Cuben fiber is a waterproof material, but seams sewn into a pack will keep it from being 100% waterproof, even if taped. In wet weather you’ll want to pack important items (sleeping bag, clothes, electronics, etc.) in waterproof stuff sacks or plastic bags inside your pack.

HYDRATION PORTS - If you’re a backpacker that likes to use a water bladder for hydration, not having hydration ports can be a dealbreaker. I’m not a huge fan of water bladders, so it’s not as much of a concern for me. That said, most of the packs I recommend do have hydration sleeves and ports.

TOP LID - Most lightweight backpacks don’t have top lids these days in order to reduce weight. Instead, they use roll-top closures, clips, and straps to keep gear secure, which is very effective. I do recommend a couple of packs with top lids, but if you don’t have one, you probably won’t miss it.

STERNUM STRAP - Sternum straps are included on most backpacks these days. They give you the option to connect your shoulder straps across your chest for a more secure feel. It’s a nice touch when the sternum strap has an elastic section for a little give and the clip has an emergency whistle built in.  

LOAD LIFTER STRAPS - Load lifter straps can be used to pull the tops of your shoulder straps back towards your backpack. This will transfer some of the weight of your pack to the front of your shoulders and release some downward pressure. Many lightweight backpacks don’t have them and they are not really necessary if you’re carrying a light load.

TREKKING POLE & ICE AXE LOOPS - Trekking pole and ice axe loops are a nice touch. They make it easy to stow your sticks when you’re not using them to hike. I find that I use mine quite often. Most of the bags I recommend come with these stowing options.

5 of the best travel backpacks for global adventures

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One of the most important things a backpacker can find is a great travel backpack. It holds all your gear, it’s with you almost all the time, and in some bizarre, anthropomorphic way, it’s your best friend. I still remember the feeling of coming back from my first solo backpacking trip, and walking around without a backpack. It felt wrong. Like something was missing.

Over the years, I’ve gone through packs like nobody’s business. I’ve never used the same pack for more than two trips, and no matter how many hours I spend either online or in the store, it seems like finding the right pack is always going to be a horrific ordeal.

Discomfort, poorly designed features, dangly straps, sizing issues, and all manner of nonsense have thwarted my path at every turn. It’s tough finding something that fits you properly, and I think, given the high user ratings of certain packs I hate, maybe I just have a bizarrely crooked spine and it’s not their fault.

But I refuse to let them get away with rant-free ease.

“Travel” packs barely exist

Part of the problem is that, up until very recently, the only options were top-loading hiking backpacks, or wheeled suitcases. Other options like duffel bags or school backpacks exist as well, but these are rarely suitable for round-the-world travel.

But since these were the only options, accepting their flaws was all I could do. And besides, high-quality hiking backpacks will stand up to most abuse, and they’ll be super comfortable if they fit you properly. But they’re not ideally suited for travel.Hiking packs work, but we’ve only been using them because nothing else was better.

The problem(s) with hiking backpacks:

Now don’t get me wrong; hiking backpacks are great, and I’ve used them on plenty of trips. Some designs have none of these flaws; it’s just that they usually do:

• Packing inconvenience: Hiking packs are usually top-loading, cavernous cylinders that swallow your gear and you have to dig everything out to find whatever’s at the bottom. You can mitigate this problem with packing cubes, but suitcase-style openings are so easy to manufacture that it’s insulting how rarely they’re implemented.
• Extraneous strap dangle: Hiking packs have all sorts of compression straps and attachment points. These are useful for walking around, but they’ll get scratched up when you throw them in the luggage compartment for a bus ride. And I’m including shoulder and hip straps here, too. If you ever have to check your bags for a flight, they’ll come out a little more damaged every time.
• No locking mechanism: Top loaders usually use a drawstring opening, which offers no security whatsoever against unscrupulous hostel bunkmates. This problem can be mostly solved with a laptop sleeve that can lock itself to a bed, but lockable zippers would be easier (though I’ve softened this requirement, as zippers can be easily bypassed, even when locked).

And in many cases, plenty of hiking packs have dumb design errors anyway, even if you’re just hiking.

The problem(s) with so-called “travel backpacks:”

Several companies design what they call “travel backpacks,” which have betterfeatures, solving some of the problems listed above, but they generally screw things up in the meantime as well:

• Size: They’ll make them so gigantic that you have to check them on a plane. Some of these “travel backpacks” go up to 80 liters. I’ve done RTW travel with 20. The carry-on max of 45 liters is plenty! Who the hell needs 80?!?!
• De-hydration pockets: They’ll skip the damn water bottle side pockets and then where the hell do they go?!?!?
• Filthy dirty lie “panel” loading: They’ll forget to make the suitcase-style opening go all the way around, thus defeating the purpose of the panel in the first place.

Sigh.

Which is why I’m so gleefully pleased that certain companies have been designing travel backpacks. Correctly, I might add.

I don’t know why the other people didn’t bother doing it before.

What the best travel backpacks get right

I’ve compiled a list of some of the best travel backpacks for carry-on use I can find. These packs are made for travelers, not hikers. They’ve got panel-loading convenience, not top-loading caverns; they’ve got lockable zippers, not drawstring uselessness; they’ve got carry-on dimensions, and minimal, hide-away straps, not monstrous bulges and streamers hanging from every angle. They can be carry-ons, or they can be checked luggage, without getting ruined.

Oh, and they’re not ugly. To me, that counts. Who the hell ever thought fluorescent orange was sexy? The 80s? Yeah, stay there.

I’ve organized this list by type. Let’s begin:

Full size and full-featured:

These packs have everything you could want; maximized dimensions, panel access, a laptop compartment, and lots of internal and external organizational pockets. There’s nothing missing.

1) Tortuga Backpack

Tortuga V2 Backpack: Panel-loading, lockable, svelte, classy pack.

Tortuga was started by a random team of people who found themselves complaining about how they couldn’t find a travel pack that didn’t suck.

The full-length panel-loading design allows plenty of easy access to everything inside, and a dedicated laptop compartment keeps your kitten-picture machine safe and sound. Locking zippers, too. The side pockets opens up to accommodate a water bottle.

As with other travel packs that are actually travel packs, it has a minimum of exterior straps, so although it’s designed as a backpack, you could stow the backpack straps and send it through as checked luggage if necessary. It also has a seriously padded hip belt, which is rare for these packs.

You can get it from Tortuga, or Amazon. Their blog is also great, with all sorts of packing and travel tips.

2) Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on

Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on: Designed by a traveler, for travelers.

Long before anyone else got started in the carry-on travel backpack game, Rick Steves was galavanting around Europe with his own personal travel gear, designed exactly the way he liked it.

This pack has quite a few of the obvious features you’d expect, such as a fully opening panel that allows easy access to everything, and hidden backpack and waist straps in addition to the suitcase-style handles. Exterior pockets are also quite generous.

But it has a few extra touches, such as a separate interior compartment for shoes or dirty clothes, and includes two mesh bags and a removable documents pouch, which you can remove and take with you instead of leaving it in a room. A separate laptop slot has been added to this newer version as well.

The pack is sized to accommodate carry-on dimensions, but can expand with a compression zipper in case you stock up too much on souvenirs. It’s also quite cheap compared to others. It’s a good one, and it’s what Rick Steves himself has used for…quite a few trips.

Svelte and Slim:

At 35 liters each, these are for lighter travelers who don’t need to max out on the size, but still want all the convenience of easy packing and laptop compatibility. They’ve got all the important features you’d want, in a slimmed-down size.

3) Minaal Carry-on Backpack

The Minaal travel backpack: Svelte and simple, but with fold-open convenience.

This one is yet another creation in the long, adorable line of things that were invented because people got sick and tired of endlessly having to deal with things that sucked.

This Kickstarter-backed project came about when two long-time travelers decided to make the pack they would have wanted. They set out to create the perfect travel pack for digital nomads, and its design (and Kickstarter success) just goes to show how rarely some of the major players stop to think about the needs of backpackers.

In addition to the expected features, like the full-length, suitcase-style opening, a locking laptop compartment, several exterior pockets, no dangly things, and hide-away straps, it also has a rain cover. It also has a hip strap, though it’s not padded. That’s fine for smaller packs like this one, but you might want to take extra breaks if you’re hauling it around for a couple hours at a time.

4) Gregory Border 35

The Gregory Border 35: A well-designed pack from a company less well known than it should be.

So Gregory is primarily a hiking pack company, and not as widely known as some of the bigger names in the industry, but whose packs I think are designed better than many of its competitors.

Their Border series consists of urban/travel backpacks, and this 35 liter version has not only a full-length panel-loading main compartment, but also a full-length panel loading laptop compartment; this means you just unzip and unfold this compartment, and lay it down on the airport security scanner, rather than removing the laptop at all. It’s quick and easy, and makes airport life just a little more convenient.

Other features include several exterior pockets, including a stretch mesh outer stuff pocket for stashing wet clothes, and although it’s missing a side water bottle pocket, lately I’ve gotten in the habit of finding a good zippered compartment that’ll hold a water bottle more securely than side mesh pockets, and I think the top pocket would do it.

This is not a convertible backpack; the straps can’t be stowed, and it has no suitcase-style carrying handle. But if you’re only ever going to use it in backpack form anyway, then you’ll be fine.