I wanted to use this bag a few times before I reviewed. I first used it as an overnight bag for work trips. For this, there were no issues as it's a perfect size for 2 to three days away and there is a pocket inside for a tablet or laptop.
With this bag being more for someone globe trotting, I put it to good use the last three weeks as I have been travelling by air, coach and train overseas.
The self locking feature is great and after a few goes, it became second nature to open it up with ease making it easy for me to access. There is a small pocket where you can internally attach a wallet so that it's not easily stolen even if a thief managed to open it. There is a little loop to push the zip to the small pocket into so that it's not easily accessed by unscrupulous people.
The bag was the perfect size for carry on bagage on a plane. Check-in staff were happy with the size and even had no desire to weigh it. The shoulder straps are well padded which makes it generally comfortable to carry. One day, upon checking out early, I carried it for several hours, walking 10km and only sat down twice and I'm by no means super-fit. There is also a chest strap and waist strap to make it even more comfortable to carry, but I did not use these, although the size was generous.
There is a hand carry handle which helped when boarding planes, trains and buses. This handle is useful for short uses and not a long term method to carrying the bag - I would always recommend the shoulder…
