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Cotopaxi Allpa 35 Review
Cost: $200
Capacity: 35L (Also available in 42L)
Dimensions 35: 20” x 12” x 8” (51 x 30 x 20cm)
Style: Clamshell
Weight: 3.7 lbs (1.6 kg)
Laptop: 15”
Materials: TPU Coated 1000D polyester, 1680D ballistic nylon
Origin: Manufactured in Philippines
Overall Impression, Aesthetic
This pack is totally solid. It’s make using awesome materials, huge zippers, with great internal organization. Too add to the greatness, Cotopaxi is a certified B-corp company that donates a portion of profits to social causes. The Allpa would be an almost perfect pack with some slight tweaks to the backpack carry system.
Materials, Colors, and Size
The materials are among the sturdiest you can use to make a travel backpack. The sides and back are made from a thick 1680 ballistic nylon fabric. The front of pack is stiff TPU coated polyester. Imagine a thick fabric coated in plastic, which makes the front very robust and abrasion resistant.
These materials come with a tradeoff however between quality and weight. The Cotopaxi Allpa is sturdy and robust, but also a bit heavy at almost 3.5 lbs. (1.7kg).
Zippers and Hardware
The zippers and hardware are also awesome. They use huge #10 YKK zippers on the main compartment, and #8’s on the rest of the internal pockets and dividers. I really like bags that use the #10’s, I wish all travel backpacks used these.
Security System
Instead of locks, they use a somewhat minimalist security system, with fabric loops. This is designed to keep the zippers from being easily opened, but it also means that YOU can’t easily open them, but I found these are easier to use than some other bags I’ve tested (Like the Topo Designs Travel Bag).
The #10 YKK zippers have large holes you can easily secure together using the standard solid TSA locks, or these flexible wire locks have a much bigger opening and allow you to lock more things together. Or you can just lock the zippers together if you want.
If you want something a little simpler, I have a few options that work well. This small keychain wire, with a twist lock works as a quick low-key solution to secure zips.
And this mini aluminum carabiner lock, and the double mini S-Lock work great to keep your zippers secure without making it obvious you have something valuable you’re trying to protect
Size, Dimensions,
I have the 35 Liter version of the Allpa here, and at 20 x 12 x 8”, it will easily fit carry on dimensions for most airlines. If you’re not sure, check my carry-on size table. The Allpa also comes in a few other sizes
If you want something a little bigger, there is a 42L version, as well as a smaller 28L size that’s going to be small enough to fit under the seat on most planes.
External Components
The outside of the Allpa is pretty minimalist. The back side is completely flat with only one external organizational pocket. It opens from the top, goes about half-way down the bag. It’s a nice big pocket, that gives you lots of room while being small enough to have easy access to everything.
Inside there is a small mesh zipper pocket with a few fabric dividers, and a keychain leash. The pocket sticks out from the main compartment, and is easily large enough for a jacket, or your daypack. But keep in mind that this pocket is quite big, but anything you put in here will displace room in the front inner mesh divider compartment, giving you less room on the inside of the bag.
The Allpa doesn’t come with a water bottle pocket, but you can buy the additional water bottle sleeve (I bought the Allpa bundle which also comes with a shoe bag and laundry bag). It clips to the outside of the pack using 2 button straps on the side handle, and a strap below.
Carry Options
Backpack straps
The backpack straps are a firm foam padded strap with an adjustable sternum strap, but no top load adjustors. The hip belts are thin, and made from the same firm foam as the backpack straps. There’s one small zipper pocket on the left hip strap which is almost too small to store anything larger than maybe a lip balm.
The back padding is a flap of hexagonal breathable air foam which offers decent air ventilation. Both the backpack straps and the hip belts can be stowed away behind the back-padding flap. Unclip the shoulder straps, tuck them in from the top, then fold the hip straps behind the flap from the bottom.
Carry Comfort
I found the padding on the backpack straps and the hip belt to decent for this size of bag, but the foam is a kind of stiff and the padding could be thicker.
I also found the location on the hip belt to be a little too high for me. I’m 5’10” and have a torso length of about 17.5” and the hip belt sits a few inches above my hips. They’re not adjustable, or removable, so there’s not much I can do about this.
This bag is going to fit better on someone with a shorter torso length, but if you’re taller than 5’10”, the hip belt is going to fit more like a tummy belt.
Interior Components and Design
The Allpa from the side in a clamshell style opening, similar to a suitcase. The configuration of the internal mesh dividers will depend on the size of the Allpa that you have. Each version has a large main compartment, with the other side having either 2 or 3 mesh divider pockets.
The 35 Liter version here, has 3 pockets on this side, two small top pockets, and a larger mesh zipper that also gives you access to the large space behind these top pockets.
Packing Style
The main compartment is going to be where you store most of your clothes. There are two internal compression straps, and a mesh zipper to keep everything in place. You definitely don’t need to use packing cubes with this bag, but if you like extra organization, two medium packing cubes fit in here just fine.
The other side of the bag is perfect for large bulky items like a jackets, sweaters, your toiletry kit, shoes, or dirty laundry. And keep in mind that the more you stuff in this side of the bag, the less room you will have in the external organization compartment.
The main compartment has two additional features. There’s a hidden mini security pocket in here which is a great place to keep an extra credit card and some cash, and a copy of your passport, so all your valuables aren’t together in the same place. And then there’s a zipper on the exterior of bag opposite the laptop compartment that allows you to access this main compartment from the outside without having to open the big zipper.
Laptop Compartment
The laptop compartment features a side opening zipper on the outside of the bag. It’s large enough to hold up to a 15” laptop and a 10” tablet. The compartment is moderately padded, but doesn’t have a false bottom. However there is a decent ridge of padding on the top and bottom, as well as the thick backpack padding, that provide decent protection.
There’s one issue with the laptop compartment that makes it difficult to use. When the backpack straps are out, it’s large enough that my 15” Dell laptop, and it fits in here just fine.
However, when I stow away the backpack straps and the hip belt, the straps get pretty crowded in this stow pocket. This makes a large bulge on the back of the bag, that puts pressure on the laptop compartment.
Now when you try and fit your laptop in here, you have to almost cram it in. It’s really tight and you can barely close the zipper.
Summary
Pros
My favorite thing about the Cotopaxi Allpa 35 is the bombproof materials. This is just a really nice, well made bag, using great materials and hardware with great organization. This backpack is designed to last and it shows in the craftsmanship. I love the
Cons
The shoulder straps are decent, but they could be a lot more padded. The shoulder straps are only moderately comfortable for a bag of this size. The hip belt is going to be way to high for most people, it’s more of a tummy strap on me. They should add an adjustable feature in the next model like they did with the 42L version.
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