Eagle Creek Global Companion Review (Unisex vs Women’s Fit)

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on a link, we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Please read our full policy below, thank you for your support!

Cost: $159.00 (Retail)
Capacity: 40 Liters
Dimensions: 21.5”x 13.75”x 8” (55 x 35 x 20 cm)
Style: Clamshell Travel Backpack
Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Laptop: 17” laptop
Materials: 450D Geo Ripstop, 600D Helix Polyester
Origin: Manufactured in Vietnam

Check Price on eBags

Aesthetics and General Impression

My overall impression on the global companion is it looks something like a combination of a travel backpack, and a school backpack. With a large main compartment to store gear, a separate zipper to access your laptop, as well as good compression straps, water bottle pockets, and a ton of exterior organizational pockets.

Materials, Colors, and Size

Eagle Creek uses a combination of 3 different materials in the global companion. A 600 denier polyester on the backpack straps, hip belt, and back of bag. On the front they use a 450 denier ripstop polyester, looks pretty cool with geodesic triangle pattern.

The bottom of the bag uses a coated TPU fabric, which offers more abrasion resistance where the bag gets most of the wear. In addition to the fabric, the global companion is given structural support with a built-in plastic panel located between the laptop compartment and the backpack straps,

Zippers and Hardware

They use high quality hardware on the rest of the global companion, including all Duraflex brand plastic buckles. Zippers are all Eagle Creek brand, large #8 locking zippers on the main compartment and smaller #5 on the rest of the bag.

For some reason Eagle creek doesn’t use YKK branded zippers, but judging from other eagle creek products I’ve used for years, I haven’t had an issue with the quality of the hardware they use

Security

There are 3 locking zippers, one of the front access pockets that’s designed to hold electronics. The zipper locks to this little metal ring on a fabric loop. I’m not a huge fan of this setup, because the lock is very conspicuous. Basically advertising that you have something in that pocket worth stealing

There are two ways to get into the main compartment. Through the main zipper, and the separate laptop access zipper. Zippers on main compartment lock together with a Central Locking grommet on top,

The Laptop pocket is lockable to a metal grommet sewn into the bag at the end of the zipper. But I found it to be kind of difficult and awkward to use. The grommet is sewn too tight, hard to get a lock through the zipper.

One easy fix for this bag would have been to put the central locking grommet between the main zippers, and laptop zipper. Then you could lock both zippers together with just one lock.

Size and Dimensions

The Global Companion is designed as a travel backpack, so the dimensions will fit as a carry on for most arilines. However, with a height of 21.5 inches, it’s probably a little too big to count as a personal item, o fit under the seat in front of you.

External Components

The external components are really great on this bag, there are a ton of pockets you can easily access from the outside of the pack. Top access pocket, two front facing organizational pockets, mesh pouch, and a GIGANTIC shoe compartment.

Compression Straps / Buckles

The Eagle Creek Global Companion has 4 side compression straps, which do a really good job at squishing the bag down. The straps can unclip them on the side of the bag where you access the main compartment. On the other side, there isn’t a clip, but they expand so you can store jacket, tripod etc.

Front Mesh Pocket

The mesh pocket is gigantic. It looks small from the outside, but it goes all the way down to the bottom of the pack. It’s breathable mesh in the center, so great for rain gear, wet socks, towel, allow them to dry on the outside of the bag.

Front Access Pockets

I really like the location of these front pockets. It’s great having an easy way to get to all your small items without digging around inside your bag. The pockets have a weird, curved shape, but are actually both pretty large.

The left pocket has two interior mesh dividers, as well as a keyring. The right pocket has one small mesh divider, and a padded cell phone holder and a pencil sleeve. This side also has the lockable zipper.

Water Bottle Pocket

The water bottle pockets on the Eagle Crek Global Companion are kind of small. It fit’s my 27oz bottle easily, but too small for a larger 1L bottle. They’re made out of a stretchy mesh material. Which holds your water bottle well, the compression strap helps keep it in place.

Packing these front pockets with bag full

One thing worth noting, with the bag empty, you can pack a ton of stuff in the mesh pouch and front zippered pockets. But the capacity changes when the bag is fully packed, not going to be able to fit as much in these when the main compartment is full.

It’s a good idea, to pack these exterior pockets first Then pack the rest of the bag, make sure you are going to have enough room in here.

Bottom Shoe Compartment

The bottom of the bag has A GIANT shoe compartment that goes almost all the way to the top of the bag. It’s great for shoes, dirty laundry, or anything you want to keep separate from the rest of the bag.

Obviously anything you put in here, you will have that much less room in the rest of the bag. The great thing, if you choose to put nothing in here, it won’t take up any room in the main compartment.

Rainfly

And then, one of my favorite things about this bag, is the built in rainfly hidden behind a Velcro strap. You can fold it out to protect your gear from downpours. Unfortunately the rainfly isn’t detachable from the pack, but you could easily cut this small strap if you don’t want to use it.

Carry Options

The Eagle Creek Global Companion has decent backpack straps, a beefy hip belt, as well as top and side carry handles. There is no shoulder strap option for this bag,

Backpack straps

Backpack straps are thin padded with a breathable mesh backing. They have adjustable load lifters on the top, and an adjustable stretchy sternum strap with a safety whistle.

The hip belts are really nice, but they’re probably a little large for a bag of this size. The straps and hip belt don’t hide away, so you’re stuck with them on the outside of the pack. It’s nice to have a place to store them, but this is definitely not a deal breaker for me.

Couple of suggestions to deal with the straps if they get in your way:

• Take the rainfly, and attach it backwards on the front of the backpack. This will keep the straps out of the way when you go through airport security.
• Attach the hip belt backwards around the front of the bag. It looks weird, but will keep it out of your way.

Unisex Fit vs Women’s Fit

The capacity, size and shape of the Unisex and Women’s versions of the Eagle Creek Global Companion are identical. The only difference is the fit of the backpack. Check out my YouTube video, it’s easier to see the differences visually.

They don’t list the sizes on the website. But guessing by the dimensions, the unisex feels like a Men’s medium backpack. It probably fit a torso length about 17-20”

The Women’s version is designed to fit shorter torso length. The distance between the hip belts and the shoulder straps is about 2” shorter. And the spacing between the shoulder straps is also about 2” shorter, to fit better on slimmer shoulders. The hip belt has the same padding, but is shorter and more curved, to fit better on curved hips.

Judging by the dimensions, and how it fits on Amber, I would guess this is equivalent to about a women’s small to an extra small backpack. It probably fits a torso length of about 13-16”

At 5’10 and torso length of 17.7, the women’s fit is a little too small for me, and very snug in the shoulders. It fits much better on Amber, at 5’4” with a torso length of 16”

Interior Components and Design

The Eagle Creek Global Companion opens from the side and lays flat, like a suitcase. Inside are two large main compartments covered with mesh.

Packing cubes work really well with this bag, and help keep your gear organized. I like to use two medium cubes on one side of the bag for larger clothes. Then pack socks, underwear, and other smaller heavy items on the other side, close to your back.

And definitely keep in mind that the more you pack in the main compartment, the less room you will have for the exterior pockets, and shoe compartment. It’s a good idea to pack these pockets first, then pack the interior compartment with the remaining space.

One great use for the shoe compartment is to use it for dirty laundry. As you travel, you can transfer clothes from the inside, into the exterior compartment. This keeps all your dirty clothes separate, then when it’s time to do laundry, everything is all together and easy to get to.

Laptop Compartment

Eagle creek did a really great job with the laptop compartment on this bag. A lot of travel backpacks either don’t have a place to put your laptop, or they have a dedicated laptop compartment.

I don’t always bring my laptop when I travel, so the dedicated compartment is often useless, and takes up a ton of space and weight.

What they did on the Eagle Creek Global Companion, is build a laptop sleeve into the main compartment. But still allowing you to access it from a separate zipper on the outside of the pack.

Basically functioning like a dedicated laptop compartment, but without taking up extra space. It’s well protected, with a false bottom, keeping your laptop from touching the bottom of the bag.

The back is protected with a solid plastic panel. The sleeve has a thin layer of padding, but also protected by being nestled in with all your clothes in the main compartment. And for security, the zipper on the laptop compartment is lockable.

Summary of Eagle Creek Global Comanion

Pros

• Love the exterior organization, lots of easy access pockets, top pocket, huge mesh pouch, and external shoe compartment,
• Great bag for a lot of people, with 2 size versions, 4 color options, versatile packing design, this could be a great bag for a lot of people
• Actually like the laptop compartment a lot, they offer a great compromise, by having a built-in laptop sleeve that offers great protection, but doesn’t take up much room when you’re not using it.

Cons

• The hip belts are a little too big, and aren’t removable, they’re great when you’re using them, but it would be great if there was a way to get these things out of the way
• The lockable zippers could be better, I like the easy access pocket on the laptop compartment, but the lockable zipper is difficult and awkward to use
• I don’t like the padlock on the front compartment being so visible, basically advertises you have something worth stealing in this pocket.

---

I run One Bag Travels as an independent website, I am not directly associated with, nor do I take payments from any of the companies featured on this site. My opinions are based on my personal experience with these products, as well as years of experience as an independent traveler.

Any revenue I receive from One Bag Travels is from affiliate marketing relationships, meaning if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I strive to review products that I like, or are popular in the one bag/minimalist travel community, not just brands that I receive a commission on. Sometimes a company will send me a free product to review, I am however under no incentive or obligation to give them a favorable review.

The continued existence and success of One Bag Travels relies on the support of my readers. I believe providing thorough, honest, unbiased information is the best way to grow this support. I put a lot of work into my reviews, if you find this information was helpful in your decision, we encourage you to purchase through one of our affiliate links, at zero extra cost to you. This support allows me to continue providing the best reviews and content for you. Thank you for your support!