NEMO  Vantage 26 L Endless Promise Everyday Adventure Daypack

The NEMO Vantage 26L is a great multi-use pack capable of serving as an every day carry (EDC) bag, a travel bag, and a day pack for short hike. The Vantage best covers the EDC and travel pack role. It's manageable as a day pack but lacks some features many would find useful on a day hike (i.e. no hip belt, no water bottle pockets/holders). I've used the Vantage 26L as my primary EDC pack for work/day-to-day activities for over 2-weeks and used it for a day/overnight camping trip. No opportunity for airline travel yet, but the design features/comfort are perfect for terminal hopping and airline overhead bins. Overall Quality/Feel/Look: 5-stars for overall quality/feel. NEMO's build quality and materials (NEMO's Endless Promise CERO fabric and CCubed cushioning) look great and are very durable. For a pack that can be sent back to NEMO to be completely recycled, I've been impressed with the overall feel, durability, and quality. Clean, organized lines lend to the great looks and functionality of the pack. The NEMO branding is subtle and doesn't overwhelm the looks like some packs on the market. Well done NEMO. Features and Functions: The Vantage was thoughtfully designed as a primary travel bag and the compartmentalization from front to bag execute that intended purpose extremely well. The outer storage compartment is adjustable to accommodate a rain jacket, a puffy, or even a pair of shoes. The two side zippers allow for bulkier items to fit and the adjustable tab closure on the top provides easy no fuss access to your jacket if you're in a hurry. The next compartment is the main storage area with one 'slip pocket' for smaller items. This main compartment has plenty of space to hold your weekend getaway clothes/essentials or other gear. On my day/overnight hike I easily carried my 1person trekking pole tent, a 20degree down quilt, a full size sleeping pad, a ground cloth, a puffy jacket, and misc items in the main storage compartment. Between the main storage compartment and the "tech" compartment lies a very convenient stash pocket that easily holds an iPhone 13 vertically, a pocket knife, charging accessories, drink mixes - whatever you need to access quickly - its perfectly placed and super convenient. The tech compartment has two slip pockets for storing laptops or tablets and associated accessories with ease. The small zippered pouch in the top works great for a small laptop mouse, sunglasses, charging cable, etc. This compartment is located in the perfect place to protect your valuable electronics. The cushion of your clothes in the main compartment and the CERO/CCubed cushioning on the back provide just the right buffer. That same cushioning on the back contains yet another hideaway zip pocket that easily holds valuables like your passport, wallet, or phone. I thought the location would be uncomfortable with those items, but the cushioning of the NEMO material makes the items disappear. It's easy to access while the pack is slung over one shoulder, but I found it difficult to access with both pack straps on and I've got really long arms. Adjustability: The pack comes with well cushioned pack straps that include a well designed chest strap that is easily adjustable using the T-anchors on the straps. The main adjustment webbing are also held in place with T-anchors. A clever, lightweight feature that adds to the packs functionality. Overall Impression: I give the Vantage 26L 4-Stars overall. Build quality/materials and unique storage compartments are easily 5-star and clearly made to excel for travel. My reservation on 5-star overall lies with the overall fit of the pack. I'm tall (6'6") so the pack is a little short for my frame. Not the packs fault, but it's worth mentioning for those who are taller than average. I also found the webbing on the straps to 'slip' when not under tension. I have to continually tighten the shoulder strap back up after sitting it down. If it were not for those two minor things - 5-stars all the way for a great pack.

This is a great daypack for basic business trips and general traveling. Love the number of pockets, especially the pockets within a pocket. Pack is very comfortable on and looks clean and stylish. Do wish the main pocket zipper came down further to allow it too open more but I generally use packing cubes so it’s easy enough to slide them in and out.

Love this backpack's storage features! My 2 favorite features are the small pocket on top that I keep my wallet and glasses in and the front pocket for keeping things I quickly want without having to upzip a pocket (like my water bottle or snacks). The shoulder straps are very comfortable, I usually walk 20 minutes to my office and the top handle makes it easy to grab the backpack when traveling on the plane or train. The quality of the stitching and the materials made me really happy to feels very sturdy when loaded up.

Bag was very comfortable and durable. The lack of a dedicated water pouch was a non issue. There is one CAUTION when ordering the Chai color. Nemo changed the specs and according B.R., a REI product specialist, there are two versions of the CHAI in one of the REI distribution centers. The old version does not open up as fully as the new version nor does it have a plastic clip for the extra-stuff pocket. The old version is substantially less functional than the new version. The two black packs I received were the new version. The two Chia packs I received were the old version.

I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. This pack is an exceptional product - small but mighty comes to mind with this bag. I absolutely love the many different pockets that enable the user to carry small items such as wallets and keys but also laptops and change of outfits on the fly. All while having plenty of additional space for any other items you may need or may pick up along the way. The quality of the stitching and seams of the pack are clean and inspire confidence. The material this pack is made from seems durable and is plenty water resistant (though didn't use it in a deluge so can't speak to how it would hold up in those elements). While I primarily used this pack for going back and forth to work - I feel this would be a welcome addition to my options for extended travel as an effective carry on. The straps were comfortable and I enjoyed the top strap for ease of carry if you don't want to use it as a backpack. I had ordered/requested a chai color but was sent blue/gray (which actually worked out to my benefit as it's a more attractive and versatile color in my opinion).

I’m obsessed with this bag. The color is amazing, love the yellow! It has so many smart pockets, with the hidden pocket being my favorite while traveling. I’ve used it hiking, bike commuting, and as my carry on for a flight and it was perfect for every thing!!! I do have a short torso, so it’s a little big feeling when not fully packed/weighted down, but that would not stop me from using this often in the future.

I got the yellow 26L and 22L. These comments are specifically for the 26L, but also apply to the 22L. There are three things that I don’t like about this backpack that make it NOT worth the price. 1. It’s heavy (3 lbs). I would not recommend this for hiking. There are many cheaper, lighter options for that. It’s also heavy to take to the office. Once I load it with my laptop, lunch and water bottle, it looks and feels bulky. (that being said, it is comfy to wear despite the weight) 2. There is no side pocket for my water bottle. WHY? I should at least get that in a $200 backpack. If it had one, I probably would have kept it. 3. I love bags with security pockets like this one. However, it’s too far up and I’m not flexible enough to reach behind me to grab things from it while I’m wearing it. Good things: convenient pockets, ample space to put things, laptop sleeve, security pocket, durable, comfy shoulder straps, luggage travel strap. I like the yellow color - it’s bright enough to see, but not distracting.

I travel every week for week, finding a really nice backpack is easy. But moving your life around can get very hectic if you’re not organized. This is hands down the best backpack for this job. This backpack isn’t my favorite looking backpack - it doesn’t look bad, I personally think the Yeti bags look better. I attempted to replace this backpack twice already and I’ve always come back to it. It fits under a plane seat. I can stuff a sweater in one compartment and still access a laptop. The outer pocket that stays open , never knew how much I needed this in my life. And the hidden compartment on the back plate is a personal favorite. But the best part about this backpack is actually how comfortable it is. This backpack is light years away from every backpack I’ve ever traveled with and I won’t be replacing again any time soon. I’ve owned the backpack since its release and has held up very well. If you’re like me, and want lots of options for storage. Then this your backpack.