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By now, you all should be familiar with Able Carry. They make some excellent backpacks, and we’ve had the good fortune to go hands-on with a few (you can see those reviews here and here). If you’re looking for something a bit more compact – either you don’t carry much, or you’re a smaller person – then this review of the Able Carry Thirteen is for you.
Just how compact is it?
That’s the question, right? Often, with bags, we focus on just how much we can stuff into them, as we want to fit it all into one bag. The Able Carry Thirteen, on the hands, asks you just how much you really need to bring with you. Here, this works out to just a 13L capacity. Yes, you can fit your laptop (so long as it’s 14″ or under) and your coffee mug, so you’re good to go there.
For the commute, I easily popped my laptop, iPad, and current work headphones into the interior, with a few cables and such that are necessary for the day. In external pockets, I’ve got my Kindle and glasses, and of course the coffee mug in the external pocket. While I had gotten used to dropping my lunch bag in my backpack, you really can’t do that here.
Using the Able Carry Thirteen
Even though you are tighter on space, the Able Carry Thirteen is still eminently usable. In fact, if you have problems with carrying too much stuff, a smaller bag like this one can force you to reassess just what you really need over the course of the day. I used it on my commute, and it was pretty solid. Grabbing it to go out the door, you’re struck by how light the whole thing is. Again, you’re not carrying as much.
Where it did feel a little odd to me was when it was on my back. Because it’s a smaller bag, it sat much higher on my back than I’m used to. I’m sure this wasn’t a bag aimed at my 6’3″ frame either, as I had the straps fully extended. Still, it did fit me, and it got the job done. Just had to get used to that smaller footprint on my back. Oh, and with those straps? The chest strap had a nice twist lock on it, which was easy to latch and unlatch.
Wrapping things up
Just as with any other Able Carry bag, this one offers a lot of versatility. You’ve got plenty of organization built in, and some external looks where you can hook things on if needed. Also, once everything is closed up, you’ve got a very sleek presentation. Given the smaller size of the bag, I think this is better suited for shorter folks, or even kids. In fact, I can easily see my kids angling to start using this bag. Or, if you need a compact secondary backpack on your travels, this would work there as well. The Able Carry 13 is available in Cordura for $138 or in three colors of the interesting X-Pac (what we tested) for $178. Check out your options over at ablecarry.com
Able Carry 13 Specs
- 13L Capacity
- Height: 45cm / 17.7”
- Width: 27cm / 10.6”
- Depth: 17cm / 6.7”
- Weight (X-Pac): 0.69kg / 1.5lb
- Weight (Ripstop): 0.65kg / 1.4lb
- YKK Zippers, Duraflex Hardware
- DWR coating
