My use case for this bag was as a backup checked bag for traveling. I travel with 1 carry-on and wanted to have a compact option for the return journey to pack my clothes in and check if I filled up my main carry-on bag with purchases/souvenirs during my trip. My priorities were therefore durability and stow-ability, and I landed on this bag after learning about the difference between nylon and polyester rip stop; you get the best durability for weight with the high(er) denier nylon rip stop that this bag is made from.
In terms of durability, I used this bag to fill with my laundry and clothes purchases at the end of a 9-day trip to England and checked it in for my flight back to the US (including 1 layover through customs). It came through without a mark. There is no structure to the bag to protect contents, but it works great if you fill it with clothes. It was roomy and even just throwing things in without rolling etc, I had room to spare.
You can pack this down pretty good, which is amazing for the durability. I bought one of the Flowfold size medium Voyager pouches to stow it in, and it fits very comfortably in there with the shoulder strap, a TSA lock, an air tag, and a foam handle pad from another brand. The Voyager also has a gear loop that I put a cable cord on so I could attach it to the outside of my carry-on if I wanted or needed to. It would be nice if Flowfold included a Voyager with purchase or provided a discounted bundle since other brands include a stow bag.
There are 2 YKK zippers on the main compartment that can be locked together with a TSA lock to keep it secure and make sure it stays closed during travel. The side pocket only has one zipper, so you can't lock it, but it's handy to tuck your info tag into if you don't want it catching on anything. On my flight, the zipper did stay closed. The shoulder strap has handy swivels on the clips to keep them from getting twisted up while using. The clips and anchors are plastic, not metal, but seem solid and are lighter than metal would be.
Overall, I love this bag for my use case and I'm really happy that I chose this one. The subtle grid pattern looks cool and I got a compliment on the color (Coyote Ecogrid). Feels cool to represent abroad with an American-made product too :)
