I like short trips of 2 days to 1 week, and this year I have traveled 5 times in Japan and overseas, including Taiwan, Nagano, and Hokkaido. So far, I have introduced many backpacks for short trips.
This time, NayoSmart, an overseas manufacturer, offered me an expandable backpack that can be expanded to be a 40L carry-on suitcase, "Nayo EXP Backpack," which I had always wanted. I would like to share my reviews of Nayo EXP on my 2-week trip to Europe.
Nayo EXP Backpack can be used as a day pack and expanded to be a 40L standard carry-on bag.
PROS
・ Highly Versatile 25L⇔40L
・ Easy to Organize with several Pockets
・ 180 Degree Zipper Design for Opening Fully like a Suitcase
・ Lightweight: 1.1kg and Less Than 100 USD on Sale
CONS
・ Only Sold Online Store
Nayo EXP Backpack from NayoSmart, a variable-size backpack that can be carried onboard with a maximum capacity of 40L. The key point is that it is as light as 1.1kg, which is a great option for minimalist travelers who want to travel with less and lighter luggage.
With 600D high density, polyurethane coating, it is waterproof and can be used in all weather. The price is around 100 USD (currently less than 100 USD on sale), which is surprisingly cheap for such a backpack. It has just been released in Japan but currently sold only online.
I am 178cm tall, it looks like this, seems a relatively small travel backpack. Well, it is more like a backpack usually carried by a businessman, a laptop backpack for men.
As the name of EXP (Expandable) bears, the biggest feature of this backpack is the ability to enlarge the capacity. It is usually 25L, which is just right size for city use, and 40L when expanded, for trips of 3 days to 1 week.
For example, you have a trip overseas carrying an expanded (40L) backpack. And when you are sightseeing in a local city, you could leave your clothes and sundries in the hotel, and carry the compressed Nayo EXP.
I have used a 45L travel backpack for a long time, but I couldn't compress it, which is inconvenient, so I also carried a small backpack in my suitcase. Now you only need a Nayo EXP and save space.
(Left: normal, right: expanded) Just enlarge the capacity with zipper
Waterproof Material and USB Charging Port, Comfy Traveling
The 600D high-density polyester is usually used in travel backpack such as Nayo EXP backpack, which is water repellent. I carried it on a rainy day in Germany this time, but the water did not leak into my bag.
Another feature that I am happy about is the external charging port. A power bank could be set in the pocket which attached to the internal charging port, and the iPhone can be plugged into the external port with a lightning cable.
It is nice to have such a port for you need to charge a smartphone frequently, which consuming battery quickly. APPS like Google maps used a lot while travel around.
Check Out Pockets and Capacity!
I have tried how much baggage can be put in Nayo EXP travel Backpack. The above image shows the luggage arranged for a trip of 3 to 4 days. I have a lot of gadgets and clothes packed.
Pack Clothing, Camera Lenses, and Daily Essentials in the Main Compartment
The main compartment is easy to organize. Clothes, small toiletries, camera lenses, and fine gadgets can all fit in this pocket.
Some backpacks can be opened 180 degrees like a suitcase, but the type with various pockets is rare. Nayo EXP is one.
The accessory pockets can pack a charger used in the hotel, and the toiletries such as shavers, toothbrushes, and shampoos. Speaking of greed, it is nicer if one of them is waterproof.
Easy Access to Tablet and Mobile Battery in Front Pocket
The front pocket is for kill-time or emergency objects like kindle, pens, notebooks or books, and you could get them within instant reach.
Laptop Interlayer at the Back, Fit in Tablets Up to 17 Inches
A laptop interlayer at the back can keep a tablet up to 17-inch, and I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a bumper bag itself. It is not necessary to have a bumper bag with a laptop layer, but which gives a better cushion for a dedicated PC.
On the other side, there is a pocket for A4 size documents like books you buy on the road or business documents.
Keeping Valuable Items in Hidden Pocket at the Back, Preventing Scratching
Hidden pockets at the back can be used to collect passport and valuable items. If you travel overseas, you might find that the bag has been opened for some time, or the bag has been cut with a knife. This hidden pocket is tightly at your back, it will be better while you are carrying it.
The shoulder strap also has a hidden pocket. It's pretty thin, so it can only keep changes and credit cards. If you have trouble reaching your wallet, keep a spare credit card here.
Well, I tried to introduce the functionality of this backpack and the use of pockets. The baggage introduced at the beginning was settled like this, so the capacity is quite huge.
From Now On, I Would Like to Share My Reviews.
I have been traveling to Europe for two weeks. The reviews of using Nayo EXP Backpack is as follows.
* Ideal as a carry-on backpack for minimalist enthusiast
* The main compartment is not convenient for everyday use
* Cushioning is appropriate and hard to feel the loads
You can't leave electronics or easy-broken items in your checked baggage, so you will inevitably pack them in your backpack. When a nomadic traveler goes on a trip, there are a lot of PCs, tablets, cameras, lenses, and so on.
The Nayo EXP Backpack has 40L capacity, so it could store all gadgets. Moreover, you could easily adjust the capacity with the zipper for versatile uses.
However, there is a gusset only when it is expanded, it is not very convenient for everyday use. I think this is a safer design when expanded.
What a surprise, it was difficult to feel the weight even if I packed a large amount of luggage. Inexpensive backpacks tend to have uncomfortable structures with little cushioning. In particular, it is difficult to carry such a square-type and large-capacity backpack for a long time.
Nayo EXP Backpack is easy to carry on. Of course, the quality of the cushioning material is reasonable and the price is less than 100 USD(on sale), but it is well designed. That is pretty great.
Summary
Many people carry an everyday use backpack and a suitcase for trips, but few may be surprised to own a backpack that can be used for trips of 3 days to 2 weeks.
The Nayo EXP Backpack is an expandable backpack, so it is attractive that it can be used as a day pack as well as a travel backpack. I am also very happy that I can purchase such a backpack around 100 USD.
I plan to do some trips for about a week in the future, and I would like to carry Nayo EXP backpack.
Now you can't try it out in Japan, but if you're interested, you can buy it online, so check it out here: Nayo EXP Backpack.