Flight Attendants Love This Carry - Shandong Cooler Bag Group

It holds a week’s worth of clothing and still fits under the airplane seat.

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Travel + Leisure / Reese Herrington

“I was immediately hooked.” That’s what Amanda Oseguera said about working her first trip as a flight attendant. Nine years later, she’s still doing what she loves. And along the way she’s accumulated more than 100,000 Instagram followers and 740,000 TikTok fans. In addition to traveling vicariously through her, they value her product recommendations. After all, if anyone knows what you’ll need to thrive in the friendly skies (and on long layovers) it’s a flight attendant.

When it comes to personal item bags, Oseguera told Travel + Leisure her favorite at the moment is the Coowoz Large Travel Backpack. With more than 6,600 five-star ratings, it’s currently ranked No. 1 on Amazon’s list of Best Sellers in Women’s Fashion Backpack Handbags. Why is it so popular? For starters, it’s a lot of bag for just $36.

Amazon

“I will pack a bag as full as it will go,” said Oseguera, who admitted she picks up new things on her travels and always returns with more than she left with. At 17 liters, the Coowoz Large Travel Backpack is small enough to be considered a personal item that fits under the airplane seat. But at the same time, it’s large enough for a spare set of clothes, a pair of shoes, a laptop and all of the snacks and toiletries you’ll need for your flight. Need even more room? It’s also available in XL carry-on size and an expanded version.

Amanda Oseguera

“For me it’s important to stay organized because I’m always on the move,” Oseguera told Travel + Leisure. That’s why in addition to using packing cubes, everything she packs has a dedicated place in her bag. Fortunately, in addition to its main compartment, the Coowoz Large Travel Backpack has plenty of built-in organization. There’s a padded laptop and tablet pocket (it can hold both at the same time), a zippered mesh pocket that fits a passport, a hidden anti-theft pocket for small valuables, a water bottle holder, and a dedicated shoe compartment. It also comes with a removable wet bag, so Oseguera can keep her soaked swimming suit or dirty laundry separate from her clean clothes.

Another major selling point of this bag, which is available in 18 colorways and is popular among men, too, is the fact that it’s waterproof. The polyester it’s made of is extra durable, so it doesn’t show wear and tear as fast as other fabrics do. The straps, meanwhile, are padded, and there’s a chest buckle which helps distribute weight evenly. Even when Oseguera feels like she’s hauling around everything but the kitchen sink, her back doesn’t hurt. And thanks to the built-in USB charging port, she can use her favorite power bank (stashed safely in her bag) to charge her phone while it’s in her hand.

Amazon

Naturally, Oseguera isn’t the only flight attendant obsessed with the Coowoz Large Waterproof Backpack. “I’m a flight attendant and I bring it on all my trips,” wrote one Amazon shopper who likes that it opens all the way, like a suitcase. Thanks to this feature, it’s easy to access items at the bottom without having to take out everything on top. Of course, you don’t have to be on an airline’s payroll to appreciate this bag.

One traveler who used it on a week-long trip to Italy found that it fit “two dresses, five tops, four bottoms, socks, undies, shampoo/conditioner bars, two Covid kits, flip-flops, sandals, microfiber drying towel, small airport blanket, MacBook Pro, and a couple more toiletries.” During the day, they emptied it out in their hotel room and used it for sightseeing. “Took it everywhere with me: on the train, bus, metro, walking. Very sturdy. The way the zippers and clips are placed makes it difficult for pickpockets to happen.”

Amazon

Many shoppers also enjoy not having to worry about water damage. “It stayed dry with no issues or stress of my items getting wet!” reported another traveler who used the Coowoz Large Waterproof Backpack on a two-week vacation in Puerto Rico during hurricane season. That same traveler admitted they’re normally a fan of Timbuk 2 backpacks, so they were so pleasantly surprised by this affordable bag which is half the price of a backpack from their favorite brand. “I own a dozen backpacks and this one is the very very best,” wrote another shopper who calls it “perfectly comfortable.”

Whether you collect backpacks like some people collect passport stamps, or you’re like Oseguera and you’re looking for one bag that checks all the boxes, the only way you can go wrong with the Coowoz Large Travel Backpack is if you don’t order it in time for your next trip. And if you’re looking for a career that lets you see the world while you work, consider becoming a flight attendant. According to Oseguera it’s more than a job. It’s a lifestyle, and to live it is to love it.

If you’re still shopping around for the perfect carry-on backpack to bring on all your travels, read on for a few more affordable options at Amazon that start just $18. Many are also approved by frequent fliers, including this Matein Travel Laptop Backpack that one business traveler deemed their “mobile office” and said “[I] don’t know how I managed without it.”

Amazon

At the time of publishing, the price started at $36.

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