Cotopaxi Allpa 50 Adventure Pack Review 2025

Photo: Katherine Gillespie

Cotopaxi’s colorful bags are comfortable to wear and thoughtfully designed for people who prioritize organization while they’re on the road. The 35-liter Allpa, which currently occupies the top spot in my guide to the very best carry-on travel backpacks, opens up clamshell style to reveal two roomy compartments (one of which is divided into sewn-in mesh packing cubes) for separating and compressing your clothes. It’s an excellent piece of luggage, especially for former suitcase people who are transitioning into more adventurous styles of travel.

So when Cotopaxi offered the Strategist a sample of its brand-new Allpa 50, now the largest bag in the Allpa line-up (the original 28-liter, 35-liter, and 42-liter versions remain in production), my response was an enthusiastic yes. Even though I was privately a little confused and even concerned about the new design, which significantly deviates from what came before.

The Allpa 50 has one deep compartment (left), whereas the Allpa 35 has two shallower ones (right).
Photo: Katherine Gillespie

The large Allpa is taller and slimmer than its siblings and opens up like a duffel bag rather than a clamshell. You unzip it at the front to reveal one deep compartment, although the bag still has a hidden laptop sleeve and a useful front pocket that’s large enough for a full bag of toiletries as well as a few chargers and cables. There are also three internal zipper pockets for small items or socks and underwear. On top of the backpack sits a removable eight-liter sling bag that can be used for additional storage (it seems most ideal as a quarantine compartment for shoes) or zipped off and worn as a day bag or in-flight personal item (either cross-body or around your waist).

Whereas the smaller Allpas look and function like soft suitcases with straps, the Allpa 50 more closely resembles a traditional through-hiking backpack, at least when the sling is attached. Once you detach it, the bag takes on a boxier look, and also becomes small enough (42 liters, supposedly, but this honestly seems a bit generous) to use as a carry-on. A sneaky little strip of nylon lets you strap a coat or sweater on top of the bag when you’re on the move, which is a space-saving feature I’d long craved from my Allpa 35. And very happily, there’s a big, stretchy water-bottle holder (that’ll fit a Nalgene, umbrella, or whatever else) on one side as well as four lash loops that you could attach various small items to using carabiners.

I was confused as to why Cotopaxi would make a non-clamshell Allpa at first, especially as lots of competing outdoor brands (most famously Patagonia and Peak Design) already offer duffel-style travel backpacks. But now that I’ve played around with the Allpa 50 for a couple of months, I’m seeing advantages to its design. Whereas I often find myself fussing over and even sitting on my Allpa 35 in order to zip the two bulky halves of the bag together, the Allpa 50 can be stuffed and zipped very quickly. And if you’re in a small hotel room (or hostel dorm — this bag seems ideal for gap-year Euro trips), it simply takes up less space during the packing process. The Allpa 50 also has a deep enough compartment to fit a (compressed) sleeping bag if necessary, unlike the other Allpa backpacks, whose internal compartments are too shallow.

Something I will point out is that purchasing this bag really only makes sense if you don’t already have a small day pack or cross-body bag that you enjoy traveling with. For example, I personally am not super motivated to part with my Baggu medium crescent bag, which is significantly less touristy looking than Cotopaxi’s detachable sling. The sling is quite a bit larger, though, with ample space for a book, tablet, headphones, water bottle, and camera, as well as money and travel documents, even some extra souvenir shopping. And once I wore mine with the backpack, I found myself pleased by the matchy-matchy look.

How the bag looks in what I’m calling “airport mode,” with the sling detached and a puffer jacket strapped on top. I’m five-four.
Photo: Katherine Gillespie

This two-in-one bag makes me think that it must be a lot of fun to work at Cotopaxi Product Design HQ. It’s trying new things and keeping us backpack reviewers on our toes. I’m looking forward to taking the Allpa 50 on a few trips over the summer and seeing how it functions in airport settings. I also wonder if future versions of this bag might be three-in-one, with the front pocket popping out into a small day pack — ideally one that’s sized for a laptop. This would be perfect for one-bagging digital nomads and day hikers and would provide a true sense of modular flexibility.

As for colors, which are important: I do wish there was a Del Día option for purchasing a one-of-a-kind bag made from colorful dead-stock fabric discards, which is something the brand originally became known for. But the fig colorway (mauve with red accents) I received is rather lovely in person, and is still made from recycled materials.

Osprey’s travel backpacks aren’t as cute as Cotopaxi’s, but they’re reliably comfortable and durable. The Farpoint (designed for people with masculine frames) and Fairview (designed for people with feminine frames) both come with slim day packs that strap onto the main bag. The effect is turtle-y but undeniably practical.

British brand Salkan’s two-in-one (45-liter plus 20-liter) travel bag has a similar concept but a more retro feel. You can customize your fabric and strap color, and the main bag comes with a rain cover and tuckable straps. The main bag is slightly taller than the Allpa 50 and Fairview 55, and may not meet international airline carry-on requirements.

Very similar in design to the Allpa 35, COR Surf’s carry-on travel backpack opens like a suitcase and is priced under $150.

TomToc’s Navigator, meanwhile, resembles the Patagonia Mini MLC but at less than half the price.

The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.