A bag is an investment. I cannot stress on this enough. But I don’t just go out and buy a costly bag but I do research before buying one.
Here is what is I was looking for when I wanted to get a day bag – It needs to be a small & compact bag to carry my camera, a small jacket, phone, wallet, power bank, and protein bars.
In the past, I have tried sling bags and other bigger bags but they were either uncomfortable for long journeys or the bag was too big to carry.
And hence began a journey, the search for a new bag.
I started by looking into hydration packs, which can also be used to carry all the other things I need. As I have a mirrorless camera, a bag that is around 8-10 liters would be more than sufficient. On one of my many good searches, I came across an image of that looked strange at first with the bag from Matador next to another image of a cylindrical pouch. I was intrigued, as I haven’t seen anything like this before. It then dawned on me that the bag is packable (can be rolled up) and can be used for travel. This was simply brilliant.
Why Matador Hydrolite Backpack
I then set out to do more research on this bag and I looked up the company website of Matador where they sell the backpack. I am going to be honest, as much as I consider bags a good investment I was initially set back by the price tag. But this bag was so unique and packable and I have not come across anything like this.
The bag has a roll-top 8-liter main compartment made up of waterproof Cordura Fabric with YKK water resistant Zipper pocket and an interesting inflatable back panel. Additionally, the bag comes with a water filter and a 2-liter reservoir. Matador has partnered with Sawyer for this setup, which is neat. Matador offers free international shipping for orders over 100$. I scoped other products like the droplet, Nano dry towels (Large and small), packable 30 L duffle – I will explain about the add-ons later.
Ordering the bag was easy, however for since my order was international I had to wait 20 days to get my bag. Buyers outside of USA might have to pay customs. If you are in India do remember that with customs and GST you might end up shelling quite a bit to get your product.
Using the Matador Hydrolite Backpack
I had planned a trip to Jammu and Kashmir where I knew this bag would be handy and I couldn’t wait to get it. When I received the bag I was blown away by the look – it definitely looked very unique and unreal. The packaging is cylindrical and it was neatly packed with all the necessary warranties. Basically, this can be thrown in a bigger backpack and will not take too much space.
To use the bag all you got to do is blow air in the inflatable back panel, insert it into the bag and you are good to go.
The bag has an outer small zipped compartment for keeping small things like your phone, wallet or keys. The rest of the bag is simply one big roll-top bag.
There is also an open compartment on the front side of the bag where you can dump in a wet rain jacket or a snow jacket when not in use.
Items I carried in the bag during my trip.
- Leica Q
- A beanie
- 2 granola bars
- 2 energy protein bars
- Phone
- Wallet
- Power bank with charging cable
- Along with the 2-liter water reservoir integrated with Sawyer filter.
Items clipped outside the bag
- Droplet
- Nano microfiber towel
- Columbia gloves
- Jacket on the expandable stash pocket (Jacket size M – basically jackets that get compressed really well fit here)
There is another cool feature in the roll top of the main compartment where the strips on top of the roll top stick together when you seam it, feels magnetic which is neat. So basically I don’t have to clip sides and the contents in the bag will still remain safe and intact.
Once packed and the roll top is synched I was all set to start my trek in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The bag is very comfortable. I used the sternum strap whenever needed but I liked the stabilization straps that run down from the shoulders. I found a small difficulty finding the straps to pull down for a snug fit as they kept moving behind the bag but you will get the hang of it once you start wearing and getting used to the bag. During the 4-day travel in Gulmarg and Pahalgam from cold snowy days to warm sweaty weather the bag performed really well.
I used the loops on the front of the bag to clip my carabiners.
Keep an eye on the wear and tear as shown in the pics below. This is probably expected as the bag is rolled up a lot and also I don’t baby it, but I guess this can be improved in the next iteration.
Packing Hacks
- I think you can fit a 3-liter reservoir – give it a whirl.
- You can leave the roll top, as it is without clipping it on the sides should you chose to do so at your own discretion.
- You can fit a 10-inch Tablet in the main Roll-top compartment.
- Tethers can be used to attach trekking poles or carry sleeping bags etc.
- If you buy the Camera base layer or the lens layer from Matador you can carry a camera and lens/drone by clipping them on the outside. so you get more space to keep something else in the bag.
Overall this bag is fantastic to use. Looking forward to taking this on my next trip.
Price: $150 available on matadorup.com
19 Comments
Noor Anand Chawla
Thanks for a detailed review of the bag and its features. I’ll pin this post for the future if I need a good travel bag for a similar purpose to yours.
Sangeeta
Glad you loved our review 🙂
Milan
wow!! this is such a detailed write up on the backpack. The stabilisation straps feature is good one. Though a bit pricey, I am sure its worth it.
Sangeeta
It is worth it. We always say – A bag is a worthy investment.
Roshni Parate
Wow, that water reservoir is so beneficial, especially during trekking. You have shown nice detailing about this backpack. 👍😊
Neha Jella
A good descriptive post about the bag. I was actually seeking for a compact bagpack with hydration bag. I liked the Matador bag and will definitely go through this. Thank you for this descriptive post.
Rashmi Singh
Wow amazing travel friendly bag . Good to know about this bag and it’s features. Thanks for detailed review.
Rashmi Singh
Wow what a perfect travel friendly bag. Thanks for the detailed review, you explained everything about the features of this bag. Would love to purchase one for myself.
Jhilmil Bhansali
Wow that sounds quite interesting for a backpack, easy to carry . Blowing the air and it becomes ready to use is a feature that intrigued me. The space also seems quite convenient to fit in varied things.
Zainab
Such an great and informative post will check this matador bag as i was waiting to buy one. Thanks for this detailed review of the bagpack.
Nisha Malik
Wow. That’s a super bag, I would say. It has got great storing as well as is weather proof too. Great pick for travellers. Thanks for the detailed review. Really helpful.
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Charu Chittwal
I have a friend who is always up for hiking, I am so damn sure he is going to love this backpack, will definitely share the same with him, thank you for sharing
Prerna Sinha
I usually would think that a day pack should not be too heavy while trekking but then there are trekkers who like to carry their own load and a heavier back pack and for them, this sounds perfect. 3-litre hydration pack capacity is a boon.
Judy
The bag looks quite sturdy and even the material looks like quick drying. Packing hacks are simply wow. I mean the features of bags have been thoughtfully placed in. Price too is good.
Ishieta
Interesting product…love that it packs up,and inflates when needed. great choice for a travel bag indeed.
Jhilmil D Saha
This backpack is definitely a very convenient option for travellers & trekkers. So much of space is available gor storing all necessary items.
Snehalata Jain
I believe that person who Trek’s regularly always look for light weight backpack
Sangeeta
True but it doesn’t have to apply only for people who like to trek. Bags like these come in handy for anyone who loves to travel and explore.
Rashmi
Comfort, ease and convenience to store are few things that I would before buying a backpack for day use. This one fits my criteria too.