bento travel bag australia

Nomad Lane Bento Bag Review: Is It the Best Travel Companion?

Carryon Luggage , FASHION , Packing

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Becoming a beloved item for travel by the TFG readers and myself, the Nomad Lane Bento Bag is specially designed to be versatile for multiple purposes including a weekender bag or for business travel. But does it measure up? Find out in our full review! 

Special offer for Travel Fashion Girl readers: Save 10% off with the code: TFG10 . 

Nomad Bag Review 

Table of contents.

For a few years, a true traveler’s bag was whispered about among the community and that’s when I and many others discovered the Nomad Lane Bento bag . 

It’s marketed as a versatile accessory that can be used for an onboard personal item, business travel bag, or weekender bag. 

But does all the hype add up to a superior bag for travelers? Find out more in our review!

Nomad Travel Lane Bento Bag Specs 

Brand and Style: Nomad Lane Bento Bag

Dimensions and Weight: 17” W x 8” D x 10” H and weighs 2.9 lb (1.3 kg). Has a volume of 24 L, which accommodates a carry-on size for most airlines (double-check with your airline though)

Fabric: Nylon and vegan leather

Features: Opens in the middle like a suitcase, has specially designed pockets including two top pockets for toiletries and tech accessories, along with a padded laptop pocket. It also had two top handles and a shoulder strap that can be worn across the body as well

Colors: Jet Set Black/Bronze, Jetset Black/Silver, Nomad Navy/Bronze, Nomad Navy/Silver, Juniper Green/Bronze, and Postiano Plum/Bronze. They also offer several specialty colors, go to the main link to review

Travel Type: This is suitable for an overnight or weekend trip, business travel, or as an onboard personal item for a flight 

Nomad Lane Bag Features

Size and Material

The Nomad Lane Bag is 17” x 10” and weighs 2.9 lb, which is a small enough bag to fit under the seat, a hugely popular feature for many readers (and me!). There are two handles at the top which are made of vegan leather and the cool thing is they clasp together so it’s easier to carry via the handles.

Clasp for handles on Nomad Lane Bag in Nomad Navy/Bronze

It has a trolley sleeve too that goes over the handle of your suitcase. The rest of the bag is made of a very durable nylon material. I’ve traveled with it for over a year now and found it to be sturdy, taking the rigors of travel. 

One reader chimes in about the sizing and how well this fits under the seat. “ It really does fit under the seat. I’ve only had one situation in which it was a little tricky but that’s because the under-seat space was reduced by some mechanical equipment. I can’t say enough good things about the bag. My other totes and even my Tumi backpack rarely gets used since I got it.”

As for my own experiences, It has fits under the seat on all the planes I’ve flown, even on small domestic planes!

Read these tips on  how to pack for 5kg baggage allowance !

Storage and Organization

What I noticed right away was at the front of the bag, it has an external pocket and it has different organizational compartments inside. One is a little mesh pocket. And then there are some other three little compartments and some pen pockets. Finally, there is a little zip pocket as well, which is nice. The ability to organize small items in the front seems great–with pens, papers, and so on.

Besides the front external pocket, it also has two smaller zippered pockets on the top that can fit things like your tech accessories or toiletries. What’s awesome about these pockets is they’re easily accessible anytime, but especially useful while going through airport security when you have to remove things like tech items. 

Organizational view of Nomad Lane Bag in Jet Set Black/Silver

The trolley sleeve itself also has a zippered pocket too (right on it), which is super nifty! This pocket seems like the ideal space to store a boarding pass, or even your passport while you’re in the airport, so you can be more hands-free and pull out what you need at a particular moment, especially when boarding the plane.

Next, the center section has two zippers, both of them access the middle portion, where you can put in items such as clothes or shoes.

Trolley sleeve and it’s pocket in Nomad Lane Bag 

By the way, when I checked out the zippers I found them to be sturdy! These are YKK zippers, which I also built into the Compass Rose Packing Cubes . YKK zippers are good quality zippers and are durable, which is something important in a bag. 

It for sure has a lot of ways to organize items and be able to find things. This reader agrees, saying,  I’ve found it to be really well organized and super easy to access my stuff on the plane.”

You’ll want to look your best when you travel! Read my travel tips to  Pack Light Stylishly !

Packability 

The most unique feature of this bag is that it opens in the middle like a suitcase does which means it can pack like one too.  

Since there are two center zippers, I opened up the one that has a mesh compartment first and believe that is meant to hold shoes, but it could also store other items. The mesh feels sturdy which I should know about mesh since I tested out a gazillion samples of mesh when I made the packing cubes. It would seem that the mesh internal compartment houses two shoe bags, but if I don’t use that space for shoes, at least one extra packing cube fits.

Adding one packing cube to the mesh compartment

Then there is a well-made padded laptop sleeve to accommodate a laptop up to 16”. Which in theory could hold other things if you weren’t taking a laptop with you. 

And on the other side of the laptop pocket is the second zippered compartment that is meant to fit a small set of clothes, but it has no mesh enclosure. As for what this open compartment can fit, I was able to fit in two Compass Rose Packing Cubes! !

Adding two packing cubes in the other middle compartment

And one reader echoes this, saying, “ One of my favorite features is that Compass Rose Packing Cubes fit perfectly inside. You can fit a TON in it!”

Overall, in terms of capacity, it’s much more spacious than it actually looks. When I first got the bag I thought, wow, that’s so tiny and compact and then I was pleasantly surprised.

Open view of Nomad Lane Bag in Sport Navy/Silver

Tip: try to travel in the bulkiest shoes on your flight. For example, in the photos, I’ve got on the shoes that I typically wear on a flight, along with wearing a sample in-flight outfit; a button-down blouse, and  leggings , super comfortable for a flight. So you could be wearing the bulkiest shoes as you travel and have a more lightweight pair in the Bento bag.

External front pockets of Nomad Lane Bag (Jetset Black/Bronze color)

Extra Features 

It’s pretty incredible the number of extras that come with the Nomad Lane Bento Bag . Within the front pocket are four stretchy pockets, 1 passport pocket, 3 pen slots, a zippered cash pocket, and an attached key leash. It also has accessory loop t o secure larger items (e.g. water bottle, noise cancelling headphones, travel pillow).

Besides the numerous compartments, they also have a bag cover for storage when not in use. If you’d prefer to pack a toiletry bag, check out the best toiletry bags here .

Convenient trolley sleeve of Nomad Lane Bag , making long airport treks seamless

I feel the best thing has to be the trolley sleeve, which allows the bag to sit on a suitcase. You can put it on the handle and that’s key, but what’s also really cool is that it’s not just wasting space.  

Finally, the piece de resistance is the detachable, adjustable shoulder strap that’s padded. I can carry this either by the handles or use the shoulder strap if I want—a really terrific feature for travelers.

Read  this post to find out the best bags with trolley sleeve for travel!

The Nomad Bento bag offers many uses. For example, it can hold all your in-flight essentials, maybe be utilized for an overnight trip or a weekend trip, depending on how light you’re traveling, and also whether or not you plan to bring a laptop and electronics. 

It’s a quality-made bag that will have longevity and can be used frequently without it breaking or wearing out too quickly. A TFG’er who is a devotee of Nomad Lane says it can hold a ton. “ I’ve used it now for a couple of years and I absolutely LOVE it. It can hold a lot and has now become my go-to bag for a trip of five days or less. I can fit my laptop, two PACKED Compass Rose Packing Cubes , my toiletries, water bottle, and a pair of shoes in it, plus other miscellaneous stuff. And I love how easy it is to fit on the plane itself.”

While the price tag of the Nomad Lane Bento Bag may seem steep, it really has a ton of features that not many bags of this kind don’t offer. 

However, one thing to note is that users say it can get quite full fast if one isn’t thoughtful enough on what to bring for a shorter trip. A TFG reader weighs in on this, “ I’m a big fan of this bag and I choose it before others when I have a short trip because I really like everything in its place. If you have to pack a laptop or large tablet it’ll make it harder to stuff real full. It’s helped me be more responsible about what I take with me. When we traveled to Mexico I was actually able to pack my snorkel gear, a change of clothes, my toiletries, makeup, and other miscellaneous things in case my suitcase didn’t arrive with me.”

The last thing to consider is this bag is most suitable for travel, it’s not recommended as an everyday item as it’s bulkier than the average day bag. However, one reader concedes that “some people take a ton of stuff to work, including gym clothes and things like that. As an all-in-one for something like that I could see it being useful.”

Read  this post  to find out some common items female backpackers longed for on their extended trips!

I definitely love this bag . It’s practical enough, not just to carry in-flight essentials but it’s a perfect overnight or weekender bag as well. I want my personal item or my under-seat carry-on to actually do a lot more for me and be very practical and versatile I can carry clothes in here, my laptop, toiletries, and more. That’s a big, big plus. 

The material and strong zippers mean this bag will last for a long time. One TFG reader absolutely adores hers. “I LOVE my Bento bag and I love traveling with it. It holds a ton and is so incredibly thoughtfully designed.”

Designed to fit under the airplane seat in front of you, so you’ll have easy access to in-flight essentials when mid-air.

While the price tag is higher than others in the market, the quality and care into how this bag works for travelers is impressive when you factor in function and all the accessories. As one happy reader says, “ I love my Nomad Lane Bag and if this is $228, that’s a solid price point for me. I’ve been impressed with the quality, design, and hardware on this bag.”

This bag is a definite investment and while it may not be for everyone, those who are fans are rabidly in love with it and say they use it very frequently for short trips or as an in-flight personal item. A must-have for travelers!

Video: Nomad Lane Bag Review

The Bento bag has for sure become a favorite of mine and is the ideal size for a personal item and looks so sleek—matching the rest of my luggage perfectly. My pick was the Jet Black color with silver hardware but you can also grab it in plum or rich green or different hardware, such as bronze. I was SO excited to receive mine that I did an unveiling video! Check it out!

Compass Rose Packing Cubes

How to Pack Your Bento Bag

As I was saying, this bag can fit at least up to three packing cubes , which is awesome! However, if you’re new to using these great organizational space savers, the video below offers a thorough tutorial.

Learn our hacks with packing cubes in this video !

We also put together a five-part YouTube series showing the different methods to use packing cubes for travel. If you utilize  this specific packing strategy, packing cubes can also compress your belongings. This is the secret to traveling carry-on only!

Nomad Lane Bento Bag in Jetset Black/Bronze

Where to Buy the Nomad Brand of Bags

You can grab this popular bag directly from Nomad Lane’s website or at our shopping page , just look under the Accessories section for the link!

What’s been your experience with the Nomad Lane Bento Bag?  Share your thoughts below!

For more travel bags or luggage, please read:

• Best Under Seat Luggage and How to Pack with Minimal Space
• Best Duffle Bag for Travel: Enhance Your Luggage Options
• Longchamp Le Pliage vs. Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack Review
• What are the Best Travel Bags with Trolley Sleeve?

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38 comments.

I bought my Bento bag when they first came out during the Kickstarter campaign. At first, I liked it for all of the reasons TFG did. But several times I was unable to get it under the airplane seat. It did make it a bit difficult to get things out of the bag in-flight if you needed something out of the center area (shawl, etc.). I wound up going back to my Minkee Blue bag and I still carry that today as it is more personal item friendly on the strict airlines. However, if you don’t have to wrestle with the smaller personal item dimensions, it could be the bag for you.

I just bought the Bento Bag and love it. Because it doesn’t serve as a day pack, I wonder what do people pack to use for daily touring. I am an artist and like to bring a few art supplies and/or my iPad for some procreate drawing. I need ideas for lightweight packs I can use.

I tried this bag for a recent trip and was amazed at how much it actually holds!

This bag looks amazing! May need to try it out for upcoming travels!

Does it have wheels?

No, it is a shoulder or luggage handle only bag.

I’ve had my Bento bag for a couple of years now. I found it to be kind of fun with all of the compartments . But for me, all those compartments got in the way. There are too many. I prefer a few pockets and a larger open space. Thank you for your reviews of everything travel ! I’ve learned so much useful info!

I have just purchased the Bento bag for an upcoming trip to Ireland. I can’t wait to use it!

You had me at the word Bento! Anything that has compartments to keep me more organized when I travel is perfect for me. Will watch your video now 😁

This looks like a great bag to use as a personal carryon item or for a weekend getaway. I love how it opens like a suitcase and that the compass rose packing cubes fit so well! This is definitely on my list of must haves!

I’ve been searching for a new personal item and am putting this on my ‘short list.’ Great detailed review.

Looks perfect for upcoming trips. Thanks for the info and demo

This is the best bag and fits perfectly on top of the Mono’s carry on spinner. I can easily handle both mine and my husbands packed carry on and Bento bag combo.

Thank you for the video! Will definitely look into this bag. Love your page and your travel tips. 💕

Love the Bento Bag! Well made, functional design, great for a carry on.

I’ve been searching for a nice travel bag and I like that this is lighter weight. I’ll definitely consider it ! Thanks. Julie

The details are so helpful. How has this bag held up after repeated use?

Wow! This bag looks perfect for our upcoming Europe trip! Love your reviews! Thanks!

I love this bag! I started using it this summer for travel and it has been amazing. I love that I have space for my laptop and everything I need for the weekend. Be sure to check airline measurements if you are using this as your personal item. When fully packed, I have found it is too big for a personal item on some airlines.

This bag looks like a great bag for weekend trips!

I just got this bag yesterday and I am in love!! Love all of the compartments and accessibility. Can’t wait to take it on my journey to Iceland next month!

Hi – did you fly Icelandair? If you did, curious if it worked ok for a personal item as it’s a couple of the dimensions are larger than what Icelandair allows. I know they don’t measure personal items but am wondering if it fit alright under the seat. Thanks! Hope your trip was amazing!!

This bag definitely has more helpful features than I would have guessed at first glance.

This bag look amazing…would love to have one!!!

This looks perfect for business trips!

Love this bag! On my wish list.

This is the personal bag of my dreams!

Very cute bag!

This bag looks really durable and well designed. Thanks for your detailed review!

I love how much this bag can do for your packing!

I am thinking of getting this bag. Is it heavy when filled? I know it has a trolley sleeev but there are times I might not bring a suitcase. Thanks!

I own this bag and used it for a trip to Italy this year. Great organization and it fits a lot of stuff. The negative is that the bag does get very heavy. If you are using a carry-on, it fits on top and is no problem. But I checked a bag on the way home and had to carry this through CDG. What a pain!!

I purchased a new trendy backpack carry on piece that is much larger than a traditional backpack and can also be hand carried. It’s so cute, colorful and holds so much, well made, durable, I even checked it on an international trip BUT it’s super heavy!!! I’m older , a bit out of shape and it was physically challenging

I have been coveting this bag ever since you started talking about it. It really is my dream bag. My biggest roadblock is the price. Although I’m sure it’s worth every penny, I’m having trouble committing to the bag.

Check eBay, Mercari and Poshmark for resale bags. I found a navy bag for my husband and a plum bag for myself at about 25% of retail.

Thanks for showing the Bento Bag–it looks perfect for carry-on! I am going to check out their website and see about ordering one!

So happy to hear you found our review helpful! ? Let us know what you think if you go ahead with your purchase!

I’ve had this bag for a few years now and I love it! It has flown around the globe with me and I’m always amazed at what it will hold. Very versatile and great organization.

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Nomad lane bento bag review [in-depth & unbiased].

Rating: 8/10

While all-in-one bags become all the rage, you’ll be sure to be inundated with choice. 

This is definitely a godsend for people who have to travel a lot for work or simply like to travel but hate the idea of having a separate wardrobe for bags for different occasions. 

Personally, I love testing these as I’ve had a good amount of experience with these precocious packs. 

We take pride in testing and reviewing travel gear full-time so we can give you a clear picture of them and help you decide if this is the bag for you.

We’ll cover:

• What it’s great at
• Who it’s ideally suited to
• Who it’s NOT suited to & what it’s flaws are

Let’s get stuck into the nomad lane bento bag v4 review...

Travellerspoint

Who exactly are Nomad Lane?

Meet the power couple - Kish & Vanessa, the travel lovers.

They’ve explored an impressive list of countries accompanied by various well-known travel gear.

 In 2017 they decided to try and triumph the competition with their knowledge and experience and also being the customer.

Que the creation of Nomad Lane .

Their aim is to serve all your packing needs from work to play in attainable style. 

Quick overview: Technical Specifications

• Price: $298
• Weight: Weighs less than 2.67lbs
• Dimensions: 17” W x 10” H x 8” D
• Noteworthy Materials: Premium Weather resistant nylon and LWG-certified leather.
• Color Options: Jet set black & gun metal / bronze or bordeaux berry / pine green / aegean green & gun metal.
• Warranty: 1 Year Manufacturing Warranty or free 30 day US returns (they do accept international returns but not able to provide a shipping/return label)
• Capacity: 24L

Who should get this bag?

If you don’t love the backpack/backpacker hiker look and are looking for something a bit more stylish this could be your gig. 

It’s suited to someone who wants a weekend trip, overnight bag or bigger everyday bag all in one place.

It’s geared more towards business & flight travel in my opinion.

Before you google ‘where to buy nomad lane bento bag’ or ‘nomad lane bento bag amazon’ we’ll save you the time & hassle!

You can get it off Nomad Lane’s website directly. Unfortunately you won’t find it on amazon, only the older versions.

Who should not get this bag?

If you’re looking for something that can facilitate a longer trip or have a very active life this might not be ideal for you. 

If you’re also a veggie/vegan who doesn’t use leather you’ll want to look at another bag.

To sum it up, the nomad lane bento bag v3 vs v4 = vegan leather vs normal leather. 

So, if you can find the v3 online you’ll be sorted!

How well-made is the Bento Bag?

The Nomad Lane Bento Bag v4 definitely does feel sturdy and over 3 weeks of use it still held up.

This didn’t surprise me as on first feel of the bag the materials and durability felt premium, which is reassuring for a travel bag and a good introduction into bento bag travel life!

How comfortable is the Bento Bag?

So onto the important part - comfortability. At first as a backpack lover when I saw the handbag/shoulder straps I was a little scared.

I have a love-hate, okay, mostly hate relationship with these straps purely based on comfort. 

So did they win me over? Kind of.

My fear is a little less as they were padded and with a lightly packed bento bag we started to build trust. When things got on the heavier side, I switched to the alternative as I wasn’t loving it.

The life-saver here was the shoulder strap, this was a relief.

It was such a breeze carrying this with the strap.

What makes the Bento Bag a great Bag?

1.  airline friendly.

First off, this fits as an underseat bag which means you have everything you need at your fingertips and a breeze through the airport with no checking bags in.

The top compartments that open separately for the tech organizer and toiletries bag are easily accessible to take out your liquids etc.

One thing that helps is the laptop compartment is one zip away so it’s quick to access on the go but also for x-ray machines.

2. Structure

To be perfectly honest, I’m usually not a fan of bags that have a harder shell, however with the style of this bag it really worked. 

I think it really helped with the comfort in carrying this, it isn’t a hard outer material but it’s also not soft so you can’t cram it full of stuff that morphs it into a weird shape.

3. Stylish but functional

A lot of the time it’s easy to associate being stylish with lack of comfortability and functionality, especially when you look at the market of women’s clothes and bags and this frustrates me a lot, just as an example (this bag is unisex).

But, this is why I loved the bento bag so much. 

They’ve proven that you can still be stylish, comfortable and have a functional bag.  On the outside it’s very sleek and everything is placed gracefully.

When you open it up however, different ball game, so many helpful compartments and functional features.

4. Organization

To give you a better insight into this, I want to share with you the organization it has to offer. 

First is my favorite, a little pocket to store your phone or passport.

As you can see it’s placed on the back side of the bag so it’s closest to your body for security.

It’s also really discreet. 

Below that there’s another pocket with a zip, this also acts as a trolley sleeve for a roller bag when you’re not using it as a pocket. 

Then on the front of the bag, again super discreetly there’s helpful organization sections such as pen holders, bigger pockets for things such as airpods and/or small notebooks

5. Storage space

So this is where the bento bag really proved itself as a travel bag. When you unzip the main compartment it opens up into a suitcase layout.

On one side it has a mesh zip cover revealing a good amount of storage space. 

Then on the opposite side it seems like there’s only a padded laptop compartment with another pocket on front for something like an Ipad, however it unzips to reveal a BIGGER compartment. It has enough space that you can store shoes or packing cubes.

6. Hidden water Bottle Holder

I’m not sure about you but this is usually a make or break situation for me. I need an accessible place to put my water bottle. On first look I wasn’t optimistic but I didn’t realize I’d be wonderfully tricked.

On the side of the bag is a zippable water bottle holder.  Something to note with this is that it works a lot better with a 500ml water bottle.

I did use my 750ml water bottle however it was a bit clunky to fit and stay securely in there. 

Cons of the Nomad Lane Bento Bag

So with a dreamy bag like this what could be better? 

First of all, I’m going to continue with the water bottle holder. There’s definitely scope to bring the mesh higher whilst still keeping the bag lovely. 

With carrying the nomad travel bag, for longer carrying the shoulder strap and normal handles can dig in a bit - the main reason I like backpacks (much more comfortable). If there was a stylish option to have optional backpack straps that would be a cool addition. 

The organization on this bag is simple but functional - a lot of bags can get quite complicated with all their dazzling features but some cable organization would be a nice perk. 

I personally wouldn’t buy this bag based on the fact that this is leather, but again this is a purely personal thing.

It’d be great if the v3 was still for sale on their website as I’d honestly consider buying this bag. 

Does the bento bag fit under the airplane seat?

Yes! For both UK and US airlines with the average sizes (minus Ryan air, it’s always them).

Nomad Lane Bento Bag: Performance over time

Here are my impressions after using the bento bag for the first time, and then three weeks later.

• Handles surprisingly comfortable
• Love the structure
• Easy for airports

After 3 weeks:

• Not in love with handles
• Not great for everyday use
• Great for travel & airports

Overall verdict: Are Nomad Lane bags worth buying?

If you don’t have a lot of time to read this entire review, you’ve skipped ahead to the right section!

Here’s the most important question of the day…

Is the Bento Bag worth getting?

I would say yes, it is!

What else does Bento Bag sell?

A simple yet professional and sleek backpack that has a focus on travel. It may look like a simple design but it has a ton of cool features without being overwhelming.

Origami Tote

For the tote lovers who wish they could have a tote but with the functionality of a backpack the Origami is versatile and stylish.

Bento Accessory Set

Although this comes already included with the Bento Bags, you can use their accessory set to keep your stuff organized in your nomad luggage.

Bento Bag Alternatives

If you want to scout out some more personal item backpacks why not try:

Knack Series 2 Medium

Knack bags are reliable, work to play to travel bags with a sleek care-free look. They have plenty of cool features to switch it up into each mode so you can have the best of all worlds.

Stubble and Co Everyday Backpack 

Another competitor for the all in one bag is this stylish piece. If you want something a little more simplistic but with options it’s worth checking it out.

Have you ever used this Bento bag ?

Or their other products?

Comment and let me know below!

Check out some of these other reviews:

• Stubble & Co The Roll Top Backpack
• Matein Travel Laptop Backpack
• DRiiBE CITYC Laptop Travel Backpack

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