ABLE CARRY DAILY: REVIEW
Simple, yet functional
FOREWORD
Able Carry, a Hong Kong-based bag maker, has been around for just a few years but is already making good progress disrupting the carry world. Their idea was simple – make straightforward, no-fuss bags with thoughtful design and high-quality materials.
The story of the company began with the Kickstarter campaign launched in April 2018 for their first bag – the Daily. The campaign was backed by 430 people, which may not sound like a lot but for their first attempt at crowdfunding, it’s a very good start. Moreover, the goal was more than doubled with a total of over $45k raised. Not too shabby.
Comfortable to wear all day. Every day.
ABOUT THE BAG
PRICE: $148 (X-PAC) or $110 (Cordura)
DIMENSIONS: Height 48 cm x Width 28 cm x Depth 19 cm
WEIGHT: 0.9 kg
CAPACITY: 20L
The Daily is offered in 2 different options – Active and Casual. The only difference between the two is the choice of fabric. Active is made out of X-PAC (Dimension-Polyant’s signature laminated sailcloth fabric) and Casual is offered in a more common 1000d Cordura nylon fabric in a wide range of colors.
I also appreciated the very subtle yet stylish branding. No flashy logos or patches, just a very tasteful black-on-black Hypalon label with a laser engraving of the brand name. And did I mention that Able Carry meticulously color-matches the zippers for each of their bags? That’s the attention to detail often missed in even premium brands. Love it.
At first glance, the bag does not look like much. But the more I used it the more I appreciated the approach Able Carry took when designing the Daily. Many bag-makers fill their bags to the brim with bells and whistles, over-engineering and just cramming as many features as they possibly can in the pursuit to appeal to a wider audience. On this quest, the essentials are often neglected for the sake of the wow factor. Able Carry went a different route. Before even considering any feature they wanted to nail the essentials – the comfort, the size, and the organization.
Let’s take a closer look and see if this bag is worthy enough to be your “daily” companion.
Trusty companion for any kind of exploration.
QUALITY & COMFORT
My Daily is made from X51 X-PAC material that Able Carry calls “Deep Black”. X51 offers reassuring rigidity and structure, has a matte finish, and is very nice to the touch. Essentially the fabric has three layers, each providing specific performance properties:
the outer layer is 500d x 1000d Cordura nylon
the middle layer is a laminated X-Ply polyester which reinforces the fabric by adding strength in multiple directions
the inner layer is a .5 mm polyester film for water resistance and added structure
The bag is hugging you oh so very nicely.
What does all of it mean in practice? The material is completely waterproof, exceptionally durable, and abrasion-resistant. The bag itself is NOT waterproof, as the water can still seep in through the seams and zippers, but overall build is very good, especially for the asking price. I did find a loose thread or two immediately after unpacking the bag but it did not ruin my experience, just a minor issue. Also, X-PAC makes the bag less “floppy”, and the fabric keeps its structure even when the bag is half empty.
The zippers are all YKK RC8 (Racquet Coil size 8) with AquaGuard tape for enhanced protection from the elements. A very nice touch is adding Hypalon zipper pulls – long enough to quickly catch the zipper and open with ease. The zipper pulls also feature a loop for your finger which makes operating the zippers a fun and effortless experience.
The plastic hardware is made of an industry-standard, Duraflex POM, and even here Able Carry did not skimp on quality.
The inner liner is a grey polyester fabric, nothing outstanding but it gets the job done. To sum up, the bag has a very solid build and the choice of materials is excellent.
The grab handle is excellent.
But what about comfort? I was pleased to find out that it’s on par with the build.
The shoulder straps are wide and generously padded. Even fully packed I was able to comfortably carry the bag over extended periods.
The top grab handle is one of the most pleasant I had a chance to use. It reminds me of the grab handle used in Peak Design Everyday Backpack and Travel backpack – thick, smooth to the touch, and long enough for easy grabs.
The back panel features vented air mesh padding which helps with air circulation and as a result, your back stays ventilated and sweats less.
My favorite kind of sternum strap - with elastic section for enhanced mobility and breathability.
The sternum strap, even on a smaller bag, is a must for me and I was glad to find it on the Daily out of the box. I don’t use the strap for weight distribution but more as a way to fix the position of the shoulder straps. Bonus points to Able Carry for including an elastic portion of the sternum strap – it helps a lot with the comfort and does not restrict breathing. This should be a default way to make a sternum strap on any bag.
Able Carry went the extra mile and added an interesting solution to reinforce the bag and help it keep its structure and distribute the weight comfortably. They called it the A-frame. Essentially it is a row of seatbelt webbing sewn at the critical points of the bag – the sides and the bottom to help retain the bag’s shape (aesthetics) and distribute the load evenly (function/comfort). On my Deep Black Daily the A-Frame blends in nicely. A bonus – the A-frame also gives a generous amount of attachment points for a carabiner, keys, Bluetooth speaker, etc.
The A-Frame at the very least is a subtle solution for extra attachment points.
ORGANIZATION
The organization is very well thought-through.
My typical EDC consists of:
MacBook Pro 16
Org pouch with Cables/Chargers/Dongles
Nalgene 32 oz
Packable Jacket
Kindle Voyage
Face mask
Wallet
Sunglasses
Powerbank
Phone
Dopp kit
My typical EDC. Fits like a charm!
All of this fit in the Daily like a charm, though admittedly not leaving too much room to spare.
Now to the actual organization and pocket at your disposal:
Externally
- Top access pocket is facing your back and is hard to reach by pickpockets. I felt confident storing my valuables such as phone, wallet, passport there. The pocket also has a nice depth to it.
- The diagonal cut quick access pocket blends in when not in use but very easy to access and offers a surprisingly generous amount of space for anything you want easily accessible. I usually stored my thermos or water bottle here. Since there is no external water bottle pocket on the bag, storing it at the front was the most intuitive choice. A nice touch: dding a key leash in this pocket for quick access to your keys.
The Daily takes thoughtful organization seriously.
Internally
- Mesh internal pocket. Generously sized,, the mesh on it has some give and dimension to it, and I love the visibility this pocket offers. It’s perfect.
- Front internal pocket
- Front access pocket
- Padded and suspended laptop sleeve. Fits my MBP16 like a charm
- Top access pocket
- Secret pocket
Fits all m EDC with room to spare. Love it!
Able Carry offered everything you could need to organize your daily essentials. But if you still long for more – throwing an org pouch inside the bag is always an option.
Overall the organization strikes a delicate balance between giving you just enough to keep yourself organized and not so much pocketing as to get lost in a pocket maze.
Let’s be honest, 20L is not a ton of capacity, but while using Daily it kept me focused on the essentials I need and use, instead of “what-ifs” and “nice-to-haves” I tend to throw in the larger bags.
Pocket for everything. But not more :)
WHAT’S HOT
Excellent materials and build. If you like your bags more structured, especially when not full – go with X-PAC instead of Cordura (Active instead of Casual option)
Affordable price. There is a lot of bag and quality materials for the $148
Thoughtful organization
Solid comfort, excellent straps, wonderful sternum strap, and back panel
It’s perfect for the size.
Deep black is matte and looks less technical. Excellent choice if you don’t want to stand out but still have one of the best bags out there.
WHAT’S NOT
The size of the 20L feels smaller than some similar 20L packs. The Daily feels almost to be constraining you to work inside the provided dimensions, so you have to be comfortable with a smaller bag before you make a purchase. Abandon the hope of hauling groceries in this thing.
The shape of the bag does not allow it to stand when placed on the ground.
WRAP-UP
I have to say it was challenging to find the negatives of daily. All the pillars of the excellent bag are here (comfort, organization, build) and if you are looking for a compact, comfortable, and yet extremely well-built bag that will not break the bank – I highly recommend Daily as your trusty friend for many years to come. Just make sure to pick the right fabric :)
Disclaimer
The bag was provided as a sample for review purposes, the content of this review was not shared with Able Carry before publishing.
My goal is to share an honest, unbiased review that is not tailored to keep the brand happy.
If you would like to support my reviews please use the affiliate link when purchasing Able Carry products, this adds no extra cost to you, but helps a lot. Thank you!
If you don’t want to spend all the money in the world and still get some of the best materials on your bag - The Daily should be on top of your list.