MINIMUL M38 TRAVEL BACKPACK: REVIEW
FOREWORD
When I first heard of Minimul, a new player coming out of Sydney, I was immediately intrigued by the name. In a world of over-engineered "tactical" bags and "maximalist" travel packs, the promise of a minimal, streamlined experience is always a breath of fresh air. I’ve been putting the M38 through its paces for the last couple of months, taking it on my usual commute between Rotterdam and Utrecht and a few weekend stints across the border.
If you’ve followed my reviews for a while, you know I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with "built-in" organization. I usually live out of my own tech pouches and packing cubes, so I was curious to see if a bag that claims to be "Minimul" would actually let me stay minimal—or if it would force its own logic on me. Buckle up, because this bag is a bit of a contradiction in terms, but one that might just be the perfect fit for the right kind of traveler.
ABOUT THE BAG
PRICE: $299 MSRP
DIMENSIONS: 21” x 13.75” x 7.1” (53.3 x 34.9 x 18 cm)
WEIGHT: 3.68 lbs (1.67 kg)
CAPACITY: 38L
MATERIALS: 840D Cordura® Ballistic Nylon with Polycarbonate Coating; YKK Zippers; Woojin Hardware
For context, I am 38 years old, 177 cm tall, and weigh 99 kg. My life is a constant juggle between hybrid work, parenting a high-energy 6-year-old, and trying to squeeze in travel whenever the Dutch weather permits. At 38L, the M38 sits in that "heavy hitter" category—it’s a true one-bag travel solution meant to replace your carry-on suitcase entirely.
QUALITY & COMFORT
First things first: the build quality is exceptional. Minimul didn’t cut corners here. The 840D Ballistic Nylon feels incredibly durable and has that sleek, professional sheen that makes it look right at home in a business lounge or a cafe. It also offers a very nice balance of durability and weight (compared to 1050d Ballistic Nylon used by Tom Bihn or 1680d often seen on AER products, both weighing noticeably more). Inside, they’ve used a bright saffron-yellow ripstop liner. I’ve praised high-vis liners in the past (like on the Matador Globerider), and Minimul’s execution here is top-notch. It makes finding small black cables at the bottom of the bag a breeze.
Comfort-wise, I was pleasantly surprised. Even when I packed it to the gills for a full weekend trip including my son's gear and my mobile office, the harness system held up beautifully. The weight distribution is handled well by the contoured straps, and it remained comfortable even under a heavy load during long walks through airport terminals. At first I was a bit concerned about the lack of the load lifters, especially on such a large pack that can get quite heavy when fully packed. However, I am happy to report that even without the load lifters the comfort was great. The removable waist belt is not part of the default configuration and has to be purchased separately. Frankly, I had one for this review and it’s very well built but I normally do not use waist belts on my travel packs. Perhaps my dad bod is getting in the way, but removing the waist belt was the first thing I did on Matador Globerider 35 and also was quite annoying to have a non-removable waist belt on Evergoods CTB35, so personally I am in team “no waist belt on my packs” and enjoy overall weight reduction and simplified interactions with the bag.
The aesthetic is another win. It’s a clean, minimal "black rectangle," but those tiny sprinkles of yellow accents give it just enough personality to stand out without being loud. Plus, it stands on its own. I can’t tell you how tired I am of "toppled-over-bag syndrome" at cafe’s and train stations. The M38 stays upright like a champ.
ORGANIZATION/FEATURES
Bear with me here, this is where the M38 gets a tad complicated in my opinion.
Externally:
The Look: Very clean. It hides its complexity well behind a flat front panel.
Front pocket: quite deep, with a few functional pockets and a built-in key leash. Perfect for a power bank, AirPods, keys, Kindle, etc. I loved using the pocket but a part of me wished it was deeper (I hoped to keep my Steam Deck OLED there but it didn’t quite work out). Still, a quick access pocket it worked well and offered a generous (and also independent) volume, meaning it was very usable even when the main compartment was full.
Water Bottle Pocket: Very big and can fit even large bottles. In my testing, this was a bit of a struggle. It’s quite tight and lacks the necessary stretch to comfortably house a 1L Nalgene. Getting a bottle in and out was never a seamless experience.
The Magnetic Handle: This was a bit of a nuisance for me. It’s placed in a way that makes the bag distribute weight unevenly when carried by hand, and the length makes the bag sway too much when you're moving. I’d honestly prefer a standard, centered handle without the magnetic gimmick.
Strap Keepers: M38 very thoughtfully provides the loops on the straps to keep the neat and organized, no more dangle! Honestly, all companies need to include this out of the box.
The Sternum Strap: the bag has my favorite kind of the chest strap (aka Sternum Strap) that has a elastic section that helps the strap to expand when breathing and it also sits on the “rails” on the shoulder straps that allows easy adjustment up and down.
Internally:
Tech Compartment: This is a "mobile office" dream—or nightmare, depending on your style. It has pockets galore, including a dedicated spot for a keyboard, which is a rare find. It opens fully clamshell, giving you total access to your workstation. I travel with MBP14 and never take a keyboard with me so personally this was a wasted pocket, but I can imagine a person for whom it would be a dream come true to have such a dedicated space for their keyboard.
Main Compartment: Interestingly, the main compartment opens more like a suitcase (sideways) rather than a full clamshell. In my use, this felt counter-intuitive. I would have much preferred the tech section to have a wide U-zipper and the main compartment to open as a full clamshell for easier packing. Inside the main compartments there are more pockets (2 mesh pockets on the sides) and 1 flat mesh pocket in the middle that is built-in the compression straps. Cool idea, increasing the utility of the internal compression by adding a pocket! Also, there is another zippered compartment on the outer side of the bag that is perfect for a light jacket (like Uniqlo Ultra Light Down puffy) or a small Dopp kit.
The "Minimul" Paradox: Here is my main gripe. The brand name is Minimul, but the organization is anything but. If this is your only bag and you don't use external organizers, the built-in pockets are great. But as someone who rotates bags and uses tech pouches, all the extra internal fabric and pockets just added weight and complexity I didn't need. It felt like the opposite of "minimal."
CONFIGURATIONS / CARRY EXPERIENCE
The Ecosystem: Minimul offers a great range of packing cubes and a Dopp kit that pair perfectly with the bag. If you commit to their system, the internal layout makes a lot more sense.
Weight Management: While the bag itself isn't the lightest at 3.68 lbs, the harness does a great job of masking that weight once it's on your back and in my testing I didn’t even feel the lack of the load lifters (which I prefer to have on bags over 30L).
WHAT’S HOT
Bulletproof Build: 840D Ballistic nylon and superb construction.
High-Vis Interior: That yellow liner is a game-changer for visibility.
Stands Alone: No more leaning your bag against your legs or a wall.
Comfort: Superb harness that handles heavy loads with ease.
Aesthetic: Minimalist exterior with just enough "pop" from the yellow accents.
Niche Pockets: Having a dedicated keyboard slot is a massive pro for digital nomads.
WHAT’S NOT
Over-Organized: For pouch-users, the built-in organization feels redundant and adds unnecessary weight.
Confusing Openings: Tech compartment is clamshell, main is suitcase—it feels like they should be swapped.
Water Bottle Pocket: Lacks stretch; a struggle for larger 1L bottles.
Magnetic Handle: Causes swaying and uneven weight distribution; would prefer a centered, standard handle.
Naming Irony: Despite the name, the internal design is quite "maximalist."
CONCLUSION
The Minimul M38 is a bit of a "luxury tank." It’s built to last a lifetime and offers some of the best built-in organization I’ve seen for the digital nomad who wants a place for everything. However, if you—like me—prefer to bring your own organization via pouches, you might find the "Minimul" name a bit ironic.
It’s a fantastic bag for someone who wants to "set it and forget it" with their packing layout. It nails the aesthetic and the comfort, but a few UI/UX choices—like the opening styles and the magnetic handle—keep it from being a "perfect" 10 in my book. If you can live with a tight water bottle pocket and you love a feature-rich tech compartment, this is a very strong contender for your next one-bag travel companion.
P.S. If you’re picking this up, definitely look into their ecosystem of packing cubes. They are designed to fit the M38’s specific dimensions and really help maximize that 38L capacity!
