I heard about the Tortuga brand well before I tried their products. I mainly heard rumblings that the company was one of the most trusted makers of backpacks, in the travel community. I heard that Tortuga’s bags were highly-regarded and that Tortuga was an industry leader.

And then I had a chance to try a collection of goods from the brand.

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In this review, find out all about Tortuga, as well as all the different types of travel products Tortuga makes. See a bunch about my experience using Tortuga bags, travel pouches and packing cubes, and if I’d recommend them.

Pros and Cons of Tortuga

Here, I list the best and worst things about Tortuga Backpacks, as I’ve found them through the years.

Pros (in my opinion)

  • Highly durable materials in all the products, like waterproof “sailcloth” for bag exteriors and water-resistant zippers.
  • The products are dreamed up by pro travelers, who have travelers’ desires and needs in mind.
  • Simple shopping experience: everything from Tortuga comes in black. I never spend time going back and forth between color choices.
  • Every product has lots of great features, from handles and ergonomic straps to excellent organizer panels, laptop sleeves, zippered pockets and compartments.

Cons

  • Like I mentioned above, Tortuga products only come in black. If you were looking for another color, you’ll have to try another brand.
  • Tortuga products are not cheap. Because they’re expensive, they’re built to last, which is nice. They also come with a Worldwide Warranty, built into the price tag.

Rundown of Tortuga Backpacks products

I heard about Tortuga’s backpacks before I ever laid eyes on the cool accessories that I later tried. Here’s a summary:

  1. Travel backpacks: The flagship Tortuga product is the Travel Backpack Pro, in a 40L size. After that, there’s the Travel Backpack Lite.
  2. “Personal items:” With the flying traveler in mind, Tortuga makes backpacks that “fit under the seat in front of you,” including the Daypack Pro, Travel Backpack Pro (30L), Laptop Backpack (soon to be discontinued) and Travel Sling bag.
  3. Accessories: For durable tear-proof gear, it’s some of the best accessories for backpackers that we’ve come across. We tried the Packing Cubes, Passport Pouch, Tech Organizer and Travel Pouches. Tortuga also makes a Tortuga water bottle and a travel towel.

And that’s it! Now you know all about what Tortuga makes. Tortuga is a company that only makes a few products, and makes them well.

My thoughts on Tortuga’s line of backpacks

If you’re already sold on the Tortuga backpack vibe (made to last, impeccable quality, can’t-miss details, helpful functionality and everything in black), here are my opinions on their backpack products.

What to know

Tortuga’s larger travel backpacks come in “Pro” and “Lite.” I didn’t know the difference between each, so I used the Pro vs Lite explainer page.

In my paraphrasing, it seems like a traveler would want to get the Pro version of a backpack if they wanted more waterproofing and more organizing panels.

The “Lite” version of each backpack really is a lighter weight, and in the Travel Backpack, the Lite version is 1 pound lighter in total. As a short woman, I’d go for that one any day.

Quality & features

In my experience wearing Tortuga backpacks, my main thoughts were, “Quality, quality, quality.” I Think above all, the high quality and the insane amount of travel features and details stand out.

You’ll find Tortuga Backpacks listed in my roundup of the best travel backpacks for women because they really are the best for travel. (And if you were curious, all Tortuga products are meant to be totally unisex.)

I wrote my Tortuga Laptop Backpack review to showcase the great travel-forward features of this backpack, from its two water bottle pockets on either side (very handy), to the “electronics compartment” and the fact that the laptop compartment has dual access (top zipper and side access zipper). It is very cool.

And how did my Tortuga backpack play out when I traveled?

I took the Tortuga Laptop Backpack to Canada, where I stuffed it with things I’d need in my personal item for the flight, from a sweatshirt and snacks to my travel guidebook and some electronics. The backpack performed excellently on the flight, and fit under the seat in front of me just as promised.

Comfort

I find that because Tortuga’s backpacks are so well made, they’re comfortable. They have ergonomic features built in, like molded back panels and adjustable sternum straps (good for someone short like me, for supporting weight).

The shoulder straps are durable, and no part of the backpack feels like it’s going to be uneven in supporting the total load. I think that’s one of the best aspects of Tortuga backpacks: they’re good at making sure your packing is distributed, organized and properly situated on your body during wear.

Timelessness

Tortuga backpacks look like, well, backpacks. The fact that they’re simple and minimalist means they’ll barely go out of style any time soon. They’re just strong black nylon bags with zippers and straps, and a small Tortuga logo on each.

They nearly have a vintage appeal to them—I can’t explain it. They’re not boxy and modern like our bags from the Nomatic brand, and they’re not glitzy like my Troubadour travel backpacks. They’re ready to be rugged, or drenched in rain, and Tortuga backpacks promise to keep your stuff safe and secure.

My experience with Tortuga’s accessories

Here goes a review on all the Tortuga accessories I’ve tried. I think Tortuga’s accessories are fun, as something like the travel pouches were the first time I’d seen a product like that.

Travel packing cubes (set of 3)

I like the Tortuga packing cubes. One thing to know about them is that they’re rather rigid—it’s not that they’re actually inflexible or anything, but instead of being totally squishy like the ones we have from Peak Design and Bagsmart, they have a cube-like design.

Of course, the mesh top and the solid sides is a cool way for them to be built. From the top, you can see what’s inside, and the rest of the packing cube holds its shape.

Would you be surprised that we listed them in our list of the best packing cubes for travel? One super good-to-know tidbit about them is that they are made to fit perfectly (the set of 3) in the Tortuga Travel Backpack.

Travel pouches (set of 3)

Tortuga’s travel pouches were a nice surprise for me. So far, I’ve used them for a few things: a few pairs of socks, jewelry, a single belt (rolled up) and more.

The travel pouches come in a set of 3, and they mostly solve the problem of, “Hmm, I have this loose stuff, and where should I put it when I’m packing?”

They’re flat, and strong, made with great zippers just like other Tortuga accessories. I’ve liked having them as alternatives to packing cubes, because they’re good for small loose things and organizing stuff that doesn’t go in my toiletries bag, either.

Passport pouch

When we got the Tortuga passport pouch, we thought, “Great! We’ll use it for our toddler daughter as her first passport case.”

She doesn’t know it yet, but it’s hers, because I use an old passport case, and Dan uses the Harber London passport wallet. Now, we have this cool pouch that’s a way to protect her travel documents and boarding passes, enclosed in a zipper.

It’s also one of the best gadgets for a long flight because it keeps your passport and visa docs zippered up, safe from spills and easily findable in your bum bag or personal item.

Travel Sling

Known as one of the best fanny packs for travel, the Tortuga Sling is like a mini version of a Tortuga Backpack. The best parts about it are that it’s weatherproof, and made of “SHELL200,” Tortuga’s most advanced pack material, and exactly the same fabric as the original do-it-all Travel Backpack.

My personal favorite aspect of it is the magnetic buckle, which I think is a nice touch. It makes snapping the buckle on and off a total breeze, and I say that because I have some fanny packs and belt bag that have clunky buckles I’ve even snagged my fingers on. It’s part of my list of the best sling bags for travelers.

The total volume is 2.5L, which in my experience, is plenty of space for daily essentials like a phone, wallet, keys, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, set of wipes or napkins, ear buds and a snack.

My only criticism is that, like it’s meant to be, it is like wearing a mini version of a Tortuga Backpack at your hips or across your body. And… that’s not the most fashion-forward thing to do, if you want a stylish day purse for a trip.

My best advice is to note that this sling bag is for function, quality and the ability to last a decade or more. It’s not a fanny pack to pair with a cute dress for a dinner date, or to a destination wedding or anything like that.

In being totally honest, there are other sling bags I reach for first, like my lululemon Everyday Belt Bag, or my Kibou fanny. That’s just me, though.

Tech organizer

This is an important Tortuga accessory, because if you know us and how we’ve rounded up the best tech bags for travel, we are serious about assessing how good a travel tech pouch is. The Tortuga Tech Organizer is affordable, flexible, versatile and strong.

Tortuga calls theirs the “organizer,” and it’s actually very helpful with organizing. It has a zipper pocket inside, as well as a middle zipper divider, and mesh pockets on the sides for holding loose gadgets.

It’s made of the same durable rip-proof and lightweight material that I’ve found in all Tortuga accessories and it holds 2.6 liters of volume.

Ways to save and get sales on Tortuga

As I learn more about Tortuga, I see more ways that the brand lets you save money if you buy multiple products.

Tortuga has the “Travel Together” sets, which are basically a “One for me, one for you” set of two backpacks that come together at a discount. You can save anywhere between $75-100 on the large backpacks (think couples trips or buddy trips) in the Travel Backpack 40L models.

There’s also the “Bundle & Save” discount option, which shows up on most product pages, like the Travel Backpack Lite page. You can save up to $20 on recommended accessories (or smaller backpacks!) when you add them to your cart and check out with a Tortuga backpack.

Where to get Tortuga products

Tortuga is a direct-to-consumer brand and they have done a great job being exclusively sold on the company’s site—nowhere else. You can’t get Tortuga on Amazon, or Walmart, or other big box retailers.

If you are looking up where to get Tortuga products, you can only get them new from Tortuga directly and used, from sites where people sell their stuff like Poshmark and Mercari.