I flight-tested the best carry-on tech bag with all of my essential devices, and it won a perfect score with ease

People who frequently carry laptops, gaming devices, tablets, and various tech gadgets understand the importance of having a bag that safely accommodates these items.

Absolutely, it’s crucial that the bag fits your body snugly, given my upcoming CES 2025 journey loaded with tech gear. To ensure a smooth business trip, I was eager to find out if the Tomtoc Navigator-T66 Travel Laptop Backpack would be an ideal fit for the occasion.

Without a doubt, I made a trip to Las Vegas and returned, relying mainly on this bag to carry my electronic gadgets. The journey was nearly flawless, demonstrating that this choice is an excellent one to consider.

Tomtoc Navigator-T66: Price and availability

Tomtoc is a well-known brand specializing in accessories such as travel bags for electronics, handheld cases, laptop covers, pouch organizers, and more. Throughout the years, I’ve had the pleasure of using multiple products from them, and I must say, I haven’t come across a bag that didn’t impress me.

The Navigator-T66 is a versatile laptop backpack, measuring between 38 liters and 40 liters. It boasts numerous zippers and pockets designed for storing your assortment of gadgets and accessories. What sets it apart is its transformable design; while it functions as a standard backpack, you can lay it on its side to resemble a duffel bag with an expansive, zippered flap. Inside, there are two cushioned compartments that can accommodate laptops up to 17.3 inches in size.

At both Amazon and Tomtoc’s site, you can purchase The Navigator T-66 for $85.99. It comes in stylish black or dark gray colors.

Apart from the Tomtoc Navigator T-66, I received another item – the Tomtoc Light-T12 Electronic Accessory Pouch M. This pouch helped me keep my cables, adapters, mouse, and power bank neatly arranged. It’s offered in multiple colors and retails for approximately $25.99 on Amazon or the Tomtoc website.

Tomtoc Navigator-T66: What I like

I got the Navigator-T66 model in a dark gray finish, and I’m truly smitten with its stylish design and robust construction. With all the tech gear I had for travel, it held up well under the weight without causing discomfort to the straps or fabric. Similar to other backpacks of this type, the straps and back panel are cushioned with breathable mesh material that reduces pressure on my body. For extra security, there’s an adjustable chest strap you can use.

This laptop bag has an unique feature: it appears as both a clothing duffel bag and a laptop backpack. From behind, it seems like a typical backpack, but when turned on its side, you’ll notice a large zippered flap at the top that can be opened to reveal a spacious interior for storing your items.

With the two laptop compartments and a spacious capacity of 38-40 liters, I managed to fit my laptop, a large JSAUX FlipGo dual monitor attachment, ROG Ally X, a smaller laptop case, and several accessories inside the Navigator-T66. The main zipper opens up to 180 degrees in a clamshell fashion, making it convenient to pack or unpack the bag as required. There was even additional room for me to put some clothes into the front pocket, along with my tech items.

One feature I truly value is how simple it is to retrieve my tech accessories from the pouches and laptop cases. There’s also a pocket with a zipper at the back, allowing me to swiftly extract all my electronics during TSA checks, then return them without disrupting the other items in the main compartment. It’s important to mention that the primary zippers can be used with TSA luggage locks, but the remaining zippers are not compatible.

On the right side of the Navigator-T66 bag, there’s an extra handle alongside the one on top, allowing you to carry it in a way that feels most comfortable for you at any point in time. Furthermore, a strap situated along the back of the bag can be fastened onto your rolling suitcase’s handle, helping to reduce your load as you move around.

Due to its fairly substantial size, I had doubts about how conveniently it would accommodate on airplanes. My personal experience was varied; during my flight to Las Vegas with Delta, there was enough room for it under the seat in front of me, but while traveling back with Southwest, I needed to store it in an overhead bin. If not overstuffed, you should be able to find a spot for it comfortably.

This laptop backpack boasts all these handy features and smart design decisions, making it exceptionally practical and trustworthy.

Tomtoc Navigator-T66: What I do not like

I find myself having mixed feelings about the duffle bag’s front flap and buckles. At times, I felt constrained by this design, yearning for a simple backpack that offers easy accessibility. Yet, there were moments when the larger opening at the back was beneficial, enabling me to organize items inside more systematically than I could have with a different design.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if this design caters to your specific travel requirements. If you prefer a more conventional bag shape, Tomtoc offers those as well. Alternatively, you might want to explore options from one of our competitors.

Speaking of something else, I believe adding a waist strap to this backpack could appeal to some users. While I found the backpack stable and balanced without any issues, the way it’s packed can impact that for others.

Tomtoc Navigator-T66: Competition

Previously, I penned a review of the Waterfield Designs Air Porter Backpack, and since then, I’ve utilized this bag for multiple trips cross-country. Although Waterfield is on the expensive side, their bags are undeniably top-notch, featuring robust materials and trendy designs. This particular model has been crafted to slide neatly into the space under the seat in front of you during air travel. It boasts two laptop compartments within its main storage area, along with numerous zippered pockets and pouches throughout. One of its standout features is that it allows me to stash my earbuds or a compact device such as a Nintendo Switch in the top zipper, making them easily accessible during flights. It comes in four distinct colors and retails for $419.00 at Waterfield’s store.

Over time, we’ve had the opportunity to utilize several Waterfield bags in our operations at Windows Central. Our team member Daniel Rubino previously conducted a review of the Waterfield Designs Tech Rolltop Backpack. In his assessment, he discovered it to be highly versatile and comfortable, with an abundance of pockets suitable for various tech gadgets. If you’re drawn to their style, feel free to explore their selection of laptop bags available at Waterfield.

If you’re in the market for a reliable laptop backpack, I recommend checking out the review for the Razer Rogue V3 Backpack written by Zachary Boddy. It’s praised for its durable construction and versatile design that caters well to both academic needs and casual tech travel. You can find this bag priced at $70.99 on Best Buy.

Tomtoc Navigator-T66: Should you buy it?

✅ You should buy this if…

You want a laptop backpack that doubles as a duffle bag.
You’re looking for a laptop backpack that’s made of durable materials

❌ You should not buy this if…

You don’t care for the duffle part of this backpack.
You’d prefer to go with something that has more TSA luggage lock zippers

If you’re considering a new backpack, I can’t speak highly enough about the Tomtoc Navigator-T66. During my recent trip to Las Vegas for CES 2025, this backpack proved incredibly useful. It offered ample room and easy accessibility through its zippers, allowing me to comfortably carry all the devices I required without feeling cramped. Remarkably, even with a substantial load, it felt sturdy and never showed signs of strain or potential damage.

The convenient back zipper allows for hassle-free removal of electronics during TSA screenings without disrupting the contents of the bag. On a different note, I find the dark gray fabric to be visually appealing due to its ability to minimize the appearance of dust and dirt compared to the black option.

Considering you intend to carry several gadgets like chargers, headphones, or small accessories, it would be beneficial to have a Tomtoc travel pouch too. This way, you can keep everything neatly arranged and prevent smaller items from getting lost inside your bigger bag.

2025-01-15 16:10