Able Carry Max EDC Review

The Able Carry Max EDC is a travel backpack designed for everyday use. With more pockets and compartments than a regular daypack, it offers a ton of flexibility for those who need to haul a ton of gear from one side of the city to another. Through clever use of gussets and partitioning, testing this bag meant never running out of options on how to pack and organize our gear. It’s a bit overkill if your everyday use doesn’t mean packing a week’s worth of extra gym clothing. However, we can appreciate its usefulness for those with intense daily grinds.

The best part is that it manages to do it while still being comfortable to carry without needing an overly complicated harness system. Soft padding and a relatively balanced shape are all the straps needed to tame this otherwise large package. So, if you’re in dire need of a pack-it-all backpack with everyday carry in mind, let’s jump in and see if the Max EDC is the best travel daypack for you.

External Components

In terms of design, Able Carry has some of the most consistent yet subtle signature looks among brands we’ve tested. You can immediately tell that the Max EDC is from the brand because of the oblique line dashed across the bag’s length at the front. It’s a good way to break up the bag’s otherwise minimalist style and monolithic size. For the most part, the fabric and colorway earn the Max EDC its style points.

At the time of writing, you can either go for the X-Pac or ripstop nylon versions. The ripstop version uses CORDURA re/core Ripstop 210D fabric and is available in Black and Tan colorways. Meanwhile, it’s X-Pac VX21 + re/core 1000D for the Tarmac Black, Ocean Blue, and Desert Brown colorways, and X-Pac X42 + re/core 1000D for the Earth Green colorway. For those who aren’t aware of what X-Pac is, it’s a fabric comprised of multiple layers. Those exact layers will depend on the specific variant of X-Pac. That said, it typically features a nylon face, a polyester X-PLY layer, and a polyester film backing. It is the X-PLY layer that gives X-Pac its signature diamond pattern. Overall, it’s pretty thick and robust, but more importantly, it’s a waterproof material, which is a huge boon for those traveling to wet environments.

So, with all of that being said, why did we choose the ripstop version? While we’re not downplaying the merits of X-Pac, the Max EDC size already makes it quite a hefty bag. Choosing the ripstop version saves you about 80 grams (or about 2.8 ounces), and it’s a noticeable amount by our standards. Of course, the fabric doesn’t feel as robust since ripstop is generally designed to be thin, relying on its grid pattern as its main reinforcement. However, we still think it’s strong enough for users who primarily carry it within the city.

Of course, Able Carry also went with YKK zippers and Woojin hardware, which are synonymous with quality in the world of travel gear. The zippers move smoothly and with just the right amount of resistance, though it also helps that the Max EDC has no sharp corners for the zippers to go around. The buckles and adjusters also operate smoothly, and they don’t have any leftover plastic residue from the molding process. Overall, the Max EDC’s quality matches Able Carry’s asking price.

For those who like to accessorize, the Max EDC also has a bunch of loops you can use to hang such items. Arranged along the bag’s A-frame (Able Carry’s signature underlying support system) are six loops at the bottom, plus two loops flanking the handle on the right and two more flanking the top handle. Bottom loops don’t make sense to us since you’d be setting the bag on top of whatever gear you’re hanging from them. That said, if you have gear you don’t mind getting crushed, such as trail shoes or a yoga mat, these loops are a particularly handy inclusion.

The handles are quite simple. Though they are decently thick and aren’t simply stitched over strips of nylon, they’re not comfortable enough that we’d use them to carry the bag for prolonged periods. This isn’t the handles’ fault but a natural consequence of the Max EDC’s large size. Keep in mind that this is a 3.2-pound bag with a 26-liter capacity, so handles like these are really just meant for quick grabs.

The Max EDC’s harness system has a fair number of features. However, where it really shines is how well Able Carry balanced the shoulder straps’ feel. Plenty of large backpacks out there have thickly padded shoulder straps, but they can sometimes feel too stiff and rigid for our liking. In the Max EDC’s case, there’s more than enough flex for the foam to feel pliable and forgiving. We can pinch the straps’ width to feel how squishy they are. Coupled with the straps’ curvature, they should feel really natural to wear—we’ll see in the next section.

The back panel features the same level of padding as the shoulder straps. That is to say, it’s also well-cushioned to support your back. It’s also interesting to see Able Carry mount the shoulder straps’ bottom ends on wingtips. This small consideration should help the straps curve more naturally against the shape of the user’s body.

The shoulder straps also feature a sternum strap for support. We’re not fans of how it’s mounted, attached to loops instead of using a sliding rail. However, it is still functional, if a little less convenient in terms of adjustments. We do like that Able Carry covered the sternum strap with fabric, making for a neater presentation.

Lastly, there are some smaller quality-of-life features for traveling. There’s a small loop between the shoulder straps. It’s another small touch but a meaningful one. This tells us that someone at Able Carry found it too tricky to hang the Max EDC using the top grab handle, so they included a loop specifically for this purpose. Plus, there’s a built-in luggage pass-through running down the length of the back panel, letting you slide the Max EDC on your roller if you travel with one.

Fit Notes

The Max EDC is surprisingly gentle on the body for a bag of its size. The back panel, in particular, does a pretty good job of conforming to the body’s curve, with only a tiny but acceptable gap at the very apex around the lower area. The shoulder straps, too, despite their sizable widths, feel forgiving because of how soft the thick padding is.

Most of our gripes lie with the sternum strap. Apart from the loop-by-loop adjustment, the buckle Able Carry chose uses a button release mechanism. Seems simple enough, right? However, it’s also quite tricky to reattach, and we couldn’t quite get used to the button’s central positioning. We wish Able Carry had just gone with a simpler side-release buckle or even a FIDLOCK magnetic buckle instead.

Inside The Backpack

Organization is a strong aspect of the Max EDC since there are a huge number of pockets to go around. Starting at the back, a hidden zipper near the top edge leads into a security pocket. This is a very travel-oriented feature that’s handy for keeping valuable travel documents and IDs safe. While we usually find pockets like these too tight in terms of horizontal depth, this one is actually quite spacious. You could fit something fairly beefy, like a wad of cash, if you carry that around regularly. That said, the pocket’s fairly tight opening and vertical depth mean retrieving such items can still be tricky.

On a similar note, the side pocket on the right is also short of horizontal depth, though coverage is still pretty wide. Functionally speaking, this is the pocket most easily accessible when you swing the bag on your right shoulder. In other words, it is a good spot to stow keys and other items you’d need to reach for while carrying the bag.

The pocket’s interior is divided into two parts. There’s an open space where you can store gear generally, while a stretchy divider reserves some of the space. For what? That’s really up to you, but the included key leash is located within this stretchy divider, so we use it to keep our keys separated from the rest of the accessories. It’s a small detail, but it makes a huge difference once it’s time to fish out a set of keys; it minimizes the chances of stuff getting tangled.

On the Max EDC’s opposite side is a zippered water bottle pocket. The usual caveat of enclosed water bottle pockets is that they have an inherent limit. For their part, Able Carry says it can fit a one-liter bottle. That may be true in terms of width, but the limiting factor here is height. To be fair, Able Carry’s intention may be for users to leave the zipper open and rely solely on the gusset at the side to prevent large bottles from falling out. However, that doesn’t feel very secure. If we’re strictly talking about bottles that fit where you can still zip the pocket close, it’s more like 24 ounces and below, as those tend to be shorter.

A headlining feature of the Max EDC is its very spacious front compartment. From the outside, the vertical zipper track suggests nothing more than a large pocket where you can store chunky accessories, such as a power bank or a rolled-up pair of winter gloves. While you can fit such items, the front compartment feels more like a built-in duffle bag big enough for shoes. Indeed, that’s exactly what Able Carry demonstrates on the Max EDC’s page, and we’ve verified that with our own testing.

Able Carry also says that this front compartment is expandable. However, there are no compression zippers or straps hiding extra fabric. Instead, the front compartment uses a more humble solution: a gusset on the right side. Inside the compartment itself is a zippered pocket. You can use this for other everyday carry items. However, if you store shoes in the front compartment, you’ll presumably want to store gear such as extra socks, shoe laces, and foot powder here.

At the back is the dedicated laptop compartment, which Able Carry calls the “work compartment.” Fair enough, since there is not only room for a 16-inch MacBook Pro in here but also enough organization for the accessories you’ll want to bring alongside your device. Near the top is a zipper pouch for your cables and compact charging adapters. There are three mesh pockets: two large ones on the side, flanking a small one in the middle. It’s an ideal, if modest, setup for packing a small GaN charging adapter, a MagSafe puck, and a pair of wireless earbuds. Just keep in mind that the more you pack this pocket, the more it can block the laptop sleeve next to it.

On that note, the laptop sleeve is well-padded, as befits a backpack as large as the Max EDC. As mentioned, even large devices such as a 16-inch MacBook Pro fit in here. The even better news is that the sleeve is elevated about two inches from the bag’s bottom edge, giving it a huge false bottom for protection from modest impacts. Near the top edge is a zipper leading to the bag’s frame sheet, but there’s also another zippered pocket for more valuables. So, apart from the security pocket we’ve mentioned earlier, you also have an alternative. In case you’re looking for ideas, it’s an ideal spot to hide a smart tracker.

Last but certainly not least are the shoulder strap pockets. They’re not zippered and are simply open pockets on either strap, located just underneath the sternum strap’s attachment points. Frequent travelers will find this useful for storing transit cards and tickets. And by frequent travelers, we mean those who need to go through multiple bus stops and train stations, thus needing their transit cards ready and easily reachable—or you could be like us and pack it with candy.

The main compartment opens fully in a clamshell style, revealing a mostly conventional layout for backpacks of this size. You have a main bucket space on one side and lid-side organization featuring two pockets. The top pocket is a zippered one where you can put toiletries and other essentials. It’s worth noting that there’s a loop here in case you want to relocate the key leash from before. Meanwhile, the pocket below is made of mesh, though it’s not see-through. Since it’s larger, it can accommodate fairly large items such as a packable hat or rolls of socks.

Packing the main bucket space needs a few considerations. Firstly, there is a pocket on the right side for slim items, and we use it to keep a hairbrush or a slim pouch, depending on our needs. Meanwhile, a good chunk of the left side is taken up by the water bottle pocket cutting into the compartment. It does so at an angle, which means it can create oddly shaped leftover spaces if you’re using rectangular packing cubes like ours. It’s not ideal, but filling it with loose clothing or other oddly-shaped gear isn’t too much of a problem. Lastly, there’s a document sleeve at the back for even more travel documents, and there are also pass-throughs on either side in case you want to route a charging cable to a power bank in the main compartment, for example.

Overall, there’s enough packing space for about a week’s worth of gear. In our case, that’s a packing cube of five shirts, another with three pairs of pants, a small cube of socks and underwear, plus a toiletry bag. That said, freestyling it without packing cubes is also doable if you don’t want to leave any empty space. You can also be flexible since you can use the front compartment to store even more clothing if you don’t use it for shoes.