Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro V2 40L Review

We were big fans of the original Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L. It was comfortable, durable, and struck a nice balance between travel organization and flexibility. So, when Tortuga released the Pro Backpack V2, we were curious whether the updates would meaningfully improve an already solid travel backpack or simply refine what was already working.

We’ll be upfront: we didn’t get the opportunity to take this pack on a trip during our testing period. Instead, we simulated travel as closely as possible. We loaded it out with travel gear; hauled it in and out of a car trunk; carried it around Detroit’s Eastern Market, the Riverwalk, and a large waterfront park with kids running amok; and even took it along on bike rides. While that isn’t the same as navigating airports and train stations for weeks on end, it gave us a solid feel for the bag’s comfort, organization, and day-to-day usability. In some ways, we were probably rougher on it than we would’ve been during a typical trip.

External Components

One of the most noticeable updates to the Pro Backpack V2 is its shell. Tortuga has moved to ECOPAK EPX200, a material we’ve seen from the brand before. It has a cross-ply pattern that gives the bag a technical look without drawing too much attention to itself, and it feels like an appropriate choice for a travel backpack that’s bound to spend plenty of time being tossed into overhead bins, shoved under bus seats, or sliding around in the trunk of a car.

The material has enough structure to help the pack hold its shape, even when it isn’t full, without feeling overly rigid. The exterior still looked nearly new by the end of our testing period, even after multiple drops onto pavement.

Hardware quality is equally reassuring. Tortuga continues using YKK zippers throughout the pack, and they glide smoothly, even when the bag is packed out or overstuffed. The main compartment zippers are lockable, allowing you to add your own travel lock for a little extra peace of mind when you’re moving through airports or storing the bag at your hotel or Airbnb. Woojin hardware is used, too, and every buckle feels sturdy enough to inspire confidence over years of regular use.

The top and side grab handles have also been updated. They’re well-padded and comfortable to hold, making it easy to pull the bag from an overhead compartment or lift it out of a vehicle. Since this is a 40-liter travel backpack, there are plenty of situations where carrying it by the handle simply makes more sense than throwing it on your back, and these handles are up to the task. Again, this is a 40-liter travel backpack, and you’ll likely be wearing it on your back most of the time, which is the most comfortable option available.

Both sides of the bag feature stretchy mesh water bottle pockets, another welcome improvement over the previous version. They’re deep, secure, and accommodate a surprisingly wide range of bottle sizes. Smaller bottles stay put thanks to the elastic opening, while larger options fit without feeling like they’re pushing the material beyond its limits. We had no issues fitting a 40-ounce stainless steel bottle inside, which is more than we can say for many travel backpacks. If you prefer carrying a larger bottle throughout the day, these pockets won’t leave you wishing for more room.

Durability was another highlight during testing. As we mentioned earlier, this pack didn’t make it onto an airplane, but it still saw plenty of use. We loaded it up, hauled it around Detroit for an afternoon, took it on bike rides, and repeatedly packed and unpacked it to simulate travel. Through all of that, we didn’t encounter any issues with the fabric, stitching, hardware, or zippers. If anything, our testing was probably rougher than what many travelers would put the bag through on a typical trip, and the Pro Backpack V2 handled it without complaint.

Fit Notes

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro V2 has a substantial harness system, and that’s exactly what we’d expect from a 40-liter travel backpack. When fully loaded, this bag can carry a lot of weight, so having a robust undercarriage system isn’t just nice to have, it’s necessary. Thankfully, Tortuga doesn’t skimp here.

Unlike the smaller 34-liter version, this pack allows you to dial in the torso length with a hook-and-loop adjustment system hidden behind the back panel. We understand why Tortuga reserved the feature for the larger bag. There’s simply more room to work with, and fit becomes increasingly important as pack size and weight increase. It’s not something you’ll want to adjust every day, nor should it be. It takes a little effort to reposition, but once it’s set, it stays put. For a travel backpack that’s likely to accompany you on longer trips, we think it’s a worthwhile addition.

The shoulder straps are thick, well-padded, and generously covered in breathable mesh. They have a natural curve that wraps comfortably around the body without feeling stiff, and we didn’t experience any pressure points during testing. Whether we were wandering around Detroit for an afternoon or taking the pack out on bike rides, the harness remained comfortable. That’s impressive considering this is a fairly large travel backpack.

The back panel is equally well executed. Thick padding keeps the bag comfortable against your back, while raised mesh panels and a central air channel encourage airflow. You’ll still work up a sweat if you’re walking around on a hot day or cycling with a fully loaded pack. That’s unavoidable with a backpack this size, but it never felt like we were carrying a giant foam pad. Ventilation is better than average, and the overall carry experience remained comfortable throughout our testing.

Load lifters at the top of the shoulder straps are another feature we’re happy to see. On smaller backpacks, they’re often unnecessary. On a 40-liter pack, they’re much more useful. Being able to pull the load closer to your body makes a noticeable difference when the bag is packed out, helping shift the weight into a more comfortable position as the day goes on.

The sternum strap rides on adjustable rails, allowing for micro-adjustments to suit different body types and carry preferences. We always appreciate this style of adjustment because it’s quick and intuitive. That said, it moves a little easier than we’d like. There’s no mechanism to truly lock it into place, so it can slide if bumped while putting the pack on or taking it off. It wasn’t a major annoyance during testing, but it’s worth mentioning.

The included hip belt reinforces that this bag is designed for heavier loads. Unlike the 34-liter version, the 40-liter model comes with one in the box, and it’s a substantial piece of the harness system. The padding is thick, breathable, and wraps comfortably around your hips to help transfer weight off your shoulders. During longer walks, it does exactly what you’d hope.

Each side of the hip belt includes a zippered pocket that’s handy for items you want to keep close. A phone, snacks, or other small essentials all fit well here. Some travelers love having quick-access storage on the hip belt, while others prefer to remove it entirely for a cleaner profile. We’re somewhere in the middle. The pockets are useful, but the belt itself is undeniably large. With a phone inside the pocket, it becomes noticeably rigid.

Fortunately, you don’t have to leave it attached. We removed the hip belt while cycling because it got in the way when bending forward. That felt more like a limitation of riding a bike with a large travel backpack than a flaw with the belt itself. Once removed, the pack felt much better suited for that kind of movement. We also appreciate that removing the belt doesn’t leave a bunch of excess attachment points hanging off the bag, keeping the overall appearance tidy.

Overall, the harness system feels appropriately overbuilt for a backpack in this class. It’s beefy, comfortable, and highly adjustable, offering enough customization to accommodate a wide range of body types and carrying styles. If you regularly travel with a fully packed 40-liter backpack, that’s exactly what you want.

Inside The Pack

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro V2 strikes a nice balance between built-in organization and leaving room to pack the way you want. There are dedicated pockets throughout, though the bag never feels like it’s forcing you into a specific system. If you prefer using packing cubes, a tech pouch, and a toiletry kit, you’ll feel right at home here. If you don’t, there’s still enough organization to keep things from turning into complete chaos.

Starting on the front of the bag, there’s a large zippered compartment that spans nearly the entire front panel. It doesn’t have a ton of depth, though it’s larger than it initially appears. We had no issue fitting a packable jacket inside, and a lightweight sweatshirt works well here, too. Inside, you’ll find three organizational pockets: a medium-sized zippered mesh pocket, a larger zippered mesh pocket, and a medium slip pocket with an elastic mesh top. Because the pockets are mesh, it’s easy to see where you’ve stashed your gear, though the finer mesh on the slip pocket obscures things a little more.

The organization here is useful without feeling excessive. It’ll keep smaller accessories from floating around, though we’d still recommend bringing a dedicated tech pouch if you’re traveling with many chargers, adapters, or cables.

There’s a quick-access pocket near the top of the bag. Organization is intentionally minimal, with only a key leash inside. It’s a great spot for the items you reach for most often throughout the day, whether that’s your phone, wallet, sunglasses, passport, or keys. Of course, nothing is stopping you from filling it with snacks instead. Who doesn’t love a quick snack during a long adventure?

Along one side of the front panel is another large pocket that runs nearly the full height of the bag. It’s relatively flat but offers plenty of usable space for larger items you don’t need immediately. A travel umbrella fits well here, as does a lightweight rain jacket or similar layers. We wouldn’t use it to store a soaking-wet umbrella since there’s no dedicated drainage, but for dry gear, it works nicely.

It’s worth noting that these three front-facing pockets all share volume. If you completely stuff one pocket, you’ll reduce the usable space in the others. That’s pretty common on travel backpacks and not something we’d consider a downside. As long as you pack thoughtfully, it isn’t an issue.

There’s a dedicated laptop compartment. Like the main compartment, it uses dual YKK zippers that can be secured with your own travel lock. Inside are padded sleeves for both a laptop and a tablet. Even if you don’t travel with a tablet, the second sleeve is useful for a notebook, book, or travel documents. Both sleeves sit above the bottom of the bag, creating a false bottom that adds extra protection if you accidentally set the backpack down a little harder than intended.

Above the sleeves is a large zippered mesh pocket that’s perfect for a laptop charger, cables, or other flat accessories. The remainder of the compartment is left open, giving you room to slide in larger flat items if needed. During testing, we generally stuck with a laptop, a notebook, and a charger, but there’s flexibility if your setup looks a little different.

The main compartment opens with a butterfly-style clamshell design, almost like opening a piece of rolling luggage. This remains one of our favorite layouts for travel because you can immediately see everything you’ve packed without digging through layers of clothing. It makes both packing and unpacking considerably easier than a traditional top-loading backpack.

On the left side are two large zippered mesh pockets stacked vertically. They’re essentially built-in packing cubes and work well for clothing like socks, underwear, T-shirts, or other smaller garments you want to keep separated from the rest of your gear. It’s a simple layout, but an effective one.

The opposite side is where the bulk of the bag’s 40-liter capacity lives. There’s no built-in organization here, just one large open compartment ready for whatever you decide to bring. That versatility is one of the bag’s strengths. Large packing cubes, camera cubes, shoes, jackets, or bulkier clothing all fit comfortably without awkward dividers getting in the way.

That said, you’ll probably want to bring your own organizational pouches. You certainly don’t have to, but because the compartment is so open, accessories can become disorganized if they’re packed loosely. A tech pouch, toiletry kit, and packing cubes go a long way toward making the most of the available space.

Overall, we appreciate Tortuga’s approach here. There’s enough built-in organization to separate the essentials, but not so much that you’re locked into packing one specific way. Combined with the comfortable harness system, durable materials, and thoughtful layout, the Pro Backpack V2 feels like a versatile travel backpack that adapts to different packing styles rather than forcing you to adapt to it.