Reddit's one-bag travel community loves Matador luggage — I tried the SEG45, which can be carried as a backpack or a duffel

Business Insider

15-05-2025

Just a glance at the 824,000-member r/onebag Reddit community will show you that travelers are increasingly drawn to the convenience and simplicity of traveling with just one bag — myself included. In the quest for my own "one bag," the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack caught my eye. This innovative duffel-backpack hybrid features a distinctive segmented design (think built-in packing cubes), which provides a ton of organizational and accessibility benefits. And while this specific model isn't as frequently mentioned as some fan favorites in r/onebag, the high praise for older Matador bags, and generally positive reputation for the brand overall are a great indicator of their quality, so I decided to give it a shot.
During my month of testing, I explored how well the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack balanced function and portability — a delicate equilibrium that one-bag enthusiasts continually seek — and whether it deserves a spot on our best travel backpack or best carry-on bag guides.
What is the one-bag movement?
The "one-bag" movement refers to a travel philosophy focused on packing everything you need for a trip in a single bag, emphasizing minimalism and mobility. By focusing on careful curation and efficient packing habits — and eliminating the stress and inconvenience of dragging around bulky luggage — one-baggers are able to focus their attention and energy on exploring and experiencing their destination. According to Doug Dyment, longtime one-bagger and creator of onebag.com, "Of all the travel skills you might acquire, traveling light is the one most likely to result in enjoyable, productive, stress-free travel experiences."
Design and specs
The exterior of the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack is made of 420D Bluesign PU-coated nylon, which is essentially a medium-weight nylon fabric treated with a polyurethane coating to make it waterproof (a Bluesign certification indicates that it's produced with minimal environmental impact). Another 420D Bluesign nylon UHMWPE reinforced ripstop adds a layer of ultra-strong plastic fibers — that's the "UHMWPE" part — woven into a grid pattern to prevent potential tears from spreading. The bag's interior is constructed from 100D Bluesign nylon ripstop, which is a lighter-weight nylon with a grid pattern to prevent tearing. It's also waterproofed with polyurethane.
Although not quite as "heavy-duty" as the high-denier nylon recommended by Dyment and less practical for rugged adventure applications, I consider the lightweight and flexibility benefits of this 420D material a worthy trade-off. The YKK PU-coated sealing zippers (Dyment's recommendation as the best zipper brand "without question") and 210D nylon bonded thread provide strong and user-friendly zipper pulls. You can also tuck these pulls through little security loops at the end of the zipper, which, although not a "lock" by any means, do add a layer of deterrent to anyone who might want to quickly unzip a compartment without you knowing.
The Matador's 45-liter capacity is broken down into five segments of varying sizes (two 6-liter, two 9-liter, and one 15-liter compartment). Or, if you prefer to use that 45 liters as a single open space (or a combination of both), you can unzip the clamshell and fill the large compartment underneath. A zippered laptop sleeve (large enough to fit 16-inch models) is located on the opposite side of the bag, positioning it against your back when used as a backpack. A dedicated water bottle sleeve runs perpendicular to the segmented section, keeping your container upright in backpack mode. It's worth noting that the Matador's 46-inch dimensions (height + width + depth) are a hair above Dyment's 45-inch recommendation for carry-on compatibility, although its soft, non-rigid structure makes that slightly less of an issue.
The Matador offers several carrying options, a removable shoulder strap, stowable backpack straps, and three grab handles on the ends and front. Its impressive 2.5-pound weight maximizes portability even more, falling well within Dyment's sub-4-pound recommendation.
What it's like to use
In order to fully explore the Matador's capabilities and functionality, I tested the bag for a month, using it as carry-on luggage during a weeklong trip to Florida, as well as around my own house as a laundry bag, backpack for work supplies, and generally any duffel bag/backpack type use I could find.
Throughout this testing, the exterior compartments naturally stood out the most, and I was seriously impressed with just how convenient and useful they were. Not only were they great for separating and keeping different types of gear organized (essentially acting as built-in packing cubes), but unlike the pockets or sleeves typically found on other backpacks or duffel bags, were roomy enough to really fill up with a ton of stuff without issue. I also appreciated that they're not all the same size, making it easier to remember what I had stored inside without unzipping (i.e., I knew the smaller 6-liter compartments were for smaller items and gear like notebooks, power cords, and snacks, while the larger sections were for clothes). In addition to actual carry-on travel, these compartments also served as clothing and gear organizers during the trip itself, where I used the large compartment as dirty laundry storage or for containing damp and sandy items between washes.
With so many different areas and compartments, I also appreciated that the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack used a different color zipper for the clamshell compartment, making it easier to find among the (relative) clutter of the bag's exterior.
Hauling the bag around was a breeze, and the removable shoulder and backpack straps (nice and padded for extra comfort) were simple to use when needed. The bag's heavy-duty, quality construction also gave me the confidence to toss it around with the three grab handles without issue. I would say that although its backpack straps are comfortable, it won't be as practical as a camping backpack for extended excursions. Its loose structure lacks the support of a more rigid option, and the hip belt didn't provide the most support (at least compared to legit "backpacking" backpacks).
What makes it stand out?
Although the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack serves the same basic purpose as your typical backpack-duffel hybrid — to store and haul large loads comfortably — its multi-compartment design provides significantly more functionality than the competition. Its external zippered compartments allow you to keep specific items together in their own dedicated compartments — a major plus for "one-baggers" who plan on carrying a wide variety of items. The fact that it provides so much useful built-in organization without compromising raw storage space really separates it from similar bags.
Cons to consider
The main issue I can see someone having with the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack is its general lack of structure. The large capacity, combined with its soft construction, means that the less you pack, the more "slouchy" it gets, increasing your chances of ending up with an imbalanced bag. This could be particularly annoying when used as a backpack, especially if the top segments are packed heavier than the lower. It's not a huge deal, but requires you to be a little more aware of weight distribution when packing up. Also, while the sectional design is convenient for separating larger items, the lack of smaller sleeves and pockets (typically found on dedicated "backpacking" bags) might be a dealbreaker for some.
The Matador's hip belt is another feature that didn't exactly wow me during testing. While a nice perk to add some extra stability in backpack mode, it lacks the structure and thick cushioning of one designed for real-deal trekking, and doesn't do much to transfer the load from your shoulders to your pelvis. Although the backpack straps themselves were cushioned and comfortable, this meager hip belt makes the Matador a less practical option for all-day trekking.
I can also see the white color getting dirty over time — mine accrued a few smudges just from gate-checking, but that can be easily solved by opting for the black version. Unfortunately, the white looks extremely cool, so this might be a tough decision.
What are your alternatives?
If the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack is a little too bulky for your taste, and you'd prefer something a bit more compact, consider the Matador Seg28 Backpack. It still offers the same useful segmented design, but in a 28-liter package. The Matador Globerider 35L does a decent job of splitting the difference between the two, providing more of a backpack-focused design versus duffel, but without the signature segmented design. Another popular one-bag option is the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30 — more of a backpack-style layout with sleeves for smaller items and electronics. If you'd like to maintain as much storage capacity as possible, but prefer a more traditional design, consider our own top travel backpack, the Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro.
The bottom line
In a nutshell, the Matador SEG45 Travel Pack is a solid option if you're tired of digging through your entire bag to find a single item. While its soft structure and minimal hip support probably aren't practical for hardcore trekkers, the clever segmented design genuinely makes travel organization easier. It's best suited for organized travelers who value accessibility over rigid structure, and who appreciate having built-in organization without sacrificing overall capacity.