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Tomtoc Navigator  T66 Backpack
Review

Tomtoc has challenged the backpack community with a versatile 40L Travel Backpack. Can this bag stack up with it's competitors?

 

Find out here.

Black Tactical Jacket Details

Quick Breakdown

8/10

We tested the standard model in black, overall material has lasted throughout our testing. The outer shell is comfortable to the touch. The straps, and back have ample padding however, its foam isn't a cooling get so it can get hot.

7/10

For a being able expanding bag does have some good dividers and pockets for organization. We especially like the rear divider, between the larger compartment, as we could put wallet or passes in them but once filled the soft membranes dividing the space become hard to just simply reach in and grab. Luckily you can zip it open and lie it flat like a butterflied steak but that's actually kind of inconvenient.

8/10

The honky zippers are really not easy to yank on and it's hard to get to the important sections they protect if because of all the strategically placed buckles. The only easily entered pocket might be the outer most flap of the center pocket but most of the inner pockets are buried deep within the recesses of this travel savy bag.

7/10

Weighing in 2.65lb, by stuffing this big boy to the brim you will feel it. It's average for bags it's size, some add on more weight in material but usually at this capacity you start seeing hip belts to redistribute weight. While it does have chest straps it doesn't stop you from feeling the weight which becomes more apparent as you're standing in line at TSA.

7/10

We tested the 40L by stuffing it with everything we would need for a weekend trip. While there are similar models, this fit our travel form factor. stuffing a whole change of clothes laptop, toiletries bag and a pair of shoes wasn't an issue but if you're trying replace a suitcase you will fall short.

6/10

Sporting a more minimalist style, this bag gets points for matching with more of a city street style. While not a rugged bag it is uniquely built for either a weekend getaway. You could also do a week long excursion with a small rolling suitcase making it ideal for every situation.

In-Depth Review

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First Impressions

The Tomtoc Navigator T66 is a mid-weight and organized chic backpack that is built for airline travel but falls short on capacity despite boasting a 40L. It has a well organized back section and a very open main compartment designed for soft organizer pouches. It's a Catch-22, these big open side opening configurations, because if you use those pouches you loose precious space in corners but if you toss everything in there it's an organized mess.
 
Made of a blend of recycled plastic fibers, it's soft but durable feeling as the outer shell that feels like some ballistic fabrics. This bag is in the center range for weight for it's capacity, comfortable and only slightly water resistant. It's formed but not rigid making it versatile but will not compress well into another bag but a suitcase? No problem.

We've had the pleasure of testing out this bag in Las Vegas and Japan, can we live without it? Find out below.

Build Quality
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Build Quality

Built with sustainability in mind you will never know it was recycled PET (bottle) plastic. The fabric is slightly hydrophobic as water will bead off of the bag if a light rain but it will get the insides wet if it's any more than a medium to light drizzle. The buckles are satisfying to snap and feel like they came from a decent mold with medium of the road plastic. Don't get that twisted, medium grade plastic is good, lightweight and makes a lot less noise than metal. Like other Tomtoc bags this comes equipped with YKK zippers which are some of the industries best zippers. They get caught less, are made of better base materials, so that means overall their teeth interlock smoother and tighter.

The Navigator T66 fits nicely on me and I have more of a medium frame. On my son who is 5'8" the straps do feel rather narrow on the top and fan out so the base of the straps on a looser fit sit uncomfortably. The stabilizing center strap is thankfully adjustable and the straps have loops which make it easy to make slight adjustments on the fly. The three handles, top, center back and side all feel sturdy. The top and side are padded for hand carry but the center back is really meant for sliding over the top of a rolling suitcase handle. The only downside to that strap in the center is that the shoulder straps do not tuck away. With this design can take some getting used to in order slide it on a handle and manage the shoulder straps. Whereas bags like the Aer SF Capsule, is similar in overall design but its shoulder straps tuck away in the back padding for easy on/off suitcases. But, this is a minor design flaw considering the rest of the bag has a lot of the features we look for in larger bag.   

Security
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Security

The fabric itself is durable, hard to cut or tear unless done very intentionally with a razor it's tough to get through but not impossible. An adult could yank on back and without the stabilizer strap the bag won't come off, depending on the material of the layer under it of course. When we tested it we wore a hooded sweat shirt and a cotton tee, it stayed on for both accounts.

 

If it had RFID inhibitors in any of the pockets or a sleeve we may have decided on a higher score. But if you have a wallet or something that has the blockers already it might be overkill. The zippers are smooth but do require intention to open so it's not going to let loose all your belongings all over the ground after a few years of abuse.

I'd say unless you are a professional pick pocket or you are able to get your hands on this bag for more than a few minutes you could work a ball point pen into it. I'd say my only concern is the large flap on the exterior leading into the center compartment but that can be solved with either placement or a TSA friendly lock. On the same flap I'd be only concerned with the zippered pocket that sits on the large flap. The zipper is tucked under a lip but if your filling this bag up it will be hard to detect if it's being reached into.

Capacity
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Capacity

This could very well be a multipurpose bag given it's compression straps on the side of the main compartment. In some of the photos we can see examples of using organizer bags to stuff the center. If you put soft atricles in there yes, you can definitely fill this bag out but if you're shoving more rigid, like boxes of things in there it does loose a lot of effective space. With softer things the compression straps can really make 40L seem like 35L. Even with stuffing the Navigator T66 with everything you see above there was still room to compress even another full change of clothes. See our preview of this backpack here, for a video presenation of justhow much can be stored away in this guy.

 

It is tempting to just shove everything in but keep in mind TSA prohibits liquids over 3oz. So as much as we'd like to tell you to put all your weekend getaway items in here, unless of course you're taking ground transportation, this is not a coverall bag. You may still need to use a suitcase but the benefit of this larger bag is that instead of a one medium suitcase and a small bag you can get away with a small suitcase and a medium backpack. This bag is perfect for carrying your normal travel essentials and that emergency set of clothes in case of long layovers or lost luggage.

Organization
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Organization

40L capacity aside, even when weighed down and barely any room to budge I was able to access the top and side pockets with ease. The majority of the organization of this bag is an open book due to the purposely large cavity in the center. There are two easily accessible sleeves for a laptop or file folder in the back most pocket as well as a zipper pocket. The top and side pockets are definitely places you want to put smaller objects you need to access frequently, like medication or pens as the center zip pockets do require a full opening to access.

 

How you organize the main section is up to you and may really not the easiest to get your head around. Some manufacturers offer Velcro sectioning or predetermined cells to help organize but if you're particular like us this open format works well. Usually we can stuff one or two organizing pouches and roll our pants up to fit in this section so the free form is quite nice. The caveat of this bag is you can bag a set of bags like this, on Amazon, or you can stuff it yourself or with a combination of those methods. The openness of this design makes scoring this bag more like can I get my essentials in here plus a little extra? And yes you can, which is why we can give the score we did for organization.

Weight

Weight

Even though the Navigator T66 weighs a mere 3.65lbs because of it's design it can feel a lot heavier. With the majority of the weight poised to be situated near the center of the backpack you have to make sure you organize well or carrying this at full capacity might be a little awkward. Again, how much this backpack weighs and how difficult it is to be mobile with it will depend what's put in it. With that 40L capacity the temptation to fully load it with everything you think you need will definitely start to creep up on you.

That said there are heavier packs out there and lighter. The density of the material plays a huge factor in it's durability so weight can be a double edged sword. One on hand this bag weighs more than say an Osprey or Northface in the same capacity range but it makes up for it by taking the hits from the environment, protecting your belongings. I've had it where a bag weighs less, has the same amount of my personal belongings in it but gets worn down after being under the airplane seat once. Good material often comes with some extra baggage so to speak and we trust this one to make good on it's durability to weight ratio.

Style
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Style

Black seems to be the primary color of most bags but what the Navigator does with texture makes it really stand out to us. Sometimes you see a bag with slick features and soft material and you ask yourself does this look like it coould withstand the punishment of the overhead compartments. We have tossed this poor bag around and ran it through the ringer in the airports and rentals cars and while it gets dirty, it keeps going. The dirt is almost a badge of honor with the way this backpack looks. While not "tacticool," a little wearing makes this bag look like you're rugged but dashing.

It's more of a tech wear look, which we seem to like here but because of all it's details we feel like it falls somewhere between street and chic. The buckles and flaps are placed in very practical yet stylistic positions that give the bag character. Some bags that a fully enclosed behind elastic pockets or zippers have an overly simplistic design whereas this could be described as more utilitarian. No much dangles off the body of the bag and straps don't flail about unnecessarily. The Navigator T66 is a clean, practical looking bag that will look great busted or babied.

The
Verdict

No confusion here, Is this bag worth it?

Well, this is a close to Yes but more of a Maybe. For all it's shortcomings it finds it's place near the top but not without it's limits. This bag is really for people who want a larger capacity bag that they will use 80% of the space so they can access what they need without any difficulty. The zippers glide and with enough weight in bag it's smooth like butter. Even with the the possibility of a heavier weight bag the chest straps will aid in balancing that downside. The material is dependable and the pocket placement is very convenient.

Score Summary

7/10

Better than average but not without it's quirks. This bag is a must if on sale especially if you consider this 40L capacity backpack is under $100.

Our Opinion

A 7 of 10 is a better than average score, price did play a factor into this decision and if it were not up to a budget it's easy to get sucked into paying $150.00+ for a bag is size. Priced reasonably at $89.99 or as low as $74.99 on sale this is a great option for those who want a larger capacity backpack that won't stir up financial drama with the spouse. That said, if you are looking under $150.00 for a bag there are much better options. See Aer SF Capsule or Best Backpacks under $150.00 comparison if you want see different options and how the Tomtoc Navigator T66 stands up.

Having used this bag for about a year now I have to say it has definitely held up to the abuse of travel. Our oldest also uses his for school and it holds all his text books and a bento. The material isn't as cheap feeling as some recycled plastics can be . There were plenty of times I was jealous of Darin's Aer Capsule which expanded and really did a great job of holding all his day trip necessities and a bottle of water. Again, this bag is under $100.00, the average for a bag this size being $150.00, which is an amazing deal for a bag with this kind of versatility.

Ready to Buy?

Follow the Link below to purchase on Amazon.

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Reviewed by

Jordan

Having never been satisfied with corporate life I picked up traveling to truly fulfill my passion. Travel to me incorporates a multi-faceted discipline of humanities, finance, human resources and common sense. Those are all things the corporate world overlooked in me.

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