About One Bag Travel

Hi — I'm John. I travel with one bag, and I've kept this site going since 2017 because I genuinely love backpacks and figuring out how to move through the world with less.

The ferry that converted me

I didn't start out as a light packer. For years I hauled far too much stuff. What changed it was a ferry in Croatia. I was cutting it close — a proper dash through town to make the boat — and the streets were all cobblestone. Everyone around me was fighting their rolling carry-ons, bumping and dragging them over every stone. I had a backpack, so I could just move: jog, weave, float around the crowd, and step onto the ferry without breaking stride.

The bag on your back isn't a compromise — it's freedom. Ever since, I've packed to move, not to lug.

Where the experience comes from

I've traveled and worked across several continents — sometimes juggling more than one at a time. I gave the full digital-nomad life a real go. Turns out I actually love having a home base to come back to, so these days I travel light and come home. Both can be true.

I pack about as light as it gets and do laundry on the road whenever I can. That one habit removes most of the weight and nearly all of the worry — you stop thinking about your stuff and start paying attention to the trip.

Why this site exists

I started One Bag Travel back in 2017, before one-bagging was anywhere near as popular as it is now. I kept at it for a simple reason: choosing a carry-on backpack is genuinely hard. There are hundreds of options, the specs never line up the same way twice, and airline rules are a moving target. I wanted to build something that actually helps people cut through all of that.

So that's what this is: a searchable database of carry-on travel backpacks with real specs and airline compatibility, a collection of honest minimalist packing lists, and carry-on size rules for nearly 200 airlines.

The generous feedback I've gotten over the years is what keeps me going. And to be straight with you: this site has only ever lost money. I keep it running anyway — because I like it, and because it helps people pack lighter and stress less. If it saves you one bad bag decision or one baggage fee, it's done its job.