Media Contact: Jimmy, Founder We build tools for people who are on the move. What started - quite literally - as two guys in a van has become a lifestyle movement, a company building products for people who travel; and who are making big moves, around the world. Our all-new Daily bag & the Carry-on 2.0 here Minaal Carry-on 2.0 - Detail Shots Our Dropbox has additional product photos. Founders Jimmy & Doug left their jobs as corporate lawyer and ice cream truck driver to build a company that mirrored their values and travel-focused lifestyle. Their first product, the Minaal Carry-on, was brought to life in their first Kickstarter. The first Carry-on launched on Kickstarter in September, 2013 and surpassed its goal by $300,000+. We raised $341,000 on $30k goal. We were supported by 1600+ backers. The perfect carry-on backpack. Our bags (and upcoming accessories) are developed via our user-centric design process, with the belief that traveling with a backpack shouldn't make you look like a backpacker.

Minaal Daily - Detail Shots The new Daily Bag & Carry-on 2.0 raised more than $700,000 in our second Kickstarter. It features Minaal's signature minimalist design and professional functionality, optimised for your daily travels.wvu backpack cooler Mission: Minaal makes durable, professional travel gear that gets you where you want to be - faster, happier and more productive.sakun backpack With ideas borne from endless hours spent in transit, business meetings, and the back seat of a tuk-tuk, Minaal is a travel gear company aiming to make your travels faster, happier and more productive. belkin 751 backpackThey lead the fight against the evil ‘Travel Drag’, which they define as “Anything that slows you down, mentally or physically, from reaching your destination.”samsonite cityvibe laptop backpack expandable

In creating streamlined, stylish, yet practical gear, Minaal is drawing on the founders’ combined experience growing up in the varied climates of New Zealand, then working from the road, around the globe. They aim to attract the ‘ProTraveller’ (that’s ‘ProTraveler’ for you Americans) – the dedicated traveller who wants to remain professional on the road, instead of looking like a backpacker.tessel jet pack backpack buy The first product was a Carry-on bag that opens flat and allows you to pack it like a suitcase. 110v backpack hooverIn addition, you can easily access your gear from any angle; the main straps zip away within seconds, leaving you with a sleek duffel-style bag; the separate device compartment protects electronics and is lockable, and the bag fits within regular carry-on dimensions.

The second release is the Minaal Daily bag, a smaller bag optimized for everyday use. It's an everyday backpack with an easy-hide strap system, meaning you transition effortlessly into formal mode. Works as both a backpack and a secondary personal item when flying. Fits inside the laptop compartment of its bigger brother, the Carry-on. Minimalist design with rugged outdoor components – a seam-sealed raincover, 600D Nylon core fabric, and custom molded-foam backing panel for comfort. Minaal is always developing new products for their community, but they're super secret and we can't tell you about them unless you leave $100 in unmarked bills in a brown paper bag at the intersection of Av Rivadavia and Campichuelo in Buenos Aires (directions available on request). The founders met and bonded while living in a van with 3 other people, eventually circumnavigating North America on a 27,000km / 17,000mi, 52-day road trip. After travelling extensively, they couldn’t find the perfect gear for their lifestyle;

they wanted to travel light and practical, but maintain a professional appearance. After spending years imagining the bag, they prototyped it in New Zealand before living in Vietnam for 6 months to develop it further. The company aims to provide a point of difference with regular brands by emphasising a minimalist aesthetic and focusing on the user, rather than producing hundreds of new models a year to satisfy sales targets and quarterly reports. Minaal was founded by two regular guys with no formal training in the industry, who decided to make a business out of doing what they loved - travel. Then they made it happen, through a mix of Lean Startup techniques applied to manufacturing; willingness to challenge industry 'rules'; and commitment to living the lifestyle they're enabling.) Carries like a backpack... expands to be a true piece of carry-on... smartly designed from every angle. Pack lighter and save time and hassle on the road, without sacrificing good looks.

The bag to end all bags? One thing’s for sure, the Minaal comes closer than any bag we’ve seen to date. Doug was born to travel, so much so that the maternity nurses had to restrain his progress out of the hospital doors. He was inspired to design travel gear when he realised his mother’s hardcase wheeled luggage weighed more than half the allowable carry-on limit. With a passion for the ocean, sleeping on floors and clean code, Doug is the brains behind Jimmy’s noticeable brawn. He is currently asleep. With honorary degrees in street food and interpretive dance, Jimmy is also an expert at writing outlandish things about himself in the third person. He was drawn to making travel gear when his bag imploded in an unfortunate rush-hour incident on the Shanghai subway. He is currently refusing to join LinkedIn or sign documents with anything more than ‘X’.5*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you choose to buy a product I link to. 

*Update September 2016: The search is over! I now use the Timbuk2 Aviator backpack. Check out why I think the Aviator is the best carry-on bag.I like a challenge. Perhaps minimalism appeals to me so much lately simply because it is such a challenge. Remember when I told you everything I have fits in my car? Well, as of December, I was able to eliminate items and condense everything I have into the trunk of my car.“One bag travel” is a subculture of sorts. Its members are kind of the Puritans of the travel world in that they eschew anything unnecessary to their ultimate aim (for one bag travelers, that would be to travel with, erm, one bag). They are strict with what they bring on their trips and are adamant about simplifying everything down to the bare essentials.And now, as I prep for 3-month trip to South America, I’m going to try to pack everything into one bag. (Okay, one carry-on bag plus a “personal item,” which will either be a small backpack or purse).Thus begins my quest to find the perfect carry-on bag.

What bags am I eyeing so far?Timbuk2 AviatorDimensions: 13.4″ Top Width x 15″ Bottom Width x 22.8″ Height x 9.4″ Depth Volume: 30L Price: $183.33This is the one bag travel bag I use today! (January 2017 at time of writing.) I still love the Tom Bihn Aeronaut, but it was a bit too large for me. Check out my full Timbuk2 Aviator review.Tom Bihn AeronautDimensions: 22″ x 14″ x 9″ Volume: 2700 cubic in / 45 liters Price: $250What a handsome fellow. The folks at Tom Bihn were kind enough to send me an Aeronaut (plus some packing cubes) to review on my blog. This sturdy, high-quality bag can be carried as a duffel or as a backpack. More details to come in the review!Tom Bihn Tri-StarDimensions: 19″ x 13″ x 8″ Volume: 2000 cubic inches / 33 liters Price: $280 I’m starting to really be drawn to the Tri-Star, which is the Tom Bihn bag that is one step down in size (33 liters) than the Aeronaut (45 liters).Minaal Carry-On BagDimensions: 21.65′ x 13.77′ x 7.87′ Volume: 35 L Price: $299This backpack was launched through the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, so it shows it already has a huge cult following.

It was designed by two New Zealanders with lots of travel experience and very charming accents (seriously, just watch their Kickstarter video) who set out to create the perfect carry-on for digital nomads.Patagonia Transport MLCDimensions: 22″ x 16″ x 9″ Volume: 45 L Price: $179Out of all the bags mentioned above, this one is the most budget friendly. I also appreciate that, like the Aeronaut, it has the ability to be carried as a duffel bag or as a backpack.What do I look for in the perfect travel bag?Versatility – Namely, I want the option to carry it as a backpack or duffel bagSize – Will it fit in the overhead bin on flights? – Will it be small enough for me to carry it with relative ease? I’m small, so I don’t want to be carrying something that’s 1/3 my size. – Will it still be large enough to fit everything I need?Durability – This bag will be thrown into overhead bins on flights, trains, and buses. It will endure rain, dirt, and dust. I’ll probably drop it a few times (I’m rather reckless with things I own).

Will it be able to withstand the abuse?Bonus pointsAbility to safely and easily stow my laptop, camera, and camera lenses. – Packing a camera is so tricky! It’s oddly shaped, delicate, and it has other lenses that have to go with it. If the bag has features made specifically for securely stowing these items–even better!Looks – Okay, let’s not fool ourselves here. It would be nice to not look like a grungy hobo while I’m traveling. If the bag is sleek and stylish, I’ll be one happy traveler.Why I Hate Wheeled BagsAhhh the rollaboards (wheeled bags). I would be lying if I told you I’ve never eyed them with envy at the airport as they glide effortlessly across the tile floors–while I schlep a 20-pound bag on my pathetic, wimpy shoulders. But I am still very anti-wheeled bags. I’ve had many a heated debate over them. So what’s the big deal?The wheels + the extending handle add unnecessary weight.They’re a one-trick pony. Sure, it’s nice to be able to wheel through an airport–but that’s probably the only place you’ll be doing much wheeling.