Troubadour Elemental Travel Backpack Review: Lightweight, Unbreakable & Waterproof

The strongest and most durable travel backpack the world has ever known? It just could be. Troubadour’s Elemental Backpack is pretty unique, and I tried it, to see if the claims made about its superiority were real.

So what’s this technically-advanced, weather-proofed, lightweight and custom-engineered travel backpack? In this review, I’m detailing firsthand how I discovered what’s stellar about the Troubadour Goods Elemental Backpack, and how the features work for me.

Throughout this review, I’ll point out helpful functions in this backpack, what you might want to know, how it fits (and what to consider) and a few comparisons against other well-known backpacks from leading brands in the travel bags space.

Troubadour Elemental Collection: Key Points

• My first impressions of this inventive commute-travel-lifestyle waterproof backpack
• My favorite features of it: what I think is innovative and what Troubadour did in these travel bags that I have not seen from other brands
• The other features of the Elemental Backpack that I find to be novel and never-seen-before.
• How it fits me (5’2” woman traveler) and how it fits my husband Dan (5’9” athletically-built guy)
• Where I think it might fall short and what I think you should know, if you’re considering it
• My comparison to other leading travel backpacks we know well—backpacks that fall at similar price points and literage volumes, from trusted and well-respected brands
• How I’ve used it, and how it went (travel, everyday, remote working at coffee shops)
• Should you get it (my conclusion)?

Elemental Backpack: What to know (I tried it)

I’ll tell you my first impressions of the Troubadour Elemental Backpack.

First off, I’ve owned lots of Troubadour Backpacks, from the Apex Mini to the Momentum Backpack and Generation Leather backpack. I’ve been a fan of the Troubadour brand since 2021, and I’ve seen the brand go through iterations.

The Elemental Backpack is different, and I treat it more like an everyday adventure and travel backpack that can also come with you to the office. It’s lightweight, by far not as structured as Troubadour’s other hyper-refined styles like the Apex Backpack and it has outdoors-themed features like the athletic-adjacent shoulder straps.

It’s made of something new, which is a Troubadour original material: it’s called UHMWPE, an acronym for “ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene,” which in plain English means a strong and water-resistant fabric that won’t absorb moisture. It’s weatherproof and abrasion-proof, which means it’s un-puncturable. It’s lightweight. It’s ideal, for a travel backpack that you’d want for life.

The zippers are waterproof and that is a huge benefit. You know if you travel a lot that this is one more thing that should give you peace of mind about getting trapped in a downpour with your laptop inside, if you’re working remotely and traveling.

Elemental Backpack: My favorite technical travel features

What’s new here? Let’s see. When I opened up the backpack before even packing it up for its first use, I noticed a few nice and noteworthy things.

Laptop pocket

It’s actually not really a pocket at all, and it’s also not a laptop sleeve. The backpack comes with a laptop case, and it’s labeled “DRYLINE COCOON” as its official name. This is a waterproof laptop sleeve that zips around with a weatherproofed zipper, and it attaches to the back wall of the backpack itself with two magnetic points.

As a bonus, the laptop case (the “Cocoon”) itself has three stretchy mesh organizer pockets, where you could stow a pen or earbud case if you’re moving from a desk to a conference room.

The whole jazz of this waterproof laptop case is that it’s removable, and turns the backpack into a modular system of pieces. If I choose to leave your laptop home for the day (like when I went for a hike with this backpack), I can leave the Dryline Cocoon at home, too.

See more about how the Dryline Cocoon waterproof laptop casing works, in this video.

Shoulder straps

The shoulder straps are one of the more unique aspects of this hybrid backpack. They’re inspired by a running backpack: picture wide and supportive straps that distribute weight throughout your chest.

This very unique design leads to less cramping. The straps never dig into my shoulders and pour all the weight onto my armpits. I have never seen any other brand put straps like this onto a technical lifestyle and travel backpack. It has traditionally been a feature of running or hiking bags.

So while they’re great at what they do (create a very comfortable carry for the wearer), they have a wing-like shape that’s going to look best on people with wider or taller torsos. This is my personal note to anyone who is narrow-shouldered, whether man or woman. I just don’t want you to be shocked by it, or overlook this aspect.

Don’t miss this, though: each shoulder strap has a tuck-away zipper pocket with a small zipper pull, and it’s where I put things like metro tickets, spare coins and the tiniest snacks I can fit. It’s a pretty nifty way to have valuables stashed right in your line of eyesight, and avoid theft while traveling.

Pocket roster

There are so many pockets that I’m going to explain them in their own roster, from biggest to smallest. In parentheses, see what I put in them when I pack the Elemental Backpack.

• 2 zipper pockets on the shoulder straps (coins, metro card, tickets)
• 2 exterior water bottle pockets (water bottle, coffee thermos or travel-sized mini umbrella)
• 2 front exterior pockets with zippers - sunglass/tech pocket, and deep stash pocket (sunglasses, phone, mini hand sanitizer, glasses cleaning cloth)
• 1 interior front flap zipper pocket - it’s relatively deep (earbuds, pack of tissues, lip balm)
• 1 super deep zippered mesh pocket on back interior panel (I keep flat items in there, like papers, flyers, brochures or whatever I’ve collected during a day out)

It’s a good number of pockets, and they’re all useful. If you’re into compartmentalizing and putting all your tech in one spot, whether heading to the office or out on an international trip, I’ll recommend our list of the best tech bags for travel, as we’ve tested quite a few.

Better yet, head to our Troubadour Rig Case 2.0 review to try out Troubadour’s very own case for your tech.

Dual water bottle pockets

You’ve probably read all our other backpack reviews, so you know that one water bottle pocket just will not cut it for me. I need two. Simple.

The Elemental Backpack has two, and what’s minimalist and smart about them is that they’re stretchy mesh, so they don’t jut out when empty, and they basically blend in when not being used to store my drink.

Other features to note

While the features above are the ones that stood out to me, and therefore I talked about them in detail, there are a few other parts of the Elemental Backpack that I find to be very novel.

• Hidden AirTag slot - great for people like me and Dan who use AirTags to track our stuff during travel days
• Rope-style grab handles: The rope-style custom-look grab handle up top lets me hang up my Elemental Backpack in a bathroom or locker so that it never touches the floor
• Detachable chest strap/sternum strap: it’s detachable via little T-hooks that let it come out of the daisy chain looping. It can be stored in the zippered pockets, which is thoughtful and convenient.
• Trolley sleeve/luggage slip: at first glance on this backpack, you wouldn’t even notice it because it is practically built into the molded back frame panel. I’ve never seen this before; the trolley handle itself actually includes the ergonomic molding.
• Detachable hip belt! Wow! This is great for people who do not like hip belts (as an example, I love having a hip belt and Dan does not).

How does the Elemental Backpack fit?

For this section, I’m going to comment on the fit on a short/narrow-framed petite woman (me).

I am 110 lbs, 5’2” and narrow-shouldered. I usually only wear backpacks 25 liters and less, due to how they look on my overall body frame.

What I like about the overall shape of the Elemental Backpack is that it is narrow overall, not boxy and bulky.

Surprisingly, I sent a photo of myself wearing the Elemental Backpack to my best friend and fellow world traveler, Daniela. She said, and I quote, that for a 25-liter backpack, “I think it looks great on you.”

So there you have it. While I may have had doubts about how this backpack would look on me as a 5’2” woman, if it looks “great” on me (and I’m a hard fit for backpacks), it’ll look overly natural on taller, wider and more athletic or broader men and women.

Comparison to other leading similar travel backpacks

In this section, I’ll give you some quick notes on other similar backpacks you may already own and how they’re the same or different to the Troubadour Elemental Backpack.

Comparison to the Peak Design Everyday Backpack (20L/30L)

If you know the Peak Design Everyday Backpack from our Peak Design Everyday Backpack review, then you know that this is a backpack at a similar price point and it is one of the best-known travel backpacks for serious travelers as well as professionals and photographers.

I’d say the main difference is in the structure: the PD backpack comes in a 20 and 30L (the Troubadour Elemental Backpack is 25L, right in the middle). The PD backpack has a very specific structure: it is always structured and rigid, no matter if it is empty or bursting at the seams. I suggest watching my YouTube review to see how the size actually lines up.

The Troubadour Elemental Backpack is compressible and can be nearly flattened - useful if you plan to pack it inside other luggage and take it out when you get to your destination.

Weight: the PD backpack with its “dividers” that are so signature of using it (we like the dividers a lot for storing camera lenses and cameras) is roughly 2 kg/4.4 lbs. The Troubadour Elemental Backpack is only 0.8 kg/1.7 lbs when empty. The difference can be massive if you’re walking around for an entire day.

Price: they are currently priced at the exact same price point.

If you want the lighter-weight backpack at the same price, it’s the Troubadour Elemental.

Comparison to the Tortuga Daily Carry Pro

I’m choosing the Tortuga Daily Carry Pro to compare the Troubadour Elemental Backpack to, because Tortuga is one of the most well-known and trusted travel brands that I’d consider a competitor. Tortuga does travel well, packs in the features and is serious about quality, just like Troubadour. The difference is that Tortuga markets to travelers only while Troubadour’s customer is also the traveling professional seeking an upscale and aesthetic bag, and then some.

The Daily Carry Pro is Tortuga’s (current) everyday “personal item” travel backpack option and it’s also a 25-liter minimal backpack. (It happens to be sold out because it was made in minimal quantities, and I’ve seen this often happen with Tortuga products (because they have so few total products at a time and simplify their product offerings).)

The main differences I find are that Tortuga’s backpacks are rather boxy, and the Daily Carry Pro looks like a large square. Like the Elemental Backpack from Troubadour, it is perfectly unisex. It has a low total weight of 1.2 kg/2.6 lbs, meaning the Elemental Backpack still comes in lighter in comparison (at 0.8 kg/1.7 lbs).

The price point is only a $25 difference, with the Troubadour Elemental being priced slightly higher but in the same ballpark.

They both fit a 16-inch laptop, they both have strong grab handles, waterproof exteriors, tons of organization options, two water bottle pockets, abrasion-proof fabrics, sternum straps and a supportive back panel for outstanding extended wear. I’ll say that Troubadour’s Elemental Backpack has the added plusses of the waterproof laptop casing, the zippers on the shoulder straps and the overall less boxy aesthetic.

If you want the better-looking travel backpack that also nails “lifestyle, remote work and commuting,” it’s the Elemental Backpack, which to me looks more like a regular daily backpack in comparison to the squared-off Tortuga one.

Critique and room for improvement

I have a few spots in which I’ll note the things that stand out to me as where the Elemental Backpack could improve (overall, it’s fantastic, but few things in life are perfect!).

Athletic-style shoulder straps

I foresee the shoulder straps as being a love-it or hate-it for some travelers. For me, my first thoughts were actually, “this is going to look funny on me,” but after real wear and travel with the Elemental Backpack, I wound up not minding the shoulder strap shape.

In my actual wearing and use of the backpack, the widest part of the shoulder straps (those that contain the sternum strap connection and the zippered pockets), wound up going closer to my armpits and getting kind of hidden. For people with taller chests than mine, you’ll visually see more of the widest part of the strap, BUT it will also look far more proportionate on you.

Were I taller with a longer torso overall, the thickest part of those straps would fall on my chest. And if I were taller with a differently-shaped torso, it would look more proportional on me anyway.

I find the shoulder straps incredibly supportive for a 25-liter backpack; I just think they make the backpack have more of an outdoorsy and athletic vibe that may not suit those who plan to use it for formally professional circumstances. They’re unique nonetheless, and a cool conversation-starter for people who notice them.

Magnetic laptop case attachment

In my use of the Elemental Backpack, the magnetic attachment of the waterproof laptop case to the back wall of the main cavity is excellent in theory. In practice, the magnets are a little clumsy to attach and un-attach in a jiffy, especially if you already have the backpack full of a travel raincoat, a sweatshirt and a hat (like I do, when I pack it up).

The magnets are a barely-there design, so when using them, they miss the mark at times. I find that they work best when the backpack itself is empty, when I have a clear path of getting the entire laptop “Cocoon” against the back wall of the inside. If the backpack is full, the magnet “snap” sometimes just has the laptop case falling off and not attaching. This is my experience.

General “floppiness”

If you have an interest in this backpack, you have to come to terms with the fact that it is going to flop around a little bit and be saggy if you do not have it full of all your things. In comparison with the Apex Backpack from Troubadour, for example, which holds its shape completely, the Elemental Backpack doesn’t stand upright on its own if it’s empty.

If this bothers you, I would opt for a backpack like the Troubadour Apex Backpack for sure. The difference is that the Elemental Backpack is groundbreakingly lightweight with its made-to-last-forever abrasion-proof and weatherproof exterior. That’s why it is more of a packable and compressible look.

My usage of the Elemental Backpack: a personal summary

Here are a few real-life ways I used the Elemental Backpack recently:

• Out for an everyday remote work coffee date with Dan: I used the waterproof laptop case and didn’t have to worry about rain touching my computer.
• Short trips and day trips/Walking around small towns: It’s a backpack Dan and I can share, so we pack it with both our rain layers, Dan’s camera, my snacks and a laptop, earbuds, travel guidebook and water bottles.
• Longer trips/flying internationally: I used the trolley sleeve to attach the Elemental Backpack to my Quince carry-on suitcase as we boarded our train and then it became my personal item for flying.

That’s just the beginning. The Elemental Backpack is an ideal personal item for professionals and experienced travelers who want the backpack that won’t break (and I’ve had some backpacks that have broken as I was boarding a plane - I don’t recommend the experience), won’t weigh you down and won’t look goofy in photos.

I’d surely take this backpack as a backpack that nails “sightseeing daypack,” “remote work backpack,” and “flight personal item,” as well as even a backpack for light hiking, on a longer-haul multi-country international vacation. When I think of packing for a remote work trip, a backpack like this comes to mind.

Elemental Backpack: My verdict, and should you get it?

Yes, yes, yes. I wouldn’t miss out on this technical travel backpack if you want:

• A backpack that is essentially break-proof: Troubadour’s innovative water-resistant fabric is basically impossible to puncture and won’t take a beating after extended use.
• Travel backpack comfort: there’s the adjustable (and detachable) sternum strap and hip belt, the superior back padding and airflow channel and lightweight yet supportive shoulder straps.
• Full of useful real-life features: the weatherproofed laptop case, zippered pockets on the shoulder straps, dual water bottle pockets and even hidden AirTag pocket are all crucial for the modern professional traveler.

And that’s why it’s coming with me every time I travel.

Where to get it

The Elemental Backpack is currently available at the Troubadour website. As enthusiasm grows for it, you might find it at a few other upscale retailers.

Thank you to Troubadour for collaborating and sponsoring this Elemental Backpack review; all thoughts, experiences and opinions about the product are genuinely my own.