eBags Mother Lode vs Tortuga Travel Backpack
Ergonomic Hip Belt
The hip belt is an essential part of any
However, the TLS Weekender’s waist belt is inadequate. It’s constructed from nothing but narrow webbing (the material straps are built from) to keep the pack closer to your body. Its poor construction means that it might uncomfortably dig into your midsection.
A hip belt should be padded so that it transfers your pack’s weight from your shoulders to your hips. Using a padded hip belt will make your bag feel lighter and reduce the strain on your neck, shoulders, and back.
Without a proper hip belt, you would have to carry the entire weight of the TLS Weekender on your shoulders.
Here’s what Steve H. had to say about the TLS Weekender which he tested (and returned) before buying a
Uncomfortable with a heavy load. Straps dug into my shoulders and waist belt was too wimpy to be of any use in transferring the load to my hips.
The Tortuga
Convenient Pockets
The TLS Weekender also lacks pockets that you can reach while wearing your bag. There are no pockets on the sides of the bag, or on the waist belt.
When you carry a Tortuga
You can use the side pockets to store a map, guidebook, water bottle, or umbrella. The hip belt pockets are great for holding your passport, tickets, spare change, and boarding passes.
When going through airport security, I move everything from my pants’ pockets into the Tortuga
When you’re on-the-move, you need your ID, money, and travel documents within reach. Here, the Tortuga
Checkpoint Unfriendly
The TSA allows travelers to leave their laptops inside their bags through security, if the bag is designed with a separate, lie-flat laptop compartment. If you’re carrying a Tortuga
eBags missed this detail. Their customers still have to take their laptops out of their backpacks in a security line.
Who Makes Your Backpack?
Tortuga is a small company 100% focused on making travel backpacks. That’s all we make. We make everything that we sell. Tortuga was founded by Fred Perrotta and Jeremy Michael Cohen, two childhood friends. We couldn’t find the perfect
Our flagship product is the Tortuga
Note: This page does not include any images of eBags’ products because the company has asked us to take them down.