Beast18 Ultralight Technical Backpack

I searched extensively for a backpack that could meet my needs: lightweight, not too large (no more than 25L in volume), with an appearance that isn't overtly rugged, but suitable for a stroll in the city as well. I used it as my everyday backpack during a family trip to Andalusia in June, as a father of two young girls (ages 4 and 2), and I managed to fit a lot inside: a diaper pouch (4 diapers + a disposable changing mat + wet wipes), a children's activity book, a small notepad and crayons, snacks for the girls, 4 light jackets, 2 hats, a bib, an OM-5 camera with a 17-45mm lens, and water (up to 4 bottles of 0.5L each).

In August, I took it with me for a week at the beach and used it as a beach bag. It held a diaper pouch, a bag of dry swimsuits for the four of us, a pouch for wet swimsuits, two bottles of sunscreen, three pairs of sunglasses, snacks (2 or 3 juice boxes, a couple of packs of crackers), and two small water bottles of about 250cc each. I didn't want it to be fully loaded and we carried another bag for bath towels.

Thanks to the daisy chains and a carabiner, I had the option to expand the load further. I never had difficulty quickly accessing what I needed or stowing it away. Although I expected it to be less structured since it is a foldable backpack, that was not the case at all. It is very comfortable to carry, even when fully loaded, and when folded, it doesn't take up much space.

A significant downside, however, is that purchasing it from Italy meant I ended up spending much more than its original cost due to taxes and customs fees. The final price isn't calculated accurately at checkout, resulting in an unpleasant surprise when paying the cash on delivery charges. While there are warnings about international shipping on the website, I probably misinterpreted them. In hindsight, I would have purchased it from a third-party store.

Also, at the end of the week at the beach, I noticed that the top handle of the backpack had started to come apart at the seams. This was disappointing because I believe the handle should be one of the most durable part of the backpack, and it seems unreasonable that it would begin to wear out after just two weeks of total use.

Bought for a trip to Costa Rica. No trouble as a carry on. When caught in the light rain my pack stayed dry. Super lightweight.
Could use more pocket areas but I could also just learn how to pack 🤣

This was the first product i'd ever purchased from matador a few years back. Whether it's a day hike or as a go back during travel, this is the bag i'll grab on my way out. It's been through every condition you can think over the past 4 years and shows no signs of giving up. I liked this bag so much I've bough countless more gear from matador over the years. You can consider me a lifelong customer.