A Ryanair-approved backpack with the perfect dimensions for taking as free hand luggage has been discounted on Amazon for a limited time. The VMIKIV backpack, which measures 40 x 20 x 25cm, usually retails for £29.99, but right now, it is discounted to £18.64.
Amazon claims the backpack was “specially designed for Ryanair,” so with that in mind, reporter Fran Winston tested it on a trip between Dublin and London. “I favour a backpack over a holdall as I am generally jumping on and off the tube and trains and find it more convenient, so I was excited to try this one,” she said.
Admittedly, Ryanair’s free hand luggage allowance isn’t the largest. While the Irish airline might have announced plans to increase the size of its hand luggage by 20% (to 40 x 30 x 20cm), until the rules are officially in place, passengers must still ensure their bags meet the current requirements, or they could be charged excess fees.
On arrival, Fran was concerned the bag wouldn’t be big enough, but she was pleasantly surprised. “My first thought was that it looked quite small, but when I opened the bag out and unzipped all the pockets, it was deceptively capacious,” she said.
In addition to the main compartment—which has straps to compress clothes like a regular suitcase—there is a section with subpockets for accessories or documents, a roomy zip pocket on the front of the bag, a laptop pocket designed to fit a 13.3″ computer, and a zipped security pocket in the back, great for smaller items like keys and passports.
The bag comes in six colours, though Fran tested it in navy. “The fabric feels heavyweight and good quality, and the bag has sturdy-looking padded straps,” added Fran.
When it came to packing, despite being small enough to fit Ryanair’s luggage allowance, Fran said she didn’t have to bother with any packing hacks to fit everything in, though she did make use of packing cubes (mainly for organisation). In fact, she managed to pack an outfit change, pyjamas, and a hoodie, along with her toiletries, makeup, a book, a power bank, and her passport. She also hooked a travel pillow around the handles of the bag.
However, she found her laptop didn’t fit in the designated pocket. “Mine is 15.6″, bigger than average, and like many bags, this one has a laptop pocket designed for a 13.3″ machine,” she explained. “To be fair, this is an issue I tend to encounter on all Ryanair-friendly bags…However, given that my laptop is only 38mm across, slightly less padding in the pocket would have ensured it fit.”
Luckily, her laptop did fit inside the main compartment of the bag.
One small downside Fran noticed was that if the front pocket is overstuffed, it can jut out, making this bag just a tad too big.
However, she loved that the bag was comfortable to wear and found the backpack style handy when hopping on and off transport. She said it “feels durable,” and that she really liked the assortment of pockets for various items.
Fran added: “For just over £20, this is a workhorse of a bag…The capacity is impressive for the size, and it’s comfortable to carry when packed. While my laptop didn’t fit in the allocated pocket, it is flagged that it is for a smaller machine, and it sat perfectly in the main compartment, so this isn’t a major gripe.”
Although the bag is currently on sale, Amazon has not specified how long this discount will last. You can read Fran’s full review of the VMIKIV backpack here.