Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Stowaway Pack

My first stowaway back pack finally fell apart after 15 years of filling it with groceries and gym clothes and shoes..shocked at price but decided I would get another. It is exactly the same. I love it but it is the ugliest red I have ever seen! Wish I could dye it!

I love this bag it works well but a little pricey but if you have the money it's worth it

This is a very nice pack. with good capacity and details. After using it I have found it to be to unstructured and would have preferred a heavier material.

I purchased this specifically for a day long train excursion and wanted a hands-free carryall. This pack is lightweight with adequate space for a day trip for 2 adults. I appreciated the waist and chest straps that helped make it comfortable and secure. My one dislike, expressed by others, is the mesh pouches for water bottles. My bottle fit in ok but is was a struggle. Impossible to replace while wearing the pack even by another person. It had to be taken off, set down on a fairly level, secure surface to cram it in. There must be a better way.

I pack the self-stored pack in my carryon. Unfurl it and it's a day/backpack at my destination. It fits plenty for day hikes or sightseeing. I only wish it had more attachment points for trekking poles and other danglies. Use stuff sacks to keep it organized. It's comfortable enough for a day or two on the trail and around town. If you don't have use for a hydration bladder, the compartment fits a small tablet or electronic reader although it's not padded (not a problem if you keep it in a case). It's not waterproof but it will tolerate a light sprinkle. I also find myself using it regularly as my go-to daypack at home. Go figure.

I haven't used it yet so I'm giving it four stars. It is lightweight, a good size and has lots of pockets for storage. It appears very well organized.

Bought this daypack because of the lightness and H2O water pack capability. It does have the water tube hole at the top near the handle strap and it does have the LLB name guide on the shoulder strap to put the water tube through it. BUT the little Velcro strap inside the pack is not long enough to hold the T-bar top of the camelbak up. The clerk in the retail store said it was a great little daypack and yes it would hold a camelbak. The guy from customer service said the Velcro strap might work better on perhaps another water reservoir up to a 1 liter. He said could be used with the water pack just resting on the daypack bottom. Ugh. I love the daypack. Not happy with no camelbak inside and no adjustment tightening on the water bottle pockets. I still would still recommend the pack if not needing the water reservoir. Yet I am uncertain whether to keep the daypack.

I would give it five stars, except the fabric is a little bit crunchy and loud. I love the organization in such a small pack.

Love the backpack. Sturdy, yet flexible and holds up well. I own a couple of these. Used to have draw string side mesh pockets that secured items like sunglasses or keys, but still gave you easy access to them. Now they are just mesh with no way to secure items. Things keep falling out. Please bring back the drawstrings!

Great little backpack for a Rick Steves tour of Scotland

The chest straps do not hit the female chest in the right place. Super awkward and not flattering.

Ordered black L.L.Bean Stowaway Pack. Nice quality made lightweight day pack. Issue for petite female is chest buckle straps don't fall at appropriate location. Adjusted shoulder straps but still unable to completely resolve chest buckle strap issue. Will keep pack since purchased for light weight vacation travel and touring. Pack can accommodate a Camelbak. I use other heavier durable packs for AT hiking.

I was looking for a packable backpack that I could use as a smaller day pack so I got the Stowaway. I liked the size and the fabric and fit and color. The only real issue is that it was difficult to pack, I fought with it and with a bad wrist it wasn't fun. The Stowaway is a good deal and seems like it will last a lifetime.

I bought this pack about two years ago. I have used it a number of times to travel and to hike. The stitching inside the little pocket gave way and it is a bit of trouble to repair it.

I love the idea of this backpack. It is really lightweight. I ordered it online, but when it arrived, it was much smaller than I thought. I wish they made it in a bigger size. It would be great for traveling, but I feel like it just needs to be a little bit bigger.

This was the perfect size pack for overnight to Boston via the bus. I packed essentials and other items(maps,tablet). I was able to carry during the day and bring into venues with no problem before check in. Just the right amount of pockets and light weight. I will be able to use this to transport maps and birding books to and from the car.

Love this backpack. It's very lightweight and easy to organize. I took it to S. America for three weeks. It served as a great day bag.

A lovely daypack. My kids absconded with my first 2. (Only one kid leftmaybe I can keep one for myself someday.) My only gripe is that I've never been able to get any of them stowed in their own pocket.

Fits a lot and folds up nicely. Good compartments to keep your items organized.

Small and compact, but fits a ton of stuff. Good bag for a day hike or heading out for errands.

Used this as a carry-on and daypack for a Route 66 trip. Works great.

I was looking for a nylon shell bag. This one was a little too complicated than what I was aiming for. A little big I'm 5'1" so it kind of overwhelms me.

This is the second one I owned - the first eventually started to wear out. I was upset that you could not longer cinch the water bottle pockets on the outside down tightly as you could on the first model I had. I really miss that - the water bottles often fall out when you are travelling which is very inconvenient. In fact when this one wears out I may not buy this model again due to the water bottle pocket problem. Otherwise the second one ahs held up well. I use them as a carry on. You can fit it a computer, e-reader, a few clothes, toiletries and if necessary can stuff your handbag in so you appear to have only two carry-ons : backpack and suitcase. Fits nicely under the seat in front of you and good sturdy zippers with, for me, the right number of different pockets. Just a shame about the water bottle pockets.

I have a previous version of this backpack and it is my go-to backpack for day hikes, errands that require a little more than a purse, festivals, small town outings, amusement parks, etc. I like the fact that it's lightweight, very durable, has the stowaway pocket inside where I carry my wallet, cash, keys securely, can access my phone easily in the front pockets, has plenty of storage spaces for a jacket, camera, snacks, sunscreen, chapstick, hat, small umbrella, etc., side pockets that I use the straps to help secure my stainless water bottles and it easily stows away for carrying in luggage. The one feature that the older version lacked was a hydration pocket, not necessarily for that purpose but because I wanted two large divided areas in the main compartment to separate my items a little better & make things easier to access. I decided to order this new version after noting on some of the webpages that it had been upgraded with that feature, which for my uses would have made it the perfect backpack. Unfortunately though, the side pockets were changed too so there is no way to cinch them to help secure a water bottle or any small items in those pockets. At least I can still secure them with the straps on the front stuff pocket, however it's not ideal because I can't use the pockets for anything else because I'm worried I'll lose those items. Another downgrade is the LL Bean labeling on the front. My old bag was an embroidered tag sewn on that looked classy, outdoorsy and helped show the true LL Bean high quality, and now it's more of a cheap screen print that looks like it would eventually wear off. All in all, I like this backpack & the love the updated hydration pocket, but I miss some things from my older pack. If I could combine features from both backpacks into one, I would have a perfect backpack.

Wish it was Slightly roomier but good pockets & lightweight. Difficult to stow in pocket but I won't need to. Using it for airline carryon so works good for that.