Aer Go Pack 2 Review: The Packable Daypack That Actually Works

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The Aer Go Pack 2 is a 20-liter packable backpack that folds flat into your suitcase and unfolds into a proper day pack at your destination. At 1.3 pounds and $99, it sits at the premium end of the packable daypack market – more expensive than the Osprey Daylite or Matador On-Grid, but with better materials and more thoughtful organization than either.

Aer is a San Francisco-based bag company that designs for urban professionals. Their Travel Pack 3 is one of the more popular carry-on backpacks in the one-bag travel community. The Go Pack 2 is their answer to the “I need a daypack at my destination but don’t want to pack a second full-size bag” problem. It packs into its own pocket, rides flat inside your suitcase, and expands into a 20L pack with a suspended laptop sleeve, water bottle pockets, and enough organization to handle a full day of sightseeing or remote work from a coffee shop.

Design and Materials

The exterior is 210D Cordura crinkle nylon with a bluesign certification – meaning the fabric meets environmental and worker safety standards through the manufacturing chain. Cordura is the same nylon family used in military gear and high-end outdoor packs, though the 210D weight here is lighter than the 500D or 1000D you’d find on something like the heavier-duty nylon bags built for daily commuting. The trade-off is weight savings. At 1.3 pounds, this bag barely registers when it’s in your suitcase.

YKK zippers throughout, Duraflex hardware, and hypalon zipper pulls. These are the same component brands you’d find on packs costing twice as much. The interior lining is a soft woven fabric (also bluesign certified) that looks and feels noticeably nicer than the slick nylon lining in most packable bags. It’s a small detail that signals Aer’s positioning – this isn’t a stuff sack with straps.

Organization

The main compartment is straightforward – one large open space with a suspended laptop pocket that fits up to a 16″ laptop. “Suspended” means the pocket hangs above the bottom of the bag rather than sitting against it, which adds a thin layer of drop protection. Your MacBook Pro won’t be resting directly on the ground when you set the pack down.

The front pocket uses a magnetic fastener instead of a zipper. Quick to open one-handed, quiet (no zipper noise in a meeting or library), and it holds a passport, phone, or small notebook. A quick-access top pocket handles the things you reach for constantly – earbuds, transit cards, chapstick, keys. Two exterior water bottle pockets round out the storage.

What you won’t find: dedicated pen loops, admin panels with card slots, or a clamshell opening. This is minimalist design applied to travel – enough pockets to stay organized, not so many that packing takes five minutes. If you want a travel pack with a pocket for every cable and adapter, look at the Aer Tech Pack 3 instead.

The Packable Question

Every packable bag involves a compromise. The bag either packs down small and feels flimsy when expanded, or it feels substantial when expanded and takes up real space when packed. The Go Pack 2 leans toward the “substantial when expanded” end. The Cordura exterior, structured laptop pocket, and padded shoulder straps mean this feels like a real backpack when you’re wearing it – not like you’re carrying groceries in a nylon sack.

The flip side: it doesn’t compress to the size of a fist like an ultralight packable from Sea to Summit or Matador. Packed flat, it’s roughly the footprint of a folded t-shirt and about an inch thick. That’s small enough to slide into the front pocket of most carry-on suitcases or tuck alongside your main travel backpack. But if absolute packability is the priority and you don’t care about laptop protection or premium materials, lighter and smaller options exist at half the price.

Who It’s For

The Go Pack 2 makes the most sense for travelers who bring a laptop on vacation (digital nomads, remote workers, people who edit photos at the hotel) and want a day pack that handles both sightseeing and a few hours of work at a cafe. The suspended laptop sleeve is the key differentiator from budget packable bags – the Osprey Daylite and Matador On-Grid don’t offer real laptop protection.

It also works for business travelers who fly with a roller bag and need something to carry during the day between meetings. The luggage handle pass-through lets it ride on top of a suitcase handle in the airport, and it packs flat in the suitcase when you don’t need it.

Skip it if you don’t need laptop protection in a packable bag. At $99, you’re paying a premium for the suspended laptop pocket, the Cordura nylon, and the Aer design language. If all you need is a stuff-in-your-pocket bag for day hikes or beach trips, the Osprey Daylite at $40 does that job for less than half the price.

Availability

As of early 2026, the Go Pack 2 is sold out in Lunar Gray and Olive colorways, with Black as the only option still in stock (when available). Aer sells exclusively through their own website at aersf.com – there’s no Amazon listing or third-party retail. The bag frequently sells out due to demand, and Aer typically restocks in waves rather than maintaining continuous inventory.