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I’m an over-researcher. I admit it. I wanted a simple, lightweight backpack to take with me on cruise excursions and travel adventures and it took me over a year to finally break down and make a purchase! After countless reviews, videos, and shopping cart adds, I finally went with the Dveda Ultra Lightweight Backpack from Amazon.

Part of the reason for my delay was that I wanted a travel backpack that had a LOT of qualities:

• Lightweight. This was was my #1 consideration. I’ve had previous backpacks that were just clunky and uncomfortably heavy when loaded up and that just weighs down on your fun (see what I did there?)
• Double Strap with Front Click. I’ve had bags before with a single strap and that just ends up putting all the burden on one shoulder. I’ve also had dual strap bags, but those always sag down on the back. I wanted a dual strap with a wrap-around front-click to keep the backpack in place no matter the excursion we were on.
• Water Resistant. I was buying this for a cruise after all! Many of the excursions are water-based. Plus, the humidity of the Caribbean and regular rain storms made this a critical feature.
• Ample Storage. I needed any backpack that I bought to hold two cruise towels, sun screen, backup phone chargers, wallet/cash, and a water bottle.
• Easy to Pack. My last backpack just wasn’t easy to pack and took up a lot of room in my suitcase. Considering I sometimes sail with just a carryon and my laptop bag, I needed my cruise backpack to be easily collapsible.
• Non-descript color. This is something many people don’t think about, specifically, why the color of the backpack matters. #CruiseTip: Bright and flashy colors are more likely to shout, “Hey! I’m a tourist!” Whereas a simple grey backpack blends in better and provides a bit more camouflage when burying under a towel as you jump into the ocean.
• Breathable. I’ve had cloth bags and other materials that just made me sweat. I wanted straps and material that could breathe and help deal with the humidity.

After 3 years of usage, I can say, this backpack has met all of my needs. I’ve recommended it now to several friends that were in the same situation I was in trying to find the best backpack for a cruise.

A couple things to keep in mind with this backpack if you end up purchasing:

1. It absolutely has enough storage space to hold everything you need. From towels to dry clothes post excursion, I’ve never felt like I ran out of room with this bag.
2. It’s water resistant, not water proof. Don’t drop it into the ocean like I did once. It won’t keep out the water, nor is it designed to.
3. Because it is collapsible, it doesn’t have the same rigid structure as other bags. As a result, you can’t just stuff multiple cruise towels into it without taking a little bit of care.
4. While this bag has significantly better breathability of any bag I’ve ever owned, nothing wins against 80+% humidity and 90 degree days (I’m looking at you Cozumel). In those situations, I usually carry the bag over one shoulder versus both.

So that’s my honest and truthful review of the Dveda Ultra Lightweight Backpack after several years of use. It’s one of several #CruiseEssential items I recommend to make the best of your sailing experience!

If you end up picking up this item, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.