Organization is my new obsession. These days I鈥檓 into storage bins,听label makers, and听color-coordinated folders.听Maybe it鈥檚 a sign of my advancing age, or maybe I just crave a bit of structure in a hectic world full of uncertainty. But even without the global pandemic and shifting social norms, my life is crazy. I have kids. There are shoes and glitter all over my house. I need stability in some form,听and the ($190) gives me a听little slice of order.
The SEG42 is a 42-liter backpack duffel where the space is divided between five built-in packing cubes accessed via exterior zippers,听and a full-bag clamshell opening to a large compartment for shoes, gear, and clothes that shouldn鈥檛 be rolled or folded. There鈥檚 also a dedicated laptop sleeve, so听in theory听the SEG42 presents itself as a single solution for all kinds of travel, from weekend camping to airline-based work trips when we鈥檙e flying again. I鈥檝e spent the past two months testing the pack on a handful of short camp-outs and a seven-day family surf excursion, and the SEG42 delivered the organization I desperately needed.
The integrated packing cubes are the obvious standout feature. Each section is听a different size, and when they鈥檙e loaded听they carve up the majority of the interior space. But even when the cubes are full听you have enough room in the main compartment for a pair of shoes and some bulkier items. If you need a single large compartment, you can also flatten the cubes and zip them away to use the whole space like a traditional pack.
On the surf trip, I put shoes, flip flops, and a rain jacket in the big clamshell compartment, and used cubes for underwear and socks, swim trunks, and sun shirts and rash guards. On camping trips that have a multi-sport agenda, I pack the cubes based on activity鈥攎y trail running kit in one cube, mountain biking clothes in another, and camp pajamas in another.听When it鈥檚 a shoe-intensive outing, I use more of the clamshell space and fewer cubes. You could pack听the cubes by day if you wanted, too. It鈥檚 the flexibility within the system that makes the SEG42 so appealing.
The fact that the SEG42 converts from a backpack to a duffel is nothing new; there are dozens of similar packs听on the market, and I鈥檝e tested my fair share.听But the Matador is the most comfortable of the lot to wear as a backpack, even when it鈥檚 fully stuffed. I鈥檇 have no problem lugging this pack听through an airport, thanks to the harness system: its wide straps don鈥檛 bunch up and pinch your shoulders. And one of the happy side effects of the cube system is that it keeps the load evenly distributed throughout the pack鈥攜our gear doesn鈥檛 sink to the bottom when you carry it.
The SEG42 will fit in most overhead bins and听has a top pocket for snacks and anything you need to access on the fly, and听its built-in laptop sleeve is great for (future) work trips. I typically travel with two bags鈥攐ne for clothes and gear and another to hold my laptop and various snacks (I must听have beef jerky with me at all times). The thought of being able to knock out a three-day excursion with just a single carry-on is tantalizing.
Matador is known for its ultralight听but durable and waterproof duffels and backpacks, and the SEG42 follows suit. I have no worries about slinging it around camp or strapping it to the roof rack if space is tight in the car.听It鈥檚 built from a mix of 840-denier and 420-denier nylon with UTS (ultra tear strength)听coating that the company bills听as weatherproof. (I took a hose to the pack for a few minutes, and some of my outer layers got wet through the zippers. The hose mimicked monsoon conditions, though, so I鈥檇 have no worries running through a typical storm.) The pack听is definitely not waterproof, which is an important distinction when you鈥檙e carrying a laptop.
My only real complaint so far is that there鈥檚 not enough padding in the laptop sleeve. I鈥檓 a nervous Nelly when it comes to my computer, and I want more structure around my baby. More padding would obviously add weight and take up space, but I think it would be a worthy upgrade. For now听I鈥檓 putting my laptop in a padded sleeve before packing it, but it would be nice to eliminate that step.
Overall, the SEG42 is a pack听designed to pull double duty鈥攊t鈥檚 rugged enough to handle the road-tripping and听car-camping lives we鈥檙e leading now, and svelte and thoughtfully designed enough to transition into the jet-setting future that we鈥檙e all so desperate to get back to. In both scenarios, it听offers an unrivaled level of organization. And that feature is always welcome鈥攇lobal pandemic or not.