INTRODUCTION

We’re always searching for practical, travel-friendly bags. Even as travel photographers, not every trip is a shoot—and we’re not always on the road. The heavy-duty bags we pack for international journeys don’t always fit casual city walks or quick local outings, so we choose our carry based on where each day takes us.

The Bagsmart Faro Light Backpack 0.4 sits at the sweet spot between an ultralight outdoor daypack and an organised urban commuter pack. Weighing in at just 430 g (0.95 lbs) with a 20-litre capacity, it is significantly lighter than other alternatives while maintaining structure and a generous pocket layout.

Our first impression of the Faro Light 0.4 is positive, as it easily combines with several bags in the Bagsmart range, making it the complete travel solution. We were also sent the Bagsmart Faro Rolling Duffel, which has a 40L capacity, but is still carry-on compliant. We will be reviewing this bag in a separate post, but we can definitely see these two bags being used together for those who want to take advantage of carry-on airfares.

Thanks again to Bagsmart, who kindly sent us the Bagsmart Faro Rolling Duffel 40L and Faro Light Backpack 0.4 in the Black colourway for this review. Please read our Disclaimer below.

If, by the end of this post, you decide to purchase, please use the BUY HERE link at the bottom of the post or the banner below and enter the Wide10 discount code at checkout for an additional 10% off.

Disclaimer:  This review is unbiased. We would never recommend using any product unless we have used the product ourselves. We always strive to give you our honest opinion to help you make the best choice. We received the product with compliments , but were not paid for this review; however, we may receive commissions on links in this post.

THE EXTERIOR

The Bagsmart Faro Light Backpack 0.4 is, in our opinion,  a cool-looking backpack, although it is slim and not as wide as competing daypacks. At only 27cm wide, it is the narrowest backpack that we have ever reviewed. This is not necessarily a bad thing; it’s all about the features and how the space has been utilised.

The backpack is constructed with Lightweight Cordura Nylon that is weather-resistant* to splashes and light rain, so we recommend purchasing a rain cover for this bag. It uses YKK weather-resistant zips with durable and DURAFLEX buckles. That’s a big tick for us, as the YKK zippers are premium quality and, in the past, were not used on some of the Bagsmart bags we have reviewed. The Duraflex buckles are also a big tick, as they are one of the world’s leaders in plastic buckles and are extremely resilient. With this combination, you can rest assured there are fewer possibilities of hardware failure with this bag.

*Concerning weather resistance, there is a contradiction on their website. In the details tab, they mention that the exterior fabric will withstand splashes and light rain, but in the Description tab, they rate the exterior as Level 3 Water-Repellent fabric, and in the Key Features tab, as Level 4 Water-Repellent Fabric. Both Level 3 and Level 4 fabric will generally sustain heavy downpours. Nevertheless, in our opinion, splashes and light rain are more accurate. We really could not imagine this bag surviving a heavy downpour without a rain cover.

Two side nylon loops near the top allow quick clipping of small tools or accessories, while two prominent pink loops at the base provide an ideal lashing setup for extra layers or bulkier equipment.

Dual grab handles offer flexible carry options: a sturdy woven nylon rope handle at the top for daily use, and a rear handle designed to slip over rolling luggage handles.

Both sides of the bag have stretchy mesh pockets to accommodate a water bottle and both have a strap and buckle to secure the top of the bottle.

The rear of the bag has a breathable honeycomb mesh panel that provides exceptional comfort. When testing the bag, we walked with it fully loaded for over 10 km, and it was one of the most comfortable bags we have carried. If you prefer a more flexible, structureless feel, you can easily slide out the internal padding—more on that later. The shoulder straps are well-padded and feature a vertically adjustable sternum strap to help offload weight during heavier carries. There are also two flat webbing loops on each strap that give you convenient mounting points for small clip-on gear.

Accessing the main compartment is smooth and simple via top dual zippers, revealing a fairly basic interior setup:

• Laptop Sleeve: Fits up to a 14″ laptop or tablet. It comfortably fits our HP 14″ laptop, but it slides around a little. It would have been nice to have a Velcro strap to secure the entrance to the sleeve and prevent a laptop from sliding out completely, especially for smaller devices.
• Bottom Mesh Pockets: Two equal-sized mesh slip pockets sit at the very bottom. Their placement feels a little awkward in practice, as retrieving items requires digging past whatever else you have loaded in the main cavity or opening the bag completely.
• Removable Structure Panel: A top interior pocket houses removable frame padding to reduce rigidity. However, the pack already strikes a great balance of structure and flex on its own, so most users won’t ever need to remove it.

That’s it for the interior. Not much to write home about here, but based on what this backpack is designed for, we’re not surprised. These days, many bags, especially daypacks/backpacks, are designed with more external features, as the interior carries the bulk of the contents and needs to be simple. Any additional side pockets inside would only infringe on the main compartment, and in a bag this size, would be illogical.

As a newly released pack, it’s slightly disappointing that it omits a key lanyard and a dedicated AirTag pocket—two features quickly becoming standard on modern travel bags. Since this pack is positioned to pair with the Bagsmart Faro Rolling Duffel 40L, an integrated AirTag sleeve seems like a natural fit. While these small additions would have rounded out the feature set nicely, they aren’t dealbreakers—an AirTag or Keys slip easily into any pocket.

Capacity: 20 litres

Weight: 430g (0.95lbs)

Dimensions:
W: 28 cm (11″) x D: 16 cm (6.3″) x H: 46 cm (18.1″)

Carry-On Ready: Under-seat approved

Shoulder Strap Length: 45 – 89 cm (17.7″- 35″)

Laptop/Tablet: Fits up to a 14″

Exterior Material: Nylon (Cordura)

Interior Material: Polyester

Hardware: YKK Zippers, DURAFLEX Buckles

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COLOURS

The BagSmart Faro Light Backpack 0.4 is available in 7 colours: Black, Moss, Mediterranea, Icy Blue, Mars Red, Nero, and Bone White. We were sent the Black colourway for this review.

PRICING

ALTERNATIVES

Alternatives to the Bagsmart Faro Light Backpack 0.4 are –

• Osprey Daylite Plus – 20L – Positives: Slightly heavier harness system built for better trail comfort under heavier loads, and it holds up to a 15-inch laptop. Negatives: Heavier than the Faro (430g vs ~585g), no full-front panel opening, and no built-in luggage pass-through for travel integration.
• Aer Go Pack 2 – 20L – Positives: Has a full-front opening and fits up to a 16-inch laptop. It offers a sleeker, more structured street/office aesthetic. Negatives: More expensive, heavier (430g vs 589g), and lacks the Faros airflow back panel for outdoor activity.
• Deuter Speed Lite 21L – Positives: V-shaped frame and athletic ergonomics designed specifically for fast-and-light hiking. aesthetic. It is comparable in weight, but has no laptop storage. Negatives: More expensive. The Faro is much better equipped for urban travel, with dedicated laptop storage, travel organisation, and a luggage strap

THE FINAL WORD

RATED: RECOMMENDED