Hanchor Breccia Travel Backpack Review

I always enjoy testing out products from new companies.

Hanchor, a backpack and climbing gear company, is a relatively new company from Taiwan. They launched in 2012, and have since run a few successful Kickstarter campaigns. The campaign to fund the Breccia Travel Backpack was one of them.

The Breccia is a very thoroughly thought out bag, and was designed with the traveler in mind. It can be used as a carry on backpack or a duffel bag in both adventure outdoor travel environments and urban settings.

Here are my thoughts on the backpack after testing it out:

Pros:

• Both top loading and panel loading – has 2 opening entry points
• Hidden pockets for storing money and valuables
• Straps can be stowed away for checking in
• Carry on sized
• Perfect travel backpack size – not too large, not too small
• Highly adjustable for people of all body shapes
• Lightweight, weighs 3.0 lbs when empty according to my luggage scale
• Uses YKK AquaGuard zippers, which are smooth and waterproof
• Versatile, can be used for travel, hiking and possibly for business trips
• Internal aluminum frame

One of my favorite aspects of the Breccia backpack is it’s size. The backpack is large enough for week-long trips, or even long term travel, yet still fits within carry-on restrictions. It falls right in the sweet spot (45 liters) of our best travel backpack sizes. If you do need to check the bag in, you can tuck the waist belt and shoulder straps in, so they won’t get caught on anything when being checked in.

Read more: How Big Should My Travel Backpack Be?

Unlike a lot of backpacks, the Hanchor Breccia can be opened two ways: (1) top loading (2) panel loading (suitcase style). This allows you to maximize the space in the bag, yet easily access your clothes, even if they’re packed at the way bottom of your backpack.

The backpack is made of Cordura 420 denier nylon, which is a very durable material. It comes in black which has a low profile and slightly technical look. The backpack also resists water well.

The CLAST Backpack, the removable add-on daypack

One of the great things about the Hanchor Breccia backpack is that it has a modular design. You can attach Hanchor’s daypack, multifunction organizers or side pockets to the backpack. These add-ons can make your backpack more versatile and add extra capacity when needed.

The removable daypack, the CLAST Backpack, is a tiny 11 liter bag ideal for short day trips. Hanchor graciously sent me a CLAST daypack along with the Breccia to test out.

The CLAST has a quite simple design, with a main compartment and a secondary pocket. The main compartment has a small sleeve which can hold a water reservoir or a laptop or tablet. I’ve been able to fit my 13 inch MacBook Pro along with a thin sleeve into the backpack. It was a tight fit, and you won’t be able to fit any laptop larger 13 inches. The bag is tiny and very lightweight, but just the right size for a day trip. In the bag, I can hold:

• MacBook Pro 13 inch
• Water bottle
• Laptop and phone chargers
• External battery
• Book
• A few snacks

With all that stuff, the backpack will be fully loaded.

The nylon straps aren’t padded, but even when I’ve worn the pack fully loaded, it didn’t hurt on my shoulders. It would be nice if the straps were slightly padded, though. Since they’re so thin, the straps stow away easily.

The CLAST can easily attach to the front of the Breccia by hooking a few parts and buckling the CLAST’s tiny compression straps onto the Breccia.

I really appreciate the ability to attach and detach the daypack, since you can then leave your main backpack at your hotel or hostel and explore for the day with just the daypack. I did a similar thing when traveling around the world by using the REI Flash 18 as my packable daypack.

You can buy the CLAST on it’s own for about $75, or in the Breccia Combo for about $450 which includes the Breccia and all add-ons including the CLAST, side pockets and the organizer.

Fit and Comfort:

The Breccia backpack has a suspension system similar to that of any hiking backpack. The hip belt and shoulder straps are fully adjustable and can be stowed away. The straps also have thick foam padding, making this travel backpack comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The straps have what’s almost a triangular lattice, allowing the straps to bend which really conforms to the body.

The Hanchor Breccia backpack also has an internal aluminum frame, helping to transfer weight to the hips. There’s a foam back-pad making the backpack rest comfortably against the back. The pad can be removed and unfolded to be used as a mat, however I almost never remove it.

One suggestion I’d make is that the back could use a little ventilation. Also, hip belt pockets would be a nice add-on.

Durability:

The Hanchor Breccia travel backpack is made of Cordura 420 denier nylon and has robust components. The zippers are all smooth, and there aren’t any frays or imperfections. I’d expect for it to last a long time.

Pockets and Organization:

The fact that the Breccia backpack is panel loading makes it easier to organize your clothes and gear. By using the panel loading opening, you can quickly access anything you need.

Inside the backpack’s main compartment, there’s a hydration sleeve. At the sides of the main compartment are mesh zippered pockets, perfect for undergarments like socks or smaller items and accessories.

The main compartment is large and doesn’t have any dividers, making it good for holding bulky gear. If you’re packing clothes for a long trip, you could pack the main compartment like you would a in a suitcase.

I’d recommend using packing cubes with this backpack – or any backpack in general. Packing cubes are like portable drawers and make it a lot easier and less of a hassle to organize your clothes. You can read more about the pros and cons of packing cubes.

From top of this backpack, you can access the main compartment, and you can also store some items in the top pocket. The top pocket is large enough to hold a jacket and is great for carrying items you’ll need to access quickly.

Also on the top of the bag, there’s a smaller top pocket, great for holding accessories or tickets. There’s a pocket inside of this pocket to hold other more valuable items, possibly a hard drive, or your keys.

There’s also a hidden pocket at the back of the backpack, right above the shoulder straps. This is perfect for holding cash or your passport or boarding pass.

In the cons section, I’ve included some information on how I think the Breccia could have better laptop compartment. Maybe a side water bottle pocket would be a nice addition, but other than that, the Breccia has all the organization you’ll need.

Cons:

• Zippers aren’t lockable
• Not much back ventilation
• Pricey
• Can be difficult to stow away the shoulder straps. You have to feed the ends through a plastic clasp in order to detach them from the bottom of the pack to stow them away. A durable snap-fit buckle (like the one on the hip belt) would make it easy to clip the shoulder straps on and off.
• Suggestion: Panel loading system could be improved
• Suggestion: Make a designated laptop compartment that’s completely separate from the main compartment

One minor suggestion I have regarding the Breccia travel backpack design is to use lockable zippers. See the image below:

These types of zippers would be safer and make it a lot easier use a luggage lock to secure your bag.

Also, the Breccia can be pricey, especially on a backpacker’s budget. At retail $255, it’s on the higher end of my travel backpack price spectrum. ($255 is the price for just the Breccia. If you want the CLAST daypack, you’ll have to add another $75.) The Hanchor Breccia travel backpack is made with very high quality materials, and I’d expect it to last a long time, but the price tag can be hard for some.

Read more: How Much Should I Spend on a Travel Backpack?

Right now, I think it’s great that the pack is both top loading and panel loading. The panel loading feature could be improved a bit, though.

The panel loading opening is a bit narrow. If it were wider, it would be easier to access clothes and gear inside.

Also, the compression straps cover the panel loading section. In order to open the panel, you have to undo the compression straps. If you have the CLAST daypack attached, you won’t be able to open the panel loading pocket.

The current design, the only place to put a laptop is in the hydration sleeve, which is located inside the main compartment.

If I were going through airport security and had to take my laptop out, I’d have to open top zipper, undo the drawstring, then pull the laptop out. This can be a hassle, especially if there’s stuff inside the top pocket, and it can be hard to put the laptop back in the bag, even more so when the bag is fully loaded. If there was a pocket specifically designed for a laptop that was between the straps and the main compartment, like in the eBags Motherlode, it would be a lot more convenient.

The Verdict:

Overall, the Hanchor Breccia travel backpack is a high quality and well designed backpack. There are some improvements which can be made, but the Breccia is still a solid choice for adventure travelers and urban travelers. I’ve rated the Breccia highly in every category and it receives an overall 8.8/10 rating.

The Hanchor Breccia backpack costs around $255, and the add-on CLAST daypack costs another $75. You can also purchase the Breccia Combo, which includes all of Hanchor’s Breccia accessories and add-ons.

Where To Get It:

• You can find the Breccia Travel Backpack on Hanchor.com

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

The Breccia Travel Backpack was provided for this review. As always, this Hanchor Breccia Backpack review contains only my honest views and opinions. 🙂 Find out more about me and this site here.