Products We Love: High Altitude Flight Bag

Dara Continenza has been exploring the world and writing about it since 2010. Her writing has appeared on Hopper, SmarterTravel, USA Today, Money, U.S. News and World Report, Yahoo, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Boston.com, and others.

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I may travel frequently, but my carry-on is a newbie nightmare. I’ve been known to shove my boarding pass in a jacket pocket and misplace a brand-new hardcover somewhere between the gate and my seat. Once, I entangled my earbuds so tightly around a comb that I had to cut the cord to free them. With my teeth.

I’ve tried numerous bags with smart pockets and clever concealed compartments, but nothing has really wowed me. Each model is either too overcomplicated or cheaply made, or beautifully constructed but useless.

However, the Genius Pack High Altitude Flight Bag is a great compromise: a compact, well-designed pack with just enough bells and whistles to wow this completely disorganized flyer. Its best feature? The Velcro straps that attach the bag to the seatback tray in front. No more rummaging around for a pen and elbowing the stranger next to you.

What I Love:

At 12x1x11 inches, the bag is small enough to sling over your shoulder or attach to the top of your carry-on
The compartments are usefully arranged and include slots for your passport, travel documents, and earbuds
There’s a slot for Genius Pack’s Portable Mobile Charger, which means you can power up your devices inside the bag
It’s business-like in black but funky in brighter shades like plum and mint green
It comes with a five-year limited warranty
It’s not a fanny pack

Things to Note:

The bag’s not big enough to hold most laptops, although it will fit an iPad, several magazines, and a book or two—as long as you’re not hauling Atlas Shrugged
Polyester exterior isn’t jazzy, but it’s durable

Final Thoughts:

The High Altitude Flight Bag is a great option for both long- and short-haul flights when you don’t want to drag along a laptop bag (although that may render it useless for business travelers). And, at just $58 on sale via GeniusPack.com, it’s an affordable option that goes with almost carry-on.

(Photos: Genius Pack)

Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at editor@smartertravel.com.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.