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On my recent girl’s trip to St. Pete, Florida I wanted to wear a backpack that was both functional for my travels and for my city adventures. Vessel’s Skyline Lux Backpack was the perfect bag and it’s loaded with essential must-have features.

1. Aesthetically Pleasing

The first thing I look for in a bag is the design. The Skyline Lux Backpack initially caught my attention because of its beautiful natural/cream color and its minimal exterior design.

It’s always a challenge to find a backpack that is aesthetically pleasing and finding one with a feminine style is not as easy as finding a sporty one.

A girl walking with a backpack — Vessel Skyline Lux Backpack

Two bags travel on a couch — Vessel Ivory Travel Bags

I typically prefer backpacks over purses. Don’t get me wrong, I love purses, but more often than not, I require a backpack to carry my camera and other miscellaneous items.

2. Spacious Interior

As I mentioned earlier, I need plenty of space in my backpack to haul all of my belongings. I am the type of person that needs to over-prepare; especially when I am traveling.

This bag has a ton of space and has a capacity of 19L. One of my favorite anti-theft travel backpacks is also 17L and that one actually looks larger than Vessel’s backpack. I think the sleek design of Vessel’s backpack gives it the illusion that it’s smaller.

Inside look at the Vessel backpack — 19L Vessel Backpack

Not only is this backpack spacious, but it has a ton of compartments to keep your valuables organized. The large main compartment has a back wall slip pocket, two interior personal zip pockets, and two interior mesh water bottle sleeves.

3. Microfiber and Antimicrobial Lined Pockets

One of the interior pockets is microfiber lined and another is antimicrobial lined. One of the benefits of having an antimicrobial lining is that it helps fight odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew.

The external microfiber-lined pocket is a great place to put your valuables and it feels luxurious.

A Microfiber lined pocket — Microfiber lined pocket

4. Padded Microfiber Lined Laptop Compartment

I carry my laptop with me on my travels, so having a dedicated laptop compartment is a huge plus. It’s so much easier to have this over a separate laptop case since that takes up extra space.

This backpack fits up to a 15" MacBook Pro, but I was able to squeeze in my 16” MacBook Pro. It’s a bit snug, but the zipper closed just fine.

Vessel backpack laptop sleeve — I was able to fit my 16” Macbook Pro

A Macbook Pro inside a backpack — Padded Laptop compartment

5. Internal Water Bottle Sleeve

I’m used to having water bottle sleeves on the exterior, so having it on the inside was new to me. I was skeptical about this at first, but the mesh sleeves keep the water bottles in place just fine.

A water bottle inside a backpack — Internal water bottle sleeve

Girl with a white backpack — **Brixton** Joanna Hat **Nisolo** All-Day Cross Strap Sandal

It is definitely easier to access a water bottle from the exterior, but having an interior sleeve gives the bag a minimal silhouette.

6. Hidden Top Pocket

This is a feature I wish my other backpack had as it’s so convenient. There is a hidden top pocket where I can stash my sunglasses for quick access.

Hidden top pocket on a backpack — Hidden top pocket

Zipper on top of a backpack — Compartment for sunglasses

It’s also microfiber-lined, so I don’t have to carry my bulky sunglasses case. I wear really large-framed sunglasses and there was plenty of room for it.

A backpack with a hidden pocket — These large frame sunglasses fit just fine in the top compartment

7. Trolley Sleeve

If you are a frequent traveler, having a bag with a trolley sleeve is a must for easy portability. Plus, it gives your back and shoulder a break; especially if you are carrying heavy items like a laptop and camera gear.

A girl walking with a suitcase — **Anatomie** Tank & Pants **Anine Bing** Trench Coat

A girl checking the flight status board — **Away** Carry-On Suitcase

8. Compression Molded Neoprene Black Panel & Straps

The Compression molded neoprene back panel is fantastic for both comfort and breathability. It’s amazing just how much of a difference these little details add.

Backpack with neoprene molding — Comfortable padded straps

Straps without padding can place extra pressure on the nerves leading to the shoulders, neck, and lower back. Our bodies just weren’t designed to carry heavy loads for long periods so this feature is much appreciated.

9. Embossed Synthetic Leather

These days there are a lot of pros to going with synthetic leather over real leather. One is that faux leather is animal friendly. But some of the other advantages are that it’s durable, weather-resistant, and easy to clean.

A girl standing outside the airport arrivals — **Bandolier** Phone strap

Since I wanted a cream color bag, I needed a material that I could easily clean with a damp cloth. Leather requires additional care whereas synthetic leather is a lot more low maintenance.

Final Thoughts

I am pretty picky when it comes to backpacks and this one has earned a spot in my wardrobe. I only have one other backpack in my closet and I have been using that one for several years now.

If you are looking for a combination of luxury and function, the Skyline Backpack is a great choice.