I own the Medium size bag and used it on a 500-mile walking pilgrimage which lasted 40 days. Overall the bag was great, almost perfect, and served its purpose very well. Before purchasing I had researched toiletry bags from every site I could find, but I could not find anything that matched L.L. Bean’s design in terms of the number of pockets, to features such as the removable caddy which I consider to be a bonus. Some reviewers have said that there were too many pockets, but believe me, they are gratefully needed when you are rushing in and out of hostel showers and need to quickly stuff used items in unused pockets. Having more pockets is always better, and one does not have to use them all; if you leave some open, they are good for temporary items that will be removed or thrown out later. The two side pockets and the central outer one are great for quick access to items such as lip balm without having to open the entire bag.
With that said, I have just a few small issues which prevent the bag from being perfect. The bag is a little stiff in the seaming and the waterproof pockets, which makes it hard to zip and unzip. The bag is vertically too long, which makes it dangle very low in certain hostel showers -- the fabric connecting the hook could be shorter. The front pocket is all mesh and is see-through to the internal compartment when the bag is open; it is good to see at a glance what you have inside, but I would prefer a little more privacy, since hostel bathrooms are co-ed. The side pockets are private, which is good, but I would like one more private pocket; the front mesh pocket could be opaque (for private items), or semi -- the front fabric a mesh and the back an opaque fabric -- to obscure the internal compartment. I ended up putting cotton balls in here to achieve this, but as they became used up, more is revealed inside. Finally, the hook which interferes and dangles everywhere when you carry the bag from the strap: this was mentioned by another reviewer as well. It was a nuisance during the whole trip, so it was not until I got home that I discovered that it had velcro which can be attached to the velcro behind the mirror! I did not use the mirror at all, so I could have removed it and used the velcro for attaching the hook. The mirror can be kept in the waterproof top pocket if one needed it. I wish I had known earlier!
Some reviewers have said that the bag has no support, but I am afraid that that would make the bag heavier if support were added. If L.L. Bean improved on this design, I hope they would not make it any heavier. Lighter would be even better. I carried this bag everyday walking 13-16 miles a day, so every ounce counts!
I will continue to use this bag for other occasions since it is a good size for me; for my next backpacking trip, however, I am on the lookout for a smaller, lighter one. So far, none match L.L. Bean’s design in terms of features. I looked at the Small size which has the right dimensions -- 9”H x 6.5”W x 3”D -- but alas, I wish it were horizontal instead of vertical. According to the specs, it is similar in height to the Medium size, just not as wide. This would make it harder to access from the top, being more narrow. If L.L. Bean turned it around -- to 6.5”H x 9”W -- then it would be perfect!
I will hold off on any more purchases until the time comes for my next trip. If there is nothing else, then I would buy the Small. Hopefully, by then, there will be something else on the market, or better yet, a new L.L. Bean model with improvements on an already good product. I selected 4 stars because there is no half-star option, but I really meant for it to be 4.5 stars since it is almost ideal. Thanks to L.L. Bean for a very nice bag!
This little piece is my most used piece of luggage. I have taken it camping, travelling in the US and Europe, overnight trips...if I go somewhere, it goes, too. I have the small and the medium, but, the small can handle everything that I need to take: meds, hair care and personal hygiene items, shower cap, tweezers, clippers, eyeglass cleaner, etc. I love the hook, the different compartments, the small space that it takes up in luggage or in carry-on, fits in my backpack...it's is just great!
