How Reliable Are Bento Bags? Here's What Customers Are Saying

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If you've come across Nomad Lane's Bento Bag, you may be wondering if it's worth the hype — it has been featured by several major travel magazines and websites, after all. The company says this bag is TSA-friendly and fits the personal item requirements for most major North American airlines, making it a "versatile travel partner."

One feature the Bento Bag stakes its reputation on is the many compartments and pockets for organized packing. Some reviewers even say it's spacious enough if you're trying to pack just one carry-on. However, Nomad Lane and reviewers like One Mile at a Time agree it's best suited for only one to three days of travel. It can be carried multiple ways (as a tote, attached to a larger bag, or as a crossbody or shoulder bag), and it's constructed with weather-resistant nylon and LWG-certified leather. If you're a minimalist packer, you should be able to comfortably carry a few days' worth of clothes, a pair of shoes, your tech and personal items, and some toiletries.

Compared to the eye-wateringly expensive carry-on luggage airline pilots swear by (we're looking at you, Briggs & Riley), the Bento Bag won't require as large an investment. The typical retail price is $298, though the bag sometimes goes on sale on Nomad Lane's official website. Amazon may also have it listed for below the retail price, depending on promotions. But, if you are going to drop hundreds of dollars on a travel bag, you'll want it to last more than a handful of uses. So, we scoured reviews, online forums, and the manufacturer's website to check out its features — and, most importantly, to find out if the Bento Bag is reliable, according to people who have actually used it.

Fans of the Bento Bag tend to be travelers looking for a well-organized personal bag or compact weekender that will be a reliable go-to. Many say they're happy with how the bag has held up over time. For example, u/stephaniesylo on Reddit said, "I purchased one of their bags just in time for one of my work trips and it's been working great for me." Another fan, u/vishal620, wrote, "I purchased the Bento Bag about a year ago and mine has worked perfectly. I haven't had a single issue with any of the zippers."

On the other hand, u/conflictfreepaella, who said they had an older version from the company's Indiegogo campaign, shared, "I've used it about 5 times and the zipper on the main clothes compartment separated (the bag was zipped closed and the zipper began to separate from the opposite side of where my zipper pulls were). I got it to come back together once, but it promptly pulled apart again. I haven't been able to fix it since, rendering the bag useless." One person on the same Reddit thread also pointed out that the Bento Bag only has a one-year warranty — so, if something breaks after a few trips, you might be out of luck, depending on how often you travel.

Others found that, even though the materials seemed to be of good quality, the bag wasn't as useful for traveling with as they had imagined. "Just a bit more awkward and heavy to carry than I thought it would be," u/chellekelle wrote. Many add that its weight makes it less practical than a backpack or roller bag. Travelers who prefer the spaciousness of a traditional carry-on may want to either skip or pair the Bento Bag with this top carry-on luggage pick of 2025.