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A 34-liter backpack with anti-theft protection that you can use on outdoor adventures and business travel? Say no more! Pacsafe’s Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack hits the bullseye for adventure travel. We tested it, we love it, and we recommend it.
Quick look
Product: Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack
Price: $209.95 USD
Pros: Spacious, organization, carry-on size, anti-theft
Cons: Too big for short hikes
Worth it? Yes
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Pacsafe Venturesafe 34L interior compartments
Pacsafe Venturesafe 34L locking mechanisms
Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack: The Verdict
We are really liked testing Pacsafe’s Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack. We tested it in the Canadian Rockies on long day hikes and found it to be the ideal size for long days and weekend trips. In fact, it felt like an ideal backpack for weekend hiking trips when you’re front-country camping and don’t need to pack a ton of food or water. This pack could also work for minimalist backpacking trips in warmer weather when you stay warm without needing to pack layers, so you’ll have room for what you need to camp. It’s also a contender for business trips and weekend city breaks, as it fits in the carry-on cabins, and it’s protected with Pacsafe’s anti-theft features.
Pacsafe Venturesafe 34L metal components
Pacsafe Venturesafe 34L review and rear view
Overview of Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack
The Pacsafe Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack suits hikers and travellers who wants to organize gear neatly and keep it protected from theft. The backpack is designed for continuous comfort for longer wear. It has 34L of packing space, and more pockets and sections than you’ll know what to do with. Carry-on friendly and secure, and built for the outdoors—you can take this backpack anywhere!
Pacsafe Venturesafe 34L review
When to use
Our primary testing method for the Venturesafe X34 Backpack was hiking adventures in the Rocky Mountains, but you could use this pack as your travel luggage or jaunts around town. Digital nomads will love its laptop and tablet sleeves and anti-theft features.
The slightly larger size (34L) is nice on trips hikes where you may need more gear – for example we were testing in shoulder season hiking and needed to bring extra layers, and this backpack had the space for it, along with pockets for snacks and a hydration pack sleeve (which doubles as the laptop sleeve, but we were not bringing a laptop on the hike!).
This backpack also performed well on a steeper hikes, without straining the shoulders. In fact, as summer progressed we continued using the X34, even though we didn’t need the space, but simply because we liked the fit and the compartments in the 34X Hiking Backpack.
Even though the Venturesafe 34X Backpack is intended for hiking, we think it would be an optimal piece of travel luggage for any adventurous digital nomads, or anyone travelling on business. It’s secure and has specific laptop and tablet sleeves to protect your valuables. And if you plan on hiking at your destination, you can use this backpack on your adventures too! It has enough space to pack your essentials.
Weight
Despite all of its anti-theft buckles and locking features, this pack only weighs 3 lbs / 1.37 kg. It’s heavier than ultralight hiking backpacks, though comparable to other full-featured daypacks. You shouldn’t have a problem keeping weight down if you’re going for a more extended day hike or overnighter. If you want to use this for a longer journey, check our Backpacking Checklist to learn how to shed weight and only bring the essentials.
Pros
Space + organization. The backpack has so many compartments that you’ll have no trouble finding a secure spot for your gear. If you’re super organized, you’ll love the features in this pack.
Ergonomic design. Many daypacks exclude hip straps, but the Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack is designed for comfort with its adjustable straps and hip strap feature.
Carry-on friendly. If you are travelling by plane, there’s no need to check your bags! The dimensions of this backpack are carry-on friendly. You can secure all buckles, compartments, and zippers, and stow the hip strap away neatly to avoid any loose pieces getting caught in the overhead bins.
One bag for everything. This is an excellent choice if you want to buy one bag to fit a bunch of uses. It’s great for hiking, using around town, overnight bag for weekend jaunts and even for minimalist backpacking. As mentioned above, its carry-on size makes it a delight to travel with, and you can use it for any hiking you might do on your trip. All-in-one! Yay, minimalism!
Cons
Too big for short outings. This pack is excellent for longer adventures, but overkill for shorter adventures. That said, we kept using this even when the 34L capacity was unnecessary.
Non-adjustable attachment points. The rings attached externally are non-adjustable, which means you can attach a sleeping bag or mat, but only of a specific size.
Keep your gear organized
The makers of this backpack are fans of organization—take your pick of compartments for all your belongings. When you need to stow your laptop or tablet, you can easily slip them into their specific sleeves, 15” and 10” respectively. Of course, you won’t need your laptop when you head out into the mountains, but the laptop sleeve doubles as a hydration pack sleeve so you can easily carry and access your water supply. Several pockets line the interior, giving you plenty of options to store your small goods. The outside has a water bottle pocket and external attachments for items that might not fit inside like a bulky jacket or sleeping pad. However, we found that these attachments are not adjustable, so there’s a chance your gear might not fit.
Anti-theft protection
We tested this pack for its outdoor adventure purposes, but it’s just as functional as an adventure backpack for international or business travel. And that’s where Pacsafe’s anti-theft protection is going to matter the most.
The backpack is constructed to be cut-resistant—pick-pocketers will not be able to slash through. The zippers fasten and lock to keep your belongings safe, and the RFID blocking lining prevents your passport and credit cards from being scanned and stolen electronically. Rest assured that your valuables are safe with the PopNLock security clip.
We didn’t need these features on our hikes but did find comfort in knowing our belongings were secure. The locks and buckles can be a bit finicky at first if you’ve never used them before, but you’ll figure it out after a few tries.
Ergonomic comfort and support
During the hikes I went on with the X34 Hiking Backpack, I never had an issue with comfort. The Venturesafe X34 Backpack is fashioned with an adjustable hip belt to disperse the pack’s weight, which impressed me. Many other daypacks don’t have a sturdy hip belt, so I was quite happy to have that option. The hip belt is also removable so you can hide it away when you want, for example, if you’re carrying it on to plane. The internal frame of the pack is ergonomic and designed to move with your body without poking you. The main straps have small holes to increase ventilation, an excellent feature when trekking tough terrain with a big pack.
Should you buy the Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack?
There are several great backpacks out there, and the Venturesafe X34 Anti-Theft Hiking Backpack earned a spot on our favourites list. It’s excellent for weekend trips and on-the-road backpacking, and it suits business travel as well. Security and comfort are paramount with the pack—and it delivers!