Caribee

These are all 40L bags sized for the cabin, and all three carry by hand, over a shoulder or on your back, with backpack straps that zip away when you don't need them. What sets them apart is what's inside.

The all-rounder: Traveller 40

The Caribee Traveller 40 Carry On Backpack is the one most people come looking for. It has a padded laptop sleeve, a big front pocket for the things you want at the gate, and a loop on the back that slides over the handle of a wheeled case. With no wheels or trolley, more of your weight allowance goes on what you're actually packing, though you carry every kilo yourself, so it rewards packing light.

Shoulder bag first: Sky Master 40 and Altitude 40

The Caribee Sky Master 40L Carry-On Travel Pack and Caribee Altitude 40L Carry On Travel Bag are closer to a soft holdall, with a mesh divider and compression straps inside to keep clothes flat. The Sky Master has been in Caribee's range for years and is the simpler of the two. The Altitude has padded sides that hold their shape, which makes it easier to pack neatly, and lockable zips. Both suit weekends away and work trips.

For the day bag: Global Organiser

The Caribee Global Organiser Travel Bag is a zip-top shoulder bag with plenty of internal pockets, for passports, tickets, your phone and the things you'll need once you've dropped the big bag at the hotel.

In short: Traveller 40 if you're bringing a laptop, Sky Master 40 or Altitude 40 if you'd rather carry it like a bag, and a Global Organiser for the day once you get there.

Past 40L you're checking a bag in. What decides the choice is how much you pack and how often the wheels will be on smooth ground.

Mostly rolling: Adventure 70L

The Caribee Adventure 70L Hybrid Wheeled Travel Backpack rolls most of the time and has a padded harness with a hip belt that zips away for when it has to be carried. It's made from recycled fabric and weighs about 3.4kg empty, which makes it one of the more manageable wheeled bags in the range.

Maximum space: Global Explorer V2 125L

The Caribee Global Explorer V2 125L Wheeled Travel Luggage is the biggest bag in the range, with three zip-divided levels for a month away, ski gear, or packing for two. It weighs about 5kg before you put anything in it, so it's easy to go over airline weight limits. Weigh it before you leave home.

Backpack all the way: Journey 65L and 75L

The Caribee Journey 65L Travel Pack and Caribee Journey 75L Travel Pack are classic backpacker's bags, for trips spent more on foot than on smooth floors. The harness adjusts on an aluminium frame with a padded hip belt, and there's a zip-off daypack for days out. With no wheels or trolley, they're lighter than a wheeled bag of the same size.

A duffle on wheels: Scarecrow V2 100L

The Caribee Scarecrow V2 100L Wheeled Travel Bag is a split-level wheeled duffle on oversized wheels, for long trips and heavy packers who don't need to carry it on their back.

Wheels, a harness and a daypack: Nomad 80L

The Caribee Nomad 80L RPET Hybrid Wheeled Travel Backpack does a bit of everything. It rolls on all-terrain wheels, has a full harness with a hip belt that zips away, and the 80L includes a detachable 15L daypack sized for carry-on. It's made from recycled fabric. All that hardware makes it heavier empty than a plain duffle of the same size.

In short: Adventure 70L for most trips, Global Explorer when you need the space, Journey if you'll carry it more than roll it, Nomad 80L if you want one bag that does everything.

We stock two families of Caribee duffle, and the difference is how dry your gear has to stay.

General gear hauling: Kokoda 65L and 90L

The Caribee Kokoda 65L Duffle Bag and Caribee Kokoda 90L Duffle Bag are the straightforward, tough option for camping trips, the ute tray, sport kit or work gear. Both have padded shoulder straps you can take off, so they carry as a backpack too. The 65L suits a weekend or one person's gear. The 90L takes a family's camping kit or a week of bulky clothes.

When it has to stay dry: Expedition 80L and 120L

The Caribee Expedition 80L Waterproof PVC Roll Top Gear Bag and Caribee Expedition 120L Waterproof PVC Roll Top Gear Bag & Backpack are heat-welded PVC tarpaulin and close with a roll top rather than a zip, which is what keeps rain, spray and dust out on boats, roof racks and wet campsites. The 120L also has padded backpack straps. Because you open them from one end, they're slower to dig through than a Kokoda.

If you'd rather something smaller, the Caribee Trident 2.0 32L is a waterproof roll-top backpack with heat-welded seams, sized for a day on the water.

In short: Kokoda for general use, Expedition when rain, spray or a wet boat deck is part of the trip, Trident 2.0 for a waterproof backpack.

So many daypacks, and so many different jobs.

Day walks and uni: Trek 32

The Caribee Trek 32L Daypack Backpack takes a day's walking gear, a uni or school load, or a laptop and lunch. It has a padded hip belt and a rain cover tucked into the base. It's a simple pack at a good price rather than a technical hiking harness.

Military-style: M35 Incursion and Combat 32L

The Caribee M35 Incursion and Caribee Combat 32L Hiking Pack are built military-style, with heavy-duty fabric, webbing loops on the outside for attaching gear, and room for a 2L or 3L hydration bladder (sold separately). The M35 is a little bigger and adds a removable hip belt and side bottle pockets. Both are popular with cadets and tradies.

Gym and commute: Hoodwink 16L

The Caribee Hoodwink 16L Backpack is the small one. It's enough for a gym kit, a change of clothes and a water bottle, with zip pockets to keep your phone and keys from ending up loose in the bottom.

In short: Trek 32 for walking and study, M35 or Combat 32L when the pack takes a beating, Hoodwink for a light daily carry.

Good-value packs for overnight and multi-day walks. The choice is mostly volume.

Overnighters and weekends: Pulse 65L

The Caribee Pulse 65L Hiking Rucksack is the size most people start with. It takes a tent, a sleeping bag and two or three days of food without being so big you're tempted to fill it.

Longer walks and bulkier gear: Pulse 80L

The Caribee Pulse 80L Hiking Rucksack adds room for colder trips, longer food carries, or carrying shared gear for a group.

Military styling: M60 Phantom and Platoon 70L Auscam

The Caribee M60 Phantom 60L is a heavy-duty rucksack with a front zip that opens straight into the main compartment, so you can get to gear without unpacking from the top. The Caribee Platoon 70L Auscam Camo Hiking Rucksack is bigger and comes in Auscam camo, which suits cadets, hunters and anyone who likes the look.

If you walk long distances often, a pack with a more adjustable harness is worth paying for. Have a look through our hiking packs before you decide.

These are synthetic-fill bags. The choice is how cold it gets and how much room you want.

Cooler nights: Deploy 1300

The Caribee Deploy 1300 0c Sleeping Bag is rated to 0°C and packs into its own compression stuff sack. Read the note on ratings below: for a comfortable night, it suits autumn camping and mild winter nights rather than frosty ones.

Warm nights and travel: Nepal 600 +10

The Caribee Nepal 600 +10 Synthetic Sleeping Bag is rated to +10°C and packs into a stuff sack about the size of your palm, which makes it a summer, hostel and caravan bag rather than one for winter camping.

Room to move: Snow Drift Jumbo

The Caribee Snow Drift Synthetic Sleeping Bag - Jumbo is an oversized bag for tall sleepers and anyone who hates being zipped in tight. It's rated to -10°C, the warmest bag in the range. It's a car-camping bag: the extra size means extra bulk, so it's not one to carry far.

Sleeping two: Safari Double

The Caribee Safari Synthetic Sleeping Bag - Double suits couples, or a parent sharing with a kid. It's rated to 0°C, has a cotton lining, and zips open on both sides so neither of you has to climb over the other.

Caribee gives each bag a single temperature rating rather than separate comfort and limit figures, and that number is closer to the coldest you'd want to push it than to a comfortable night's sleep. As a rule of thumb, pick a bag rated about 5°C below the coldest night you expect.

A hydration pack carries a water bladder with a drinking tube so you can sip without stopping.

Walks and rides: Quencher

The Caribee Quencher Hydration Pack with 2L Hydration Bladder is the everyday option, with the bladder included and room for a few essentials alongside it.

Worksites and roadsides: Stinger Hi-Vis

The Caribee Stinger 2L Hi-Vis Hydration Pack does the same job in high-visibility orange with reflective tape, which makes it the one for outdoor work, riding on roads, or running early and late.

Travel: travel packs, wheeled luggage, duffle bags, packing cubes, toiletry bags

Hiking and everyday: hiking packs, daypacks, hydration packs, waist packs

Sleeping: synthetic sleeping bags

We ship free Australia-wide, except bulky items, which include our wheeled luggage, and you've got 80 days to return anything, sale items included. Full details are on our shipping and returns pages. You can also see the range in person at our Burleigh Heads and Brisbane stores. Our store locations page has the hours, and it's worth calling ahead if you want to try a particular bag.

Will a Caribee 40L backpack fit as carry-on?

The 40L bags above are designed as carry-on bags. Whether one gets through on the day depends on your airline's size and weight limits, your fare type, and how full you've packed it. A stuffed bag ends up bigger than its listed dimensions, so check your airline's current limits and weigh the bag once it's packed.

What size Caribee bag do I need?

For a week or so with a light packing list, a 40L carry-on is usually enough. Longer trips, cold-weather clothes, or gear for several activities will push you to something larger that you check in. If you're not sure, lay your gear out on the bed first and see how much room it actually takes.

What warranty do Caribee bags have?

Caribee covers its bags against faults in materials and workmanship. Most of the bags here carry a 3-year warranty, but the length of cover depends on the product, so check the product page for the one you're looking at. If something goes wrong, contact us with your order details and a photo and we'll sort it out with Caribee. Your rights under Australian Consumer Law apply as well.

Can a Caribee bag be repaired?

Often, yes. Zips, buckles and wheels do the most work, so they're the usual repairs. Get in touch with us first and we'll work out whether it's covered by warranty or a job for a local repairer.

Is Caribee an Australian brand?

Yes. Caribee is an Australian family-owned company that has been around for about 60 years, and the bags are designed here with Australian travel in mind: domestic flights, long drives and plenty of time between the two.

Can I see Caribee bags in store?

Yes, at our Burleigh Heads and Brisbane stores. Stock differs between the stores and online, so call ahead if you want to try a specific bag. Online orders ship free Australia-wide, except bulky items such as wheeled luggage.