Is Cotopaxi The Key To Simple, Sustainable Travel? 2025 Review

Summary: I traveled with Cotopaxi’s sustainable luggage on a road trip and a quick jaunt to NYC. It was a great, flexible fit for both journeys, comfortable, and made from high-quality and sustainable materials. If you’re looking for something versatile, organized, and durable to accompany you on getaways, I recommend it!

What I Love:

• Cotopaxi’s luggage storage and compartments helped me stay organized both when I was packing and throughout my trip. 
• The lightweight and ergonomic design of the backpack and tote bag made them easy to carry when traveling.
• I love the way Cotopaxi integrates quality, aesthetics, and functionality into its designs. It’s so cute and colorful!

Things To Keep In Mind:

• The luggage I reviewed didn’t have wheels, which could make carrying it around difficult for some. Though Cotopaxi does offer rolling options as well!

I’m a bit of a chaotic traveler. I tend to pack the night before I leave, get to the airport no earlier than one and a half hours before we leave, and I usually forget a few things. I’ve learned to roll with the punches and go with the flow, but I’m always looking for ways to make the whole process a bit smoother. So when I had the opportunity to try out Cotopaxi’s sustainable luggage for two of my end-of-summer travels, I was thrilled! 

I took two short trips — one weekend road trip to Madison, Wisconsin, and one short trip to New York City. In Madison, I was going to dinner, watching my fiancé run a 5K, and spending some time with his family. I needed a variety of clothes for that, as well as my laptop and notebooks to finish up some work on the car ride. And in New York, I was going to see a Broadway show, meet some friends for dinner, and get coffee with a couple of editors I work with. I needed a bag that hold clothes for all of those occasions, but was also small enough to carry around the city on my travel day. 

“Each piece is made with water-resistant, long-lasting materials crafted from 100% recycled fabrics sourced from pre-consumer waste.”

Cotopaxi’s luggage is designed with adventure, sustainability, design, and function in mind. Each piece is made with water-resistant, long-lasting materials crafted from 100% recycled fabrics sourced from pre-consumer waste. The Fair Trade-certified company offers a lifetime warranty and repair services, prioritizing quality over everything. And they have a secondhand store, Cotopaxi Más Vida, which is sourced by their trade-in program. 

I tried a few pieces from the new Del Día Collection, which features one-of-a-kind bags made from leftover deadstock fabric, keeping good material out of the landfill and into the high-quality designs of Cotopaxi. Products made with deadstock have around a 30% smaller carbon footprint than bags made from new materials.

For my main bag, I tried the All-New Allpa 35L ($215), a recently redesigned version of their classic adventure backpack with better weight distribution, air mesh shoulder straps, a water bottle pocked, and a luggage pass-through strap. It has a suitcase-style opening, along with three inner pockets, two outer pockets, and three grab handles on the sides. I also tried the Cubo 6L Expandable Packing Cube ($25), which is made from a 100% recycled see-through mesh and expands from 4L to 6L when you zip it open. Lastly, I tried the Todo 22L Convertible Tote ($75), which can either be used as a tote bag or as a backpack. It has a laptop compartment inside, as well as a zipper pocket and mesh pouches on the front.   

Unboxing + first impressions

Unboxing the luggage from Cotopaxi was easy and uncomplicated. All three products came packed in a box with minimal packaging. Pulling them out of the box, I was immediately struck by the beautiful colors of the luggage — and I really appreciated the way all three bags matched in their own mismatched way.

After running into the other room to show my fiancé how cute the bags were, I opened each of them up to look at all the pockets and features. It was also about now that I noticed how clearly durable and high-quality these bags are. “The backpack opens like a carry-on!” I yelled to him in the other room, excited about the organization that this new luggage would allow. 

My travels with Cotopaxi

When I went to pack up my Allpa 35L carry-on, I was genuinely excited. I put all my socks and underwear in the packing cube, and it all fit so nicely. Then I packed up each compartment in the larger bag, folding my clothes to fit in the zipper compartment on the right, and putting my packing cube, toiletry bag, and extras in the other two compartments on the left. I was surprised by how much I could fit in it!

“I’ve used a carry-on backpack for travel before, but never one where I could actually organize my stuff.”

I’ve used a carry-on backpack for travel before, but never one where I could actually organize my stuff. It was amazing to not have to just shove everything into a tube-shaped bag and hope I can find it later.

Here’s everything I packed for my two trips: 

I was so pleasantly surprised to pack this much for each trip and still have a bit of room to spare in both bags! I love that the exterior pockets on the larger bag are easily accessible. And wearing it was incredibly comfortable thanks to the multiple straps, including a waistband, and ample padding. It also has handles on three sides, so pulling it in and out of the overhead bin on the airplane ride to NYC was super easy. 

The Cubo 6L Expandable Packing Cube was great for chaotic travelers like me who tend to fold things when I pack before the trip, but just throw things in bags when I’m packing to go home. I loved being able to expand the pouch open and just throw things in when packing up to go home. Its versatility and size variance really came in handy!

For the Todo 22L Convertible Tote, I loved being able to easily switch between using it as a backpack and as a tote bag, and it was great how easy it was to carry with the larger backpack (we all know the struggle of carrying two backpacks, right?). Both bags are incredibly well-made. It’s extremely clear that Cotopaxi prioritizes quality materials and design. As someone who’s a bit chaotic when travelling, this luggage made it a lot easier, from packing to bringing it on the plane to carrying it around.

“It’s extremely clear that Cotopaxi prioritizes quality materials and design.”

At times, I wish I’d had a rolling bag option, and luckily, Cotopaxi does have a few rolling options, the Allpa 38L Roller Bag for example, if you’re looking for a bag that does roll. 

I’m going on a weeklong honeymoon to Norway in November, and I will absolutely be using my new Cotopaxi luggage for the trip. I love having a backpack-style suitcase for Europe, especially when I’m going to be traveling by train, which I will be in Norway. This bag will be perfect for it! And I’m excited to have the tote bag and packing cube to bring along as well. 

I have faith that this luggage will last me a long time, but if anything happens (what if I run into a moose in Norway?!), Cotopaxi has a great warranty and repair program. Their Guaranteed for Good promises to make gear that’s as durable and sustainable as possible. Learn more about their warranty, repair, and trade-in programs, and what’s eligible, here. 

Is Cotopaxi’s luggage worth it?

All in all, I was extremely impressed with the quality, thoughtful design, and functionality of Cotopaxi’s luggage. It helped me keep all of my stuff organized throughout my trips, especially with all of the compartments and pockets. While it is a bit of an investment — the Allpa 35L goes for $215, for example — you absolutely get your money’s worth in terms of the high-quality, sustainable materials, the durability, and the attention to detail throughout the bags. 

This is a great luggage option for those who are traveling to multiple destinations throughout their trip or are going on adventures that need a durable and portable option. It might not be the best choice if you prefer a hardshell case or want a more muted colorway (they almost exclusively have bright colors, which I adore, but some might not!).

So if you’re looking to invest in quality, colorful, durable, flexible luggage, I highly recommend it!

Brianna Schubert is a writer and editor based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade, an editorial assistant at Motley Bloom, and a freelance writer. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since 2023, Brianna has combined her expertise and investigative skills to deliver thoughtful reviews of sustainable products and home goods, helping readers make informed, eco-conscious choices. Brianna is also the writer behind The Mood Board, a Substack newsletter for creativity and inspiration. When she’s not writing, you can find her cooking up a new recipe, reading and recommending books, cuddling with her cat, or yapping with her friends at a café. Say hi on Instagram!

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