I have a 5.11 COVERT 18 and LBT 3 Day Assault in Black I can use for flying.

I also have a Kelty Raven 2500 but it looks like it's just a tad too big for the carry on dimensions.

Is it worth spending $$$ for a "travel friendly" backpack?

I rarely ever fly, and this would be the first international flight since 1993 too.

Thanks for looking.

ETA: Here's the dimensions of items I can bring on board.

1 standard item 9 x 15.5 x 21.5 inches

1 personal item 6 x 13 x 17 inches

ETA2: Forgot that I also have a Maxpedition Kodiak in Black and Maxpedition Fatboy Versipack in Black I can use.

No. Use what you have

Try to look like a Canadian.  Find out what they're using and get it.

I'm not sure by what you mean by travel friendly.  Something none tacticool?  I've travelled all over the globe with my camelback backpack for a carry on.  Never had an issues.

https://www.camelbak.com/en/packs/R01037--Quantico?color=01f5eea026d04d469ac1238d47c68aff

I think this is the newer version of what I have mine is 11 years old

FPNI.

Unless you're looking to impress some stewardesses, but you won't wearing street clothes and a backpack and you don't want to do that with American ones.

FPNI. If you were a frequent flyer I would say yes. Since you're not, I wouldn't bother. I fly a lot for work and have a good one but it is very handy for me being able to compartmentalize my stuff.

Do you value your spincter? Then yes it is.

Yes.  You should spend at least 8700 dollars or you are a poverty stricken POS
( I use a LBT 3 day as well)

No, use what you have but make sure that you can get your laptop in and out easily.

How do you define travel friendly. You have two good sized carry ones listed and probably the third would be ok. Unless it’s a small commuter flight, I have seen people bring on some pretty good sized luggage and backpacks and nobody says boo about it

This.

5.11 screams cop. It's fine for work, but the theives and dip shits see Molle and think "steal that bag"

Swiss Army is a nice bag that doesn't stand out, and looks nice and works well. Not too expensive either.

The LBT screams Military, The Kelty says wanna be in I am not a real cop.

The 5.11 Covert is your best of the three, but the dip shits know who buys those. The lemmingsa out there won't. Depends on how "covert" you're looking to be.

I have a 4 hour layover in Toronto.
Maybe I can survive looking like an American.
Since I'm half Japanese, maybe I can pass as an Eskimo.

Marmot/Northface/REI hiking day packs.

They are slender. The compression straps let you wrench the bag into a small package. They don't scream 5.11/tactical. You can jam them under a seat, or slip them lengthwise into overhead bins. The ripstop nylon material is light. Lots of easy access little zipper pouches.

I have the marmot kompressor summit, and that's been my carry-on every flight for the last 8 years.

Definitely easier to get to with my 5.11 than LBT.

Get this one or go be poor somewhere else. Only $2900

Travel friendly seems to be the catch phrase/buzz word on backpacks and travel essentials.

Forgot that my wife has a Marmot Boulder 35 she uses for work.
It's held up well for the last 2 years.

Everyone carries molle bags, from kids to granny. OP has enough good bags he does need another. Just make sure you emnpty all your stuff, bullets, knives, brass, tools out of your bag beforhand.

Guess I'll be poor.
I have no desire to be a mile high cum dumpster with that backpack.

Definitely not using my 5.11 Sling Pack, since it houses my 7.5" AR-15 pistol or Sig 556 pistol.

Don’t need to. I use a goruck GR2 for traveling but it’s too big to fit under a seat so the GR1 may be better for more flexibility and you can pair an international roller bag with it for more flexibility.

Depends on where I'm going and what I'm doing, yes sometimes a more formal bag is nice to have. For that I'll usually use my Saddleback leather briefcase.

Why a backpack?

Do you guys think a regular carry-on suitcase is somehow unmanly?.

You get one with wheels (ugh) if you really can't carry it by the handle (like a man).

I've never considered one, but am intrigued now.
Can I get a decent one in the $50 range?

I use a carry-on and a backpack to avoid checked bags on short trips.

Are you like a frontier version of Jack Bauer?
Cool looking bag.

Spending a week in Japan, so I will have to check in luggage.

I take a decent quality carry on suitcase and I have a couple of backpacks I use a lot in the past. None of them are "tactical". Now I have a small Filson backpack I bought for travel to count as my personal item.

Nothing screams Euro-fag like a leather "satchel" We're talking about the leaders of the world here, not ancient also-rans.

Narita is a long way from the city.  Look RIGHT when crossing the street.

What's a travel friendly backpack? No need to complicate things. Use what you have tonto.

Fwiw, I travel a lot and spend about 50% of my time in airports.

The fancy travel bags are generally less of a hassle to deal with when going through TSA or customs.  I like being able to pop out my electronics quickly, and put them back in protection just as easily.

A lot of the fancier bags come with moveable sub bags or compartments. You can segregate your socks from your shirts and also your toiletries. I usually carry grocery store bags for my dirty clothes and zip locks for items that are prone to leak (shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, shaving cream etc).

I’ve found that not all fancy bags are created equally. You really have to be picky. Not all match up well for say.. carrying a business suit or other situation specific clothing. Look them through and see what seems to match best.

I’d say that you should keep away from the Lithium Ion powered, Bluetooth on, wireless suitcases if I were you. The TSA and airlines are coming down hard on them due to battery safety issues.

I rock a Tortuga travel backpack, I can store a weeks worth of clothing, a business suit, dress and casual shoes, toiletries, a laptop, travel monitor and associated electronics with room to spare.

Good luck

Its for taking  a piss in the bathroom at the airport. I hate rolling my bag on piss. Rather have everything on my back. And a backpack is more useful around town

Honestly you, and some others, are overthinking this.  Nobody cares if you have an old military pack or some sort of tactical pack, as one other poster pointed out they're very common here and internationally.  Just make sure that it's within the size limits and that you clean out anything that could look like a weapon or part of a weapon- empty it completely and make sure there are no shell casing, knives, scissors, pointy objects, etc.  Now check again to make sure it's empty.  If you've taken it to the range and it might have any powder residue on it then either wash it or use another bag.  One thing to keep in mind is that the size limits are for the overhead bins on larger planes, if you are flying a commuter/connector such as a CRJ or similar smaller plane on part of your flight you may have to check your bag at the gate.  Packs that lack a spine/internal frame or a small duffel can often be crunched up in an overhead bin or under your seat if they aren't packed full.

Bonus tips: The freezer style Ziploc bags hold up better to repeated use than a standard Ziploc- put your toiletries in one so that you can take it in and out easily.  Carry an extra or two.  If you normally use a safety razor put it in your checked bag; disposable razors and disposable head razors are fine.  Carry some disposable handiwipe things.  Get yourself some sort of water bottle that will fit in your pack's side pockets.  Bottled water is expensive in the airports but many now have filtered water fountains with bottle faucets- and staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to prevent getting sick or jetlagged.  Fill it after you go through security and most places will let you take it on the plane, occasionally they'll make you dump it though.  For some reason an empty Nalgene/Hydro-flask/etc. is ok but an empty disposable bottle (Aquafina for example) will get tossed.  Drink lots of water!  It has the added benefit of making you get up and go to the bathroom instead of sitting which is bad for you and can lead to DVTs, especially on those long flights.  If you are older or have any health problems, are overweight, etc. then you might want some compression socks- in some studies they show up to a 70% reduction in DVTs.  You can get them in normal looking socks.  Carry a paperback or Kindle.  An eye shade, some sort of neck pillow and some disposable foam earplugs can make the flight much easier.

Yeah.. about that... Saddleback leather is a Texan company. So about the euro fag part.
WRONG.
Bet you're used to that too.

Vertx Gamut is what all my friends who travel frequently for work use.

I’ll soon be leaving on my 10th trip around the globe, I could just be lucky, but a Swiss Army has worked for me.
I used my Daughter’s for a few trips till I got my own for around $30 @ TJ Max.

Then I would say "No".

Just wondering, what does that bag weigh?

You probably got 80-90% of the performance of a more high end pack, at one fifth the price. Not bad, IMO.

This definitely plus it's just easier around the airport and you don't have to worry about everyone else who is dragging one around and bumping into everything with it.  It's also a lot easier to have your hands free if you have a larger bag/suitcase.

Just use what you have. If you really want a new one, go to Walmart and grab that one Jansport backpack for like $25. I've been using mine for about 10 years now, and its held up fine.

Yep.

If your plan is to blend in with the locals, your clothing choice will stand out more.
An adidas pack will blend in almost anywhere

FPNI.

I use a gr1 in ranger green for the overhead.  Fits a change of clothes, meds, extra layer and valuables.  Molle and coyote brown are everywhere.  I really don’t feel like it stands out.  Roller bags are fine for major hubs but I go places with the rolling staircase, a bus, and more stairs at the airport and a backpack is very handy where the wheels don’t go.  I also use a hidden woodsmen haversack for under the seat which holds the noise cancelling phones, iPad, snacks, small Iraq, blow up pillow etc.

What?

Hell I carry a rolly-spiny carry-on in ADDITION to my back-pack. With some of the long layovers in a 50+ hour trip I am gonna want a change of clothing for a shower in Hong Kong. BTW, I’ve never actually touched the wheels on my carry-on luggage.

I'm not really sure why you need a new bag since it doesn't sound like you're a frequent traveler, but if you just NEED to spend your money....

This:

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks/products/aeronaut-45?variant=34039227783

or this

https://www.rei.com/product/112654/osprey-porter-46-travel-pack

You want to travel internationally looking like a GI that can't shake his GI days?  Drawing attention to yourself overseas is a bad approach.

Because a backpack is 10x more practical?

Im a frequent flyer.  I use a swiss laptop bag.  There would be nicer ones, ill get a different shaped one next time.  But no, just bring whatever.

OP may watch too many movies...

I'll be in Osaka.
Flying from Atlanta to Toronto.
Toronto to Tokyo.
Then Tokyo to Osaka.