I review a lot of bags on this site, and because I have a best page, as well as commenting on what I carry on a day to day basis, there’s some confusion on whether a bag (or anything else) is good, if I don’t carry it, or list it as “best”. So I want to take a moment to clarify all of that.

There’s a huge difference between a good bag, or even a great bag, and a bag which I use. I use the bag I think is the best for me, often I also list that bag as “The Best” on this site as well, but not always. In general, here’s the short explanation:

• Good/Great bag: you’re not wasting your money. The good qualities outweigh the negatives by a large margin.
• The Best: I dare you to find something better when you take everything into account.
• What I Carry: of everything I have used and tested, this bag is what I believe is the best for what I need.

A bag can be listed as Good, or Great, and not be the best. It can be the Best and not be what I carry. In other words, worry less about what I carry and more about what you think of the bag after seeing my thoughts — unless I say it’s bad, you are not wasting your money most of the time.