KotaUL- named from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. Kota means city and UL stands for ultralight- an adventurer's best combination. Due to its versatility, this pack will survive your traveling needs from a busy airport all the way to the 13,435 foot peak of Mount Kinabalu.
The KotaUL Ultralight Travel & Adventure Backpack brings a new meaning to "ultralight adventure travel". No longer do you have to separate bags for different trips! Take the KotaUL Backpack from the terminal straight to the trail without blinking twice. This pack was built for incredible versatility & all-day comfort.
Utilizing our special Spectra ripstop fabric we were able to cut incredible weights while retaining top of industry durability and strength! From there we added a 22 inch frame to transfer the load from your shoulders to your hips for ultimate comfort all day long. This means no more sore shoulders after long airport lines! It means freeing comfort while hiking on the trail!
The modular design allows you to remove the frame and remove & adjust your hip belt to fit the weight and goals of your trip.
Perhaps the most important part of the pack is the organization and access we have been able to provide while keeping the pack ultralight! Multiple zipper pulls give you access to the entirety of your pack without unloading everything! Volumized pockets throughout the different compartments give you plenty of flex space to store all your gear! Volumized side pockets can hold large water bottles, or be left unzipped to put taller objects inside & use the detachable accessory straps to secure to the side of your pack!
A raised & padded laptop sleeve ensures that your computer will never touch the ground, even when you set your pack down!
Start experiencing your travels more light and comfortable now with the newest game-changing backpack available! No more compromising, no more uncomfortable travel packs!
Weight: 2 lbs 13 oz
(2 lbs 15 oz with accessory straps)
Base Weight: 2 lbs 13 oz
Weight With Accessory Straps: 2 lbs 15 oz
Size: 45L (37L main compartment)
Fabric: 210D Nylon with 400D Spectra Ripstop Grid
Water Resistance: 1500 mm HH (not seam taped)
Internal Frame (removable): 22 inches (vertical) - Aluminum
Zippers: YKK
Shoulder Straps: perforated EVA foam
Back Panel: perforated EVA foam
Hip Belt (removable): perforated EVA foam
Hardware: Duraflex plastic buckles & gatekeepers
Warranty: Outdoor Vitals Performance Promise
Features:
Main Compartment
-YKK zipper pulls (x4) for ease of access
-2/3 length outer panel interior stretch mesh pocket with YKK zipper
-3/4 length interior side panel stretch mesh pockets (x2)
-Internal compression system
-Padded EVA foam laptop sleeved (raised 4")
-Padded EVA foam bottom
-Accessory attachment loops (x12)
-Long term storage pocket (where removable aluminum frame is housed)
-High contrast color for better visibility
Top Compartment
-top internal stretch mesh pocket
-bottom internal oxford nylon pocket with key clip and zipper security loops
Front Panel
-Padded front panel for increased protection and shape
-2 YKK zipper pulls & security loops
-full length stretch mesh open top pocket (great for tablets or notebooks)
-Deep storage stretch mesh pocket (pleated for extra volume)
-Top internal stretch mesh pocket (pleated for extra volume) with 2 organization sleeves
Sides
- 2 volumized side pockets with YKK zipper, Stretch mesh keeper to stabilize taller items that don't allow the zippers to close
-Exterior accessory attachment loops
Removable & adjustable hip belt
EVA foam back panel
EVA foam contoured shoulder straps
Main Compartment
Front Panel
Top Compartment
Other Features
KotaUL Owner Feature Overview
Customization & Modularity
KotaUL Q&A
Tailored Accessories (not included)
Each one of these accessories was built specifically for the KotaUL backpack. That means they will fit perfectly on any of your adventures! Whether you need some compression, to protect your gear from moisture, or just extra organization, these accessories have got you covered!
Comfortable wide hip belt
Stay comfortable always. Remove & tuck away when not needed.
no extra straps
Internal Compression System
Eliminates need for external compression straps
Trims down overall profile of the pack
3 different compression points on each side (used as needed)

Multiple YKK Zipper Sliders
allow you to access gear from any angle
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So I’m 59 years old and I’m not a hiker but my wife and I have been “one bag” travelers for the past twenty five years. I had been using a famous travel guru's bag for all of that time. That bag was built like a tank and is showing no wear and tear after all of that time…but there were some downsides:
1. the bag was on the heavy side
2. that particular model had no back ventilation so it was very hot to carry
3. the bag was unstructured so everything sagged to the bottom and weight distribution was a real problem
4. when the 40L main compartment was full, the outer pockets became almost useless as it was hard to get anything that wasn’t basically flat inside of them
So when I started my search for a new travel bag, these were the items that my new bag would have to solve. I have to admit that I was shocked at the number of choices out there for travel backpacks when I began my search. I had no idea! I took my time and did my due diligence weighing all of the pros and cons of the different offerings out there and I narrowed my choices down to three…but only one bag ticked off every box on my checklist. That was Outdoor Vitals KotaUL Travel Backpack.
First of all, the bag is uber lightweight...check. Second, the bag came with good ventilation (as did the others)...check. Third, the aluminum frame kept the bag from sagging on me which my back appreciated...check. Lastly, as Outdoor Vitals say on their website, their pockets are all volumized…meaning stuffing one pocket to its capacity does not affect any other pocket from being used to its capacity. That’s a huge check in my book.
However, I think what really clicked for me and my anal retentiveness was the fact that you had the best of both worlds with this bag in that you have a very generous main compartment at 37L where you can organize things as you like while at the same time you had other pockets that were dedicated and designed to hold all of the smaller minutia that can get swallowed up and difficult to find. Phone, wallet, passports, keys, book, electronics etc. all had a place to be stored for easy access. All of the other bags that I was considering made compromises in these areas in some way or another.
I had a great experience with this bag in Israel and I’m looking forward to another great trip with this bag to Croatia very soon.
Well done Outdoor Vitals!
I’ve only had the bag 2 weeks but it’s hand down my new favorite. Everything as promised. I can’t wait to hit the trails.
Makes flying significantly easier, can load up the pack and still get proper support with the frame. Love the easy to hide hip belts. Just a great over all travel pack.
I’ve never been able to find the perfect carry on bag. My checked bag has wheels and then I end up carrying a rather heavy briefcase or shoulder bag all over the airport. And I haven’t been to many international airports that don’t make you carry your stuff a long distance through customs. It’s miserable.
I recently purchased this pack to make my travel life easier. I’m about to use it on an eight day trip to Panama. I did a trial packing job and was quite surprised to realize how much this pack can hold. And, on my shoulders, with the frame installed, I also am amazed at how light all that gear feels.
The material is light but obviously tough. You can fully organize or do a quick throw and go. There are pockets for everything and they seem extremely well thought out. This is unlike any other pack I’ve ever owned. Just something simple like having four handles in strategic locations is brilliant. In my opinion, everything Outdoor Vitals does has tremendous added hidden value. It’s easy to see that they test and retest the gear they design and they make sure it works.
The only negative I can offer about this pack is that the hip support strap is designed for slender people. I wish it was about 3 inches longer. To counter that, the way they designed it made it possible for me to use some inexpensive velcro straps to lengthen it a little. Not everybody who spends time outdoors is skinny or young. Making a few provisions for us would be greatly appreciated, even if it meant options which resulted in a charge over and above the regular price.
I haven’t backpacked with it yet, but took it for a trip to NYC and it was fantastic! Amazing organization, the nicest carry I’ve ever had for trips. My wife is so impressed she wants one for herself!