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Details
- Price $455 at atdsupply.com
- Material Challenge Sailcloth Ecopak® EPLX600
- Weight 2.87 lbs / 1.3 kg
- Dimensions 9.8" (w) x 17.7" (h) x 7.5" (d) / 250 (w) x 450 (h) x 190 (d) mm
- Made in Italy
Overview
The ATD2 Backpack is built around a simple idea: one bag that can stay compact for daily life, then expand when you need it to. I get why someone would want that. Most people do not want a rotation of specialized bags. They want one good backpack that can handle work, errands, the gym and the occasional trip.
ATD Supply positions the ATD2 as an everyday backpack that can become your travel bag. That framing makes more sense to me than the usual expandable-bag formula. Most expandable backpacks, like the ATD1 start from the travel side, then try to shrink themselves into something you can tolerate on a daily commute. The ATD2 feels like it starts from everyday use first, then gives you extra room when your plans get a little more spontaneous.
That makes it particularly appealing if your load changes often. On a normal day, you might just be carrying a laptop, charger, water bottle and a jacket. Then suddenly you need space for martial arts gear, groceries, a change of clothes or a quick overnight. The ATD2 is clearly trying to solve that problem. And I'll see if they manage to.
Style
The ATD2 has a clean, technical look without going full tactical. In black, it feels low-key, practical and urban. Most of the visual interest comes from the shape, fabric and hardware rather than logos or decoration.
The silhouette is the best part. It is tapered and slightly angular, so it looks more considered than a basic rectangular backpack. Compressed, it stays tidy and compact. Expanded, it looks more travel-ready without turning into a bulky cube.
The roll-top gives the bag most of its character. It adds a bit of outdoor utility, but the stiffeners and Fidlock magnetic closure keep it looking neat rather than floppy.
The details are technical but restrained: laminated Ecopak fabric, angular panel lines, hidden compression straps, aluminium hooks, solid zippers and very little visible branding.
In black, the whole thing works especially well. And I am not just saying this because I am obsessed with black. The black-on-black finish keeps the seams, straps and hardware from looking too busy, so it can fit in a cafe, office, airport or commute without standing out too much.
On my 6 ft frame, it looks appropriately sized. If you are a little larger, you can augment the visual size by expanding the roll top.
Overall, the ATD2 looks sleek, structured and purposeful. It is a quiet piece of technical equipment: rugged without being tactical, minimal without being boring, and expandable without looking awkward.
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Material
The headline fabric is Challenge Sailcloth Ecopak EPLX600, which is a laminated fabric made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester. You get a 600D face fabric, an X-Ply reinforcement layer and a waterproof RUV film.
Ecopak gives the ATD2 a structured, confidence-inspiring feel. The laminated construction makes sense for a backpack that is supposed to move between commuting and travel.
The back panel and shoulder straps use Challenge Sailcloth RBC600, while the lining uses a lighter 200D version of the same family. Softer fabrics are used in the body-contact areas to reduce cracking and wear around corners and padded sections. The stretch materials are also double layered to help them keep their shape over time.
The rest of the build matches the fabric choices. Laser-cut outer panels, clean finishing, 10 mm closed-cell Evazote 50 foam, a removable Curv frame sheet, Duraflex and 2M hardware, aluminium hooks, a Fidlock V-Buckle and YKK zippers all point to a bag that is trying to justify its price through materials and construction.
Usage
The biggest appeal of the ATD2 is the adjustable capacity. At roughly 18 litres, it is compact enough for everyday carry. Expanded out to 31 litres, it starts to become useful for short trips or days when you need to carry significantly more. To me, the sweet spot is somewhere around 25 litres. That is where it feels the most balanced.
The roll-top is paired with a U-shaped zipper on the back panel, which gives you top access, side access and something close to a clamshell opening. Roll-tops can be annoying when you need one item at the bottom, so the extra access goes a long way in making the bag more usable.
That back zipper is also one of the more interesting security features. When the bag is on your back, there is no obvious front opening into the main compartment. In crowded places, that is reassuring.
But there is a tradeoff. Because the zipper opens into the back of the main compartment, slipping a laptop or tablet in from there gets harder once the bag is full. When the compartment is packed out, that access loses some of its convenience.
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or read review
The laptop sleeve itself is usable, but tight. My 14-inch MacBook Pro fits, but it is a snug fit that you have to shimmy into. This is not one of those laptop compartments where the device glides in effortlessly. There are actually two sleeves, one on top of the other. But for the mentioned reasons, the lower sleeve is even harder to access.
Organisation is sensible. The front compartment has its own volume, along with a key leash, pen slot and two additional pockets. I like this approach because it gives you a place to separate smaller items without taking up space if you don't need them.
The side stretch pockets are one of the better practical details. They hide the compression straps while still giving you usable space for a bottle, umbrella or tripod. There's a strap to tie down longer items, but since it latches via a hook, it comes off on its own at times.
The luggage pass-through is another nice touch. If you travel with checked luggage, the ATD2 makes a lot of sense as a companion bag. It gives you some flexibility without forcing you to commit to a larger onebag setup every time.
Comfort-wise, the ATD2 is better than its stiffness first suggests. The straps felt very stiff when new, and the bag as a whole has that rigid, overbuilt feeling right out of the box. But once on the back, it carries better than I expected, probably due to the adding and ergonomic straps.
Even with a heavier daily load, the weight never struck me as a real issue. The shoulder straps are quite comfortable, just not immediately soft.
The same goes for the zippers. They are tough at first. According to the designer, this is part of the break-in process, especially around the clamshell corners where multiple layers of binding tape create resistance. In use, that explanation tracks since the zipper can catch a little when the bag is new. I'll update this post once I break it in a little more.
However, the stiffness is somewhat a recurring theme with the ATD2. It is not a bag that instantly feels relaxed. The materials are stiff, the straps are stiff, the zippers are stiff, and even the frame sheet is intended to conform over time. If you like bags that feel structured and robust, that can be reassuring. Just be prepared for a break-in period.
Conclusion
The ATD2 is a thoughtfully designed backpack that genuinely does something a little different. It works best as an everyday bag that can stretch into short-travel duty, a unique proposition in itself.
What stands out most is how considered the whole thing feels. The expandable design makes sense. The access points make sense. The material choices make sense. Even the stiffness makes sense, though that does not make it any less noticeable when the bag is new.
There are a few compromises. The laptop sleeve is tighter than I would like. The back access becomes less convenient when the main compartment is packed full. The zipper action needs break-in. And at US$455, this is not the sort of bag you buy casually and laugh off if it does not click with you.
Still, if you want a compact backpack that can adapt to changing loads without looking like a full-on travel pack all the time, the ATD2 makes a strong case for itself. It is expensive, yes. But it is also one of those rare bags that feels like it was designed by someone who thought carefully about how people actually use backpacks.
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