The MNL City Pack 21L is a minimalist, clamshell-opening EDC/work backpack from Japanese electronics company Elecom’s in-house bag line MNL (Minimal Nomad Life). Co-developed with Japanese bag YouTuber and winner of a 2025 Red Dot Product Design Award, it packs an impressive amount of organization – including a standout “tech shelf” – into a sleek, low-key X-Pac exterior at a very reasonable price.
* 00:00 – Highlights & Things to Consider
* 03:34 – Overview & Disclaimer
* 04:14 – Front External Pockets
* 05:54 – Main Access & Lid Pocketing
* 09:06 – Main Compartment Pocketing
* 12:33 – External Side Pocket
* 13:47 – Water Bottle Pocket
* 14:41 – Top Quick Access Pocket
* 15:30 – Laptop Compartment
* 17:10 – Tech Shelf & Organization Pockets
* 19:30 – Shoulder Straps & Load Carriage
* 22:59 – Materials & Dimensions
* 24:24 – Design & Aesthetics
* 25:07 – For / Not For
* 26:33 – Also Consider…
Its strengths include:
* Solid exterior materials and build quality for the price – X-Pac VX21, YKK coated zippers and Woojin hardware (including a great one-handed magnetic sternum strap) at just under $200 USD
* A very high degree of useful organization for an EDC backpack in this class – dual front access pockets, a side accessory pocket, top quick access pocket, water bottle pocket and lots of internal pocketing in both the main and laptop compartments, many of which are reachable from the outside for rapid access to small items
* Surprisingly efficient for its svelte exterior dimensions – you can load in a dense, well-organized EDC loadout (stuff it like a little EDC backpack burrito if you want) and still keep everything in its place
* The “tech shelf” – a zippered gadget pocket at the top of the laptop compartment that bulges into the otherwise dead space at the top of the main compartment – is a standout feature for chargers, mice, power banks and adapters
* Clever patterning and foam give the bag a nicely padded structure that holds its shape even when empty, with a subtle degree of protection and without too much weight
* Clever dual-adjuster shoulder straps set a maximum length so you can loosen and re-tighten quickly without dangling tails (once you figure out how they work)
Conversely, some possible things to consider include:
* Though rated at 21L, the usable volume feels smaller than some similarly rated bags as a lot of that capacity is divided into pockets (the main compartment measures closer to 17L)
* All that organization comes with some cognitive overhead – you need to remember where you stashed everything (especially which of the two separate left/right front pockets) and the identical-looking zippers can make it confusing to find the right one
* The interior lining, back panel fabric and shoulder strap lining feel noticeably cheaper than the premium exterior
* When loaded up heavily (e.g. two laptops), it felt heavier and firmer on the back than comparable bags like the Rework Toshi Pack 20L or Aer City Pack Pro v2 with the same loadout
* The dual strap adjuster system is confusing at first and awkward to adjust on the fly while wearing the bag
* In the US it is available only in black X-Pac – great if that is your thing, but limiting for others (Japan gets additional CORDURA re/cor and Ballistic options)
Elecom MNL City Pack 21L (US)
https://minimalnomadlife.com/products/city-pack-xpac
Elecom MNL City Pack (Japan: Other Variants)
https://mnl.elecom.co.jp/collections/city-pack
Also mentioned in this video:
Tumi Electronic Cord Pouch
https://youtu.be/ujfxC5Aga6c
Rework Gear Toshi Pack V1 20L
https://youtu.be/PZFulo2j_6A
Rework Gear Toshi Pack V2 25L
https://youtu.be/VEkDSMXvNz8
Aer City Pack Pro v2 20L
https://youtu.be/iMV7a48km9E
Aer City Pack Pro v2 24L
https://youtu.be/PsecaXAxVjs
Note: This product was provided by Elecom/MNL for review purposes. All opinions expressed are our own and this review was not approved or shown to Elecom/MNL before release. None of the links above are affiliate links.