I’ve used the Distance 8 as my main pack on budget trips through Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, and honestly, it’s a mixed bag for travel. The vest-style carry is insanely comfortable for trail stuff, but in cities, you definitely stand out—and not always in a good way (hello, security checks). The lack of lockable zippers always bugged me; rolling with exposed main compartments in urban transit isn’t ideal. For tech, you’re cramming everything into stretchy mesh and tiny pockets—no real structure for a power bank or camera, and fishing out your passport gets old fast.
On plus side, mine held up decently to overhead bins and rough bus rides, but abrasive surfaces like concrete scuffed it fast. The water resistance is minimal—get a rain cover or you’ll regret it. My biggest gripe in travel: the pack just isn’t optimized for organization compared to, say, Osprey’s Daylite or Decathlon’s smaller Forclaz packs. If you truly want to go ultra-minimalist and don’t mind compromise, it works, but for “urban/adventure hybrid,” something like the 10L Osprey or even a Pacsafe sling is more secure and practical for city stuff.