Nadia Beck

Solo author (The Well Packed) · The Well Packed

Freelance photographer based in Portland. Roughly 30 domestic trips and two or three long-haul jobs a year, always with more camera gear than sense. Travels with their sister on the personal trips.

What I cover

• camera gear
• checked
• packing order

5 notes on The Well Packed

• The Front-Opening Convert: Notes From Three Airports 2026-06-15
  The Level8 Carry-On Pro wins for front-opening access, since its padded panel fits a bulky laptop plus a tablet and lets me pull the laptop out before the bin hits the belt at TSA. Its main zipper pull snapped clean off by day two, a failure other owners report too. Occasional flyers who don't dig into the front compartment often should get the Travelpro Maxlite 5 instead.
• Best Luggage Under 100 for People Who Fly Every Week 2026-06-11
  The Level8 Grace Carry-On is the best value pick for weekly flyers, priced around $70 to $90, with a front laptop pocket that holds a 16" laptop and tablet for fast security checks. Its zipper pull already shows wear after five months, so anyone wanting years of drama-free use should choose the Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On 21" instead.
• Best Luggage For Europe: Picks That Actually Hold Up 2026-06-10
  The Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On 21" is the pick that holds up best for Europe trips, having survived repeated sprints through Charles de Gaulle without the handle ever sticking. It costs around $300 depending on color. Travelers testing whether they even like hardside checked bags should start with the Samsonite Omni PC 24" instead, since it's cheaper and has taken real drops without cracking.
• I Judge Large Checked Luggage by What Actually Fits Inside 2026-05-22
  Away's Large Checked wins for interior space, with flat walls and dividers that let a stack of cubes actually stack instead of curving into wasted room. Its flaw is weight, close to nine pounds empty. If you only check a bag occasionally, the Level8 Checked Trunk 28" delivers similar usable space for sixty percent of the price, though its zipper pull is prone to snapping off.
• Gate Check Survival Guide 2026-05-19
  Cinch every compression strap before handing your bag over at the gate, since a compressed bag has no room to shift in the cargo hold while a loose one flexes and tears zippers or cracks handle housings. Measure your own bag's exterior dimensions with wheels included first, because marketing spec sheets omit the bulges that get flagged at the sizer box.

How I work

• This is a one-person site. I write in the first person, about bags I bought with my own money and actually used.
• There is no scoring system, no editorial team and no "we tested". When I have only used something twice, I say so.

Full method: About these notes. Corrections and questions: nadia@thewellpacked.com.