GEAR SPOTLIGHT: AER City Pac Pro 2 X-PAC

Christopher Roche
Oct 12
4 min read

A backpack with minimal form and maximum function

Finding the backpack - the one that handles airport security lines, morning commutes, and spontaneous weekend getaways — can feel like chasing a myth. Most bags are either too tactical, too minimal, or too fragile for the long haul.

Not this one. Enter the Aer City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac: a sleek, meticulously engineered pack that bridges city streets and airport terminals with equal grace. It’s the kind of bag you forget you’re carrying until you realize just how much it’s quietly handled for you.

Here’s why this one stands out.

Key Features: Anatomy of a Badass Backpack

Fabric & Material Technology

Aer didn’t cut corners. The City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac is armored in VX-42 X-Pac™, a sailcloth-grade laminate developed by Dimension-Polyant®. These are the same folks who make fabrics tough enough for racing yachts. It’s waterproof, structured, and unreasonably good-looking.

Paired with YKK® AquaGuard zippers and Duraflex® hardware, every zip and clip feels intentional — no jingling, no snags, just precision. Inside, a high-visibility ripstop nylon liner (bluesign® approved) makes digging for cables in low light effortless.

The lay-flat main compartment opens like a suitcase, the padded laptop sleeve (fits up to 16") floats above the base to protect against drops, and dual quick-grab handles make tight transit connections less chaotic.

Specs: 18" × 12.5" × 7", 24 L capacity = carry-on perfection.

Fit & Design Details

All black. All business. The silhouette is minimalist but muscular, built to keep its form even when half-empty. Over time, the X-Pac fabric doesn’t fade or sag — it develops a subtle patina, softening just enough to remind you it’s been places. The ergonomic harness system hugs the shoulders like a technical hiking pack, but with none of the bulk.

Storage & Utility

This pack is a study in restraint — every pocket has a purpose:

Main Compartment: Full-clamshell opening for packing cubes, camera gear, or a week’s worth of essentials. Internal zip pockets keep cords and adapters organized.
Laptop Compartment: Suspended, soft-lined, and shock-proof. A secondary sleeve fits a tablet or notebook.
Front Organizer: Perfect for pens, pocket notebooks, chargers, and small accessories.
Top Soft-Lined Pocket: For sunglasses or anything that deserves scratch-free treatment.
Hidden Back Pocket: Discreetly placed for passports, wallets, or whatever you’d rather not advertise.
Side Water Bottle Pocket: Slim, elastic, and fits most bottles without ruining the silhouette.

And the chef’s-kiss detail? It stands upright on its own. No more collapsing against café walls or scuffing up your gear.

Protection & Performance

The weather in Pittsburgh is unpredictable. One minute it’s a drizzle, the next it’s a downpour that feels biblical. The City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac shrugs it off. The VX-42 laminate repels water like it’s allergic to it, and the YKK AquaGuard zips keep every compartment bone-dry.

After months of being dragged through rain, buses, and TSA bins, it still looks brand-new — just with a few stories etched into the fabric.

Real-World Performance: Field-Tested in Pittsburgh, PA

We put the pack through a year of daily use — commuting from all over the city, juggling a camera, laptop, notebooks, and the occasional emergency sandwich.

From humid summer afternoons to sub-zero winter mornings, the bag handled it all. The structured body never slouched, even when half-packed, and the padded straps transformed long walks and crowded bus rides into something bearable.

There’s a comfort in knowing that when everything else in your day goes sideways, your gear won’t.

Comfort and Fit

Those shoulder straps? Unreal. Thick, contoured, and ventilated just enough to keep things comfortable even under load. The back panel’s channeling keeps airflow moving, and the balanced weight distribution means no shoulder fatigue by the end of a long shift.

No break-in period required — just instant comfort that makes you wonder why other brands still get this part wrong.

Durability and Weather Resistance

After a year of near-daily use, the VX-42 shows only faint creases — no fraying, no stitching issues, and the zippers still glide like day one. We’ve dragged it through rain, snow, and concrete jungles, and it hasn’t blinked.

Aer’s build quality has always impressed us, but the City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac feels like the next evolution — something that’ll outlast multiple laptops and maybe even a few jobs.

Pros and Cons: Breaking It Down

Pros

Shoulder straps are among the most comfortable we’ve tested
X-Pac fabric + YKK zippers = top-tier weather protection
Sleek, low-profile aesthetic with serious spy-movie energy
Thoughtful organization and upright standing design

Cons:

The price is steep for a 24 L pack
Limited space for multi-day travel unless paired with a duffel

Recommendation: Who It’s For

The City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac is for the modern explorer — the one who moves seamlessly between hotel lobbies, hiking trails, and airport terminals, without swapping a bag.

Perfect for digital nomads, city commuters, and creators on the go who value design, craftsmanship, and performance that never quits. It’s equally at home in a boardroom or on a train platform in Tokyo.

Final Verdict: Aer City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac

The Aer City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac isn’t just a backpack — it’s a statement of intent. Built for those who live deliberately, travel intentionally, and know that good gear is an investment in freedom.