My vet is about a 15-minute walk from my house, so that's how I get there. This works well as a backpack, and it's comfortable for me to carry, although I haven't carried my heaviest cat yet! But I have carried two others, and the larger one weighed about 13 pounds. The cats don't mind going in; one of them actually uses it as a bed at home. They are fine with being carried. I like that there is support on the bottom for them, and that the top and sides are supported and don't fall in on them. The only thing that would make it better would be a hip strap, but a proper padded one would add a lot to the cost, and the weight isn't enough that you have to have one. I can't imagine getting the cats to the vet in a "regular" cat carrier - I am so glad I found this!

(there's a quick pros & cons list at the bottom if you don't want to read my entire review)

I want to start off by saying that this has the potential to be a great bag. I really loved the idea of it being a backpack that your pet can lay in while freeing up your hands. There was no issues navigating through the airport. In fact, most of the airline folks didn't even realize there was a dog in there. There's mesh on both sides of the backpack and even a top flap that can open so you can see your pup without having to open the bag.

My dog is a 15 lb chiweenie so I got the medium size.

Quick side note: the bag doesn't need much assembly but it didn't come with instructions either so I didn't realize how to assemble it until just before our flight back. The bag comes collapsed in the box when you receive it. It has 2 circular/rectangular thick black plastic hoops that you insert on each end of the backpack carrier and fasten with little velcro loops that are attached to the inside of that bag so that the bag remains upright. Again, i didn't realize this until the flight back so on the way there...the bag felt a little flimsy. It still worked though.

I've included pictures of how the bag fit under the seat. I flew delta and were able to get away with the carrier poking slightly out from under the seat but it's possible that on another airline...this could be an issue. I had a aisle seat so that flight attendant told me twice to push it more under the seat. I tried my best but the bag itself was just a little too big to fit the entire thing under there. On the flight back, I placed the bag underneath my girlfriend's middle seat and nobody said anything (probably because they couldn't see it that well). My best advice would be that you either try to cover it up discreetly by maybe placing a blanket or coat over your legs so that they don't flag you for the bag sticking out slightly.

Long story long: the flight there and back worked great, navigating through the airports worked great; it wasn't until our flight back as we were waiting for our lyft ride, one of the straps on the backpack broke away and detached from the backpack itself so luckily i was able to catch the bag in time so my dog didn't fall on the ground.

I ended up returning it because for $80.00 I want a bag that lasts me and my dog forever (and if not forever...then at least longer than a week). The company was nice to deal with. They wanted feedback about the bag and emailed requesting it and asked how they can improve. I think the bag itself just needs to be made more sturdy.

PROS:
-great for traveling and having your hands free
-spacious
-great mesh siding and mesh window on top
-can act as a backpack but also comes with a shoulder strap
-has a soft fleece-like bottom floor for your pet
-has a pocket on the front of the bag
-nice company to deal with
-both sides of the bag open
-all sizes seem to work on airplanes

CONS:
-not sturdy enough
-plastic hardware (would prefer metal)
-backpack straps need to be more reinforced (mine broke on the way home)
-price of bag is too high for quality of bag

Even though my husband was reluctant to buy it at first, I went and bought it on my own. Now he likes it a lot.
Very sturdy and practical to bring our dog everywhere. I have used it on different occasions, and I will use it this summer when I go to France.
Nice color. Nice features of safety too.
I would definitely recommend it. My dog is 7lb and she can lay down on it but if she stands up, her head will be out of the bag.

My 13 year old papillon can't walk as far as she used to which cramps my style. I've tried slings but so far they just haven't been the right answer for us. This is a great carrier, I use the backpack mode and she seems perfectly happy. She can also lie down which is good for her arthritic legs. Overall a great purchase! It can be used so many different ways and it's well made.

I did a lot of research. I'm a nerd like that with everything I purchased this carrier and then realized i needed a larger one to better accommodate my pup;the return was completely hassle free -a great experience!
Let me tell you, this pet carrier is simply the best! You simply CAN NOT beat the price, versatility and durability when comparing to other pet carriers on the market today! It's the only carrier I've found that has such a variety in carrying positions .it's comfortable for the pet owner and the pet!