TUMI Roll Top Backpack vs Flap: Marshal, Cypress, Carlisle, Vassar

A TUMI roll top backpack is the better buy if what you carry changes from day to day, because the top unrolls for extra room. A flap backpack suits a load that stays the same. Four TUMI outlet styles show the trade-off: the Marshal and Cypress roll tops, and the Carlisle and Vassar flaps.

Below, each bag is compared on the measurements printed on its TUMI tag, its fabric mix and its RM price, then matched to commuting or travel.

How the four bags compare on the tag

The sizes here are copied from the TUMI tags in the order they are printed. The tags do not say which figure is height, width or depth, so we refer to the first and largest number as the longest side. The two roll tops also carry an “exp” figure, which is the expanded size.

Each tag also prints a second, smaller set of measurements: 34.5cm X 25.5cm X 3.75cm on the Marshal, 40cm X 31cm X 3.75cm on the Cypress, 43cm X 30.5cm X 2cm on the Carlisle and 44.5cm X 25.5cm X 1.25cm on the Vassar. The listings do not label what that second set refers to, so ask us before you assume a particular laptop or tablet fits.

Which TUMI roll top backpack: Marshal or Cypress

The TUMI Marshal Roll Top Backpack – Outlet Physical Store is the smaller of the two. Its tag reads 43cm X 33cm X 14cm, with 57 cm expanded. At its standard size, that 43 cm longest side is the smallest of the four bags here, so it stays compact on an ordinary working day and still has the expanded figure in reserve.

The TUMI Cypress Roll Top Backpack – Outlet Physical Store is larger on every tag figure: 48.5cm X 35.5cm X 15cm, with 63.5cm expanded. It also has the lowest starting price of the four, from RM1,069, against from RM1,239 for the Marshal.

So the choice between the roll tops comes down to size and fabric. Pick the Marshal if you want the smaller bag in a mostly nylon build. Pick the Cypress if you want the most room, and you are comfortable with a mostly polyester mix. Each is listed in one colour: Colour A760 for the Marshal and Colour E675 for the Cypress.

The flap styles: Carlisle and Vassar

The TUMI Carlisle Flap Backpack – Outlet Physical Store measures 51cm X 32cm X 18cm on the tag, with no expanded figure. It comes in the same Colour A760 and the same 95% nylon and 5% leather mix as the Marshal, which makes the two a direct roll top against flap comparison.

On the numbers, the Carlisle’s 51 cm longest side sits between the Marshal’s standard 43 cm and its expanded 57 cm. Its third tag figure is 18 cm against the Marshal’s 14 cm. It has the highest starting price of the four, from RM1,369.

The TUMI Vassar Flap Backpack – Outlet Physical Store is the slimmer flap. Its tag reads 47.5cm X 26cm X 18cm, and that 26 cm middle figure is the smallest of the four bags. It is also the only one with a choice of colour (Colour 1831 or Black), and it starts from RM1,149.

Fabric mix and colour codes

The Marshal and Carlisle share the simplest mix: 95% nylon and 5% leather. The Cypress is 75% polyester, 20% ballistic nylon and 5% leather. The Vassar has the most varied mix at 45% nylon, 45% polyester, 5% spandex, 3% PVC and 2% leather.

All four have a 100% polyester lining. The listings do not say where on the bag each material sits, so use the product photos to see which panels are leather.

A note on colour: A760, E675 and 1831 are TUMI colour codes, and the listings give no colour names for them. Only the Vassar lists a named colour, Black. Check the photos on each product page before you order, and message us if you want a colour confirmed.

Commuting or travel: which one fits

• A commute where the load changes: the Marshal. It is 43cm X 33cm X 14cm at standard size, with 57 cm expanded for the days you add gym kit or shopping.
• Travel and bulky loads: the Cypress. It has the largest tag size here and 63.5cm expanded. If you plan to fly with it, compare those figures with your airline’s cabin bag limit, since limits vary.
• The same contents every day: the Carlisle. Its 51cm X 32cm X 18cm size is fixed, so there is nothing to roll or adjust.
• A narrower bag, or a choice of colour: the Vassar, at 47.5cm X 26cm X 18cm in Colour 1831 or Black.

If you are stuck between a roll top and a flap, compare the Marshal and the Carlisle. They share a fabric and a colour, so the closure, the size and the price are the main differences.

RM prices and how ordering works

Starting prices are from RM1,069 for the Cypress, from RM1,149 for the Vassar, from RM1,239 for the Marshal and from RM1,369 for the Carlisle. “From” is the lowest price for that listing, and where there is more than one colour, the other option can cost more.

All four are preorders. After you order, the bag is bought new from a TUMI outlet physical store, and estimated delivery is 30 calendar days. You can pay in full or, where the product page offers it, pay a 50% deposit now and the balance later. Checkout shows when the balance is due for your country.

Delivery is free within Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan pay RM21 per item, or nothing on orders over RM 2,200. Every other country sees its fee at checkout, and the shipping fees page has the details.

Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery. A change-of-mind return must be in new condition, carries a 10% restocking fee, and the cost of shipping it back to the seller is deducted from your refund. If a bag is damaged when it arrives, report it with photos straight away. Exchanges are only for items that arrive damaged, and the refund and returns page has the full terms. The rest of the range is on the TUMI brand page.