UPDATED about 2 years in 7/2019
Well, 2 years in and I still have little but good to say about this bag! It's still my daily work carry bag. I regularly carry 2 (sometimes 3 :/) laptops in it as well as... a bunch of other stuff. I regularly go through it to reduce the accumulating junk, but otherwise I've had no issues and it still looks darn good, almost new even!
This is a major record for me, I usually switch up a couple of times a year. Though I do still look, I've not seen anything that looks to beat this for my use. Here's why:
1) the grid-it system. I have and have used the standalone grid-it elsewhere, but this affixed version, with the fully opening compartment is superior for holding everything to the vertical so you don't have the usual swamp of stuff you have to dig through to find anything. Pouches "bag out" and puddle all your stuff unless they're too small to be very usable. I have a bunch of stuff strapped to the grid-it, when I open the compartment I can immediately find what I am looking for.
2) The semi-hardness. This isn't a metal briefcase or hard leather case, but the surfaces are stiff enough that it doesn't look all "slouchy" and messy when you set it down. It's not trying to melt into the floor like most soft backpacks.
3) The durability. I use this every day. In the car I throw it on the floor, at work on the desk, at home wherever it ends up. Not a popped stitch, scraped botton, dirt smudge, stain, fade nor broken zipper.
4) Organization. An top of the grid-it compartment, there's more organizational work done. There are 2 big/semi-flat compartments. I find I can easily fit my work laptop, my smaller personal laptop in the 2 compartments, though one's intended for tablets. I also all to often have to carry yet another fullsize laptop, and it will fit in the center open space fine, to the dismay of my shoulder/back because I still sling-carry it! I also carry a whole bunch of other stuff. Pens, pencils, rolls of quick-tape, an xacto knife,3 chargers and a universal charger, reusable grocery bags a mouse, batteries.... and a whole bunch more. And I can find any of it in a few seconds.
5) The price. I have the tech nerd's addiction to progress. Thus I have quite a lot of bags. I threw away/donated a couple of dozen when I moved, and still have a large pile. I really like some other luggage for other purposes, but for $50 this is the best daily pack I can still find. That's amazing value, I've payed over $400 for other bags/purposes.
6) The style. This is a conservative/techie bag. It's understated, business casual etc. No wild and cool stuff, which is perfect for my use. My travel luggage can be bright and fun, but I don't want this to stand out. It still has garnered compliments quite a few times. Which is kind of weird really, people usually compliment stuff that stands out, this just remains very neat and holds a bunch of stuff. It's just very good at it.
-0.1 The only negative I have is the zipper pulls, and it's a small one. At least when I got mine, the screws in the end of the pulls that holds the neat wood cylinders on were a bit loose. I lost 3 or 4 of them before I noticed.
However, when I contacted the company they rapidly sent me new wood and new ends! Unfortunately by the time they arrived, 2 more had fallen off because tightening by hand wasn't enough, and my puppy ate the rest off lol (numbers may be off a bit there). Puppy also ate the wood off the ones I tightened enough. Well, it's all he chewed up so the bag took one for the team.
TIP: put some locktite, use pliers or in some way IMMEDIATELY make sure the zipper pull tips are not going to fall off. And keep away from puppy. This problem has hopefully been addressed by now though.
-0.001 I know it's wrong, bad on my back and neck and all and I really should use both straps, but I don't want to apparently. Would be great if the straps were alter-able to be either side or center, but this is hardly a real complaint.
Maybe I'll contact them again and see if I can Buy more pull-tips and wood, not their fault totally, and I certainly am getting my money's worth!
Original review from October 31, 2016:
Great backpack (though I wear it sling style on one shoulder). Plenty of room, mine carries 2 laptops (one fullsize, one a light style) because I have both a work and personal laptop. The grid-it front area is awesome, I have mine filled with a bluray burner, universal power adapter, batteries, mouse etc etc etc.
The bag both holds a lot, and keeps is well organized and contained so it's not sloppy and things are easy to find. It looks good too, very tight and neat on the outside.
I DO wish it had something to hold a water bottle outside, and some attachment points to carry something clipped on occasionally, but I'll figure out how to add that sometime!
| Standing screen display size | 15.6 Inches |
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