Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent pack for price
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2019
I bought this primarily as a college backpack because my Jansport was ripping under the weight of my books, and secondarily because I want to use it as a carry-on in a few months.
I've purchased more expensive backpacks, and they weren't as comfortable as this one. The entirety of the straps and yoke are padded, so no pinching or biting into my neck and shoulders. I especially like the charging port...I can hook it up to my battery pack and charge devices without having to unpack anything. I do wish it had a couple more small pockets on the outside, but it holds 3 to 4 classes of college work at a time, a lunch bag, tons of pens and pencils, calculator, water bottle, umbrella, etc. Padded lumbar is also zippered, convenient for wallet, passport or whatever. Both large compartments are extremely roomy, the laptop area significantly padded, and the smaller compartments hold quite a bit as well (I currently have snacks, a graphing calculator, candy, gum, Kleenex, and extra socks stuffed in the larger of the two smaller compartments). I DO wish that the smaller zippered areas had two zippers each, so I could open just the top instead of unzipping the whole thing, but that's minor.
One warning, which I learned the hard way.....if your bag is loaded and the double zippers are open too far.....the whole thing will open in half and dump on the ground. Not a big deal, more embarrassing than anything, but just make sure you zip the big compartments fully before throwing it on your shoulder, or you'll be ready for TSA inspection.....all over the floor.
Ok, two warnings.....having so much space, you will be tempted to fill all of it. I can tell you right now that you will not be able to lean back against a hallway wall without impeding traffic, or fit into a standard toilet stall without some effort. Maybe not so much an issue when used as a traveling backpack, but on campus I had to resist temptation to fit every single binder inside, simply because I could. The backpack can hold the weight. However, you now have the depth of a Galapagos tortoise.
