By Rich from Houston, TX on 11/6/2008

I first saw this bag being carried by someone who had purchased it and liked the outward design. I noticed the name of the bag and pursued more info prior to my purchase. I checked it out in the store but didn't buy until I read reviews on-line where concerns were raised mostly about its smell and uncomfortable back straps. After taking a final look at it in the store I purchased. I took the hint from a previous reviewer (thanks) about the use of Frebreeze on it and that toned down the smell considerably. Yes, it could use added padding in the bottom of the computer storage pocket. I pulled the thin protective velcro padding from my old bag and it fit nicely. Personally, I haven't experienced any discomfort with the back straps but I admit I probably carry it by the upper handle just as much as I carry it on my back.

The padding under the handle tends to roll upward and not really serve its purpose of comforting your fingers unless you slowly position the handle in a "just right" position. Of course you shouldn't need to do that especially when bags like this are often times quickly picked up. I'm surprised more attention wasn't paid to fixing this prior to production. As substantial as the rest of the bag is I'm surprised it doesn't have an equally substantial handle. It can appear the handle is no match for the bag when it's heavily packed however, I haven't experienced any problems as of this review, despite not always having the comfort of the padding on the handle . Other than that, I'm extremely happy with the bag after approximately 3 months.

Functionality, durability and style are reasons I purchased.

By Almost a road warrior from Indiana on 9/2/2008

Pros:
So far this is a very good bag. It is not flashy with graphics and colors that make it look like it belongs on a college campus, but it looks professional in all black. The nylon material feels substantial and looks like it will wear well.
It is nice that it stands up in it’s own. Plenty of pockets, and the expresscheck pocket is nice and handy up front – it even has a different zipper pull so you can ‘feel’ your way to it going through security.

I travel every other week and have just started to carry this bag as a replacement for my old worn out backpack. I travel out of a small local airport and always have connections through O’Hare or some other large airport. I love the backpack design as it keeps hands free to schlep my carry-on bag or to grab a snack or drink on the long walk through the airport. Makes it much easier to wash hands, etc in the restroom too.

The laptop sleeve is plenty large for my 15 inch IBM laptop and the padding is adequate except on the bottom where it could use a bit more. Because the sleeve is large enough, I put a piece of my own padding in the bottom and it works great.

With the laptop sleeve in the back, it leaves a nice large center opening for my day planner, a novel to read, my laptop power supply, my GPS, and several work files with room to spare. The front section has nice room for other cables, car cell phone charger, etc.

Cons:
One reviewer mentioned a strong plastic smell, candidly there was a bit of odor that has subsided greatly.
Shoulder straps are nicely padded, but not quite as fancy as some other (very expensive) bags I have seen

Overall, a great value for the price.

By Anonymous in WV from West Virginia, USA on 8/29/2008

Works great traveling to-and-from work on a daily basis. I've not had any issues with durability. Lots of convenient pockets and compartments--holds a lot!

By Fr. James from New York, NY on 8/2/2008

I not only use this for laptop and accessories, but when not carrying my laptop, on vacations. for example, I use it for clothing and toiletries. The compartments allow you to keep the 3 oz liquid bottles in pouches separate from clothes and cd player and ipod etc. Good insulation. Do not, however, check this bag on the airlines, but always use as carry-on. I once checked my previous bag and it was stolen (mistaken, I imagine, as if it had held a computer! Thankfully, not in my case!)

By EC from Valencia, CA on 7/20/2008

The back sraps get twisted aand not very durable. The laptop pocket can use come addotonal padding on the bottom.

By Laptop Bag reviewer from Los Angeles, CA on 6/30/2008

I really like the compartments and how flush the bag looks. The magnetic pocket in the front is great. The dedicate area for just the laptop for TSA was the main selling point.

However, from day one, I've had this this horrible plastic smell inside and outside of the bag. I've tried putting a sheet of Bounce to absorb the smell, but it just ends up smelling like bad plastic + Bounce... I finally did some Febreeze spraying and that helped a LOT. Don't worry about the water spray staining. It dries and won't be visible on the nylon lining.

Also, careful with the in-store returns as most stores don't carry this particular backpack (mainly airports) and it's up to the store manager's discretion to accept the online/airport purchase.

By Killjoy from Norfolk, VA on 6/11/2008

Pack is almost perfect for my business travel: laptop, folders, water bottle, coffee thermos, plus two days worth of clothes. But after a could of weeks use the left shoulder strap started to come apart. I'm one of those guys who always carries the pack on one shoulder (usually the left).
Unless you're a two-strap person, maybe not the best pack out there.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By john from woodside, new york on 4/14/2008

Use it for work and travel. A decent backpack too.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Ted from Ohio on 3/28/2008

Excellent for both travel and to and from work.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Forrest from Boston on 11/15/2007

Had been casually in the market for a computer backpack for several months. I travel each week, including flights, and walks between between hotels and client sites. I wanted something that would primarily carry my laptop, files, and miscellaneous, but also my SLR camera and a couple of lenses from time to time. This is surprisingly difficult to find without ending up with an adventure pack that screams "look at me", or a camera backpack that is mainly for camera gear.This backpack is very well designed to accommodate the things I travel with every week, without being overly large. Its exterior is simple and understated, which is nice for client meetings. Also a plus, it's not covered in a bunch of useless straps and loops that work great for hiking, but get caught going through security and on the plane. I was pleasantly surprised to find this in a reasonably priced bag at [...]