Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Excellent value and very functional! January 6, 2009
C. Yoder (NH, USA)
I decided to purchase this backpack after reading the reviews from other buyers. Upon receipt, I was quite happy with the sturdy construction and the many pockets. At first glance however, I thought the bag was somewhat light and would probably not provide adequate protection for my computer (Lenovo T42p 15.4"; actual dimensions with battery pack installed: 11.5 deep x 12.3" wide X 2.3" high). In particular, I thought the bag provided too little cushion at the bottom, and that the computer would strike the floor when the bag is placed on the floor. However, after loading my computer into the appropriate compartment, I noticed that the computer is held at least an inch away from the bottom of the bag. With this design, the computer is completely isolated from the bottom of the bag and is completely protected. Furthermore, my Lenovo fits very well and does not move. Did I mention that this bag has a lot of pockets? The top handle is very sturdy and thick, unlike many other bags. Overall, this backpack is very well designed, and has been constructed to last a long time.
Awesome, Durable and Unstoppable. December 29, 2008
H. Blackburn (Baltimore, MD USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This backpack is amazing. I am the kind of person who usually bought 2 or 3 cheap backpacks during a normal school year simply because I wear through them so quickly. Until I bought one of these packs in August of 2005.Then I took it through a year of high school, a year of heavy travel, hard camping and abuse. And finally 3 semesters in college, and this thing just refuses to quit. 3 months ago, after 2 years of hard and constant use, the top front pocket's top seam is tearing, and one of the straps is beginning to fray at the top.
My opinion has always been that SwissGear makes stuff that lasts forever, (They make those awesome pocket knives after all) and this pack is right in line with that.
In those two years I never put a laptop in my pack, but now that I have one, It's going right in a new one for the next two and a half years (Maybe more, who knows if I was gentle with this thing, I'm certain it would still be in perfect condition today.)
By not being gentle I mean I threw this thing across rivers; by the straps; fully loaded with clothing, bottles of water, and gear; onto rocky shorelines. Used it in self defense once(Loaded with books, Which is how the strap tore) Fell backwards into a full blown swamp (The pack took most of the impact, and the muck) In other words, I took this thing through 2 years and 4 months of backpack hell, and it came out far better than I could have ever expected. I love this pack, and will be buying them as long as SwissGear continues to make them, and will continue to rely on SwissGear products if and when they stop making this one.
Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for a laptop bag, or even just a decent backpack.(In case you missed the hints)
Other thoughts:
The exterior surfaces of the pack are lined with water-resistant materials (Resistant to light rain for short durations). The front bottom pocket has a Swiss army knife holder, a keyring that clips into the pack, pockets for 3 thin utensils (pens, ect) and 2 thick utensils(Highlighters) A small pouch with an elastic top, a velcro shut net pouch, a good sized mid pouch, and a large rear pouch.
The top front pouch is just a pouch, nothing special. The forward bag space has a small netted pouch that zips closed, and enough room for a couple textbooks, or two pairs of large jeans.
The rear pouch has a laptop area that is 11" wide, 3" thick, and up to 18" tall from bottom to the very zippered top.(I expect it would hold a 3x11x17 laptop at the most. The laptop pouch is heavily padded on the side facing the body (When worn) and lightly padded on the bottom, sides and front. The other half of the back pouch has a netted area with an elastic band top, and could hold a couple textbooks or a whole outfit (Jeans t-shirt and accessories)
The straps have a cell phone holder, and a small handle to clip things onto (Keys, Sunglasses, Ect.)
If you've ignored the novel and are just reading this, scroll up, and read the title, It says it all :).
Great Product, Wrong Color December 7, 2008
Christopher L. Paterra (Atlanta, GA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The backpack from SwissGear is a great product. It is durable and has more than adequate room for a 17" laptop and several other items.
One note, although this is listed as black I was shipped a dark blue one with a post-it note that said "Comes up as Black. This is Blue".
Roomy, comfortable, nearly-indestructible November 22, 2008
A. Dent (USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
From the makers of the Swiss Army knife, you get a solid, utilitarian backpack. You can call it a 'computer backpack', because you can carry a laptop in it. I am writing this review on a Thinkpad T60 and, it's official. The T60 fits inside the laptop sleeve with plenty of room to spare. And it's padded too. And, if you don't feel like carrying your laptop in a backpack, it's okay to use it as a regular backpack. This particular one was grabbed by one of my kids because he was the one who opened the box and it's going to be his SchoolGear. So, let's summarize.
THE GOOD:
- Solid build, pretty close to 'indestructible'.
- Lots, of pockets, and I mean LOTS. I can see why my kids loves this. The more I investigated, the more pockets I found and my kids just counted 22 of them.
- Padded computer sleeve, of course. Seems adequate for most laptops.
- A media section to store a player and some software. I has the 'audio interface' which is really a hole in the bag so that you can run the headphones wire through it. I'm not so sure it's something that many will use.
- The organizer pocket lets you store pens, a cell phone, money, maps... has many internal pockets where things can be organized.
- Water bottle pocket.
- Sunshades holder.
- Swiss Army knife pocket, of course.
- The shoulder straps are quite comfortable.
- Compression straps allow you to secure items inside.
- Airflow padding on the back for more comfort.
- Cool design, in black, with little Swiss silver crosses over red everywhere.
THE NOT SO GOOD:
Can't think of anything other than, to my surprise, it turns out that it's made in China.
I feel compelled to give it five stars.
very sturdy November 4, 2008
Lance C. Hibbeler
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I like this backpack. There is plenty of room for all of my stuff, though I admit, I didn't think it would fit when I first looked at the bag (meaning it has an outwardly small appearance). The straps are all thick and sturdy, with ample stitching; I don't think I will ever have a problem with them. The free ends of the straps have little plastic anti-fray things, rather than just the usual fold-and-sew a few times. The zippers are equally robust. There are compartments and pockets all over, including a laptop sleeve, two water bottle holders, a proper pen/pencil/calculator compartment, and so on...plenty of room for anything. It sits nicely on my shoulders without digging into them, no matter how much weight is in the bag. The part of the bag that is in contact with your back when you wear it has little padded nubs to keep the backpack a little off your back so you dont get major sweat patterns on your shirt when the weather is warm.
The single thing I don't like about the bag is the little rubber things or cloth patches that say "this loop is for sunglasses" or "this is for your mp3 player". Note, the bag has a small hole that you can feed your headphones through so the mp3 player can stay inside the bag- this leaked a tiny bit when I got caught in the rain, but not too bad. Nothing got ruined.
Anyway, this is an awesome bag. I would recommend it to anyone.
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