Amazon Basics Laptop Computer Backpack with padded shoulder
Amazon Basics Laptop Computer Backpack with padded shoulder straps and Organizational compartments for pens, keys, cellphone – Fits most 17 inch/43 cm (Black)
| Weight: | 899 g |
| Dimensions: | 34.01 x 17.78 x 49 cm; 899.02 Grams |
| Brand: | Amazon Basics |
| Model: | NC1306167R1 |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Amazon |
| Dimensions: | 34.01 x 17.78 x 49 cm; 899.02 Grams |
Amazon Basics! You wouldn’t think so, this is a good value, very spacious, lots of places to put things rucksack! It might not be Berghaus, it might not be Karrimor or any of the big mountaineering names. But if you need a good quality rucksack to take your laptop and lots of other kit with you to work, college, or on holiday, this is the one. You won’t be sorry you saved money.
Honestly, a decent backpack. I am able to fit my 16 inch MacBook Pro with a sleeve into it with no problem. I have travelled all around the world with it, sometimes with a laptop, sometimes without. Mine is just starting to deteriorate now after six years – the side pocket meshes have ripped at the bottom so can no longer be used. But otherwise it’s still quite functional. For 28, it has lasted very well. Recently it’s seen a huge price spike which puts it into a more premium category. I would buy it again at 30, but not at its current price.
That’s when I purchased this backpack and still use it every day to this day
Can’t fault it even used it as hand luggage on a few flights to the US
Product fine so far if it is rubbish I will let you know
I bought this laptop bag in early 2016 and it has been my office ever since. It not only carries my laptop, but all the other bits and pieces I need on a daily basis for work, along with all the other stuff that I only need occasionally.
We’re talking laptop, charger, mouse, external keyboard, tripod and myriad of connectors and plugs, as well as things like keys, USB sticks, medication, paperwork, spare phones, tablet, earbuds, wallet.
All of the zips still work perfectly (there’s a lot of them) and the fabric is still in excellent condition.
My bag tends to ride around in my car as opposed to on public transport which helps with wear and tear, but I carry it around a fair amount as I move from place to place and all the handles and straps are still going strong.
I’ve been in rain showers and nothing has been destroyed by water, but I couldn’t say if it’s waterproof as such.
It has loads of space and is really versatile in terms of what you can put in it and having options with the different sections.
I have added some extra padding to the laptop section at the back as I tend to have small 13/14 inch laptops and they get thrown around due to the bag being capable of holding bigger laptops, but this was nothing a bit of bubble wrap couldn’t solve to give my laptop some extra protection.
All in all a very good buy for the money!
Feel a bit of a cheat because I haven’t used it yet – but it looks and feels superb. It has loads of useful sections, seems solid and waterproof – and is much better than I thought it would be. I’ll update the review once I’ve used it!
I bought one of these 7 years ago, its been a daily used bag since with various laptops, used for hand luggage on aircraft and as a general rucksack, I have to say its been awesome in every way and well worth the money!
I’ve been using this bag for 6 years now, and it’s still just as good as it was when I first bought it.
Plenty space in it, and it’s really good quality. Fits my laptop, laptop stand, plug&cables, mouse, a week’s worth of clothes, toiletries, and still has space in it. Can’t say enough good stuff about this bag. Love it.
Great bag for the price at the time. In 2016 it was 28 ! Great capacity and have used it for work since bought. Currently put two laptops in it with no problem. Still going strong after 6 years of use, minimal wear and has been used for work since purchased. If anything the only issue I’ve had is that there’s too many pockets and finding the zip for the right pocket isnt the easiest !
I was looking for a backpack that I can use for work but also for shorter trips and this backpack fits the bill quite well. It has 5 different compartments that allow for organisation and has a decent capacity. The one downside I noticed is that the second pocket from the front doesn’t really have room to expend, if you jam something in there, that will take space away from the other compartments.
Dont be put off by the price. This is a brilliant backpack!! I bought this bag for my commute to work on my bike. It manages to hold my big lunch box. A change of clothes, and basic toiletries to freshen up and my work shoes. In both outer pockets i hold a hot coffee bottle and a water bottle. I have all my work documents, paperwork, and your basic keys, purse etc in there too. Loads of compartments so everything is sectioned and organised so easy to find things you need. I would recommend!
P.s. taking this backpack with me as my soft luggage for my 3 day safari next year. Speaks volumes for how much ‘stuff’ you can carry in it.
I gave the water-resistance a once star is because it nearly wet my laptop. I luckily put my laptop in a carrier bag. The main purpose of this product is too keep the laptop unwet but this product might be faulty. The overall rating I gave it 5 stars because it is a wonderful bag and very lightweight even with my laptop inside it. The storage capacity is also 5 starts as there is a lot of space for me to put my stuff input doesn’t have support if you just put an A4 paper book, it would likely bend even while carrying your laptop. I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a laptop backpack. The price is high compared to other bags on Amazon but it’s worth it.
The laptop sleeve is lightly padded, but the tablet sleeve isn’t. I carry a laptop, two tablets, a Kindle, my lunch, and lots of other useful things; basically, everything I’m likely to need (and some things I’m highly unlikely to need) during the day. You could probably get a couple of ring-binders in there as well.
This bag has enough pockets, configured in such a way, that I can always find anything I need. I particularly like the sunglasses pocket on top, which has never once contained a pair of sunglasses. However, it’s an excellent place for keeping quick-access stuff like a wallet, lipstick, penknife, ID badge, and so on, and it’s surprisingly roomy.
There is one front pocket with lots of little sub-pockets in it, which is excellent for all those little things that would otherwise get lost at the bottom of a bag; what looks like a second (upper) small front pocket isn’t – it’s another big full-length compartment.
All in all, this is a really good laptop backpack. It’s got enough pockets and compartments to satisfy nearly anyone, I should think; to be honest, it’s probably about the most user-friendly laptop backpack I’ve ever owned. Since mine is now 2 years old, I’ve started to look around for another. However, none of the ones I’ve come across have been as good as this one. Some are fancier, some are smarter, most are more expensive – none have the sheer usability of this one.
So I expect I’ll keep my AmazonBasics laptop backpack until it falls to bits, then I’ll buy another one!
You know what? None of the lining inside shows any real sign of it and especially that cashtray with it’s hard corners destroyed quite a few backpack bottoms in his live.
The straps and back are still comfortable, all the zippers still work without a hitch and the outside still looks great.
The only sign of wear I can see is on the bottom where it might have sat in some dirt (or chewing gum) that even the washing machine can’t get rid of, the picture I sprayed on a year ago 🙂 and the small pocket on top probably meant for cards or headphones is starting to slowly unravel cause I tend to put heavy things into it like keys and batteries.
Overall I love it and I’m still wondering how the bottom is still intact with all the heavy use and misuse (I tend to throw the pack into my car) it’s getting.
I’d definitely buy it again and hope it’s still available in a few years when I might need a new one.
PROS – I love this backpack it has so many handy features – The padded section for the laptop – Key-hook in front pocket – different sections for pens and cards and books and your phone if storing in a locker etc. (wouldn’t recommend putting it in there whilst having the bag on your back however, too many pickpockets around).
CONS – the water bottle holder at the side is far too tight for a regular bottle, maybe it will loosen in time i’m not sure.
Also this bag was a replacement as the original one i received was pre-used and smelled awful, there was stain all inside and smelled of stale beer that stained the whole inside of the bag which someone had obviously returned in a hurry before me, however this was replaced the next day by a brand new backpack with original packaging (which other didn’t have) The replacement policy was so easy to arrange and use, so no issue except lugging the return back to the post office.
All in all i am happy with this backpack – great job Amazon 4/5 this time!
Pictures included show a couple of the returned item and the other 3 are of the new one.
This is one of those products that I thought about for a few days before finally deciding to take the plunge. I didn’t need a new bag, but the bag I took to work (cycling) was just a little too small for my work clothes, laptop if I needed to go to a different office and other gym going paraphernalia. I saw this bag when having a spontaneous “I’ll just have a look”, the details seemed to suggest that it was bigger than my own and it really was inexpensive at 23.69 so I bought it to give it a go. It didn’t look bigger, so I was a little disappointed, however I gave it a go, packing my things for work the night before and low and behold it held more with room to spare due to the sheer number of pockets. It’s some kind of black magic, as it still doesn’t look much bigger than my previous bag. I can fit a water proof bag with my towel and shower gel in, my work trousers, shirt, socks, belt and jumper, plus all my toiletries such as moisturiser, aftershave and spray and double plastic container for my protein and BCAA. I then have spare room for laptop, wireless keyboard and wireless mouse should I need them and even more room for anything else! Amazing amount of space really!
Material wise, it’s not the most premium materials used, but then this is less than 25.00 so you absolutely know it wouldn’t be made out of Kevlar or high quality leather or something. That being said, the materials used are very well made and seem very sturdy. I’ve been using this bag practically every day for almost a month now, cycling back and forth from home to work in the wind and rain sometimes (OK all the time in the UK) and there is no sign of any wear and tear, only the a fold on the panel on the inside where the laptop would sit due to me stuffing everything in and making it stay that way!
Mightly impressed with this bag and would highly recommend, even if you have more money to spend on a slightly nicer looking bag.
OK, so I guess this product is what it says “basic”, certainly not premium.
The good…
Lightweight and comfortable.
Adequate space and many compartments for organising.
Straps and back of backpack both have padding.
Feels like there is some padding at the bottom too… should help protect your laptop when putting it down.
The bad…
The material (outer and inner)… ugh, it looks and feels very cheap. I have seen some reviews saying it is quite waterproof, but I would be shocked if it could withstand anything but the very lightest drizzle. (EDIT: have now been out in heavy rain and, whilst not completely waterproof, it does a surprisingly good job at keeping it the rain).
I don’t feel too confident about general the durability of the bag either (EDIT: bag has held up well so far and still looks in good condition).
Also…
Webbing pockets at the side of the bag are very tight. This could be good or bad, depending on what you want them for. I had to really squeeze to get a very small/light umbrella in there.
EDIT: after a month of use, I’m upping this from 3 to 4 sta
Externally, it’s still in great condition – very slight wear on the bottom, but otherwise no visible signs of age. An occasional wipe with a damp cloth has been enough to keep it looking great. Padding is a little flatter than it was on purchase, but still comfortable to use on an everyday basis.
Internally, the lining’s bottom stitching between the outermost compartments failed after a couple of years – this isn’t too bad a repair job if you’re capable with a needle and thread though – and I haven’t bothered as it hasn’t actually affected the usage of the bag itself.
Functionally, the storage options are good – padded laptop section that’s enough to carry a decent variety of laptops/tablets (though you’ll struggle if you’ve got a big 17″ desktop-replacement), enough separate storage for charger, etc. The outermost section has a few little pockets – standard sort of things you’d expect like a velcro’d pouch, some pen loops and small pockets. Externally, there’s the usual mesh pocket on each side – not terribly long, so you might have issues with larger drinks bottles, but large enough to hold a drinks can or a rain-cover for the rucksack.
The main compartments (3 of them) are reasonably spacious – you’ve got the “main” section (where the laptop pocket is) and a smaller one that’s suitable for stuffing loose items into. There’s also a fully opening section, which I’ve found large enough to contain clothes for a long weekend’s holiday without any issue. This collapses down to almost nothing if you tighten up clip-straps on the side as well, so if you’re not using the bag for much, it’s slimmer than you might think.
Overall – it’s not exactly a pretty bag, but it’s functional and durable – especially for the price. If you want something to take out on the town, it’s probably not for you. But if you want something to handle work/school for a few years, it’ll do you well.
So, I bought this bag to take my pc to and books, notebooks, pencils, chargers, food, water and whatever else I need for work. 5 days a week, and walking 2h a day with it. Plus, to serve has a nice bag for short trips, when I need to take some clothes, camera gear and what not.
Since I bought it I have not yet taken it to work but I have made a major travel. IT carried my pc, cables, notepad, writing utensils, glasses, external HD, phone box, and charger, food for the travel, charger, a big water bottle and some camera gear. And my review is a positive one. Even though it was a heavy load, it felt fine on my back, compared to my previous one with less weight. Even though I was eventually sweating it was not so much of the bags fault since it felt very “fresh”. Obviously, this is all a bit compared to my previous one, where a five-minute walk would let my back all wet, this did not, and my shoulders were fine for longer (obviously at the end of a full day travel, my shoulders were dead either way).
It’s very spacious, even though each compartment is not huge, since it has multiple compartments, for me this is very fine since in this way I can divide my stuff neatly throughout all compartments. The water pockets are tight though, and only slim bottles will fit easily, bigger or fatter ones will be harder to fit.
If in the future I come by some more relevant information, I will update this review.
An excellent backpack. My previous one was not worn out yet but felt loose as in hanging loose enough on the back to feel a drag when I put my work laptop in it. And had only 3 long pockets. This backpack has multiple pockets.
One large back pocket with a laptop enclosure, a tablet pocket and space to put some thing as well like a file or papers. Both my laptop and tablet (12.2″) slide in smoothly and fit snugly. Love it!
There are 2 more long pockets, not very wide but good enough for my Bose QC35s and Bose QC30’s, both in their cases. Snug fit but not squashed. There is a front pocket with organiser pockets in it. Very useful. And the best part – a top pocket for sunglasses, keys and earphones. 2 mesh pockets on the sides for water bottles. A bit narrow but good fit for a 500ml bottle.
The fit is excellent. It sits snug across the back, doesn’t have any swinging or dragging effect. Much easier for me to walk with the laptop in it.
The zippers are good quality and covered to protect from rain. The fabric is rain resistant as per the experience so far.
Absolutely well worth the money!
Don’t be deceived by how the bag looks from the outside and even once you’ve initially opened the pockets, it’s quite TARDIS-like on the inside and you can fit plenty inside – I was able to comfortably get my laptop, tablet, a ring binder, a large A4 notebook and a thick leather case inside all with plenty of room to spare. The various little pockets are great for storing little things inside like keys, phone and wallet (although I’d recommend keeping your wallet in your trouser/jacket pocket since the front pockets on this could be discreetly opened and looted while the bag’s on your back!)
Great, simple backpack – only minor drawbacks are the handle on the top is quite tight and it’s a little difficult to hold the bag from and the zips are stiff and jerky to open (which I’m sure will get easier once they’ve been used plenty)
I love all the various compartments which help me keep my items organised and stop me from having to pull out everything to find my mouse, which invariably wriggles its way to the bottom of any bag.
When I unpackaged the bag I thought it looked too small for what I needed, however it turned out to be the perfect size.
I used the front pocket to hold my purse, passport, pens, headphones and phone charger. The separate pockets help keep everything tidy so I can find what I need when I need it.
The next pocket doesn’t really give much room, so I kept my notebook and diary here because they are quite thin.
The next pocket I kept laptop charger, plug converters, and anything else I wanted to tuck away quickly… including that darn mouse!
And the larger pocket has three sections. One I put my laptop in because it’s padded. The middle one stored my tablet and the third section which is larger helped me store a change of clothes.
I was also able to stuff my duty free cigarettes and jacket in the top. But it was “stuffed”.
The best pocket by far is the small one at the top. I kept my keys and hotel card here. I didn’t know how important it was until after I had wiped my hotel key three times after accidently putting my mobile phone next to it my pocket. Yes I should have learnt the first time.
Great bag. I would recommend if you like to keep things organised while travelling.
The profit margins that other companies enjoy on their bags must be astronomical for amazon to offer this bag for the price. I’m very pleased with the design, which the photo accurately represents, and I appreciate the mini compartment at the top of the bag for storing pens, wallet, keys etc. The side netting is great too, but I feel that there is probably one too many compartments. I may be wrong, but I feel like I could store more stuff in the bag if there were fewer compartments. Not only that, but sometimes I forget which compartment I put something in, and it takes a long time opening all of them up to find it.
There are two sleeves which fit my 15″ laptop nicely, as well as paper documents. I have had the bag for over 6 months and I haven’t noticed any damage appearing, and the zips all work fine. About the zips… I find the flap over the zip on the compartment closest to my back covers the zip handles far too tightly, so it can be a bit of hassle trying to dig around to open it. I use other compartments if I can help it though.
All in all a good product for the price, and I would recommend it.
Long story short, this is the perfect bag for uni/school/work etc.
It’s essentially my all-in-one bag for shopping, work and uni.
I have had this bag for almost 2 months with constant use of every single compartment and every single day and it looks just as good as the day I bought it! That’s unheard of for a teenage boy like myself. (Did I mention that this was on the London Underground twice a day during rush hour?)
Every day I pack my laptop and its cables, my phone charger, food, a flask, a water bottle, writing utensils, a reading book and I still have a whole compartment and more left to spare!
It’s safe to say that you’d reach your carrying limit before the bag reached it’s holding limit in a lot of cases.
Pros:
– A lot of compartments (5) which you can use to their limit if packed well
– Good padding at the back of the bag for the laptop and your back
– Straps have shown no sign of wear from maximum, constant usage over almost 2 months
– Spacing is not an issue; if you can carry it, you most likely can buy it
Could be better:
– A bit more padding at the bottom (what is there at the moment is good, but as my laptop == my life, I personally would prefer a bit more just to be 100% safe)
– A personal thing, but maybe the cup holders at the side could be a little bigger, but that’s just me.
The price to quality ratio is amazing!
Even though I’ve only used this backpack for two days, I can already tell that it is a premium quality product. Don’t be fooled by it’s relative low price, the zippers and the materials are of high quality and you’ll find yourself with enough compartments to carry your laptop, tablet, chargers…you name it!
Overall, I am very pleased with this purchase, but I must say that I struggle each and every time I have to pack my 17 inch laptop in it. For reference, the dimensions of my laptop are the following (in inches):
16.33 x 10.6 X 0.78
If you’re intending to use it to carry a 15 inches laptop, look no further, this is the backpack you’ll need! however, if you’re in my situation and you’re carrying a “heavy duty” 17 inch laptop, perhaps you might consider measuring it before proceeding to checkout. Mine is a really tight fit!
Pros:
– More then enough storage compartments…really!
– High quality materials;
– Solid build (strong stitching, zippers, padded shoulder straps etc);
– Cheaper than most of the equivalent options available on Amazon.
Cons:
– None I have identified so far. I would just call your attention if you’re looking to carry a 17 inch laptop in it….measure it before buying!
Overall, a solid 5 start product…highly recommended!
Bought this for twenty five squids to replace a Swiss army / Wenger rucksack that cost twice as much.
The styling on this is not quite as nice – and I must say that at first I wondered whether the orange stitching would make people think that I was using a Sainsbury’s value brand rucksack …. but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I did consider colouring it in with a black marker pen but got used to it quickly.
Comfortable to wear for long commutes and I can stuff books, papers, spare shoes, waterbottle, essential electrical equipment and a fleece into it – plus a couple of bottles of wine if returning home via the off license.
Was not convinced I would like it as much as I do when I first bought it – but if / when it wears out I will buy another.
Have to say that with the last Wenger rucksack I bought (well work bought it actually) there was a plastic covered metal cable running along the top and that broke off after about 3 months. No problems with my Amazon rucksack – and to be honest – I know that if there were any problems that Amazon wouild sort them out straight away.
Given the way things are going I may buy another anyway to keep packed and ready to go – it’s only a matter of time before the zombie apocalypse is upon us and I’m going to be ready. May be too small for a full size machete but I should be able to squeeze a Gurka kukri or two into it along with some other essentials.
I bought this as I used to lug around a laptop carry case that I was given from work, that I hated using. So I bought this to replace it as I wanted something easier and more comfortable to walk around with, easier to travel with long distance and have more storage.
First of all, all things considered, especially the price, this thing really delivers.
The bag has a fairly large laptop slot/pouch in the back section with some padding front and back. The largest laptop I use in this regularly is a 15 inch laptop and it fits no problem with some extra room. I haven’t tested with anything larger but I would say 17 inch should fit, if a bit snug. In this section there is also a slot/pouch for a tablet or documents. In front of this (still in the same back section) there is still a decently sized section for another tablet, large headphones with case or chargers etc.
Moving into the next section, there is a single full size section that can be used for a tablet, documents or even another laptop. I’ve seen myself with my 15 inch laptop in the back section, then my 13 inch laptop in this section with no problems at all. I also keep things like laptop chargers, various cables, camera, headphones etc in here from time to time. Very good size.
Also work noting the 2 largest sections have clips that are to stop a laptop accidentally falling out when you open it, however these are actually really good for keeping the zips secure and away from unwanted hands!
Moving forward into the 3rd largest pocket, there is a medium size pocket, perfect again for chargers, headphones and other accessories. I keep many cables I use at work (systems engineer) such as network cables, display cables etc. I’ve also used this for a DSLR camera and case and fits snugly. However no padding between this section and the 2nd section so keep valuables/breakables in cases!
Into the very front pocket and this is where you keep all your small items. I keep my wireless mouse, 2 sets of earbuds, pens, battery bank, memory sticks, portable hard drive and a fair few other things in here. The front does have some padding to protect the bag from getting bashed at the front and a few little different slots inside. You can fit quite a bit in here and is a good size again.
There is also a slot in between the back sections for putting something small like a mobile phone.
The build quality has been excellent, no issues with mine so far and seems very durable. There is a nice strong handle on the top which I always use and has no problems, even when I have 2 laptops, tablet and other things in it. No problem even with quite a bit of weight.
The straps can be subjective but I feel they have a decent amount of padding, I’ve had no problem walking around for extended periods with quite a bit of weight.
The back has some breathable material and again some padding to keep your back from sweating when using for longer periods.
If I had one complaint about it it would be that there could be more padding in-between the pockets. However I then consider the price and I really can’t complain when I compare to some other much more expensive products.
Overall, fantastic product, so glad I bought one. If you want a simple looking, yet excellently build and feature rich laptop bag, I can’t recommend it enough at this price.
I bought this for a new 17.5″ Dell laptop. The bag itself is great quality but it is not suitable for a 17.5″ monitor!! When I put the laptop into the bag it fits but I really need to squeeze it in and it’s difficult to close. I also feel like I can’t/shouldn’t put other items in the bag when the laptop is in there because the zip literally looks like it’s going to burst! I would say that if your laptop is 17″ or under you’ll be fine and if (like me) you don’t want to spend a fortune on a bag for a 17.5″ monitor then this will do but keep in mind it won’t be perfect for the job. All in all the bag is great just don’t buy if your laptop is over 17″ externally… not even if it’s just by a few millimeters.
This backpack seems well made – plenty of pockets, zips etc to allow packing of different things.The material is good, but I wouldn’t trust it in a downpour (much like most backpacks in this price range though). Has simple strap adjustments, none of the fancy clips that you might want if doing some distance with anything heavy in it – but equally none of those straps that just get in the way when commuting.
BE CAREFUL of your laptop size. Mine is 15.6″ and with thin case, just fits and no more. I would say a 17″ laptop maybe could fit, but not with any form of case on it.
Overall, it feels like a slight step down from my previous bag (an all singing all dancing berghaus), but for less than half the price I’m happy with it.
Great value, lots of space, quite comfortable to carry. My only criticisms are that the zips are a little difficult to use freely (maybe my technique!) and even with just a 15.6″ laptop the top corners of the laptop have no padded protection when in the bag. The other protection is great. I got round this when travelling by wrapping a pair of (lint-free!) trousers over the top and corners of the laptop.
I don’t know whether other backpacks would have a similar problem. However, at this price (did I mention it seems pretty well made / good materials) I cannot really complain.
The description says it’s for “up to 17 inch laptops”. I don’t have a 17″ laptop to try out but based on how much spare room there is with a 15.6″ I think it might be a tight squeeze!
The straps will need a little fiddling around with to get your personal balance sorted as I found the left strap to feel a bit tighter/heavier in comparison to the right.
side pockets great for holding onto bottles, cans or compact umbrella’s but can loosen a bit if items are left in them for prolonged periods of time.
The main body of the bag contains many pockets for sorting your utensils, but can be a little tricky to open the pockets that are hidden under the overlying flaps.
The price is great as it takes off a fair bit of expensive you would normally have to pay for a typical brand that charges for advertising costs and packaging. putting a good quality bag at a more affordable price even if only by a little 🙂
This truly rivals more expensive bags, and you should not hesitate to purchase this.
I bought this looking for a throwaway bag I could use to carry my gym stuff and laptop (an unusual combination of the dirty and the pristine). I didn’t want to use my other laptop bag, which was significantly more expensive, so I thought I would try this out based on its price—the logic being I could replace it two times over and still have saved money.
I was delighted with the result: it’s huge, comfortable and well-built. The lack of logos on the bag is a plus: it gets the job done and doesn’t draw attention to itself. It has five significant storage compartments (a large laptop section, a second large section, a third stowaway compartment, a section at the front for pens and wallets, and a small valuables section at the top), along with two drinks holders, ties to compress the bag’s profile and a uniquely effective strap adjustment system (that is, you can very easily adjust the height of the straps while you’re walking without having to take the bag off and fiddle).
This bag is an excellent product, and I highly recommend it.
I was surprised at just how much space is in this bag, I have a 15″ laptop which I take to uni, as well as a document folder that’s always full of lecture noted etc. When looking for a suitable, I wasn’t sure how much space I’d need, however this bag has more than enough room for what I need day to day.
It seems pretty well made, I guess time will tell if this is true or not, but I can’t see any major problems occurring.
My only gripe with this bag- and it is a small one that’s easily sorted- is that there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of padding and protection in the laptop department, so it may be wise to invest in a separate sleeve for ones device if your a little paranoid as I am about your device getting damaged whilst in transit.
All in all, this seems a very promising produc
The bad points.
I always try to list bad points first, because if I don’t, they are likely to be missed if my review is too long, and it also enables busy folks to quickly learn of any potential pitfalls before they too purchase it. 🙂
Her 17″ laptop did NOT fit! OK, it did physically get in the rucksack, in the correct compartment – and the zip could be closed – but closing the zip was a real struggle – a two-handed operation, and it felt as though I was overly forcing the zip beyond what was comfortable. I just felt that by doing this, the zip would fail in very short order, rendering the rucksack useless. Therefore, in our specific requirement, we feel this rucksack wasn’t fit for her 17″ lappy. I think the reason for this non-fitment of 17″ lappies is due to the design of the rucksack – its two sides are not parallel, they both lean in towards the top of the rucksack – giving the top of the rucksack a kind of arched design, rather than say a squared off design which might be more suitable for large laptops.
Other bad points we can think of. The inside of the back surface (the face which contacts your back) appears to be internally reinforced with some kind of heavy duty cardboard or other similar board. Obviously, there needs to be some kind of protection for any laptop or other similar delicate item carried – I just feel this board is too stiff and inflexible. I would also think this board would make your back sweat on hot days, and also fear if it were to get wet, may start to degrade to a papery mush, just like cardboard does when it gets wet. In my own opinion, I would think that a thin layer of high density foam (maybe even memory foam) would have been a better option for protection – foam would hopefully breathe a little better, helping to disperse heat and sweat, and would remain intact and not degrade if it got wet. Also, if it had foam rather than its present cardboard – then it could be washed in a washing machine whenever it got minging – obviously using an appropriate delicate wash cycle, appropriate detergent for similar sports goods, no fabric conditioner, and then waterproofing with an appropriate spray afterwards.
Other negative points include the lack of any chest strap and / or hip compression strap. Personally, being as 17″ laptops can be quite weighty, I would consider hip compression straps very important – so as you can carry the weight on your hips, rather than on your shoulders and back. It is, after all, specifically sold as a “Laptop Backpack”! :-p
The good points. In general, this is actually a very good rucksack, especially considering it is from a ‘Basics’ range. It is made from a very durable, heavy-guage quality nylon material, with a rip-stop weave – and feels as though it could easily resist wear from abrasions. The back surface is ergonomically designed, with raised, padded open-mesh parts which would make contact on the muscle areas of your back (it is muscles, when exercising, which generate heat) – and having a ‘relief’ area along the central column for the spine, and a further padded section widthways across the lower edge. The base of the bag seems to be very well padded and protected – to save from any accidental (or careless) heavy drops onto the ground. Both sides have open-mesh pockets for drinks bottles, and also have compression straps to reduce the volume when the bag is minimally loaded.
The main pocket is more than adequate, containing a divider pocket for retaining laptops, tablets, folders, etc – and the divider has a secondary pocket for thinner items too. The top of the main compartment also has a semi-hidded much smaller zipped section – useful for say loose change, keys, etc. The second pocket is full length and full width, with its dual zip pullers going down the sides to very near the bottom – and so this second pocket feels as though it is sort of ‘hinged’ from the bottom. However, at the sides, the bottom half is gusseted (to prevent items from spilling out), and the outer section is also stayed in place by the side compression straps – though these can be fully released via their conventional quick-release buckles. The zips on both the main and secondary compartments can be hidden by the integral 15mm storm flap (to prevent rain driving directly onto the zip).
The third pocket is merely a no-frills pocket – about 90% of the height and 80% of the width of the two main compartments, and is secured by an open double-pull zip at its top quarter. The smallest fourth pocket is the ‘swiss army knife’ of pockets! At about 60% of the total height and say 75% of the total width – this is a bit like the second compartment, in that its double pull zip opens all the way to the bottom on both sides, and again is retained by half-height side gusseting. Inside this 4th pocket, it has a number of other ‘sub-pockets’ – a full width half-height dividing section, next, slightly shorter, two one third width smaller flat pockets with the final third being given to two very generous pen slots. Each pen slot would easily hold say four bic biros, or a highlighter each, or maybe a whiteboard or permanent marker each plus a smaller fine liner marker. And then there are a two further shorter pockets in front of slightly taller third pockets – one being flat one being depth-shaped (to hold the equivalent of a pack of 20 cigarettes). Finally, this fourth section also contains a key hanger. The outer part of this fourth compartment is, in the majority, internally padded with a soft foam.
Whilst the exterior is very much entirely black – all internal zipped sections are lined in a lightish grey – making it appear much lighter inside than it is on the outside!!! The smallest compartment has some orange stitching detail, as do the fabric helper tags sewn onto all the zip pullers – I’m guessing this orange is some kind of Amazon ‘corporate’ identity colour – but it actually works well and is a useful decoration. Finally, the exterior is finished with a pair of silver-grey scotchlite-type reflective piping details, which start at the bottom, and go up and over the top, aside the very functional and comfortable carrying handle.
To finish, had this ‘not’ been specifically labeled as a “17 inch laptop backpack” – and merely been called a general rucksack – it would make a perfect product. Apart from not fitting my wife’s 17″ lappy, this really is an excellent rucksack. OK, it probably isn’t a dedicated ‘outdoors’ kind of rucksack you use when walking in the hills or fells, or when camping – but for a general ‘about town’ or school-bag type of rucksack, this is perfect. It would also be quite good on a motorbike, especially being it is made from heavy duty abrasion-resistant fabric – though probably not suited to ‘head down – bum up’ race replica motorcycles! And it probably isn’t suitable for cycling either – it is probably too thick and too heavy duty – cyclists seem to prefer super-thin lightweight rucksacks.
In the end – because my wifes’ work specifically wanted a rucksack for her 17″ lappy – it has to go back. And we already have a few similar sized rucksacks for other activities. And so, save for the 17″ lappy issue – for any other use, I would whole-heartedly recommend this rucksack. As a comparison, Amazon also sell similar sized rucksacks made by Kipling – those Kipling items are horrible – this particular AmazonBasics AB103 is a million times better!
Like most other techy people I’m a ‘one-of-everything’ kind of person, having one backpack which carries everything I need (and other crap I don’t). This back is quite happily capable of carrying a laptop, charger, three A4 notebooks, tablet, chargers, portable HDD, data cables, stationary, snacks, and much more. All of which can be slotted into a fairly large selection of pockets, meaning you’re not rummaging around a single compartment for each item you carry.
The build of the backpack is high quality, too. It’s padded in all the right places and the straps are comfortable after being on your back for a long period of time (in my case I had to make it from one end of Schiphol airport to the other). I couldn’t comment on its water resistance as I didn’t encounter any rain while on my trip.
My only gripe is that the zips do sometimes get caught on the covers, but this isn’t a big enough problem to remove a star when the rest of the backpack is very well built. Plus, once you get used to it then it’s not a problem.
If you’re on the market for a new laptop bag then I would strongly consider this one. I will most certainly be recommending this.