****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
So I don’t get backpacks often cause I get really high quality backpacks. The last backpack I had and still have is in great condition I’ve had it since freshman year of high school and it’s been a great investment. However the reason I’m switching to the bellroy backpack is 1 part hype and 2nd part reviews and I can confirm this pack is AMAZING so man pockets super comfortable. I’m in my final year of college and I have pounds upon pounds of textsbooks and this pack handles it like a champI loved this backpack.I ended up returning it because it didn't fit my new laptop (Dell G7 15.6"). I ended up having to buy a 17" laptop backpack to fit it.First impression: this bag is beautiful. (I got Lunar color). Genuinely one of the most visually appealing bags I've ever seen or used. And on the topic of design: This was my favorite organizational design of all the bags I've ever used. I loved the internal sleeves, the top inside pocket, the side access front pocket. It's hard to describe how nice it feels to use. Like it's something that a less well designed backpack won't necessarily feel "bad", until you use this, and it just feels really "good".Second impression: this bag is sturdy. Much sturdier than I thought it would be. While I didn't get to test it in much rain or anything, I can't confirm, but I would feel safe running home in the rain with this.It was also pretty comfortable, but nothing crazy.Something to keep in mind: this is a no-frills bag. No crazy security, no internal wires, no fancy suspension, not ultralight (actually a tad heavy). But if you're looking at this bag, that's probably not what you're looking for.Overall: I really really loved this bag. It was honestly difficult to have to return this, and if I had a laptop that fit, I probably would have kept it. At this price, I think a lot of people will complain that it lacks "features", but for me the beauty of this bag is it's simplicity. If you're looking for a minimalistic bag that's actually high quality and well designed, this is it (and yes, you have to pay more than a $20 H+M bag).An alternative is the Fjallraven Raven 20. It's around $80 I believe, slightly less well designed, less comfortable (no padding), slightly less sturdy, a little bit smaller, and less visually appealing (messier). If you're looking to upgrade from a Jansport, that may be a good option.Love this backpack. Understated but eye catching in simplicity. Minimal but actually holds a lot and has a smart layout without a lot of confusion with pockets. Superb construction and material. Only problem is it is so well made it is a bit stiff when it is new. Zipper flaps are stiff also. I imagine this loosens up over time, so definitely worth the minor inconvenience for a small amount of time. I purchased the Lunar color (sand). It is darker than pictured. Almost a field khaki color. Wish it were lighter like the website photo, but I am ok with it because I do not want anything darker. You won't be wasting your money!I have had this for at least half a year at this point, still seems almost like new. The few times I have had it while it was raining it performed good (but that's only light California rain). The ergonomics is very nice I never have any shoulder pain or anything. I just wish it had a water bottle holder but I knew that when I purchased this item.Overall I am very satisfied with my purchase, and would very likely buy it again If I lost my backpack right this moment.I love this bag. The breathable back isn’t mesh so it won’t mess up your shirts, and it is a fairly compact bag. I have enough room to put all of my things without feeling like I’m diving into the digital world looking for my pencil bag ?. If you carry a lot of stuff with you, you might want a bigger bag. I just have a cord bag, glasses case, pencil bag, 12.9 in iPad Pro, a notebook, and the 16 In Mac Pro in the main section, and my car keys and wallet in the front pocket.Great backpack, delivers on everything it says it will. Only note is that the sunglasses pouch is very tight and difficult to use. I'll probably use the front pouch instead because of this, which defeats the purpose. This probably isn't an issue for most people, but it's my favorite feature in a well designed backpack and this one just doesn't quite meet the mark.The brand image and overall reviews suggest that this product should be a high-end backpack.Unfortunately, this product does not qualify for its name's sake.After a week of heavy use, a strand of fabric protruded from the inner sim of one of the straps.For a person like me, who cares about such a minor deficiency, the price of this product is open for discussion.This is a great backpack, holds my 15" laptop, iPad, phone, chargers, water bottle, wallet, sunglasses and room for more! Took it with me as my "personal item" for an international trip and it worked perfectly. The reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is because it took over 2-weeks to be delivered when online it said 2-3 days (almost didn't make it in time for my trip), and when it was delivered half the box was torn and open making it easy to pull the bag out from the torn part of the box. Fortunately, the backpack wasn't damaged.I bought this bag as I was getting a laptop from work for working from home, but didn't want the bog standard black briefcase style work were providing. I wanted something that I could use as a backpack without the laptop too.I'm familiar with Bellroy products having owned two of their slim sleeve wallets and knowing the good quality of those I felt I could trust a backpack to be made by the same standards.I wasn't wrong, the materials feel and look premium, nothing feels flimsy or sub-standard. It's comfortable to wear with the weight of the laptop and other things like a chilly bottle and notepad in there.My only small gripe (which is nothing really) is operating the zips can be awkward at times because of the 'storm flap' it's just knowing which way to pull the zips, and if it's going to keep rain away from the precious cargo then I'm not going to complain!Having purcheased another brand, and returned post haste, I was keen to see if this Bellroy product lived up to my other Bellroy products, and it really did. Great design and super manufacture. Perhaps a tad expensive, but as all the other products great value!For what is in essence a basic small backpack, this is extremely expensive. I found it too small to be practical and got a larger minimalist backpack with far more features for less money from Mammut.Needed a new bag for work and this one is great. Some great compartments for the Mac and accessories.The perfect bag for your daily commute to work. Looks good and offer neat storage without being bulky. Strongly recommend it!
