Very first impressions of the Riutbag R15.3

It was back in late 2017; I was the lucky winner of an online competition held by Vice.com and soon I found myself with an XD Design Bobby Compact backpack. Shortly after that, a friend of mine (damn you Theo!) pointed out an alternative anti-theft backpack – the RiutBag.

I still recall being confused by the numbering of the RiutBags (R15.2 vs R15.3 vs R10.3 etc.) and the differences between them, but being impressed by the innovative anti-theft design, the yellow interior of the backpacks and their capacity (holding more than the rest of the same-volume backpacks). However, they were pretty expensive (at least for me), so they seemed out of reach. On top of that, after using my Bobby Compact for quite a while, I soon realized that it was a bit too small for my daily commuting gear so I switched to a brand-new HP Odyssey backpack.

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It was about time 😉

A post shared by Vassilis P. (@vprot) on Jan 27, 2019 at 9:36am PST

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To make a long story short, despite the fact that I was (and still am) pretty pleased with my Odyssey, I was still watching hours of video reviews of innovative backpacks, read numerous online reviews and always kept on eye on Riutbags and the updates from Sarah (Giblin, the designer of the RiutBags). In fact I wanted really bad to get my hands on one of them!

There was a real struggle over the past months: I resisted by the 33% off the Riut R15.3 price, even a 50% off at some point (it must have been Black Friday sales); however, time was mature when it went back on a 50% sale a few days ago: I ordered it late Tuesday 21/1 and it arrived on Thursday 23/1 – blazing fast delivery! It seemed like a dream coming true, having one of these backpacks that I’ve read a lot about, watched virtually every video review (thank you James Chia for the thorough reviews of the R15.2!) and desired so much.

Strange thing is that it’s been a week and I still have the R15.3 in its original packaging (WTF??). I inspected every single zip (to make sure there are no issues), checked seams, straps, pockets, everything I could to make sure that my backpack is flawless – and it was. I even planned the way that my stuff would be organized in my R15.3. But have not made the move in the past 7 days (will reveal the reason in an upcoming blog post).

My very first impressions of the RiutBag R15.3 are the following – could not help but comparing it to my €25 HP Odyssey as it’s my current carrying gear:

1. Quality is great: It is a really well-made backpack, made with quality material. Stitches look ok,
2. Fabric is stiff: It is stiffer than I expected. It surely holds its shape (and weight, even when empty). I wouldn’t worry having my R15.3 slashed with a knife (a strong selling point of the XD Design backpacks), as the fabric is too thick. At the same time, I am sure it is rain-proof (or at least pretty resistant to rain).
3. Shoulder straps are stiff: They are thicker and stiffer than I would like. Being used to the thin but still extremely comfortable shoulder straps of my Odyssey backpack, I wish the R15.3 had the same straps.
4. Zips are stiff, too: I admit I was not impressed by the zips used in the R15.3. They seem too thin, maybe weak and move pretty slow; I am not an expert but they seem one of the weakest points of the backpack. In comparison, the zips of my Odyssey feel much better and operate better. I hope that after a break-in period, the R15.3 zips will also move more smoothly.
5. Organization features are great: A safe back-bottom pocket for valuables (e.g. wallet, passport), a quick access pocket at the top for most frequently used items (e.g. sunglasses, smartphone chargers, pens and a small notebook, gums), two internal mesh pockets for various items (cables/cords, USB sticks, chargers, power banks and external hard disks, a zippered and padded compartment for a laptop and a tablet, and ambient space for clothes, magazines/books etc. on the other side of the backpack divided by a zippered mesh – brilliant!
6. Laptop compartment might an issue: Keep in mind that the laptop compartment fits a 15-inch laptop (not the typical 15.6-inch ones). As a result, my Acer Aspire E15 laptop will not fit at all in the compartment…it is a good thing that I rarely carry it around; instead I use my 11.6-inch transformer tablet with detachable keyboard.
7. I like the top handle: In some cases you need to carry the backpack with the top handle. The one of the Odyssey is pretty awful: thin and covered with a hard, plastic material (stitches started failing already), which makes it unpleasant to use it. On the other hand, I love the thick and soft top handle of the 15.3, which is well-thought.
8. I miss a shoulder strap slot for my metro card. No matter if it is zippered (like the ones of the previous versions of Riutbags) or not (like the XD Design Bobby has), I would appreciate a thin slot for storing and quick accessing my metro card while on the go.
9. I don’t miss a USB port for charging my phone: The availability of a USB port connecting a power bank inside the backpack with a smartphone outside of it seems to be a must during these years. However, I never used this feature of my Bobby Compact nor I missed it in my HP Odyssey.

I will make the transition in the next days I guess, so I will have the opportunity to use my treasured R15.3 under real conditions – pretty challenging in some cases – and provide some useful (I hope) insights. Until then, it will be safely stored in its nice bag 🙂

HP Odyssey backpack: First impressions

I have been using the HP Odyssey backpack for more than three of months now, mostly commuting to work by train – and it has been a pleasure. But how did I end up with the Odyssey?

I am always in search of a comfortable and practical backpack and I have been doing quite a lot of research over the last years. I have used backpacks with great organizational options but with limited space for bulky items, others with large main compartments but with weight balancing issues (i.e. not holding their shape), slim ones, bulky ones, many different kinds.

My last addition, the Bobby Compact by XD Design, was a great experience thanks to its anti-theft features and my frequent use of public means of transportation – at the same time, its small dimensions and limited capacity made it hard for me to keep using it as my daily gear. I do not need a huge backpack for daily use, but I would definitely need some additional space for the stuff I typically carry around.

The Odyssey by HP has always been in my wish list: It is a low cost and diverse backpack with sufficient volume and nice looks. When the time came for a quick replacement of my backpack, I found it dead cheap on the market (about 25 EUR incl. shipping) so I went for it. I was concerned by its pretty deep and narrow design (referring to its main compartment) but I had the opportunity to get my hands on it after noticing a colleague of mine carrying one around and I realized that this would not be a problem for me.

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It was about time to replace my main commuting gear; the #hpodysseybackpack is one of the most practical backpacks I’ve ever used 😉

A post shared by Vassilis P. (@vprot) on Jul 27, 2018 at 11:30pm PDT

 

My first impressions, after these months of daily use:

1. Material: Material is thick enough without being too heavy. It is a mix of a faux-leather like material (front side) and a thinner one (on the sides). The back panel is extremely comfortable, and the same goes for the straps. The same thick material is used at the bottom of the bag, so it looks pretty durable and water-resistant (at least I hope so).

2. Organization options: There are different organization option, serving different roles:

a) Laptop compartment: Instead of being a part of the bag’s main compartment, it is cleverly located as a separate slot facing your back. This not only allows for a better weight allocation (the closer to your back heavy items are, the less the discomfort), but also makes it more secure, as the double zippers are practically at the height of your neck. The laptop compartment is well-padded and fits laptops larger than 15,6-inch. It can also hold larger than A4 paper documents, books etc.). It has a double zipper that makes it easy to access and prevents accidental drop of the laptop.

b) Main compartment: As I mentioned earlier, it is rather deep and narrow; however, it fits my typical lunchbox, which was really important! Its back side features a tablet pocket and a shorter pocket for e.g. small notebooks and smaller-size documents. On the opposite side you will find a zippered mesh pocket for even smaller items that you don’t want to spill in the bag (e.g. USB sticks, micro-SD cards, short cables, stationary etc.). On the sides (internally), there are two open elastic pockets that can be used for storing e.g. external hard disks; one of them has a small opening to the external side pocket, that can be used for passing through the cable of e.g. a powerbank so that devices can be charged.

There are also 4 elastic pen slots and a key loop; the latter is located pretty low in the bag so it looks pretty useless to me.

c) Main compartment cover pocket: The main compartment has a closure with an external compartment; it looks a bit like the Thule’s SafeZone compartment, but without the extra protection. I use it for items I need to access quickly (e.g. keys, sunglasses in their case, a pen and post-it notes, access cards, transportation pass, spare change etc.). Its zip is protected by the thick, water-repellent material used in the front of the bag so it looks like well-protected from rain..

d) Side pockets: A typical mesh one for a water bottle (fits at least my 600 mL thick insulated water bottle) and another one with a zipper and an internal opening towards the main compartment (see above).

e) Safe pocket: There is a pretty small zippered vertical pocket between the water bottle pocket and the laptop compartment. It faces towards my back, so it is pretty secure. I use it for my magic wallet, a thin business card holder and my backup smartphone. A nice addition but since it lies between the water bottle pocket and the internal side pocket (occupied by my power bank), it tends to be squeezed and therefore hard to access…

3. Volume: I find it quite strange that there is no mention of its actual volume – anywhere! Based on its dimensions, I estimate it at about 18-20 lt. I can’t say it is huge (e.g. meeting my needs for a 2-3 day trip) and definitely it is not small (larger than the Bobby Compact). Its main compartment is indeed rather narrow and deep so it is mostly useful for bulky items (e.g. my lunch box, a couple of clothes, some grocery items etc.); you will have a hard time finding smaller items inside it.

Obviously, when the internal pockets of the main compartment are used, the space of the main compartment itself is minimized – the same goes for the laptop compartment, which also puts some “pressure” on the main compartment. Since I do not have to carry a laptop with me (just a 11,6-inch tablet w/ keyboard – and not all the time!), I have adequate space for a pocket book, a newspaper and other documents in the laptop compartment, which leaves some space in the main one.

The compression straps (on top and bottom of the backpack) look good but do not offer much as the bag looks hard to compress (due to its pretty thick material).

4. Practicality: It definitely is a practical backpack. It allows for quick access to its various pockets and compartments even while walking and the top pocket is great for this purpose. It has a sternum strap for better allocation of the weight, a practical front-side handle for carrying it around as a duffel bag etc.

My only complaint is the main compartment, which may get too cramped with items, restricting access to its internal pockets, mostly due to its top-loading design – but then, how often is my backpack that cramped? You can store items, you can hang items (e.g. a small flashlight, a reflective band etc.). The common water bottle / umbrella side pocket is there, quick access options are there.

I also don’t like the top handle; it is too thin and covered with this faux-leather material as the front of the bag. I would prefer a handle like the front side one, which is more soft and comfortable to use. However, I rarely use the top handle, so I do not mind that much.

5. Looks: It surely isn’t a backpack aiming at business users, to be brought to formal meetings. It looks casual and has a tactical style (see the side next to the zippered side pocket), and its front handle allows it to carry it around as a compact duffel bag (but still without the perks of it). It still has a limited footprint. I would describe it as an urban backpack, which can be used for work and e.g. gym. I went for the black/gray one, so it doesn’t have these bright red/green details of other types of the same backpack and looks more discreet.

Btw, it reminds me a bit of the Targus Seoul backpack (top opening, front side handle, almost rectangle shape), but with a thicker material and no front pockets. I was about about to buy the Seoul for about 35 EUR but I actually didn’t like the fact that it wouldn’t hold its shape when not full. It also shares a lot of common elements (design-wise) with the recently announced Belkin Active Pro. While it is more than double the price, it looks more professional sporting a leaner design both internally and externally; a colleague of mine recently managed to pack stuff for a two-day business trip in it – I guess thanks to its “cleaner” main pocket design, which allows for more space (but less organization options – you need to balance your priorities!).

6. Bonus: Anti theft design? Well, the backpack is not advertised as an anti theft one, but thanks to its design, it feels more secure compared to most of the options available. One would notice that there are no zippers or pockets in the front of the backpack. Its main compartment has a top cover with a double zipper which can close at the point of your neck, so it would be pretty hard for anyone to have access to it. The pocket on the closure of the main pocket has the zipper protected under a pretty thick material, so it is hard to open unnoticed. Last but not least, the side vertical slot/pocket facing almost at your back is also well-protected. How cool is that?

Summary

A great backpack, spacious enough, comfortable and looking neat. Holds its own weight, it looks rain-proof and sturdy. My only complaints are the top handle (too thin and uncomfortable) and the zippers (seem like the weak lpart of the bag). But for a bit more than EUR 20, it is hard to beat its value for money. I have the feeling that it will serve me well for the next years.

If you want to see more of the HP Odyssey backpack, you can take a look at the numerous video reviews on YouTube. Even though none of them will show how much stuff the Odyssey will hold, they provide a nice visual overview of the bag.

 

Tech Air backpack: Getting along with it

I started using my Tech Air TAN-3711 backpack daily since January, after I realized that I should store my XD Design Bobby Compact for future use, when it would become more necessary. I decided to give the Tech Air another try, in order to better understand its features and see if I could live with it – and if so, for how long. In these two months, including a 4-days business trip, during which it was my daily gear for a 12-hour per day schedule, I admit that I started finding it closer to my needs and more practical than I initially thought:

 

The Tech Air backpack has more storage space than I initially thought.

 

Positive points

• The internal organization of stuff is convenient; I found good use for the 5 pockets of the main compartment (picture with pockets), and since I do not always carry a laptop with me, I use the padded pocket (the backpack’s strong selling point) for storing my external hard disk, chargers and cereal bars while the last compartment is used for A4 papers and other printed material;
• Depending on the use, its main compartment may be expanded to fit a water bottle and even a change of clothes (not too much though) or even a small-to-medium-size lunch box on the top (close to the zippers);
• The backpack features a waterproof, durable material at its bottom (externally), so there is no way to get this soaked if left on wet surface;
• The zippers work flawlessly, even though they do not seem to be the typical high-quality YKK;
• Shoulder straps are comfortable and well-padded;
• The backpack has an almost square form and it had pretty large dimensions (especially width) but it is still lean, thanks to lack of external pockets for water bottles and umbrellas. Two sets of compression straps minimize the width of the backpack when needed;
• Overall it is a well-built backpack with sturdy material; it keeps its shape even when empty and looks like it is built to last.

 

I initially underestimated the internal organization options of the backpack; found these pockets really useful now.

 

Negative points

• As mentioned in my review, there are no small zippered pockets for smaller items like USB sticks, memory cards, paperclips etc. I still find this annoying and a big drawback
• The back side is comfortable but does not feature a breathable design; haven’t used the backpack during a typical Greek hot summer yet, but I would expect an unpleasant experience (and lots of sweat stains) on the back;
• Lack of side water bottles: A leak-proof water bottle could be stored in the main compartment, but this would minimize available space;
• The backpack seems to be a bit on the heavy side; this is due to its relatively thick material and padding. However, taking into consideration the materials used, it is lighter than I would expect by looking at it.

The more I use the Airtech backpack, the more I understand that in contrast with the current all-purpose backpacks, it was made for business / professional use. Not for commuters (e.g. lack of water bottle pocket), nor for school (no way to fit all these school books or organize your stationary), or for casual weekends away from home (e.g. hardly fits a couple of t-shirts). It is a streamlined business backpack, with interesting (but not always practical) organization options.

A small experiment – going back to my Sentio?

I did an experiment the other day: I tried migrating all the stuff I have in my Tech Air to my old favorite Sentio Sporty. There were many items accumulated in the backpack since then, so this was a challenge. Since the Sentio has all its pockets in the front side (thus the unbalancing issue), I tried to put several heavy items (e.g. hard disk, powerbank, documents etc.) in the internal laptop sleeve and some others in the large main compartment. However, when I finished loading it with all my stuff, it still looked like a sack of potatoes, having a hard time balancing the weight… I had no other choice but to transfer all my stuff back to the Tech Air, which seems to be a champion in holding its shape despite the load; and this is something I really love.

To sum up: Even though I planned to start using my (lighter) Sentio backpack, I will have to stick with the Air Tech for the time being. I may switch to the Bobby Compact in the future, which is a great alternative, too, thanks to its excellent weight balance.

XD Design Bobby Compact review

(This review came later that I planned to, as I was struggling to find enough free time to put my thoughts in line. I planned a number of posts in the meantime but never had the time to complete them…)

To make a long story short, some time before Christmas 2017, I was among the lucky winners of one of the Vice.com online competitions/contests. I was informed by email that I should expect my Bobby backpack (no other details in the email) in the following weeks. I was in search of a new backpack (and in fact I was about to get one), so this was great news! The backpack finally arrived, brand new and well-packed, some time before Christmas, so it was early Christmas for me. As far as I remember it was the first time I ever won something in any of the numerous contests that I have taken part in, so I cordially thank Vice for that 🙂

Christmas came early this year – thanks to @vice & @xddesign. More info soon 🙂 #xddesign #BobbyCompact #BobbyBackpack #earlychristmasgift #vice

A post shared by Vassilis (@vprot) on Dec 3, 2017 at 11:38pm PST

The model I received was the Bobby Compact, so the smaller one of the two available backpacks, (and the more expensive one, to my surprise) fitting a 14-inch laptop among others. I am currently using a 10-inch tablet with a detachable keyboard as my travel and out-of-office work companion, so I didn’t mind that. It came in pastel blue color, which was less vibrant than the rest of the series (and I also didn’t mind, as I was to use it for commuting to work and back).

Both Bobby backpacks have been extensively reviewed by various experienced reviewers on the Web, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to replicate standard things. To make things more useful for everyone, I will focus on my personal experience and how my setup fit (or did not) the specific backpack.

Design & Quality

Not much to say about the design; it has been copied by so many different companies that it speaks for itself. Design focuses on two aspects (i) Anti-theft, so no external zippers exposed to others and (ii) comfort, so that all weight is balanced rather better than in other backpacks – indeed, the backpack embraces the back of the body and make it easy to carry loads of stuff.

Quality of the backpack is outstanding, in every detail. Water resistant and cut-proof material, no loose threads, no bad stiches. Perfect zippers, sturdy straps, everything is top notch. Looks like a backpack made to last.

Practicality

The backpack is practical, for sure. Nice internal organization for both a laptop (14-inch) and a smaller tablet or A4-sized documents, elastic band pockets for e.g. hard disks, water bottles (no external pocket for that) etc, a small zippered pocket for memory cards, adapters and other (really) small items, an open pocket on top of it for quick access items, an internal side pocket for a small power bank (however, most will not fit there) etc. There are also two really useful (but small) side zippered pockets for quick access items like smart phone and charger, cards etc. and another interesting safe zippered pocket at the center of the back of the backpack, for e.g. wallet, keys and other valuables – no one will be able to access this one, too.

Another practical detail is the rain cover, available at the hidden pocket at the bottom of the backpack, which looks well-thought and designed.

It is also useful, especially for the larger model, that the backpack can open flat when a couple of internal buttons are opened; this allows a suitcase-like layout that can help in arranging stuff inside the bag even more easily.

Overall, it is a practical backpack, with some interesting organization options.

Size

The backpack is smaller than its brother, but due to its design (e.g. side flaps) it looks bigger. Internally, things to be pretty packed since most of the pockets are internal and occupy the limited internal space.

I personally managed to fit my 10-inch tablet & Bluetooth keyboard, a pack of paper documents (A4 size), my external hard disk & a small paper notebook at the two band-pockets, a couple of USB sticks and other tiny stuff in the zippered pocket, some markers and my 10.000 mAh powerbank on the open pocket above it (it wouldn’t fit in the dedicated side pocket). In the remaining internal space I could fit a medium-sized lunch box (on its side), a couple of cereal bars, a small flashlight and a medium water bottle. Nothing more.

I used the two external side pockets for one smartphone and its charger, and my (pretty large) keyring with lanyard, along with a pack of tissues. The central safe zippered pocket was occupied by my small magic wallet, another smartphone (backup one) etc.

I never got to use the Bobby Mini, a foldable tote bag packed with the Bobby Compact only. It is really, really practical and of course can be used individually.

My personal point of view

I am not carrying much stuff around (ok, maybe slightly more than the average) but I found the Bobby Compact a tad smaller than I would like to. Since I am not currently using public means of transportation for commuting to work (I plan to do so in the future though), I am not making use of its anti-theft features.

The backpack was really comfortable to carry on my shoulders and extremely practical, as I could access my most frequently used stuff (e.g. wallet, smartphone and charger) without having to open the main compartment. I never got to use the external USB port for charging my phone, but it would also come handy when wandering around the city or an airport. At the same time, I missed some more zippered pockets for my numerous USB sticks, microSD cards and other tiny stuff I have with me. I found a workaround for that with a small organizer that could hold a couple of short cables and adapters, memory cards etc.

In the few weeks that I used the backpack on a daily basis, I started seeing some smudges in the front, leather-like panel which I could not quickly remove with a wet towel (and we are talking about taking the backpack from house to the car and from the car to the office (and back). I do not mind some minor cosmetic issues so I didn’t bother trying more to clean it.

For the time being, I replaced the Bobby Backpack Compact with my Tech Air backpack, to which I gave a second chance after taking some more time to check out its features and allocate my stuff inside. However, I plan to use the Bobby in the near future, especially if I go back to commuting by metro; it could also help me reduce the stuff I carry around with me to the minimum required 🙂

XD Design Bobby Compact – Πρώτες εντυπώσεις

Εδώ και ένα περίπου μήνα είμαι κάτοχος ενός XD Design Bobby Compact (το γνωστό anti-theft backpack), το οποίο μου ήρθε σαν δώρο από έναν online διαγωνισμό του Vice.com, στον οποίο είχα λάβει μέρος. Μου φάνηκε παράξενο, καθώς είναι ίσως η μοναδική φορά που κέρδισα κάτι σε διαγωνισμό, αλλά φαίνεται πως άξιζε η αναμονή!

Ακόμη δοκιμάζω το πόσο με βολεύει για καθημερινή χρήση (σπίτι-γραφείο) σε σχέση με τα άλλα σακίδια που έχω, γιατί έχω μάλλον κάποιες παραξενιές όσον αφορά στο τι μεταφέρω καθημερινά και στο τι περιμένω από ένα σακίδιο. Επίσης το σακίδιο ήρθε σε ένα μάλλον φωτεινό χρώμα, το οποίο δεν ταιριάζει ακριβώς με το στυλ μου, αλλά αυτό είναι κάτι που μπορώ να παραβλέψω 🙂

Οι πρώτες μου εντυπώσεις από το σακίδιο είναι οι εξής:

Θετικά
– Πραγματικά αντικλεπτική σχεδίαση (όλα τα φερμουάρ και οι τσέπες είναι προστατευμένα στην πλάτη μου)
– Αρκετός χώρος διαθέσιμος για ογκώδη αντικείμενα (π.χ. βιβλία, αδιάβροχο, κλπ).
– Πρακτική υποδοχή USB για φόρτιση του κινητού (με τη χρήση του δικού μου powerbank – δεν περιλαμβάνεται)
– Πρακτικές θήκες στην πλάτη (π.χ. για πορτοφόλι) και στα δύο πλαϊνά (σχετικά μικρές, π.χ. για κινητά, κλειδιά και άλλα που χρειάζεσαι άμεση πρόσβαση). Επιπλέον “σχισμές” χωρίς κλείσιμο στους ιμάντες για κάρτες, εισιτήρια κλπ. που θέλετε να χρησιμοποιήσετε άμεσα.
– Πραγματική διαφορά στην αίσθηση βάρους που μεταφέρει το σακίδιο (το βάρος πέφτει κυρίως στην πλάτη και φαίνεται λιγότερο σε σχέση με τα άλλα σακίδιά μου)
– Καλή ποιότητα κατασκευής και πρωτότυπος σχεδιασμός, διαφορετικός από τα υπόλοιπα που κυκλοφορούν. Κρατάει το σχήμα του ακόμη και άδειο και αντέχει στη βροχή (δεν το έχω δοκιμάσει στην πράξη, αλλά το υλικό φαίνεται όντως υδρόφοβο).
– Σε σχέση με το κλασικό, μεγαλύτερο Bobby, συνοδεύεται από αδιάβροχο κάλυμμα (στη βάση του σακιδίου) και το πολύ πρακτικό Bobby mini (μια τσάντα για ψώνια που δικπλώνει και αποθηκεύεται σε θήκη-πορτοφόλι – έρχεται στο ίδιο χρώμα με το σακίδιο).

Αρνητικά
– Δύσκολο άνοιγμα και κλείσιμο του φερμουάρ του σακίδιου – θέλει λίγη εξάσκηση και σίγουρα να “γυρίσεις” το κάλυμμα του φερμουάρ.
– Έλλειψη αριθμού εσωτερικών θηκών: Υπάρχει μία μικρή θήκη με φερμουάρ (π.χ. για USB sticks, SD cards και άλλα μικροαντικείμενα), μια “τσέπη” για μεγαλύτερα αντικείμενα (αλλά όχι μεγάλη και μάλλον εύκολο να αδειάσει) και δύο μεγάλα λάστιχα για π.χ. σκληρό δίσκο, παγούρι, ομπρέλα κλπ. Μαζί με τις δύο θήκες για laptop (μέχρι 14”) και tablet στην πλάτη στου σακιδίου και την υποδοχή για το powerbank είναι όλες οι θήκες. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι άλλα αντικείμενα όπως φορτιστές, καλώδια, γραφική ύλη, post-it, χαρτομάντηλα κλπ. είναι όλα χύμα στον κυρίως χώρο. Προσωπικά θα ήθελα περισσότερες θήκες με φερμουάρ εσωτερικά.
– Η “τσέπη” που είναι πάνω από τη θήκη με το φερμουάρ έχει ελαστικές θηλιές για στυλό (3-4) και νομίζω πως έχει ήδη αρχίσει να ξεχειλώνει από το βάρος (αν και δεν είναι πολύ σημαντικό).
– Θα ήθελα και ένα κρίκο για τα κλειδιά, που έχω συνηθίσει από άλλα σακίδια.

Γενικά

Πρόκειται για συμπαθητικό σακίδιο, με ορισμένα πολύ ιδιαίτερα και πρακτικά χαρακτηριστικά αλλά και περιορισμούς. Πιστεύω πως όσο το χρησιμοποιώ θα προσαρμοστώ στις δυνατότητές του και θα τις εκμεταλλευτώ καλύτερα. Αν ξέρει κανείς το τι να περιμένει από αυτό και έχει διάθεση να ασχοληθεί (η έλλειψη περισσότερων εσωτερικών θηκών αντιμετωπίζεται με τη χρήση π.χ. κασετίνας για τη γραφική ύλη, κουτιών για μικροαντικείμενα κλπ.), τότε αξίζει τα λεφτά του.

Σίγουρα είναι ένα σακίδιο που θα συνεχίσω να χρησιμοποιώ καθημερινά και φαίνεται ότι θα αντέξει άνετα την καθημερινή χρήση, λόγω ποιοτικής κατασκευής. Ίσως τελικά με καταφέρει να περιορίσω το τι μεταφέρω μαζί μου καθημερινά, να κάνω δηλαδή πιο minimal τον εξοπλισμό μου.

In search for a new backpack

I have been using my Sentio Sporty backpack almost daily since I got it, two years ago; I never expected it to last that long. I even used it as my main backpack during business trips lately, as I tried to travel light – lighter than in the past. In the meantime, I had some short breaks, using my Swiss messenger bag and even an old Trust backpack, trying to break this daily routine of using the same bag to and from work. After using it so intensively I can be a pretty subjective reviewer of it.

What I like:

• It is really light;
• It is compact: a 15.6-inch laptop hardly fits in its main compartment (no way to fit it in the laptop sleeve). I don’t have to carry my laptop so my tablet fits fine there when needed and I can easily store the bag virtually anywhere;
• It is spacious: Its main compartment can fit my lunch box, along with chargers, cables, a hard disk, etc. – the main compartment expands a lot compared to the bag’s total volume;
• It is practical: it has two external side mesh pockets for my water bottle and umbrella. It also has a three zippered pockets in the front, one of which with some basic organizational options (for pens, business cards and a small zippered part for coins and other small items. All zippers have their own loops, and are double, which makes them easy to use;
• It is easy to carry around: It has soft shoulder straps and combined with its low weight you can hardly feel it.

What I don’t like:

• Its material is so soft that it hardly holds its own weight; in most cases, the bag sits like a sack of potatoes…
• The material is so thin that wears off when sharp or heavy objects are packed in the bag;
• The bag is not well-balanced; since all additional pockets are located at the front side, the additional weight makes the bag lean forward, which is awkward when backpack is on my shoulders;
• The top handle is not well-placed; for some reason it is located more towards the back of the bag.

For these reasons, I lately started looking for alternatives. What I wanted was a spacious yet compact backpack, comfortable for everyday use, with dedicated pockets for organizing all the small things I carry along, lightweight and durable, and even water-resistant if possible.

My short but in-depth online research came up with two potential candidates: Targus Seoul (a long time favorite of mine) and HP Odyssey. The former was a bit more expensive (about €45) than the latter (€25) but money was not an issue, as a backpack is a long-term investment.

I spent hours checking out video and text reviews on Amazon, blog posts and images from manufacturers and users, trying to figure out how I would fit my stuff in their pockets and slots, which were their strong and weak points etc. I even had the opportunity to check the Odyssey at the office, as a colleague of mine had a couple of them in different colors. Seoul seemed more refined, with well-thought features (see the trolley and tablet sleeve, and maybe a bit more spacious) while the Odyssey seemed more rugged and less-refined but still practical. The Odyssey even got a reddot award / honorable mention in 2015.

»The HP Odyssey scores high for its well-thought-out functionality, which focuses particularly on the safe and comfortable transport of sensitive electronic equipment.«

And when I was about to get one of these for me, I recalled a backpack given to me several months ago, resting at my storage room. And I decided to give it a try…

(to be continued).

New backpack for commuting to work

EDIT 26/8/2016: I have been using the specific backpack on a daily basis and it has proven a reliable companion for me as a commuter. It has been used for my daily commute to work carrying my 10,1-inch tablet and food container, during weekends for carrying stuff for my son’s basketball courses (towels, water bottles etc.), even during short trips for carrying my gadgets (tablet with keyboard, chargers, cables and hard disks) and other stuff like sunglasses, wallet etc. I would not expect that it would last that long and I am happy for that 🙂

EDIT 21/12/2015: I have tried squeezing in my 15,6-inch Acer E15 ES1-512 but it wouldn’t fit in the padded compartment; it fit in the main compartment but since I planned to use this for larger items and have the laptop in its space, I had to change plans. A deal breaker for the specific backpack.

During one my visits to Plaisio for having my tablet serviced, I got attracted to their laptop bags/backpacks; I am a sucker for such bags anyway and since my previous one (a lovely DeviantArt Pro Digital Artist Backpack) was a little worn out (and has to be repaired), I was looking for a temporary replacement.

http://www.deviantart.com/film/177604871/

After unsuccessfully trying a messenger bag for the first time in my life (I tend to carry a lot of stuff daily and a messenger bag was not exactly comfortable), I ended up with another Plaisio-branded Sentio Sporty Backpack for a 15,6-inch laptop.

The bag is very light (and I mean light!), has a number of individual external compartments/pockets with zippers. I am not exactly sure if it is waterproof and it doesn’t seem very durable (the material is thin and soft, like a thin windproof jacket) but still it does the work. The main compartment fits a 15,6′ laptop the but for the time being I usually carry my Wintab and a book in this padded pocket and my food container in the rest of the space. There is also a top, smaller one for wallet, ID and chargers, a smaller external one for keys and my external hard disk as well as a bottom one for small notebooks and USB flash drives.

None of these includes an internal pocket with zipper for storing safely e.g. a smartphone or the wallet, neither a really useful ring for the keys (so I keep looking for them each time). Pen holders are short and pens keep falling off them and the rest of the internal dividers are loose and had to keep small stuff. The bag is really spacious though (35 liters, according to the manufacturer) but I wouldn’t put too much weight in it as it doesn’t seem that durable.

The straps are really comfortable but the handle is attached to them (instead directly to the bag; it is obvious that the bag material could not handle the bag’s weight from the handle) and this makes handling it a little awkward…

It is a compromise but still it looks ok for casual use, commuting to work before it breaks (at least until I have my Deviantart backpack fixed). I could buy a branded one for the 25 euros I paid for it (e.g. a couple of Belkin & Case Logic models at a nearby store and probably more models after a market research) but I liked the more “casual/sport” looks of the specific one 🙂

My brand new laptop backpack

After heavy use during the last years, including rain, snow and even sand from trips to the beach, my laptop backpack started showing its age. Some wholes here and there, disintegration of its internal cover which led to water coming in and numerous bits of this annoying black plastic in each one of the items I took out of my bag; it was obvious that it needed replacement as soon as possible and probably before my next business trip. What I needed was at least space for a 15,6′ laptop (I usually carry around my 11,6′ netbook), at least two main compartments (one for the laptop and one for my documents/folders/printouts, snacks etc.) and a smaller one for all small items, like keys, external hard disk, , cables, wallet, ID etc. Mesh pockets would be appreciated, in order to hold my reusable water bottle and umbrella.

During one of my last flights, I saw the Deuter Giga available through the Lufthansa Worldshop for 60 euros (other online prices were much higher). It looked pretty convenient, spacious and full of pockets for all the small stuff I am usually carrying around (especially during business trips). More or less it was what I was looking for. Unfortunately it was not available when I managed to visit the Lufthansa Worldshop in Frankfurt, so I had to look for an alternative…. and it didn’t took me really long!

Right in front of me I saw a really similar laptop backpack but in different color and with different branding; it was the Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Collection Backpack. It was large (fitting a 17′ laptop), light and looked durable. All pockets and compartments I needed were available plus some more inner pockets. The price was right (59 euros) so I decided to take it back home with me.

Next step is the migration of all the stuff currently available in my previous laptop backpack to the new one, just to see how things will be organized in this new bag. Have I mentioned that I love this process? 🙂

Current gadgets/daily companions [13/08/2011]

15-16" Notebook Backpack BG-4500p (600B-15 Notebook Backpack Urban)

Everything fits in this backpack from Trust: My netbook/laptop + power cable, notepad, A4 pages with info, food container (taken daily to office) & snacks, mp3 player, cables &  chargers, mobile phone, pens/markers/keys/business cards, everything well-organized in the inner slots/pockets etc. It even fits my small bag which contains my wallet, ID/Driving license etc, ready to be used individually when the whole backpack is not needed. It’s really comfortable even when cycling!

It has been widely used for my daily trips to office, in business meetings (well, it’s not really formal but it’s really convenient!), even during my summer holidays for carrying beach towels, shorts etc. One of my best buys!

Sweex MP3 player – MP303 Gold 2GB

It’s not anything fancy but it’s durable, with good sound quality and really cheap. I went out to buy a pair of headphones and I ended up with this mp3 player at the same price (including a great set of white headphones, long lost now…). Ok, it misses some features (e.g. no shuffle mode!) and has some bugs (e.g. starting the playlist from the beginning after each charging…) but I have learned to live with those. The battery life is pretty cool, considering its minimal size and it is really portable. As for the capacity, I have never managed to put more that 1GB of mp3s in there!

It has been used intensively during trips and summer vacations and it is still going!

Specs:

HTC Touch HD (Blackstone)

Bought second hand (well, third hand to be more precise) last August, after my HTC Touch Cruise was stolen. I have wanted this mobile since I first saw it and I managed to get my hands on it. Great, large screen, sturdy construction, now powered by a custom WM6.5.3 ROM (kwbr 5.7), it has proven to me much more than a phone: Used many times for GPS navigation, watching movies with subtitles, taking photos and videos, reading ebooks, working on excel lists (ok, basic stuff), taking notes and mostly web surfing (we are talking about whole weeks of internet browsing!). I consider it to be a small netbook. A problem with the touch screen appeared out of nowhere last year but it was serviced by Ace Hellas (the official HTC distributor in Greece) as it was still under warranty. Now it doesn’t even have a scratch and looks brand-new.

With a desktop battery charger and a second battery (both holding charge for about a day of working), it is always docked on my office ready to be synced (emails, weather forecast, tweets, photos etc.). Even though I have bought a ZTE Blade in the meantime as a back-up phone, I cannot take the decision to sell one of these two… especially the Blackstone!

Acer Aspire One 751h

My previous laptop (HP Pavillion tx-1110us) was rather heavy to carry around daily, despite its small dimensions (been proven really sturdy though!). I had to go for a lighter computer and I went for a netbook with the largest screen available back then (11,6 inches). It came with Windows XP home and a version of Ubuntu Linux, both of them replaced by Windows 7 Pro and Jolicloud after the first weeks. I have to admit that sometimes it is so laggy that brings me a headache; however I shouldn’t expect much from a weak machine with an Atom 1,3GHz CPU and 1GB RAM (in addition I suspect that the hard disk is also a source of lag). Most of the times it is working fine for light tasks (web browsing, emails, word processing, watching small clips – not HD, listening to music etc.). When a number of applications are open, or when working with large Word and PDF files, the netbook starts slowing down and warning you…

I had some issues with freezing the machine in random cases, but it seems that it is now solved after some updates. This little machine has travelled all over Europe and has been used during many project meetings, summer vacations even as a replacement for the office laptop. It is a great tool, as long as you know what to expect from it…

Dahon Boardwalk D7

I decided to start cycling after 15 years and I went for a folding bike, which I could also transfer in the Metro, for my daily commuting to office. Boardwalk was not the cheapest model around, but I think it had the best value for money when it was purchased. Initially used for commuting to the office, it was soon used for even longer rides (Freeday, Halbike etc.) around Attica. I have made hundreds of kilometers with this bike, and I didn’t have any problems with that, apart from some minor ones (e.g. replacing some spikes and a crank arm). I found the folding style to be convenient when going for shopping (as I usually fold it and take it with me inside the stores) and for office (as it can fit next to my desk). Minimum, cheap service, really fun to ride in the country (just outside the town I live in).

Some of the additional stuff I bought for my Dahon is the Arclite Rack, front/back lights (a number of them, mostly from eBay), a Bell City helmet and service sprays and stuff.

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG20

I bought this camcorder after a survey I made on similar products. I think I have made the best choice: compact & lightweight (really portable), high quality of image and video and recording in HD. It has already been used for shooting hours of video (especially during the CerOrganic training school in Chania this May) with really good performance. The battery lasts for about 45 minutes, so I had to buy an additional one from Batteries.gr, which lasts at least as much as the original one. The 4GB SDHC card I use lasts for more or less the same time, so it is a nice combination! The image of photos (10MP) is not great, but when we are talking about video, I am really pleased. It also features a lot of settings which I have never used.