My cheap no-name Chinese backpack is finally falling apart, after over 20 years of absolutely solid service.
I want something that will last at least another 20 years, will hold a modern 16" laptop (e.g. Macbook), and will also let me toss a pair of jeans and light jacket in, when I ride home from work in the spring and fall afternoons.
I’d like to avoid American brands if possible.
Looked online at the SwissGear 5698 and Endure, but don’t know how well they’re built, or if they’ll hold my junk.
Any recommendations?
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For the laptop, you will want to ensure that the bottom of the laptop compartment is not at the bottom of the bag. A good design puts a few cm air gap between the bottom of the bag and bottom of the laptop compartment so that when you set down the bag, no shock reaches the laptop.
Maybe it’s common… not sure.
I know you said not MiUSA but I have to shout out my favorite brand, Timbuk2. I had a Swiss Gear break on me at a bad time and went with Command laptop backpack. It’s been over a decade and it still looks like I’ve owned it for maybe 2 years, and I’m not easy on my stuff. Taken it all over the country, out of it, and always packed with tech. Almost no issues with the petty despots in the airports, and I keep it pushing.
It doesn’t look like they make the same model, but closest might be an Authority or Commuter. I can’t suggest them highly enough, and anyone I’ve know that’s bought them has felt the same.
The OP is in Canada.
The Canadian version of Timbuk2 would be PAC Designs, but PAC Designs are much higher quality and a bit more expensive also. They are professional level products. Literally every element on a PAC bag is higher quality… Fabric, stitching, hardware, straps, padding etc. PAC is literally top quality possible.
Getting ahold of these bags is a bit of a dark art (always has been) but I think they have a Facebook contact.
I’ve never had one myself, but a few of my friends have had Crumpler bags for years and they swear by them.
Crumpler is an Australian company started by some bicycle couriers who couldn’t find really sturdy bags that suited them. I believe that the story goes that one of them was trying to carry a slab of beer (24 cans packed in one flat layer) to a friend’s party when his bag broke apart, and that was when they started making bags for themselves.
They’ve been around since 1995, and have quite a range of bags and backpacks now.
I’m a simalar boat to OP. Their messenger bags look pretty cool, might get one as well
If you’re going to be riding a bicycle, then I highly recommend using a pannier - being able to carry stuff on the bike as opposed to on the body is fantastic.
@VibeSurgeon @swordgeek absolutely confirmed with decades of experience to back this up.
Definitely attach your luggage to your bike instead of yourself.
Can you recommend any panniers or features to look for?
This is probably going to run a bit counter to the spirit of the community, but I am quite happy with the pannier I bought off of AliExpress from a brand called Rhinowalk. It cost me a bit under $30.
I had a set from Lidl before which were not at all as nice (obviously).
Some of my favourite features with my current panniers are:
- They come with a securing clip that keeps the pannier in place even when riding over bumps
- They adjust to the amount of things packed in them, with a horizontal strap and a roll top
- It handles rain pretty well
I need it for general commuting - on the train, walking, and also biking. I just mentioned the bike because of the need for clothing space. In Spring, it might be +5 in the morning (need something on my arms and legs) and +25 in the afternoon (shorts and short sleeves baby!).
You could look to pannier/backpack hybrids, these may be appropriate for your use-case. Personally, I solve this issue by having two different bags - a pannier for cycling and a backpack for other times.
Panniers can come in pretty large sizes, I’m usually able to accommodate a laptop + accessories + a change of clothes. Pannier racks fit two of them, so you can always double the carrying capacity when it’s warranted.
Can’t beat a Fjallraven Kanken Laptop 15. Additionally, I would suggest investing in a generic backpack organizer insert. My Kanken carries around my full “tech bugout” kit with lots of room to spare, which includes but is not limited to:
- Thick-ass Dell Rugged 5430 + power brick
- Hiby R4 DAP
- Koss Porta Pros
- Shokz OpenComm2
- Garmin GLO2 GPS
- NESTOUT 15000mAh bank
- Field notebook + Majohn A2 Retractable + Uni Kuru Toga Roulette
- An assortment of other goodies, such as screen wipes, a few sets of nitrile gloves, disposable masks, etc.
Kanken backpacks are 10/10 on the style front and SUPER lightweight, but those straps are a joke IMO.
Got one as a lightweight camera bag with similar insert, it’s perfect for short trips, would be a great commuter bag as long as your backpack is off for most of your commute.
Can easily toss it in the car and wear it from the parking lot to my desk. Would have died in college wearing it with a laptop and textbook walking for miles around campus every day.
For longer wearing those straps will drag you down.
I’ve been using an Ortlieb Commuter for over a decade. No issues whatsoever.
Ortlieb is expensive as hell but extremely thick, waterproof (resistant?) fabric. I have just a bike bag Urban Roller Plus I think. It is a nice fabric texture instead of smooth dry-packish and it has a nice insert to organize everything and protect my laptop.
My girlfriend has the Various which you can flip the cover over to switch between backpack and bike bag and it is awesome, but more expensive.
Fjallraven is also good, but the strap padding wears out rather quickly. Every teenage girl in Belgium had a Fjallraven pack back when they were in style and every one has the strap pads completely flattened and useless lol.
Dutch company Newlooxs has a couple bike and backpack switchers. The material is thin though and mine ripped open on a fall during my commute.
Just got a Fjallraven Skule 28 for exactly this. I like it so far.
+1 for the Skule.
Fits everything I need, water bottle pockets are actually large enough to be useful (surpassingly difficult to find), and doubles as a hiking pack thanks to it’s built-in bladder suspension loop and hole for a tube at the top.
I have it in black and my wife got jealous and got it in green.
Looks great full or empty. I take it everywhere - work, travel, hiking, you name it.
Its going to be pretty pricey but the commuter bag from LTT is probably exactly what you are looking for. Canadian company that’s mostly tech centric but they have a consumer goods portion of the company that focuses on making high quality items that are built to last.
The Wenger Swiss Gear backpacks are tanks. I’ve had 3 over the past 20-ish years. If you buy them from the company website, or Amazon I think, they come with a 10-year warranty. I can’t remember the model I have, but I don’t think they make it anymore. I see someone else with one every time I fly somewhere for work. Very popular among road warriors.
I also buy swissgear, but my use is light enough that my latest one is basically mint condition going on 7 or 8 years I think. It holds my laptop/overnight stuff, so just holidays and the odd camp trip
Mine is basically my office. I think the heaviest I’ve had it was close to 40 lbs! It’s usually around 30 lbs when I’m traveling for work.
Cactus outdoor.
I had one for around 9 years. It got stolen, not sure how long they last, but there are ones in the wild that are over 30.
i got some backpack with “BANGE” branding from aliexpress last year, was very cheap ($20? with coupons) and it seems to be very well made.
I’ve got a millican backpack that seems like it’s going to last to the end of time. I’m pretty sure it’ll hold all your stuff and then some. I’ve been using it daily for maybe 10 years and it has no signs of wear beyond looking dirty.
https://homeofmillican.com/products/smith-the-original-roll-pack-25l
Another pack I have for bike commuting is a ortlieb commuter. It’s waterproof, light, and probably an even better bag but for me it’s drawback is no outside water bottle pocket. It’s also tough as nails. I accidentally ran it over with my wife’s car once and it didn’t hurt it at all.
https://us.ortlieb.com/products/commuter-daypack?variant=45082296287410
Millican is heavier and has smaller dedicated padded laptop pocket but more organization overall. Ortlieb for lighter potentially wet situations and has organizational insert with laptop pocket. Both comfy to wear.
https://freitag.ch/en_CH/products/bags/backpacks
I am using a Freitag backpack (they don’t sell the one I own anymore). It is now 10 years old and it basically looks like new. They are made from old car/truck parts and very durable in my experience. Bit pricey though.
I think this bag might be what you’re looking for. Solid bag.
Is that a parody site? It can’t be real, can it?
Saw the bag for two seconds, horrible thing by the way, and then got this, which is pretty incredible.Oh that makes the joke even better.
Funny
Pretty sure that humor isn’t gonna land here. But I tried.
