Thule Crossover 30 Liter Backpack

This video shows you the Thule backpack inside and out.

This bag is expensive, and very well made, but was not something that I became very excited about. Don't get me wrong, it has some nice features, but a couple of issues have me disappointed, and I would not buy this bag for me.

CONS:

1) It is very hard to unzip the bag all the way around, because you first have to remove two awkward straps midway down the sides (with tight hinges that are hard to undo and redo) to do so. I really don't like this design. Had this been something that worked better, I'd give the bag another star.

2) The bag is not waterproof. Some things I was carrying inside got wet, and I was disappointed it wasn't a little more water resistant. Not sure I would want to carry wet towels or clothes inside...

3) The way the bag deals with straps makes it difficult to adjust, should you need to. Most backpacks just have loose straps; this bag has them tightly bunched up in a ball and velcroed together. It really isn't worth the effort to undo them and retie them to adjust the back straps.

PROS:

1) I like the crushproof container. What a great idea. You could put sunglasses or small electronic items here. Nice addition.

2) Rugged. The material that it is made of seems pretty durable. I expected that with the high price tag and I was not disappointed.

3) Lots of pockets and zippers. Also, since it is so square, and has all those compartments, it really feels more like a carry on suitcase than a backpack. This is not a bad thing, and makes me like it a bit more, as I can fit more into it. (I would rate this 4 stars as a soft case carry on bag, but only 3 as a walk around backpack).

4) Handles on both ends. This is a nice feature as you can grab it from anywhere to take it with you.

Overall, the bag is interesting, just not my cup of tea. If it were 40% cheaper I would give it 4 stars. As it is I recommend that you see this bag in person and fiddle with it before buying, and you may be very happy you did or didn't buy it.

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My current backpack was probably purchased back in the early 90's and the zipper is hard to use because it's always get caught in the threads that are fraying off the pack so the Thule Crossover is a heck of an upgrade. From the moment I pulled it out of the box it felt like I was holding a quality piece of luggage (and in many ways it does feel like luggage). Everything about it feels solidly made and thoughtfully designed. Obviously I can't look 10 years into the future to see how the Thule holds up but I have this feeling this one is built to last.

What most impressed me was how well thought out the Crossover is. The pack feels very light with a back that is hard enough to stop items inside from poking you but padded so it doesn't feel like you have a plank of wood on your back. There is a solid compartment at the top of the pack for storing delicate items like electronics or skiing goggles. The pack will unzip almost completely in a similar way to luggage and has several more compartments inside including one near the top that my wallet fit into snuggly. I also like the smaller pockets on the side of the pack that could be used for storing car keys, credit cards or even a small camera. There are handles at the base and the top of the pack for hoisting around and I can imagine that the idea was that the Crossover could be used as a carry on and the handles would work nicely for getting it into an overhead compartment.

The Crossover looks slick and could be your sole source of luggage on a short trip. It can be laid flat and opened up like a small suitcase with plenty of room for several days of clothing. There is even a zipper that runs straight down the back where you could possibly store a dress shirt or important papers that you need to grab quickly. Let me say that when I describe it as luggage that is not to imply that it cannot be used just like a normal backpack for carrying schoolbooks and lunches. It's just that the design here is far beyond what I normally think of when I imagine a backpack. I've reviewed other high quality items in the past and the killer tends to be price but in this instance I think that 100 bucks is an extremely fair price for what you get. This might well be the last backpack I ever get.

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Thule makes a laptop bag. This is not it. Their laptop sling is a 19 liter one, and is probably more suited for those who take their laptops to a lot of places. I just take mine out occasionally to other people's houses, like when I'm house sitting. Thus, this larger, heavier backpack suits me better. I wanted a lot of protection for my laptop, as well as the "crush-proof SafeZone compartment" for my iPod and cell phone. (The sling doesn't have that compartment.) There is a front section for my papers or books, and a smaller zip section inside for pens and such. It's water resistant, and I know the straps are never going to break...sending my laptop crashing to the floor. I love it! I only wish it was purple or royal blue. :)

Afterthoughs: It's like two years later almost to the day that I posted this review. I just wanted to add that this is truly a great backpack for lugging around a laptop. The crush-proof compartment is also terrific for a camera. And the backpack is indestructible when it comes to pets--at least cats and ferrets. For some reason, it attracts cats and ferrets like crazy. Cats like to sleep on it, and ferrets spend hours trying to get into it. Their attempts all fail, and their biting and scratching does absolutely no harm to this Thule. The only problem is the cat and ferret hair that gets on it. :)

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This bag is touted as a gear bag for outdoor enthusiasts. With myself being one, one with lots of gear, and a familiar and respectable name like Thule, I jumped at the opportunity to own this bag! The crush proof case is marketed towards ski goggles (even the tag in the pocket is the shape/size of goggles) so I thought this would be a great boot bag. I was disappointed to find that my boarding boots fit in this bag only if the hard casing, which makes it crush proof, was removed from that pocket (meaning that my goggles wouldn't be protectd/nor fit). It was about 1" shy of fitting it all.

That being said, it's still a great bag, just not for my initial intended purpose. I love this bag for a carry on for airline travel. In a way it's the perfect blend between a backpack and a carry on suitcase. The insider liner reminds me of that in a wardrobe bag. It unzips to open all the way, like a suitcase(it lays open on it's own), so it's easy to pack and gives you easy access to it's contents. It has two handles, one on each side so it's easy to zip up again. I love how it fits on my back. The straps are very comfortable without being bulky. I have narrow shoulders and this bag sits so comfortably. The zippers have noticeable blue grips which makes them easy to find, although I did notice it zips easier when full. The material is seemingly durable, yet very light weight, and the entire bag is PVC-free, love that! One small complaint about the material the straps and back pads are made of is that it seems to attract pet hair! Not so lovely considering those parts touch your clothing.

I am glad have this bag, even though it won't hold all my snow boarding gear. I look forward to using this bag as a carry on while flying, for hiking, and just out and about with my kids. Even though the crush proof pocket won't be used for my ski goggles, it'll be useful for my camera, or even for keeping snacks from getting crushed..especially for keeping bananas from making everything in the bag smell like one! ;)