A. Saks EXPANDABLE Laptop Backpack

I just purchased this bag to supplement my eBags Weekender Convertible (which is a great bag that I use a lot, but it's just a little too big sometimes). This was one of the lightest bags I could find that is not a fold-into-itself super ultralight. Un-expanded, it's the about size of a regular day packs, and I can easily use it for that purpose. When it's expanded though, it's just large enough to use as my main bag if I'm travelling light.

Here's what I fit in the main compartment during my test pack: 1 pair of trousers, 1 pair of jeans, 2 pair of shorts, a skirt, a pair of leggings, 7 shirts, 1 sweater, 2 pairs of sandals, 4 pair of underwear, a bra, tights, and 2 swimsuits. Plus my makeup bag, medicine bag, toiletries bag, and 3-1-1 bag. I put my kindle, netbook, camera, phone, sunglasses case, and various chargers in the organizer compartment. My umbrella fit perfectly in one of the exterior water bottle pockets. All this and there was still a little room to spare for a light jacket.

Some Details:

There are three main compartments. Small exterior, middle organizer, and expandable main.

-The small exterior compartment just has a key lanyard. It's gusseted though and holds more than I expected.

-The organizer compartment sits in the middle. It has two rectangular fleece lined pockets on the side shared with the exterior compartment perfect for a camera and a phone. The side shared with the main compartment has an ID slot, 4 pen slots, a zippered mesh pocket about the size of a passport, a full-width zippered pocket above that (my kindle fit in here easily), and a padded slip pocket designed for a tablet above that (my netbook also fit here). Gusseted space in between.

-The main compartment has the expandable portion. There are two slip pockets on the side shared with the organizer pocket. The padded laptop pocket is against the back, and there is a velcro strap to keep it secured. I was able to fit my full size laptop here with room to spare.

On my scale, the bag weighs 34 ounces, just a hair over 2 lbs, which is about double the advertised weight. It's still half the weight of my Weekender Convertible though.

Upsides:

The zippers on the main compartment and the organizer compartment are lockable, a nice feature that a lot of backpacks this size do not have.

There is a hidden pocket for passports and valuables behind the lumbar pad. It's accessible from the exterior of the bag, which is convenient but still very secure when carrying the bag. The pocket rides directly against your back, so no hands are going to get in there without you noticing.

The straps are comfortable and the bag seems to handle a heavy load quite well. The lumbar pad is very cushy. I wouldn't mind carrying this around for a day.

I like how far down the zippers go on the sides. It lets the bag open up wide like a clam shell and makes it easier to find things.

It seems to be well made and is fully lined throughout, with strong stitching and just enough padding to hold its shape. The fabric feels similar in weight to an ordinary school bookbag, but it looks a little nicer. There are six little plastic feet on the bottom to help deflect wear and tear.

It comes with a cushy neoprene wrap for the carry handle and a couple of inexpensive "diary" style key locks for the zippers. I already have a much nicer cable lock that I use for zippers, but it was a thoughtful little extra regardless. Even a cheap lock is better than no lock at all.

It's not flashy or expensive-looking, which is perfect for me. I prefer a bag that doesn't attract too much attention.

Downsides:

The laptop pocket is not easy to access when the bag is packed to the gills. If I were using this as my primary luggage on a travel day, I wouldn't put anything here that I intended to use while en route.

The water bottle pockets look a little small. They'll hold a regular bottle of water or a slim umbrella, but I wouldn't expect to fit anything much larger.

No storm flaps on the zippers. I don't know yet how the bag will do in the rain.

Verdict:

I haven't used the bag on a trip yet, but I am looking forward to taking it out for a test drive. Based on initial impressions, I am pleased with my purchase and would recommend the bag.

I love this bag for college and have had it for over a year. I still can't figure out what the little detachable clip is on the outside (attached to the yellow loop)so I just took it off. Other than that, if you need space for large books (I'm an English major and we have to cart around very heavy anthologies)or an extra sweatshirt for cold classrooms, it's the best. Love the fact that you can either roll or carry with straps. I didn't see many bags in my searches that had both. Lots of organization in the compartments and plenty of places to tuck things. I fit large bottles of water in the side water pockets they stretch enough. Well made and durable without being flashy or showy. Love it!

Buy A. Saks EXPANDABLE Laptop Backpack Now

I really like this bag. Had an identical model for 2 years before the zippers started to breakdown and I bought another one. I anticipate another quality couple of years.

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