I've been using this as my main bag for work for the last 5 months or so.
1. There is no padding at the bottom (or top) of the laptop compartment. None. Just thin nylon fabric between your laptop and the ground. This seems stupid, since don't you usually drop your laptop bag on the floor upright? The padding material at the sides isn't attached to the back of the bag, so the padding can drift slightly inside the nylon fabric sleeve and not protect the corners that well either.
2. The laptop compartment isn't snug and fitted to a 15" MacBook Pro the way it appears in the pictures. It's quite huge, this may be a positive if you have a much larger laptop. I estimate that you could fit almost a 2-inch thick laptop in there, to give you an idea of how oversized it is. There's plenty of padding between the laptop and your back, but only a flimsy bit of nylon padding (not the "furry" stuff like in the back) between the laptop and whatever's in front of it. Anyway, when I drop my backpack from a foot or two up I don't feel like my computer is well protected--I can hear it hit whatever surface due to the lack of bottom padding. A big step down from my old Timbuk2 laptop backpack that I used for the last 6 years.
3. Also the "iPad" sleeve inside provides zero padding and doesn't even stop it from bouncing around, it's just a very big, thin fabric pocket. And make sure to face your tablet's screen toward your laptop because...
4. The pen pockets are also sized for people who carry around dry erase markers and those giant sharpies people use for graffiti. Regular pens would just fly out of these.
5. So if your bag is not held upright at all times, your iPad and laptop can slide "up" (due to it not being snug or fitted at all) and can then be scratched and marred by your pens and any other items in the main compartment.
6. The straps of this bag are very wide and flat and stiff and look really cheap.
7. The zipper catches all the time on the flap that covers the zipper. It hasn't seemed like it's about to become jammed up, just inconvenient when I don't have two hands available to zip carefully.
8. Very, very lightweight. This may be a positive for you but it doesn't seem like it is very sturdy.
Recommendation: I would purchase a different bag. There is one called Belkin Core Laptop Backpack that is a lot sturdier and nicer, and is seven bucks cheaper at the moment. Do not ever consider buying one of these Incase Campus packs at anywhere close to their sixty buck retail price, it is really a thirty dollar bag that is really pushing it even at forty.
I went with the campus incase because of the reduced price compared to the original one. Delivered in less time than I thought. Generally great large interior for my laptop (13in blackbook) but the pockets tend to let all the items shuffle to the bottom... significant items like my ti graphing calculator, comp. power adapter, headphone case all bunched at the bottom making it difficult to get my books in and access the lower front pocket on the outside. Good bag but perhaps the larger size and deeper body need more delegation of space.
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Use this for daily school commuting. Holds my laptop, tablets, a book (2-3 inches) and a folder for paper, and i still have room for my chargers and other necessities of daily school work
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Pros:
-good nylon build
-compact in size
-Mac (or PC) laptop compartment is feather-coated (like the Incase MacBook Pro sleeve)
-high-quality cushioned support built in straps and back
-iPad sleeve can be used for a paper notebook or folders, etc.
Cons:
-laptop compartment is a snug fit for a 13.3" MacBook Pro with an Incase sleeve
-main compartment inner pockets are on the smaller side
-strap length adjustment can slip out of place if not careful (meaning that one side may sit higher than the other)
-contents inside can become warm quicker than expected
All in all, this is a very good bag. Being a business student, I primarily use my Mac for everything, eliminating the need for a heavy-duty bag with pockets galore. The cushioned supports in the straps and the back are both the highest of quality that I have ever seen or used. The feather-like support that Incase provides is the same as in the Incase MacBook Pro sleeves, meaning that your Mac (or PC) will be well-protected. I mentioned that it is a snug fit with the sleeve, which it is but can also be a pro because it ensures that the laptop will not move while walking.
I have yet to have any contents that I keep in the small inner pockets fall out onto the floor of the main compartment as others have said, but it is possible. The straps for length adjustment (how high or low it sits on your back) are not rough like on other backpacks; these are really smooth. As a result, I have noticed that they slip to different lengths if I am not careful. I used to use a heavy-duty bag from my days with a much larger laptop and that bag did not heat up like this one does -so I just may be new to this in that regard.
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Note this is a small backpack, but small can be what your looking for. The main pocket is nice and soft, great for thin laptops and tablets. Do note that the bottom of where a laptop would slide in is NOT well protected. Spacing for shoulder straps are tight so if your broad shouldered, should look for something else.
This backpack is everything I dreamed of and more. I bought it to use as carry-on luggage. The backpack has plenty of room to store extra clothes (just-in-case), entertainment items (books, electronic devices), and a small purse. I used it as a backpack when I had my suitcase with me, and otherwise as a rolling suitcase. There's a mesh pocket in the back to keep the backpack straps out of the way when not in use. I've only taken it on one trip so far, on Southwest Airlines. I prefer to keep my carry-on under the seat in front of me and this bag fit perfectly (although tall people note, it stuck out the tiniest bit not a problem for a very short person like me). A Dasani water bottle fit in the bottle mesh on the side and did not fall out. There's also a handle at the top that I used walking down the aisle of the airplane. Overall, I'm really happy with my purchase.
