I wanted to get a decent looking and great quality backpack for school, and Dakine has the look, quality and reputation I was looking for. Another reason why I was drawn specifically towards the Duel backpack was because of its size. I didn't want a massive bag hanging off the back of me. Unfortunately, the Duel was a little too small for all my books. If I were taking, say 2 classes per semester, it would be fine, but for full load students, especially in Engineering, 26L is really pushing it. So here are my pros and cons for this bag:
Pros:
1) Quality material and build
2) Nice color options, inside and out
3) Superior fit (on my back and shoulders). I could walk around with this for quite sometime before feeling bothered. Very well padded in the shoulders and back.
4) Nice extra options, e.g., insulated cooler, sunglass pocket, placement of pockets and organizers in general, etc.
Cons:
1) For full-time college students who may be carrying large books, forget about it-too small.
2) No zip pockets on the sides. Those net pockets on the sides are open and though great for water bottles, I wouldn't want to carry anything important in them.
3) Front organizer pockets above the insulated cooler pockets are a bit small or tight in volume for my taste.
4) This is a big one for me: there is no padding/insulation at the bottom of the bag on the inside, so it's just the thin liner of material that the bag is made from. If you want, I guess you could put a towel at the bottom of your bag. As it is though, if you have a big book or item with a decent point on it, you'd feel it directly against the bottom of your spine. I have no idea why this is built without padding on the inside of the bottom of the bag. If you're using it to carry a change of clothes, then of course, it wouldn't be an issue.....
Anyway, I kinda wanted to keep this bag for my occasional hikes, but needed the money back, being a poor college student.
I would definitely suggest this backpack for the casual forest or street hiker, but not for a full-time college student. I ended up purchasing the Dakine 101 29L and I plan on returning the Duel tomorrow via UPS.
It was exactly what I had anticipated it would be. The insulated pocked was smaller then expected for what was needed however
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super durable, sleek, very comfortable handles, multiple compartments.
my 6th grader uses it for school (laptop compartment gets used for his notebooks). it's already beyond midpoint of the school year and the backpack still looks like new (trust me, my son is very tough on his clothing and backpacks). so what not to love??
and it has small insulated compartment very useful for sandwich or any other snack.
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This backpack is fantastic. It holds my laptop easily. My only complaint is its a bit skinny so London of hard to fit more then a couple books. Other then that it's fantastic. And the straps are comfortable.
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Fast shipping! My laptop is a on the bigger side of a 15.5 inch one and it still fits. I love that it has so many compartments. The cooler part is actually really big. I fit a can of soda and a steamfresh bag of vegetables in it. Amazing. I love it!
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Seriously, once you get a Baggalini you will never want another kind of purse. This is by far the most stylish one that they have (yet). The color is awesome and I get compliments all the time. Buy it, you will be happy!
