Work/commuting backpack, ideally not a US company
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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?
I’ve been using an Ortlieb Commuter for over a decade. No issues whatsoever.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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.
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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
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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?
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.
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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?
I have a Hedgren backpack and it’s lasted through the toughest of outdoor drinking trips and daily use for more than 30 years.
I’d suggest them, but I have no idea whether the company has the same values anymore and if the new backpacks are even comparable.
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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?
I think this bag might be what you’re looking for. Solid bag.
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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.
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Pretty sure that humor isn’t gonna land here. But I tried.
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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.
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!).
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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?
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I have a Hedgren backpack and it’s lasted through the toughest of outdoor drinking trips and daily use for more than 30 years.
I’d suggest them, but I have no idea whether the company has the same values anymore and if the new backpacks are even comparable.
Hedgren looks great - the “Trip” might be the perfect backpack!
…except that they apparently aren’t sold in Canada.
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Hedgren looks great - the “Trip” might be the perfect backpack!
…except that they apparently aren’t sold in Canada.
A lot of them look rather too sleek and modern to me.
Mines more rugged imo. I don’t even know what country the company is from tbh. I know a store that still sells it in a nearby mall though, just peeked in out of curiosity once. Not that I need a new bag, since this one is still fine.
Well aside from the straps I had changed a couple of years ago, and annoyingly the new material is more plasticky and has reflectors on it. (And I don’t like reflectors installed in my things without being asked. What if I wanted to run away from someone in dark woods and they’re chasing me with a torch in their hand?)
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I think this bag might be what you’re looking for. Solid bag.
Saw the bag for two seconds, horrible thing by the way, and then got this, which is pretty incredible. -
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?
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.
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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.
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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?
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.
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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?
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.
