**Just as a warning, my review is lengthy and very detailed, somewhat "essay" like. I don't like reviews that are "THIS IS SO GREAT!" Because they aren't exactly helpful with determining quality, as any one piece of the product could be great and they overlook an important issue. If you want all the deets on this backpack, as I see it, then go for it. If you're going for the quick and dirty, definitely not the review for you.**
I got my bag yesterday, on the first day of the time window given by Amazon. The box was a little bigger than necessary, and the excess packaging (brown paper) was more so because of the fact that it was a backpack, not a vase. It could have been shipped in a big 3M bubble wrap envelope, as it is so flat. I open the box and think "Crap, that is a really small bag. What if my textbooks won't fit?" And then I open it up. It is the perfect depth for a resonable sized Macbook, and the width is enough to fit the whole Mac cord, a thick notebook, my laptop and a bag full of yarn. I bought the Navy/Vivienne plaid one, which is $29.99 (It's a steal, really) and the inside lining was a complete surprise to me when I opened it. It has navy polka dots on a magenta background. Both of which are the same colors as the outside.
I kept opening up all of the pockets to discover where they all were. The very front pocket is almost as deep as the backpack itself, just as others have said. It's loose enough to stick a pack of gum in there and I wouldn't be concerned with it falling out (as there is no zipper). I imagine it being a great place to put things you use often that are not very valuable.
The second pocket back is the one for the accessories; ie, phone, wallet, pens, head phones, check book. I feel like I no longer have to carry a purse. I always felt like an idiot with a purse AND a backpack, but my old one wasn't condusive to smaller, random items. This one was made with a woman in mind. There's a place for a phone and an iPod (I have an iPhone so I don't quite know what I'll do with the other space). The electronics sub-pockets are lined wih a plush microfiber fabric that cleans screens (for realsies!). There are several spaces for pens also along side the iPod pockets and they are roomy so you don't have to worry about larger pens (a sharpie would probably be the biggest you could do, so thick highlighters would not work). I never used the slots for pens in previous backpacks because they were too slim to put a good pen in, and there wasn't enough room above the top to easily remove them. There is also a zippered pocket, that would be difficult to access if you were not the owner of the backpack. My biggest concern is someone getting into the front of my backpack while I'm standing around somewhere and stealing something important. I put my checkbook and wallet in that sub-pocket as well mas my headphones so they don't get wrapped up in anything. It's low profile and still accessible if you know where you're going. The whole pocket itself is kind of like a cup. If I unzip it completely while walking I still wouldn't lose anything sitting in the base of the pocket. Extremely well designed.
The third pocket, which is the big main compartment is next. The base of the backpack is deceivingly small. You expect a whole lot less to fit in there, hoever when you stuff everything you want in there, the pack is still not half as bulky as a Jansport half full. My thing is that I don't like feeling like there isn't enough in my backpack when I don't put a lot of stuff in there. It makes me feel like I'm forgetting something important, which is no good when you're rushing out the door. The substance of this backpack is considerable enough to not feel too light when just a few things are in there, and displaces the weight evenly when there is a lot in there. The base is signficant enough to set the backpack down with, however it does need to be leaned up against something, it is not very good for free standing. I feel like I could fit a days worth of textbooks in there and not feel like I was busting the seams. I also don't feel like the backpack is too deep to reach down to the bottom of it. On a slightly larger than standard notebook, there is about 6 inches of space left above it. So if you had to stuff a sweater in there on a day where you also had books in the compartment, there would still be space. Overall, a good amount space for your larger item, without feeling like you lose things in the bottom all of the time.
The part that I was most interested in was the laptop compartment. Let me tell you, it does not disapoint. I have a 13" Macbook Pro with a somewhat thick sleeve on it and it easily slides into the compartment. I could probably slide a notbook or slim binder into the space as well. I probably wouldn't suggest putting a 17" Mac in there, as you would probably leave a lot of one end exposed, but a 15" would be just dandy. It has a good deal of padding, so if you knew that you weren't going to be throwing the bag around, it would be okay to leave off your sleeve. I don't really want to risk it, so I leave mine on. Better safe than sorry. If you're not a laptop person or you don't carry yours around with you, don't count this bad boy out. The compartment would be awesome for loose paper, notebooks, or a binder that you use often. For moms on the go, a couple diapers, some baby wipes and the fold out changing pad would also fit and be easy to get to. I don't know if this or the 2nd pocket is my favorite, because they are both so useful and well thought out.
The auxillary pockets on the bottom corners of the bag are also pretty nifty. The one that is just a small open space is awesome to put your keys. You probably wouldn't fit too much more in there without hogging some of the inner compartmet space, but if you had to you could. The one on the other side is for your water bottle or coffee cup. It unzips to reveal a mesh compartment with a adjustible top (that is also polk dotted). A Vitamin Water bottle slides in there with plenty of room to spare, but with the adjuster, it stays in there nice and snug. It would be a good place to put spare change for the person who doesn't carry a bottle. And the last auxillary pocket is the advertised sunglasses pocket. It's at the very top back of the pack, right near the base of your neck. As I live in Washington, I don't think I'll need to use it till August, but it would be perfect for its exact purpose. The plush lining is the same as the iPod sub-pockets, just a little longer, thus more squishy. I would totally feel comfortable putting a good pair in there, because the only way you could break them would be to drop the bag on it's top. Which would be incredibly stupid and a total user error. Altogether, a fantastic little set of pockets.
Finally, all of the other miscellaneous tid bits about this bag. Formost being the straps. They are BY FAR the most well designed straps I've encountered. As a rather busty woman, unisex backpacks tend to fall right over the worst possible place, which is the exact center of each of my ladies, making the bag shifty when I walk and all around uncomfortable. These straps totally bypass any boobage and make the bag more desirable for the ladies. Very well designed and that alone makes the bag worth the money. If the straps go where they're supposed to, like unisex straps do on men, then the bag is displaced properly across the back instead of weighing down on your shoulders. Another awesome feature is the waterproof lining. I have not yet had the opportunity to experience what happens in the rain, but I'm sure if I went outside in 10 minutes I would probably find out. I have no doubt that it would adequately protect all of my things in the bag. My only concern are the zippers, which are not waterproofed. But they are not a lot of the surface space, so even if it did leak a little in a torrential downpour, it would eliminate a lot of the issue. I took the opportunity to test out all of the zippers before I threw away the box, because I wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any fault in them. I found none. They are rugged zipper that have the fabric part of them exposed and there are no over hang to cover them up, which is where a lot of snags originate. Unless you zipped a sweater up in there, you wouldn't have any issues, inside or out. The fabric of the whole bag is durable polyester canvas thickness. Plus the inner coat of rubbery water proofing, I highly doubt I will be tearing this one up.
So, if you made it this far, congradulations! You are a brave soul. I hope this was a helpful review. Buy this bag, you won't regret it!
