Customer Reviews

High Sierra Swerve Backpack

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I really wanted to like this bag. I got the Charcoal/Chipotle/Black one and it's pretty nice. It has lots of pockets, which could border on too many for some users. I sometimes forget which of the pockets hold my stuff. The zippers are nice, and just big enough to grasp and pull easily.

Besides all the compartments, there are lots of smaller pockets. The very first compartment can hold all your knickknacks. It has pen/pencil holders, zippered pockets, non-zippered pockets, "velcroed" pockets...you get the idea.

The second compartment has a mini pocket up top designed for an mp3 player. Above that pocket is even a port to push a headphone jack so you can listen to your tunes as you walk.

There is a tiny soft-lined pocket at the very top that I normally use to store things like my camera, phone and mp3 player i.e. things I don't want scratched. That's one of the things I like most about the bag.

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th compartments are great for books with lots of room. However the fourth compartment held a surprise laptop pocket complete with a strap and buckle. I didn't have a laptop at the time I bought this, but now that I own one, I'm really happy it's there.

The straps are nice and wide also, making it easier to carry around on your back.

The ONLY thing I do not like about this backpack is that "Vapel mesh" that they added to the back. That thing has caused trauma to my polos and t-shirts you would not believe. Every polo and T-shirt I wear with this has caused the fabric to twill BADLY. I've never had clothes damaged by a backpack like this has. And for this reason, and this reason alone, I wish I never bought this bag. No one else has mentioned this problem, so it may well be only me.

I've had numerous backpacks over the years, and this one is the best one I've ever owned. Yes, it's large. Yes, there are tons of pockets and organization. The previous reviews have listed them in detail.... what I'd like to emphasize is the extreme comfort! A couple of days ago, I ran abt a quarter of a mile in the rain with this bag, a 13" macbook (b/c there are adjustable straps on the inside of the compartment to make the bag fit the laptop instead of the other way around! Serious SCORE!), a notebook/binder, 2 super heavy college text books and various small items. Not only was I able to run, I was able to do so comfortably! It cinches down easily. The padding on the back ROCKS! The lumbar portion makes it fit easily to the contour of your back, and the suspension straps give when they need to without pulling on your shoulders and neck. The only thing I didn't love is the waist strap, but it tucks away easily behind the lumbar padding; honestly, I don't even remember it's there anymore. This bag has taken a beating over the past year, and it still looks beautiful! I'd like another colour, but I can't really justify the expense b/c this one is going to last a loooooooong time.
A seriously satisfied customer who is finally hooked on a backpack and may never feel the need to hunt for another,

**Update** After another year of constant use, the bag still looks great! No visible signs of wear or tear either. It's holding up much better than other expensive packs I've tried.

This is the 2nd High Sierra back pack that was purchased in our home in 4 months. Upon a recommendation from his younger sister my older child, an 11th grade boy bought the exact same bag. He is not real particular about the color, the number of pockets or the style. The most important thing we looked for was durability and the large space for many books and binders.
Everything works with this bag. I picked 4 other bags at retail stores, some more expensive, some less and one brand name that he didn't want to wear but he wasn't happy with any of those choices.

This is a perfect bag.

I was a bit apprehensive when I selected the color(charcoal blue) since it didnt give the bag a fresh,new brand look. I got my bag withing a week and when I saw it, it was not at all disappointing. Overall, I like the bag very much. Too comfortable to carry al sorts of things that u need. My only concern(and a trivial one) is that my laptop has to be pushed in it with a little force.It would have been better if the laptop compartment would be a bit larger. But overall..the bag is too good. An indeed very good product to have!!

Amazing backpack. There are so many compartments that I secretly unlocked the door to Narnia by unzipping one of front pockets :D

Very attractive with lots of space, but not very functional (at least for me).

Pros
>Very attractive (I purchased the B/W plaid)
>Very spacious
>Very many pockets
>Very protective laptop pocket

Cons
>~2-3lb hard insert between back padding and laptop area really adds weight
>Non removable buckle in main compartment gets in the way of everything and designed just so, that you cannot slide anything in the back (going to cut off if keeping it)
>Most pockets are too deep for use with most small things you need pockets for (cellphones, ipods, pens, etc.)
>Only accessible shallow pocket is made with really cheap non-reinforced polyester
>VERY rough material used for shoulder/neck area, DO NOT WEAR WITH TANK-TOP (otherwise, expect serious rug burn where-ever there is contact

1. Product : It is good. Found no flaw whatsoever. Has many compartment.
a. front utility zip compartment . half bag height
Has small pockets for key, and stuff
b. second compartment : A small (that can hold 40 A4 paper)
c. Third main compartment .
It has two compartment in it. separated by a thick cushion. The one in front can hold 150 A4 papers and the cushioned compartment can hold my Macbook pro 15 inch very cozily .
Laptop compartment has a separate zip.
d. Top change compartment . A top zipped compartment of size of fist to hold your change or hankies..
e. Two side mesh pouches to hold small water bottle.

The Strap. Thick, wide very well cushioned. I didnt feel strap pinching even when I was carrying about 30 pounds of stuff with me...
You can easily extend or reduce the length of strap. (found that surprisingly easy compared to my earlier bag straps)

Zip : Big. (could have been bigger and better but now they are ok.)
The middle compartment zip always gets hidden in flap. Need to search it sometime. (not very easy when you are standing in subway and you want to pull out your A4 -nonHard-bind book. :( )
Zip chain is not very smooth. But ok smooth.
Because these problems I almost gave this product 4 star. If manufacturer is listening. PLEASE Improve the zip discoverability and size and smoothness.

2. Delivery : As expected, on time deliver. Nicely cushioned.

I spent a LOT of time searching for the perfect backpack online so it's only fair that I give a very detailed review of the one I finally ended up getting...
-There are two large pockets that can fit things like textbooks and folders.
-The pocket closest to the back is the main pocket, it's the one with the laptop pouch, which fits my 13" macbook just fine (it should also hold pretty much any other laptop as far as I can tell). The main pocket actually has two different zippers- one of them runs along the very top of the backpack (though not all the way down the sides like the other zipper) and is for easy access to the laptop pouch, though it's actually the easier of the two zippers to open, so if I need to grab something that isn't my organic chemistry behemoth of a textbook out of the main pocket, I just use the "laptop" zipper.
-The small pocket at the top of the backpack dangles inside the main pocket. I mainly use it for sunglasses, my phone, and other smaller things that I don't want to get squished.
-The second large pocket holds slightly less that the main pocket, though they are about the same size (And did I mention they're TALL? All my textbooks just sink down into the pockets).
-There's a third pocket that's medium-sized. This is the one that has a pouch within it for an mp3 player along with a little opening thing for headphones. The pocket itself is a little awkwardly-sized (not big enough for a large notebook, but very deep), but it's a good place for holding smaller textbooks, novels, your lunch, etc.
-The front pocket... I'm not even sure how to describe it. There are a ton of little pockets and zippered pouches inside it, along with one largish pocket behind all of the little ones. I use it mainly for my calculator, bus schedule, bike lights, gum, etc. There are little pouches for pencils, something that looks like it's for a cell phone, and a removable key fob (and if you care to know, there happens to be a zippered pouch that is perfect for feminine products).

Other things:
-The zippers for the two main pockets both have that little bit of fabric covering them (For aesthetic purposes? No idea), which makes them slightly more difficult to open, though the two front pocket zippers and the laptop zipper do not have that covering, and are much easier to open.
-There are actually two water bottle pouches, one on each side. There's also a little mesh pouch on the sleeve that you can put your phone in, though it's a bit hard to get your phone in and out of and it definitely would not fit anything larger than a normal cell phone, so no iphones or androids.
-There are straps on each side of the backpack that you can tighten to make the pack look skinnier, which is nice when you're a 5'4" girl and don't want your backpack to dwarf you any more than it already does (it IS a pretty large backpack if you're not extremely tall). The backpack just by itself is slightly heavier than ones I've had before it, but that's not really surprising considering how big it is.
-The padded mesh on the straps and back feel a little coarse, so I'm trying to be careful when I put the backpack on and take it off so it doesn't pill my shirts.
-I got the amazon/ash/black one. I was a little worried that it would be a sort of swamp green, but it's actually a somewhat brighter green than the picture suggests, which I was delighted about. Still completely gender neutral, though, and overall it's a good-looking backpack that will hopefully last me through my never-ending higher education.

Pros:
Very comfortable (straps are nice, after slight adjustment the whole bag when loaded with laptop and books is comfortable to carry)
Not too big.
Seems durable (2 months of use)
Lots of medium sized compartments (good and bad read below).
Good value for money

Cons:
Slightly heavy even when empty.
Lots of compartments - perhaps too many big/medium compartments.
No separation of laptop and main compartment - annyoing, have another backpack where the laptop compartment is separate, this bag has two separate zippers but leading to one compartment (didn't make sense) - and this one compartment isn't as convinient as two separate compartments.
The zippers are stiff (smooth but stiff) not a big deal again annoying.

Overall good backpack but annoying to use.

I usually buy from L.L. Bean because they have a lifetime replacement warranty on all their products and unsurpassed quality, however my fiancé bought this one and I love it! It is just as sturdy as the L.L. Bean ones (I've only had it for a year though and my L.L. Bean one held up for 15 years) It fits my Laptop 15.4 in, and tons of books or whatever else you need. There is a tiny zipper pocket on the top in between the two big pockets which is perfect for holding keys, wallet, i-Pod and sunglasses which is nice so they won't get crushed on the bottom of the bag.The straps are nice and cushioned so it won't hurt your shoulders. I have used it in the rain and I have never had a problem, however I suspect that if you were to take any school backpack into a downpour things are bound to get a little damp but not soaked. I love it so much I am buying another one.