Customer Reviews

Kensington 62238 Contour Backpack

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm giving this item 5 stars anyway because I don't thing one little detail should ruin a perfect score on such a great backback. I've been using a Kensington Countour carrying case (the leather one in fact) for a while now and it has been the best bag I have ever known. However, as I am a consultant, I just picked up a gig in Manhattan which requires me to walk a bit more than just from a parking lot to a building. While the Countour carrying case is very confortable, it is a larger size bag (there is a smaller one available but not in leather) and it is not light. So this sent me on a quest to find a good backback that's "city-friendly". Indeed the quest did not take too long because I looked at a couple of units in the store then went straight to the Kensington site since I've been a fan of their products. The backpack looked good enough to try out and I thought I could always return it if I didn't like it. I've only had it for a couple of days and it is awesome. As far as confort, it is unmatched (and I've had a couple of others). The size is perfect (I have a 15.5" wide-screen laptop). I'm not sure if it would fit a 17" laptop but those things are IMHO desktop replacements and not fit for carrying out the city. The arrangements of the pockets is excellent and the snug-fit pocket for the computer is superb. Now, you remember the title of this review - what's missing? Though I found snug little pockets for everything I want to carry, it would have been nice to have 1 more for the laptop power supply. Though this is not an item I carry on a daily basis since I keep one at home and one at work, when I travel, it is nice to have it in its own zippered pouch as my other Contour case did. In this one I would have to just through it in the main container area with paperwork and such. I supposed one of the pockets I used for my external mini-drive would have worked so maybe it's just that I personally need one additional pocket. The perfect place would have been a zippered area inside the main container area. Other than that, this thing rocks. The coolest thing is when you open the main container area, the laptop is secured in a tight well-protected sleeve and the rest of the area is quite open so you don't have to stretch the bag out to fiddle with its contents. I look forward to putting this thing through hell and high water in the streets of NY.

I am using it for HP ZD8000 notebook with 17" screen. It is a tight fit. The notebook is about 9 lbs but you can barely feel the backpack on your back. The backpack has plenty of adjustments so you can make it fit just right. I would definitely buy it again.

I bought this backpack shortly after getting a Dell Inspiron 9300. The laptop is very large and is a very snug fit. However, I feel safe when i put it in my backpack.
There are only a few things about this pack that i dont like. One is that the water bottle holder is not large enough to fit my nalgene bottle, so I've had to get a much smaller bottle. Another is that when i put my backpack on the ground, it often falls forward. It looks as if it was designed to stay upright when a laptop is inside, but when just filled with books it always manages to fall into the aisle.
After the last few rainy days, everything inside my bag has stayed perfectly dry. It all seems to be holding together really well, the construction seems solid and sturdy.

I'm someone who likes to walk and bike a lot, instead of using a car whenever possible. This backpack replaced my older general-purpose daypack. I like everything about this Contour pack. It's lightweight, has tons of pockets, and is extremely comfortable. Fully-loaded with a laptop, PDA, cellphone, accessories, and books it still feels balanced and comfortable on my back. The lumbar support system, which has four adjustable position, is a great innovation. You can feel the difference--the pack fits snug against your body. The laptop is held securely in its own padded area. The zippers are smooth with oversized finger tags. The pack stands up on it's own: no need to rest it against a wall. I've used lots of backpacks over the years and this is one of the best. Recommended.

(Dr. Simeon Hein is author of OPENING MINDS and PLANETARY INTELLIGENCE and several acoustic guitar CDs.)

I was glad to find a notebook backpack that doesn't make it look like I am going camping. It fits my Dell Inspiron 9300 (17" Widescreen) snugly and has space for my college books.
Unfortunately after a week the stitching along the inside that connected the laptop compartment began to come out.
Fortunately there is a lifetime warranty and Kensington is going to replace it, but they are currently on back order from Kensington until September. It will be alright until my replacement comes.

Within 8 months the inside lining was in tatters, the computer pocket was ripped on one side and the seams on the outside were splitting.
Don't waste your money on this bag.

I got this backpack in January 2005, so this review can be considered a "wear and tear" critique. I live in New York City, and had previously used a Contour top-loading attache case. However, I found the case bulky (especially in subways) and was worried about the shoulder strap breaking as it started to separate. Thus, I looked for a good laptop backpack that would be comfortable, secure, and durable. Overall, I am pleased with the backpack. It holds a heavy 17" laptop (10 lbs) snugly and it is comfortable on the shoulders. When fully loaded (including computer) with books and other supplies, it gets quite heavy. Some of my friends have struggled to lift it -- but I suppose that's from the contents, not the backpack. Its strengths include a good amount of interior pockets within three large compartments, plus several outer compartments that can be filled with essentials needed "on the go." The backpack remains comfortable, especially on the shoulders. The fabric has remained flawless -- no rips, tears, or seam separations. The contents remain dry in rainy weather (although I am usually under an umbrella).

And now for the weaknesses. Keep in mind that this backpack is now about 20 months old, so the degree of wear and tear may or may not fall within the normal range.

1. The zipper pulls are breaking on the frequently used zippers, such that the rubber is breaking at the point where the metal support within ends. Again, this might be normal wear and tear -- I am using electrical tape to keep them intact.

2. The backbone support arch broke after a few months of ownership. It snapped right in half. I suppose I had a very heavy load that day -- in fact I hadn't noticed it was broken until a few days after. But it surprised me that the lumbar support was so fragile.

3. Size logistics. These complaints may be idiosyncratic to backpacks that hold large laptops, but they still bother me nonetheless. This bag is difficult to fit under an airline seat. The large, flat bottom (which makes this bag easy to stand on end) makes it more challenging to stuff under the seat. Also, when commuting and shopping in NYC, I find the backpack extends significantly off my back. I am often hitting people as I turn around, or the straps catch on clothing racks or other obstacles. In that regard, I view this backpack as a "long haul" bag and not always practical for day-to-day activities (especialy if using public transportation or traveling in crowded areas).

Overall, I would recommend this backpack if: 1) you have a large laptop (17") and need a sturdy bag to transport it, 2) you commute via car or aren't generally in crowded areas, and 3) you don't need to fly with it (or at least be able to stuff it under an airline seat).

Seems very sturdy with plenty of small pockets and carrying spaces for accessories. Fits both me and my wife pretty well and I'm 6' 5", she's 5' 7", so it can obviously handle a range of people (some laptop bags are notorious for being uncomfortable on tall people). The laptop seems secure, I only have two complaints. One is that the elastic that holds the laptop in place seems to stretch out a bit, so I worry that eventually it might lose some protection. Second is that there isn't too much room in the bag for books, so it's of somewhat limited use for a student. This, I think is a common problem in laptop bags, so I don't know how much more I can really expect.

It has room for my 17" powerbook and actually can fit a second laptop in addition to much other stuff. It's very comfortable to carry - easy on the back compared to others, and relatively well made. Heavy duty zippers give the impression of being able to last a while. Padding is adequate and access is excellent. Cell phone pocket turns out to be a boon too - didn't think I would use it, but it fits my small motorola perfectly. Special prot for audio headphones (you can string them through this) is neat although, my iPod needs to be out to be controlled, so I find the feature of limited use. For the money, and even for double, it's the best laptop backpack I've seen - and I looked at a large number before purchasing.

Exactly what I had wanted for my college. Being a PhD student I need to carry my laptop with me almost everywhere along with some books and notes. The bag is wonderful and does a great job. The best part is the ergonomic features of the bag, for instance, the back support and the extra padded shoulder pads make carrying a 7lb laptop a lot easier. I would definitely recomend this product for students.

I would have still prefered a little more in terms of pockets for a mouse and power adaptor, but honestly no major complains.