After owning 3 messenger bags for my laptop and books, and having each one wear out in some (major) way after about a year/year-and-a-half, I decided to finally bite the bullet and get a laptop backpack. This one seemed to be at a good price ($35), and the reviews were nearly glowing with enthusiasm and praise, so I went for it.
The first thing I noticed when it came was that the picture online is a bit deceptive in that it makes it seem very small; this was not really the case on my smallish 5'8" frame. So it is a bit larger than I had expected, but because of that it holds a lot... and I mean... A LOT. After using it for a week now, I can say that the two strongest pluses are that it's built like a veritable tank (I've never seen such quality nylon before!), and it is designed in such a way that, even fully loaded, it disperses the weight well, and puts minimal pressure on your shoulders. Very good for the back.
All in all, I'm very happy so far. This bag lives up to the reviews, and I hope that it will last a long, long time for me.
**Edit: 3/30/09**
I just returned yesterday from my first trip with this backpack. Over one week, I took this bag on 6 plane trips, 2 bus rides, 1 taxi ride, 1 shuttle ride, and multiple car rides. I can say that it is definitely worth its price... and then some. It's ridiculously durable (and comfortable!), and with a 3-year warranty, I don't think you could go wrong with this bag. A definite must-have for those on the go! Highly recommended.
**Edit: 5/02/09**
Still loving this backpack, but I thought it would be good if I mentioned one downside that I hadn't expected. I had it out the other day in a heavy rain for the first time. I wasn't really out in the rain that long, but it was evident that this bag isn't very water proof. A book and some papers got fairly wet, and I'm glad that my laptop wasn't in there at the time.
