I bought this pack as carry-on luggage, but recently used it on my last ski trip for 4 days. It was the perfect size to carry my laptop, electronics, toiletries, and after-ski clothes. I love all the zipper pockets in all compartments. It carries well in general but does need to have the chest strap fastened to keep it on the shoulders when totally full. I would buy it again.

Exactly what I expected. I get extra discount from here: coupon-bird.com

This bag has it all! I am very pleased with my purchase.

I kind of bought it like a new backpack, but as you can see in the photo, the back is damaged. It's a shame, I bought it for a gift, but in the end I left it for myself with such damage.

I live out of my bag a lot and I'm OK with a fairly heavy pack if it's pretty much perfect in other ways. This one seemed well-built and the stiff fabric looked indestructible, but I had doubts about the big sticky external zips and the small interior ones that seemed fragile. The clips on the four compression straps took force to undo, and at least two of them have to be undone to get the main compartments unzipped. This pack needed wrangling, although I expect it would loosen up. I liked the clamshell opening but I'm not a fan of fiddly pockets within pockets. I travel with a tablet rather than a laptop so the amount of padding on the sleeve was overkill for my needs. In bags with highly structured organization I want the design to make sense to me, otherwise I'm better off with a simpler bag and packing cubes. I can see that this will be a great pack for many people, but this just wasn't quite the right one for me.

Very pleased with this. I get extra discount from here: coupon-bird.com

This is an excellent backpack that will last you a very long time. It is such a good backpack that even though my current one is going strong, I picked up another one for whenever the current one eventually gives up the ghost. The back panel is firm and comfortable without being too hot and has plenty of breathing. There is a hip belt if you desire, but at this size I rarely find it necessary, however it can easily be tucked into small areas in the back and be completely out of the way! This is a great feature alone because many backpacks either have large ones permanently that are cumbersome/ugly on a 30L backpack, or none at all which is a bummer for heavy loads. Pretty great water resistance, plenty of pockets for everything. There is a separate section for your laptop/files/whatever that has just enough space for the essentials, and helps strategically pack your load with weight closest to your back. Also, 30L is just about the perfect size for a backpack, because many of the 18-25L backpacks just don't have space for much stuff, and the compartments aren't sorted in a way that allows for you to pack well.

Preface: I am an honorary backcountry Gearhead, this pack was provided to me but here are my thoughts on how it worked out for me. I used this pack for the last few weeks and I am impressed! I used it to lug my laptop to work and then to the trail or gym nearly every day. Here’s the good: The outer material is burley! Was never scared of branches tearing the exterior surface, even during high speed, unexpected, mtb bushwhacking. Next, the laptop pocket is nice and secure. No shifting/rattling and plenty of storage for a charger, pens, and snacks. Also, the middle pocket is like a black hole. This is where I stuffed my climbing shoes+rack or my mtb pads, tools, and half face helmet. The upper fleece pocket was useful for sunglasses, phone, and snacks. You know, the valuables. Front accessory pocket was good for multitool, first aid kit, and masks. Now on to the bad: Shoulder straps felt a tad too wide - and I have wide shoulders. Was able to mitigate by keeping the chest straps cinched tight, but wasn’t my preference. Another sore point I had was that the waist strap was too high to support weight like a heavier alpine pack would. Basically this strap was used to keep pack from swinging. Lastly, only 1 water bottle pocket and the way I put packs on, it was always on the wrong side. To wrap it up, this is a good day pack for getting around the city, general travel, crag days, gym days, and trails hikes or rides. For overnight alpine adventures, I’ll be using a different set up.

I like the streamlined design and comfort of this pack. I bought this for the purpose of having a weekend/ work pack that would easily allow me to travel with a laptop, and it fits that bill. I took it to the beach with me and the tarpaulin material is great for not worrying about sand or dirt finding a way in. Good pack features for that durable on-the-go weekend pack of commuter and would recommend it for the price when on sale.

Has all the bells and whistles. Sturdy. Enough pockets for everything. A hip belt for when you stuff it and it’s heavy. The turquoise color is lovely. And it’s comfortable to carry. I bought this and the Patagonia black hole. I returned the Patagonia and kept this bag.

The bag overall is solid. It's heavy-duty and feels like it will last a long time. My major problem is that when it is loaded up the shoulder straps slide off your shoulders. The only remedy is to buckle the chest strap. Not the end of the world but I shouldn't have to do X to get Y with a bag at this caliber. Because of that, I was going to return it but I am outside the 30-day window, now I am stuck with another bag that I won't use.
Also, the back pocket where your laptop goes is ok, it will hold small (thin) items, but once the main compartment is loaded your space is greatly taken up. One large pocket that you can fill with smaller packing cubes would be more beneficial to fully load the bag in my opinion.

I flew with this bag from SoCal to Detroit for 4 days. I was able to pack gym clothes, small suspension trainer (mini TRX), surface pro, toiletry bag, and normal clothes. It was tight mainly due to the fact that there are 2 pockets that eat into each other's space.

I am starting grad school in a few weeks and needed something larger for the long days at school. I looked at REI at their packs and everywhere else but nothing seemed to fit my laptop and had the size I need. Since I couldn’t see this pack in person, I was on the border about getting it but after seeing it, I am super happy with the buy.

Things I was looking for which this pack has:
- pack that fits a 17.3 inch laptop
- tons of storage for books, lunch, etc.
- well made and feels solid

The pack does no€™t look super big but feels like you can store a TON of stuff in it. The laptop sleeve is snug but fits my oversized computer, the felt lined pocket on top is spacious and fits my over-ear headphones, wallet, charger, etc.. the front pocket fits novel sized books and snacks. The back compartment stores the laptop and has plenty of room for textbooks and the middle compartment is just as big. Water bottle side holder holds my 36 ounce yeti with ease.

It’™s tough justifying $140 for a backpack for school but this really feels like it will make a difference in how I commute and stay organized. Plus it wi™ll be great for weekend trips camping or traveling. If you a€™re thinking about getting it, just go for it. Best 30L pack out there.

The Backcountry Adventure 30L pack has become my top choice for daily commuting and short, overnight travel. I basically use it as a dual gym bag and computer bag.

What I love about it:
* Separate laptop pocket that is easy to access even when the bag is full
* TSA compatible without taking laptop out of bag (the laptop compartment folds out)
* Large main pocket that's large enough for shoes + a couple changes of clothes
* Compressible secondary compartment that I use to keep dirty clothes separate from main compartment (same zipper as the laptop access, but laptop has it's own section)
* Essentials pocket that I use for notebook, chargers, toiletries, etc.
* Water-resistant (biked through heavy rain without issues)
* Comfortable for both walking and biking
* Not too many other pockets -- it has exactly what I need
* Durable -- I've (ab)used it daily for 3-months of bike commuting and it's only shown light wear so far

Cons:
* Slightly heavy

All-in-all it's a great day / overnight pack that I would recommend for any time you need to carry a laptop + other things.

I am a pack kinda guy and this pack is far superior compared to others out there. This has been my new go to bag for mainly camera equipment and gear being used harness, helmet, bike shoes and the like and it holds up great. Tons of organization and holds up great in the rain. Recently took it fishing for a day up in the Unitas and with a down pour for about an hour the pack was exposed and nothing managed to get wet. Great idea having the rear access to the laptop sleeve and more organization. This pack is going places. Looking forward to using the carry on handle when traveling via air!

Also great for those who are taller and have a longer torso.

Used this pack for a week long trip, and it worked perfectly as a carry-on. Had about 10 shirts as well as other necessary outfit pieces, and it held everything just fine. Lots of compartments for miscellaneous goods as well (toiletries, electronics, etc). Only addition I would make to the pack would be a waist strap, because when it's filled to the brim, it feels a bit top heavy. Still a great travel pack though!

I used this bag while traveling for Outdoor Retailer for two days and two nights. I used this as my carry on item and was able to fit enough clothes for the two days, with additional lounge wear, and an extra pair of shoes! It also comfortably fit my toiletries and work necessities. While attending the show, I took out all my clothes and used this pack to walk around with during the day to carry all my essentials for a long day walking around the show! The organization in the pack was very helpful when organize work essentials with general clothes, toiletries, etc. I would definitely recommend this for a quick 1-2 day trip.

Travel bags are tricky for me--I like a bag that I can take for a weekend trip, that will fit shoes, clothes and electronics, and be featured enough to keep things organized. This bag hit every one of those buttons for me, all in a package that looks fantastic and carries well on long hauls through the airport.

Major pluses for me:

-stowable straps for gate checks, a must on small regional flights with tiny overheads
-TSA compliant laptop sleeve, just zip open and lay flat for zero hassle with bins
-HIGHLY organized pockets, ideal for flat-folded changes of clothing, lots of dedicated flat mesh panels of varying sizes for small essentials, the big mesh pocket fits a pair of flip flops perfectly
-Fleece lined top pocket is awesome for quickly stowing sunglasses, electronics or anything you don't want scratched
-SUPER durable materials on the outside, ideal for those situations where you MIGHT need to check and need the outside to take a beating

The only slight con (for me) is that the bag is separated into 2 large compartments vertically. While some users will like this feature (it does mean more organization after all) I find that I personally prefer 1 large, main compartment for versatility but that's just me!

I'm picky when it comes to bags, and have purchased more than my fair share. I've bought camera bags, work bags, commuter bags, hiking day packs etc. Rather than something use specific I was looking for a travel pack that could do it all. Something very versatile, that I could use for international trips as well as my daily commute. I wanted something tough, sleek and that could carry a fair amount comfortably (and not knock people over when it was full). I also didn't want a garish color with a million straps. So far this pack is checking all the boxes. I've been using this for several weeks now for commuting to work, I love the laptop sleeve that is accessible from the top or side. I also took this bag on a trip tp Spain and it was awesome! I was able to fit 8 days worth of light packing plus my DSLR camera, and ipad pro with no problem (i'm a big guy, so a pair of shoes and a few pants/shorts takes up a lot of room). I used it as a carryon and had no problem fitting it into overhead bins, even on smaller planes it fit fine. After arrival I unpacked everything and used it as a day pack with just my camera and a few necessities, and it didn't feel cumbersome.



Overall the biggest selling point was the style. The black bag with a subtle black logo is sexy, and is what finalized my decision. Here's a pic of it in action, my wife using it in Spain.

I am pretty sure most of the reviews here are written by Backcountry employees. I am not a Backcountry employee, so on to my review.

Pros:
Style: I was drawn to this pack because of its styling, the black colorway is super sleek and understated (I didn’t want to look like your typical hiker bro college grad backpacking throughout Europe).

Storage: Ton of pockets in this thing. The best storage compartment is the hood, which in turn has its own zippered storage area. The pack has two main zipper compartments for you to separate your gear. Neither compartment is particularly large (I will get into the cons of this below).

Cons:
Weight: weight was an issue for me. This is a 30L pack that weighs nearly 4 pounds empty. Backcountry went with heavyweight materials that definitely seem more durable, but probably overkill for a bag with this intended purpose (what is the intended purpose of this bag?). I took this pack on a week-long trip of the Mighty 5 in Utah. I loaded this pack with a week’s worth of clothing and camera gear (small mirrorless camera with 2 lenses), and the bag felt like it weighed 35 pounds. I’ve packed 35 pounds before without issue, but the design of the bag made it feel clunky and tough to manage that load. For one, this bag seriously needs load lifters. The pack was so top heavy it felt like someone was grabbing me from behind whenever I had it on. Why did I load so much weight on top you ask? Well it’s because the interior of the compartments taper and become narrower towards the bottom of the bag, and the material has no give (remember heavyweight non-stretch materials) so I could only fit lighter items, such as clothing, towards the bottom. All the heavier stuff unfortunately sat in the upper middle/top of the pack due to size constraints.

The hip belts, while included, are totally useless. Maybe I don’t know how to use hip belts but they seemed to sit very high on my torso (like above my belly button). Mind you, I am not tall. I am 5’7” and 160 pounds.

The two main storage compartments are nice for separating items, but neither compartment is particularly able to handle larger items. If you load one compartment to the brim, the other compartment is more or less rendered useless. Not sure what the benefits of this design are, other than maybe you want to keep your clean clothes separated from your dirty clothes? Seems like a lot of extra weight for no reason.

The zippers on the bag are terrible. They don't pull smoothly and get stuck a lot. The actual pulls aren’t the kinds with loops on them (Osprey and other brands carry zipper pulls like this). If you have gloves on or any sort of apparel on your hands, good luck unzipping.

The front compartment on the face of the pack is a nice touch, has two smaller internal zipper pockets. Problem is, the front material doesn’t stretch, so if the two main compartments are packed tightly, it’s nearly impossible to fit anything in the front pocket that isn’t already flat/flush.

I saw someone comment that this fits perfectly under your seat in a flight. That is absolutely untrue on a US domestic flight (think an airplane with 3 seats on either side of the aisle, like a Boeing 737/Airbus 320). The pack is too long to fit under the chair in front of you and it would stick out, so you'd have no where to put your feet. Flight attendants are not okay with this, trust me they told me it was not okay. Plus if you did get away it, how could you possibly sit in your seat with your feet resting on the pack?

You could read all of this as someone who has no idea how to pack, but this was just my experience with it.

This pack is the perfect size to fit under your seat on a flight. I was quite impressed with the durable exterior material which can definitely handle being thrown around while traveling. The bag is perfect for accommodating a laptop and whatever travel essentials you need. I would even recommend using the pack for a day hike or traveling around town as the pack has a well breathable back panel and very comfortable shoulder straps.