The Best Personal Backpack for Life

| Ngoc Nguyen

The Best Backpack for What?

I am looking for a backpack that I can take with me everywhere – business, travel, commutes, biking, hiking, etc. I want it to fit all aspects of my life rather than just accommodating one particular area. I think such a backpack should have the following qualities:

  • Lightweight, durable, weather resistant, and comfortable to wear
  • Organizable pockets for notebooks, electronics, pens, pencils, etc.
  • Padding and safety for all of my electronics – preferably with a separate compartment for my tablet
  • Discrete profile with limited zippers for security reasons
  • Sleek design so that it doesn’t look like your stereotypical student backpack
  • Expandable so that when it is fully packed, I don’t look like a giant turtle

The requirements are extensive, but it simply makes sense to have all those features in a quality backpack. I know the standards are high, but so are life’s expectations. They are a matched set.

We tend to treat a backpack as a disposal item because we don’t really expect it to last more than 2-3 years. When I was in school, I would typically spend around $20-$40 on a backpack every one to two years – first world problems, I know. We live in a replacement culture where it is simply more convenient to buy a new item rather than fix the current one and the majority of products reflect that ideal.

I am looking to step out of the replacement culture mindset and try to find crafted workmanship that I would use on a regular basis – a product that I would be proud of having five or even ten years down the road. The results are as follow:

The Almost But Not Quite What I Am Looking For

Best Backpacks Comparison

I am an Amazon Prime member, which by the way I love, so I started my search on Amazon. After spending hours combing through specs and reviews, my search ended in failure. However, I am listing some candidates that came close but didn’t quite go the last mile to meet all of my requirements.

V7 16-Inch Professional Laptop Backpack

The V7 is one of the lowest price backpack that I found while still retaining a variety of good features. The slim design and the organizational features are pretty decent. However, I ultimately disgarded it due to quality concerns, lack of capacity, and general aesthetics.

Pros
Price
Good form factor and slim design
Good organization for miscellaneous and gadgets
Cons
Poor material quality and construction
Poor padding in the laptop compartment
Limited space and capacity
Unprofessional aesthetics – in my opinion it looks like it was made for a child.
Everki Swift Light Laptop Backpack

Similary to the V7, I dismissed the Everki due to quality concerns. Numerous reviews had the stitching falling apart within the first few months of using the product.

Pros
Good form factor and design
Good organization for miscellaneous and gadgets
Rugged bottom
Cons
Poor stiching and durability
Thin interior fabric
SwissGear 175 Black Laptop Backpack with Red Accents

Ultimately where the Swiss Gear shines is where it also fails for me. While it is no doubt a good backpack, it is still only a backpack. It doesn’t impress me or meet the unique standards that I am looking for.

Additionally, the design stands out which would normally be a plus, but I am looking for a discrete backpack. You will probably get a decent amount of compliments on this backpack, but you will also likely be targetted by every tout and pickpocket while travelling too.

Pros
Good foam padding protection
Good quality fabric
Contoured shoulder straps and airflow system
Bottle holder, sunglasses holder, and audio interface for your headphones
Cons
Form Factor
Flashy Design.
Belkin Slim Notebook Backpack

The Belkin backpack is very popular, and it is one of my top favorites. If you are looking for a sleek quality backpack under $40, it is going to be pretty hard to beat this one. However, the space limitation was the non-deciding factor for me. I could see myself using it for work, school, and casual usage but not for extended travel or rugged activities.

Pros
Amazingly sleek design
Price
Comfortable fit
Good Organization with plenty of pockets
Removable bag for additional storage and organization
Cons
Limited space and capacity
Brenthaven Pro Style Slim Backpack

I wanted to love the Brenthaven because it includes a lot of the features that I am looking for. If I was in the market for a professional backpack, I would most likely go with the Brenthaven for the sleek design alone. However, the backpack simply did not have enough capacity for all of my needs.

Pros
Sophisticated design and style
High quality fabric for both exterior and interior
Good security due to limited zippers
Side-zipped pocket for easy access to laptop and high density foam padding for the laptop compartment
Convenient pockets and secret compartment
Water resistant material with stowable rain cover
Comfortable shoulder straps and back-padding
Chest strap for additional stability
Cons
Limited space and capacity
Case Logic NOX Backpack

The NOX has some amazing features and design points going for it. It combines sophisticated style with durability and excellent function. However, I passed on it due to limited availability, pricing, and personal preference.

Pros
Buckle design instead of zipper for main compartment
High quality fabric for both the exterior and interior
Designated dual compartment for laptop and tablet
Convenient pockets, secret compartment, and very good organization
Expandable capacity simliar to carry-on luggage
Velcro strap management systems for tyding loose end straps
Security strap on the back act as carry-on luggage attachment
Cons
Price and limited availability

Enter Tom Bihn

Tom Bihn Backpacks

Every now and then, you encounter a product so amazing that it needs almost no marketing because it speaks for itself – like say the iPhone. Of course it doesn’t really speak for itself, it spreads through word of mouth because it is a product you want to talk about. (Tangent – Actually, it dawned on me that starting with the iPhone 4S and Siri, the iPhone did speak for itself which is just a bit disturbing.) Anyways, after numerous hours spent searching the web, I ended up stumbling onto Tom Bihn’s website and the way he designs his backpacks are simply amazing, but don’t take my word for it watch the video below.

Additionally, I just wanted to point out that I really like their FAQ section because it is straightforward, honest, and answered all of my questions. It is rare to find a business that seems to show so much integrity and sincerity in its products and practices.

Hallelujah – I Can Finally Stop Researching

The particular backpack that I want is the Smart Alec. Actually, I really want them all.

Pros
Lightweight, durable, weather resistant, and comfortable to wear
Organizable pockets for notebooks, electronics, pens, pencils, etc.
Padding and safety for all of my electronics – preferably with a separate compartment for my tablet
Discrete profile with limited zippers for security reasons
Sleek design so that it doesn’t look like your stereotypical student backpack
Expandable so that when it is fully packed, I don’t look like a giant turtle
Additional Pros
Modular design for additional attachments to increase storage capacity and organization
Laptop accessory is properly sized to laptop dimensions
Removable sternum and waist straps
Durability because it bears repeating. The backpack is made out of 1050d Ballistic Nylon on the front, 1000d Cordura® on the side, and Dyneema®/200d nylon ripstop so basically military grade tear and abrasion resistance.
Cons – I am just nitpicking for fun at this point
Price – I actually think the backpack is worth the price and then some considering the quality and craftsmanship. I am just giving myself a few days to mull it over.
Lack of conductive charging via solar power – I want my electronics to charge condutively while they are in this bag and the power source will come from the reflective panel absorbing solar rays.
Strap management system similar to the Case Logic NOX, but I am just going to get some velcro straps and do it myself.