The quality of this backpack is excellent. The material is heavyweight with a very nice finish -it's not the usual ballistic or cordura nylon, but rather a heavyweight fabric that almost looks like a grey flannel suit. The stitching is even all around, and the zippers are high quality with oversize pulls. The shoulder straps are wider than many packs of this type, with excellent padding. The case has an insanely generous 25 year quality guarantee, which speaks to Case Logic's confidence in the quality.On the downside, the design -and therefore usability -of the case is not so great. The straps are anchored in front of the laptop compartment, so you have to flip them around the front of the case to get at the laptop. Not a big deal (and even a benefit if you're afraid someone will try to steal your laptop while the case is on your back), but it makes the laptop compartment more of a pain to use. The main compartment has a "suitcase style" opening so that it zips all the way open and folds out flat. That might be useful if you're using the backpack as a suitcase, but it isn't useful when carrying folders and notebooks. The main compartment has a laptop sleeve stitched to the back wall, but given the position of the sleeve and the position of the main compartment zipper, it's more of a struggle than it need be to get a tablet in an out when the case is fully loaded. The main compartment doesn't have any dividers -OK for a camping pack, but a business/student pack would benefit from having them. The gadgets pocket on the front similarly is mostly just an extra compartment -it has has a couple of pockets stitched to the back, but mostly it's just a big pouch in which to throw stuff. Personally, I like gadgets compartments with multiple compartments inside so that I don't have to dig through the pouch looking for things. The "hidden" lumbar pouch is an interesting idea, but not a comfortable place to carry things if you're walking any distance.
In a nutshell, for a business/student backpack, I prefer either a pack with more built-in compartments to keep things organized and make it easier to find (e.g., the Everki Flight Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Backpack), or one that offers maximum space and comfort (e.g., the Full Speed Shine Backpack). The Case Logic Berkely Plus Backpack is very well built from high quality materials, but it doesn't have the ergonomics/comfort of packs like the Full Speed Shine or the inherent organization efficiency of packs like the Everki Flight. I'm a long time fan of Case Logic's disc storage products, and the quality of this backpack doesn't disappoint, but its design isn't what I was hoping for, and it will become my backup backpack, not one I use every day.
A clear plastic bag with the backpack inside it.
There's attached to it a booklet and a card that explain some of the features.
I can't comment on whether this would be a good item to take on a plane as a carry-on simply because I have been boycotting air flight due to it's many discomforts and add-on fees. However, for other uses this a well designed backpack.
First it's a dark gray color (anthracite is the name, a type of coal). Therefore it's not going to show a lot of marks and stains unless you manage to come into contact with traffic yellow or some other bright color.
Second, it's nicely padded. The straps are well padded so they don't dig into your front. They are also quite adjustable as to length. The extra length is neatly held out of the way if you don't need it with velcro tabs stitched to the end of the straps. Extending the straps to the full length adds an additional 12 inches for a total of about 19 inches of strap below the 18 inch long padded back straps. This allows comfort for many body types. It also has a strap across the front that will help take the weight off your upper back. This strap has about five different levels that it can be adjusted to for the well endowed among us. Snaps allow for ease of adjustment. The center of the front strap has a quick release design like that on many pet collars.
It is very well stitched. I'm impressed by the quality of the workmanship. Nothing seems to be fraying or not properly placed. The inside seams have stitched cloth tape so they are not likely to catch in the zippers.
I was able to pack my 10.5" Kindle Fire and a small Samsung netbook I usually take on trips in the padded section. I was also able to stick in a few other electronics I carry, like a mini wifi router, a notebook I use with my pen computer and a set of i-go plugs. There was even room for a towel (you always got to know where your towel is!), some underwear and socks.
Buy Case Logic Berkely Plus BPCA-115 15-Inch Laptop Backpack (Anthracite)(BPCA-115Anthracite) Now
I was impressed with this backpack. It is well-made with thick, comfortable back straps and a lumbar support panel. There is plenty of room to store my books, gym clothes, as well as my laptop, so I can take this with me where ever I go. The compartments are large enough to fit many different items and the zippers work great. This certainly does the job! The back straps on this backpack are very comfortable. I walked around for a couple of days with about 8LBS of stuff inside the backpack, and it felt alright. The chest strap helps, but I felt it was a little tight. You can readjust the chest strap up or down the back strap, or take it off entirely. The back straps will swing inward/outward, so it makes putting on the straps or taking them off quite easy. This backpack will fit my 14" laptop and iPad. The compartment that holds the iPad is the largest on the bag. It has a specific holder for the tablet and the rest of that compartment is free space. That free space holds my laptop adapter quite nicely without making the bag feel deformed or off-balance. This backpack has a pocket on the backside, where the pack touches the small of your back. At first, I thought it might be uncomfortable, but after filling it up with cables, it doesn't bother me much. The very front compartment has much smaller compartments that will hold pens, screwdrivers, etc. The overall feel of the material and build feel solid.
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