Bellroy - Classic Backpack Black

I got this backpack in order to keep my laptop and my daily stuff such as chargers, headphones and tablets easy to transport, and the bag delivered. It's lightweight, sturdy, survived a rainy and windy day while keeping my stuff save and dry.One thing I would say this backpack lacks is a bit more organization since you have pockets only for your laptop and one more tablet. The water bottle compartment is also missing, but I don't really make much use of that one usually.Lastly, due to it being made from recycled plastic, and my love for wearing plaid shirts, I create a lot of static electricity taking it off and on which is the only reason for not giving it 5 stars. Come summer, this will probably be my primary backpack again.

Classic Backpack Navy

Really just excellent. The bag, while only having one main pouch can expand and can hold everything I need for school. The laptop pouch is heavily padded and has a soft touch fabric covering so it won’t damage your device. My surface laptop go looks a little ridiculous in there, but still. The a5 pouch is the perfect size for my 7th gen iPad and is good enough for the job, the pen holder next to it is just perfect design in all honesty.My only real critique is that there is no water bottle pouch on the outside, so my water bottle now has to live on the inside with all my papers and of course electronics and this is the only way I think I’d improve it. Also this colour is just delightful! I expected to be a puke green but it is actually more a forest green or a ... MoreReally just excellent. The bag, while only having one main pouch can expand and can hold everything I need for school. The laptop pouch is heavily padded and has a soft touch fabric covering so it won’t damage your device. My surface laptop go looks a little ridiculous in there, but still. The a5 pouch is the perfect size for my 7th gen iPad and is good enough for the job, the pen holder next to it is just perfect design in all honesty.My only real critique is that there is no water bottle pouch on the outside, so my water bottle now has to live on the inside with all my papers and of course electronics and this is the only way I think I’d improve it. Also this colour is just delightful! I expected to be a puke green but it is actually more a forest green or a leaf green.

Excellent Bag - Material is slightly stiff

The backpack is very well made and looks very nice. The interior is organized very thoughtfully and the materials are impressive. The only thing that detracts from this version of the bag is that the exterior material is a very stiff nylon so the bag loses a lot of its shape and style when it is mostly empty. Other versions/colors of this bag are made out of a fabric that is less stiff so even when mostly empty they look very much like the picture on the website, whereas this version looks slightly deflated when it isn't full.I highly recommend this bag if you're looking for more professional backpack. If you favor functionality over form then I would recommend the Mystery Ranch Urban Assault as an alternative in this price range.

Great Backpack but Not at Full Price

After receiving the Bellroy Classic 20L Backpack, I packed it and unpacked it several times and wore it around my house. Originally, I wasn't going to keep it, but a family emergency resulted in me taking it cross-country on a few flights with me. After traveling with this backpack, I've determined that I like it but I don't know that its worth full price.The good:The backpack can hold a laptop, tablet, a full size pair of headphones, a Nintendo switch, a 24oz water bottle, and a rolled up hoodie in the main compartment. The front pocket has a key clip and space for a wallet or a couple granola bars. The outer fabric feels tough and is fur-resistant. I have the backpack in all black, and it's a nice deep black. Zippers are YKK, but I don't know what the strap ... MoreAfter receiving the Bellroy Classic 20L Backpack, I packed it and unpacked it several times and wore it around my house. Originally, I wasn't going to keep it, but a family emergency resulted in me taking it cross-country on a few flights with me. After traveling with this backpack, I've determined that I like it but I don't know that its worth full price.The good:The backpack can hold a laptop, tablet, a full size pair of headphones, a Nintendo switch, a 24oz water bottle, and a rolled up hoodie in the main compartment. The front pocket has a key clip and space for a wallet or a couple granola bars. The outer fabric feels tough and is fur-resistant. I have the backpack in all black, and it's a nice deep black. Zippers are YKK, but I don't know what the strap holders are made of. They feel metal though. There's a small quick-grab pocket in the main compartment, but other than the laptop and tablet sleeves, you'll have to organize the main compartment yourself. The back panel is very comfortable, whether standing or sitting. The leather top-grab handle feels durable.The meh:I wish there was an exterior water bottle pocket, I don't want to have to keep my water bottles inside the backpack with my electronics. The straps feel thin compared to other backpacks at the same price point, and the strap adjustment cords are exceedingly long, so the strap keepers are ineffective. The leather tabs on the zippers are nice to grab but they're already starting to wear at the edges. In the front compartment, things will move to the short side of the pocket and can get lost there. The sunglasses pocket is too small to effectively hold sunglasses - tested w/ a pair of Ray-ban Clubmasters. The laptop pocket feels thin, and it doesn't feel like it's suspended off the bottom of the backpack (if it is, it's barely noticeable).All in all, it's a good backpack but it doesn't feel worth the cost at full price. It feels durable in some areas and cheap in others where it shouldn't be. My biggest gripes are the laptop sleeve an not having an outer water bottle pocket. However, I do love the way the backpack loads, the front compartment opens up really nicely and it's easy to just shove stuff in. After being under airplane seats and in baggage compartments, the fabric still looks great and the dirt just wipes off.If you need a small backpack and carry a laptop and tablet around with you, this is definitely an option to consider.

Great bag - short torso version would be ideal!

I walk to work daily, 1 hour each way, in San Diego where it is often quite warm, and sometimes rains. So I wanted a work backpack that was comfortable when heavy; didn't look sporty; roomy but not too big; good organizing pockets; wouldn't make my back too sweaty; and could handle getting rained on occasionally. This bag does all that pretty well (except it hasn't gotten rained on yet - TBD on that). My back doesn't get achy after my long walks, BUT I do think a shorter torso version (i.e., few inches shorter and wider, so as not to lose volume) would be a little more comfortable for me. But I've been carrying this bag to and from work for a couple weeks now, and am pretty happy! Also I LOVE that they're a B-Corp.

Great quality and material

My first Bellroy purchase and I'm very happy with the Bellroy Classic Backpack. Great materials and color (I got the Ranger Green). Like another reviewer pointed out, it would be great if there was a bottle sleeve. I don't mind it, I bought this backpack because it stays upright when I put it down on the floor. It's not a freestanding backpack, but at least it doesn't flop around, or it doesn't slide down to the floor when I put it down leaning against a wall or something. (this feature was a big deal for me because I wanted it to be easier to put things inside)

I would give it 3.5 stars

Exterior material looks like quality and durable. However, I think it will be prone to lint and dust easily. I like the top zip pocket good for phone or sun/glasses. Unfortunate there isnt side pockets for bottles. The interior is just okay with a zipper pocket and pocket flap. I didnt like the overall shape of the backpack as the style seems more suited for younger user (middle school or highschool) vs for adult.

Nice Quality Pack

My son did some research for a school backpack and decided on this one. The quality of the pack seems like it will hold up for years of abuse. Perhaps the only complaint would be that it seems slightly smaller than he thought. Totally manageable but slightly smaller than her would have preferred. All in all, he seems very happy with his choice.

Subtle, Stylish, Quality, But One Issue

I like the design a lot. I particularly like the style and the quality of the fabrics and the zipper. But there is one minor but annoying issue. The two lower corners of the front pocket are unstitched about the size of of a nickel on each side. I don't see any the purpose of them, but if you have small items like coins in the front pocket, they may fell into the inaccessible bottom of the backpack. That's the reason I give it 4 stars out of 5.

When straps matter…

And it’s not just how they feel. It’s how they look. This backpack has intentional design features that make putting this part of what I’m wearing, not covering it up. The straps have this cool curve that remember this pack is going in a body, not a block of luggage. And I like that this is all recycled product. I’m having fun with a backpack. Who knew that could happen?