The need for this: I am a computer technician for my local hospital. I service the outlying clinics both local and afar. I had to come up with a solution to carry my gear in an all-in-one bag. This SwissGear ScanSmart Laptop Computer Backpack has more than met that need. Notice how full the bag looks in the image. Well, mine has the same shape now.
What it can carry: Yes, there is a slot at the back to insert a 17" laptop, and that I do. The zipper goes half way up the side. The next zipper allows you to unzip fully, folding the back outward, and revealed is the see through material that allows airport staff to see your laptop. That feature I don't really need, and now-a-days you have to take your laptop out and power it on before getting on board a plane. In this compartment is a sleeve to house paper work. I do that for sure. In the remaining area of this compartment, I house a 2nd laptop - that one is 15". The top zipper you see in the image is the deepest pocket if you want to call it that. I have a surge strip standing tall in there that I carry around, a dual hard-drive cloning box, tools, network cabling, and more. In this compartment is a small sleeve, designed for an audio device. I use it to house my portable hard-drive, well at least one of them. I use that drive 100% of my work day, and all I have to do is barely unzip that area and retrieve my drive. With the USB cable for that drive bound up and rubber-banded together with the drive, both fit snugly in that pouch. In the middle front zipped compartment, I carry various USB charging cables, smaller tools, gloves, a 2nd hard-drive that I keep enclosed in bubble wrap, batteries, and other necessities. In the lower most zipper compartment, I keep two of those 8 pack jeweler screw driver sets. I access them a great deal, and that's the best compartment to put them in.
Durability: Note that I mentioned I sometimes carry two laptops. Yeah, that adds weight, but think about that for a moment. I typically walk with just the right arm strap over my shoulders. That's a lot of weight for one strap to support. It's going on a year I've used this backpack, and I use it 5 days a week, always on the go from one clinic to another. The sewing job on this backpack is simply outstanding. There are no signs of stress being applied to the strap where it is adhered to the backpack. The handle on top has had it's work out too. I typically ride with this pack sitting in the passenger seat of my pickup truck. I use the handle to both place the bag and retrieve the bag as I'm getting in/out of my truck, and this bag goes inside with me per location I have to service the computers off. I've been in pouring down rain with this back on my shoulder, and I don't think it was a quality listed, but it deflects water rather well.
Tip: With this bag heavily loaded as I carry it, for longer walks to a location, use both straps. You have balanced the load, and the bag all the sudden feels lighter. Other bags I've used in this manner, my back would tend to sweat on quick walks to a location. This bag provides ample air flow between your back and the bag itself - no more sweating on my back area.
Summary: Whatever your job is, this bag will help you keep all your commonly used items throughout your day, in an well organized manner. I don't even have to dig to find an item like a woman would do to find something in a purse. The compartments fully unzip, minus the one designed for the laptop, revealing all of your contents per compartment. I would say the half-way zipped computer compartment is a safety feature to keep your laptop from falling out if there had been two zippers and they were to become loose at once. Laptop insertion is simple. It's almost like placing a library book in between two other books, slip it right in. I then place my wireless mouse on top of the laptop's edge at the top, and zip it up. This purchase is not only a great one for the quality of the backpack, but it will improve your work flow when it comes to access commonly needed items on a daily basis.
| Standing screen display size | 17 Inches |
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