24.11.2014

i have a very weak spine after suffering with a herniated disc for 6 years and counting. As I'm still at University, it is very difficult to study when I'm having to make compromises with which books to carry with me or whether to leave my laptop behind at home as i won't be able to carry the excess weight on my back.I noticed that the back pack i was previously using was made out of very thin material but most concerning, the straps had little to no support.It was time for a change, i needed a nice big bag with some separate compartments but most importantly, one large compartment to put my note pads and my laptop safely in the bag.I found many on amazon that had very good reviews and cheap as well.I really wasn't sure what to do. After a while of Umming and arring i decided to go for the trusted swiss for the reason being that regardless of price compared to others, the quality will always blow any competition out the water.Im happy to say that i was correct. When the package arrived, a huge box was delivered and inside the box was my bag. But this wasn't the only thing to my pleasant surprise. Along with the Wenger Swissgear bag, for whatever reason i had also been sent a very nice electronic luggage scales (something i actually needed) worth around £5-£8 and some suitcase covers to protect them against anyone who would be nosey enough to have a peep inside your luggage.Anyway, now onto the bag itself. Its not particularly a light bag when empty, there is some serious weight, strength and ruggedness to it thats for sure. On first appearance, i really love the texture of the front with its dark blue webbed material and speckled grey sections, finished off with the iconic swiss logo in the centre. This all looks nice but it is also strong and waterproof to keep your belongings safe. The back of the bag was something that i was really concerned with but this ticks every box. The back support is nice and flat ensuring all the weight distribution inside stays in one place and the cushions on the back are really effective and important if you suffer with back & spine pain like myself because items hitting you on your spine when walking can be really painful, luckily you won't have to worry about that issue with this backpack. The straps again are cushioned with a lovely spongy material just like that on the back support so no painful neck or shoulders.The compartments on the swiss gear i really love, there are 5 zipped compartments in total. 4 that you can noticeably see on the outside and 1 'secret' zip compartment that is located right in the front compartment which is where i keep my valuables because the seam of the bag helps to hide the zip so not many people will notice it right away. Front pocket is nice to keep pens, change, a swiss army knife as long as it is Uk legal and other small bits and pieces.i have a Victorinox Swiss Army knife Huntsman and carry it in the front of my bag in its little designated swiss army knife pouch.Another compartment is a very small area right in the centre of the bag that can be used to keep small items such as pens, notes, wires etc. Very small, nice to keep things separated.Now for the two main compartments, in the middle zip compartment, there is a large space with a divider to keep books, small notepads, or i would say the best items to keep is loose paper and worksheets to ensure they're not damaged and lost.Finally, the main compartment at the back. This is where the largest space is available to hold anything you want. Lunch, books, you name it. Though to the back of it, is what makes this a laptop bag because there is a spacious but still secure compartment to keep your laptop and then strap it up with the velcro. I keep my 13" macbook air there though i do have a case so its a nice snug fit.The last bit of information i can give is the space increaser function on the bag located in the main compartment which simply is a flip that can be folded up or folded down on the floor to increase space and help keep the bags shape.Heres my full review and i can ensure that there is nothing you won't like about the bag. Go safe and buy it.

10.4.2010

I put this bag through its paces over the easter weekend, taking it from deepest Surrey on the train up to Preston and back whilst I visited the family. I usually take my laptop with me to do a bit of work and to fix anything my folks happen have to done to their PC so it was the perfect opportunity to see how good this back pack is.On opening the delivery from Amazon I was pleasantly surprised to find it was really well padded in the back and in the shoulder straps. Nothing makes a trip longer with a rucksack than having one that murders the shoulders once it is carrying a bit of weight. On having a good inspection of it the bag revealed a multitude of good sized pockets.The front of the bag has a large front flap that I found ideal for putting documentation in flat without having to fold it. On top of this big front pocket sit two other compartments, one above the other. The lower one has on its front a series of loops that I have been trying to work out what I might put in there. However inside the compartment is a very neat set of storage pockets. A velcro one for possibly putting a mobile in, several credit card sized little pockets and one of those mesh net style pockets as well. Certainly a nice flexible little compartment. The other smaller front compartment is a simple storage space with no other bits in it.Obviously one of the most important parts of this rucksack is the main storage compartment and I found this to be excellent. I have a Dell Studio 15 laptop and the very well padded section for storing the laptop took that very comfortably. A very neat fit and made even more secore by a good, solid velcro strap that fastens over the top of the laptop. The padding was very good, both side very well padded to the inside of the bag and also the padding that sits against your back when carrying it. The other huge bonus with the main storage compartment is that it has a fold-down bottom to it. What this means is if you are on a short trip, say one change of clothes and the laptop, then you can keep the rucksack a bit slimmer by not folding down the base flap in the main compartment. However if you need to store a bit more in there then with the bottom folded down it gives a very good sized interior and makes packing plenty of stuff in there very easy. I was very impressed with it.On the road this thing was really nice to carry. I live about 30 minutes walk from the nearest train station and the walk is a bit across country, up and down a hill or two, so a decent walk. With the bag fairly well loaded up it felt quite comfortable on the walk to and from the station. One design feature is that the back has a nice central channel that lets airflow down it and would stop things getting too sweaty on a long trek. As I mentioned before, the amount and good quality of the padding provided by the bag for both shoulders and the back meant I felt quite happy and comfortable. The range of compartments meant that on the train journey from London to Preston and back it was easy and convenient to have the PSP and such stored in easily accessible pockets. And as far as Virgin Trains are concerned this bag had no problems fitting on the overhead luggage shelf even fully loaded! All in all it was the ideal bag for me to use for that long weekend trip.The all round quality of the build is excellent. Good materials used and it feels like a bag that is going to last a good while and be happy to handle just about any kind of trip you might make with it. I will definitely be using this for taking my work laptop and paperwork out and about when I travel with work. I would also not hesitate to take this with me when I go out walking or on short trips away as the capacity and quality are excellent even when not taking the laptop along. It is also of a size that it shoudl pose no problems as carry on luggage which can be very helpful these days.All in all I am very impressed with this bag. Excellent quality, very secure storage for the laptop and flexible enough to be a really useful addition to the travel luggage.

12.4.2011

OK so the first thing I want put in this review is the capacity as I couldn't find it on here and didn't know until the product turned up. It's a 24 litre bag, so what does that mean? Well,let me start at the beginning.The reason that I wanted a decent laptop bag was because I am a computer science student, when at uni I have to transport quite sizable (and quite dull) books along with my laptop (and all associated peripherals) and regularly stay at my girlfriends and need a change of clothes. I also ride a bike which is no mean feat when carrying all of the above, trust me!I ordered the bag on Saturday and it turned up on the following Monday.I'm currently working over the Easter holiday to make some extra cash (whilst juggling with revision), problem is, it's a 4 mile round trip to the office.I've always been a fan of walking bags (the types that walkers use, not bags that literally walk) because I'm quite active and never no when I'm going to need the extra space and comfort that they offer. prior to ordering this bag I was using a compact 20 litre bag and putting my laptop in a case with it's charger etc) in the bag but found that I would have to make a choice between books or clothes if ever I was to stay at my girlfriends house for the night.As of Monday however, that has all changed! like I said this is a 24 litre bag but if there is one thing that the swiss seem to excel at, it's getting the most out of the available space, so here's the list of stuff I have to take to work with me daily.1 macbook pro (13 inch)1 macbook pro charger (held in Quirky powercurl )1 usb mouse1 4x usb hub1 100 sheet A4 refil pad1 data structures course text (840 pages)1 AI course text (190 pages)1 pencil case (full)1 sunglasses case1 pair trousers1 short sleeve shirt1 regular sized lunch box1 bottle water (50 cl)1 towel (hand)1 bottle vo5 hair gel (mega hold)1 jar vo5 extreme style (matt clay)1 bottle fcuk body spray1 bicycle pump1 bicycle toolkit (Draper)2 bike lights (front/rear)Now believe me when I say that the bag is comfortably full with all this stuff in it, you could probably fit more in but you'd have to start cramping stuff and probably end up with hair gel on your work clothes but still it's needless to say I was well impressed that I could actually fit everything in.Even with this full load, because of the so called "comfort straps" the bag is incredibly easy going on the shoulders and in fact feels lighter than my old bag with less stuff in it.The "SWISSGUARD Computer Pocket" is a real piece of ingenuity and although I use a 13 inch laptop which gets swallowed in the pocket, the construction insures that the laptop is completely secure.The only problem I have now is remembering which pocket has what stuff in it but that also offers a slight mini-game experience whenever I need to find a pen I guess.

11.10.2012

As someone who cycles to work and often take my bicycle on the train to London and other parts of the UK I tend to carry a fair amount in my backpack.When this arrived it looked smaller than I expected, and the warranty-feature card stated its capacity as 23 Litres (note this is not stated anywhere on the amazon page). But what a well-used 23 Litres this is! I will not repeat what has already been said on the other reviews but will focus on some features I have found notable.** WeightlessnessThis backpack has this amazing knack of feeling heavy with the things you've put in it when you pick it up using the top handle, and then all the weight "disappearing" once its on your back!

26.3.2010

This is the second Wenger laptop bag I have, the first being one I bought five years ago when they just started out on the market. That bag is still in perfect condition having been used constantly over the years working offshore. That to me is a testament to it's excellent build quality having not been pampered in any way - quite the opposite in fact.This bag has some design changes but from my initial impression is that it is as well made as my current older bag and that bodes well for long term use.My original bag has shock absorbing straps which this does not - and to be honest I don't think that this is any loss. The shock absorbers are basically elasticated pieces inserted into the shoulder parts of the straps with a strong cord backing.

24.9.2020

This was bought to replace my old bought in 2009 Swissgear "Rival" 15.4-inch Backpack (pictured-right). This has been everywhere with me for over ten years. Daily to university for three, out on location working for eight and has been abroad too, many times.Okay, so how does this compare?It looks a little less robust but is lighter and just a little more comfortable, especially with its raised padding on the back having a channel in the centre that holds it away from your spine. There are two pockets on the back, rather than the single one on the 'Rival', they look quite nice, but you can't get much in either of them. That said, the outer pocket of the 'Rival' was no Tardis either,

27.3.2013

I bought this rucksack to replace my old ripcurl one for work. I regularly travel so I needed one that would protect my laptop and peripherals, leaving over some room for extra things (clothes, food, books etc) and this bag meets all requirements. The main section is divided into two; a heavily padded 15.6" laptop part with a velcro holder and a general use area that could easily fit in another similar sized laptop, for size, minus protective padding. There is a similar sized compartment in front of the main one that can easily hold books, magazines, pens and so on. Right at the front there are two smaller pockets for smaller items such as MP3 players, phones,

29.6.2012

I have been using this bag for the past year of uni. Given that I live in a city that is not very car friendly, I cycle to my lectures, for shopping, to the library, etc.I have to say, in the entire year I have used this bag, only on one occasion was I unable to fit all the items I required into one. The space inside is MASSIVE. I use it to carry my textbooks (which are huge and extremely heavy as I study Medicine), shopping (which often includes 4 x 2L bottles of water), laptop and books to the library, etc.In regard to the laptop compartment, it fits my 15 Inch MacBook Pro well (the new retina slim MacBook Pro might be less secure in it as its thinner), and also fits with the laptop in a case.

6.6.2014

10 month update----------------Having used the bag pretty much everyday for the last 10 months disappointed to say that it has begun to tear at the seams at the top of the bag. I only ever have my lunch, water bottle, books and my lightweight coat in the main compartment but I feel i may have stressed at the seams and joins by over cramming it.Nonetheless because all (I think) wenger bags come with lifetime warranty, I have already arranged delivery of a replacement through Amazon. The faulty bag will also be returned using an Amazon prepaid label.Original review---------------All in all, very impressed and still have no qualms in purchasing this great bag.First impressions are that it is a grand step up from my previous backpacks,

25.10.2015

I've used this bag for everything for 4 years now. Filled with books almost too heavy for me to carry at sixth form, college and now at university.The padding has never failed my laptop, tablet, phone or anything delicate that I've kept in the laptop pouch.I've taken this bag to the park all summer, I've even left it on the floor in the corner of a standing Chase and Status gig, recover it fine.I've never been worried to carry my electronics in it in the worst rain I've seen over these 4 years.The stitching isn't coming loose anywhere, it still holds it's shape and looks new.The only damage at all is on the mesh that holds the bottles on the side but even that still works perfectly.Just got a

17.12.2016

I'm not sure why some people have had theirs fall apart, presumably Swissgear have some issues with quality control... however after 4 years of near daily use, around 50-60 flying trips (as hand luggage), and numerous roadtrips, I have abused this bag somewhat and despite the possibly greater than 100+k miles it's travelled, I am still using it as my daily bag!Yes, its now starting to show signs of wear, particularly at the bottom where its placed or thown on the ground, but its one of the most comfortable bags I have ever had. Neither of the two laptops and numerous other electrical devices have ever been seriously damaged while in the bag, and if they ever were, it was not due to the bag.

8.4.2011

I decided to take the plunge and purchase this bag after reading the reviews which do not have any criticism yet!As the first reviewer reviewed this bag so well there isn't that much left to say about it! I have been hunting for ages for a bag that will allow me to take a laptop and have enough space for a weekend away, without being too cumbersome (I am 5ft1). This bag fits the bill, as I am fed up with the weekend bags now that don't allow laptop protection.Plenty of pockets, (more than enough space to keep travel documents away safely) ( like to be organised), showerproof (having been caught in the rain it held well) comfortable straps. Plus,

25.1.2012

I upgraded from a rather rubbish Targus 15.4" backpack, and this is a big improvement. Quality feels much better, and the size is great for a night or too away from home for work, without needing to carry another bag. Yet it is also small enough to use on a daily commute confortably.It doesnt hold my Lenovo X220 in too securely however, but I plan to sew the velcro strap so it is a bit shorter then it will be perfect.I fit the following in with plenty of space left:-13" Lenovo X220-Work shoes (go in the main compartment no problem)-Packaway rain coat and trousers-Bike lights-Lunchbox-Lots of other computer bits and bobs-Kindle-MagazineI could also add a washbag and jeans/tshirt etc for when I go away,

5.4.2015

This was a replacement for a hard worked and frankly often abused/overloaded earlier Swissgear laptop rucksack that took everything I could throw at it five days a week for five years. And even then, it had still not failed, more I decided that it's appearance was looking a little battered and a new one was justified.This has proven to be a worthy successor to the original and can easily cope with my 16" laptop, power charger, office work ( inc A4 folders), pens, overnight clothes etc! I have also taken it on board several flights as hand baggage and the easy access was most appreciated going through airport security.Flexibility is maximised by the use of four zipped compartments plus an inner one.

1.3.2014

Quite a spacious backpack suitable for a laptop and al the other stuff you have to carry these days when travelling or flying. There are 4 separate compartments plus bottle holders on the side. Overall I have to say I'm very pleased with this backpack, but on a recent trip I needed to really pack stuff in and if I'm honest I over-filled it, really jamming stuff in. So when one of the zips burst I shouldn't have been surprised. Minus half a star for that and minus another half when one of the zip pullers (the thing you pull to close the zip) came off. Turns out that the zip has a "bend to close" relationship with its puller and this can bend open again releasing the puller.

Wenger Cobalt - Reviews

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