A.R.C. Commuter Pack, 18.8L - Tech Backpack

I've been on a long crusade to find the ideal travel & work backpack that is stylish, not too big but can fit a 16in laptop, and is made with high quality materials and I think I found the one! Big Wins: - All of the bag's openings are easily accessible and have lots of organizing pockets of various sizes to cater to most folks' needs - The material quality of the bag is fantastic. Thick laptop padding with felt lining. Exterior fabric is durable and water resistant. Shoulder straps are heavily padded. Interior pocket lining isn't thin and flimsy - Fits a 16in laptop and a large tablet with ease - Zippers are strong and glide like a figure skater - The bag is stylish, yet professional. Great overall design Small Wins - Interior color is a medium dark grey that is a nice contrast to the exterior color and makes it easier to see the interior pockets - The side pockets have some stretch to them, so fitting some *slightly* larger water bottles will work, just not the Stanleys and Hydroflasks of the world Minor Drawbacks - Not sure who thought this was a great idea but there is much-too-large felt-lined pocket at the top of the bag that is hidden behind the top strap handle. It is enclosed solely by a magnet and not a zipper which I find to be an odd functionality and theft-prevention choice - Cost: this bag is certainty expensive and you can likely find similar quality at a cheaper price vs. shelling out $200+ for this one, but I will say the quality makes it a good choice. Try to snag this during a sale of you can!

I love this bag for air travel. Easily accessed pockets on the outside serve as a quick place to stash my watch/wallet/phone as I go through security. I can fit my laptop, Vision Pro (with apple case), AirPods Max, chargers, cables, etc. and still have room for some snacks or souvenirs. Each pocket is easy to access and I don’t have to pull multiple things out just to get at what I want. Easily slides onto the handle of my carry-on luggage too.

I’ve been buying Incase products for over ten years because I always trusted their design and durability. That’s why this A.R.C Commuter backpack has been such a letdown. I paid $200 for it in July, and less than two months later the shoulder strap broke. What frustrates me most is that I wasn’t even pushing the bag to its limits. My daily carry is pretty standard, a 14” MacBook Pro (not even the heavier 16”), an external battery pack, an iPad, a laptop charger, headphones, two notebooks, and a few pens. For a bag at this price, that should be no problem at all. For $200, I expected this to last me years, not weeks. I really wanted to like it, but the quality just doesn’t live up to the brand’s reputation anymore. If you’re looking for something reliable, I’d think twice before spending this much on it.

Awesome backpack and has a ton of pockets. However that is pretty much the double edged sword. It has a laptop compartment that is extremely tight fitting for my Macbook pro 16 2021. The big compartment is fits an ok amount of things but the backpack is overall really stiff and just overall doesnt hold a ton of things. But what it can hold it does a great job and i like the size of the backpack. I recommend this backpack with the caveat of this is more of a complimentary piece for travel and not something you can solely use.

Perfect

I use the clothing compartment to store my lunchbox. It has a lot of room and pockets for your work commuting needs.

I got stuck in a big rainstorm with my family and a few pets, and this thing really came in handy.

Like this backpack so much, it’s stylish, durable, roomy and well made. 100% recommend