Swiss Gear SA1923 Black TSA Friendly ScanSmart Laptop Backpack - Fits Most 15 Inch Laptops and Tablets

I had L.L. Bean backpacks for years, so when I was leaving for college three years ago I ordered their newest model with laptop sleeve built in. After only a few years of use, it was fraying at the edges and the zipper began to tear off on the main compartment. I returned it for this one, not knowing if Id like it. I really like the seperate laptop compartment on the back. It makes getting to my computer -- what I reach for most of the time -- quick and easy. The front compartment door could be a little larger but other than that I love this bag! Looks new to this day. UPDATE: after about a year with the bag, the left shoulder strap began to tear at the top where it attaches to the backpack. it looks like its a problem with the stretchy shock-absorbing component of the strap. Ive sent the bag into Swiss Gear for warranty repair, so well see if/when I get a replacement what happens. even with this Im still pretty happy with the bag, as its very functional and good looking. just wishing the straps were a little more heavy duty...

I bought this backpack for school. After an exhaustive search online, in local stores and across campus, I can definitively say that this is hands down the best laptop backpack you can buy! Pros: 1. Tons of space and usable compartments: - 1 padded laptop compartment - 1 thin compartment that can be used for papers and folders - 1 main compartment that contains vertical dividers to keep things organized, a smaller interior mesh pocket, and an ipod/cell phone pouch that leads to a slit in the top of the backpack for a headphone cord - 1 decent sized pocket on each side (I use 1 for my laptop charger and accessories) - 2 stretchy water bottle pockets big enough for the big 1 liter bottles (good for umbrella too) - 1 small pocket on the top front - 1 pocket on the bottom front that contains a bunch of small organizer pockets found in every backpack that nobody ever uses 2. Comfort: padded, shock absorbing arm pads, padded back, and a comfortable handle on top. 3. Appearance: In my opinion, this is one of the best looking backpacks out there, but I cant argue with taste so if you have one of those ugly backpacks, thats fine with me. 4. Price: Phenomenal deal! ($50 when I purchased it) Would have gladly spent more (dont tell amazon) Cons: (there really are none... Im nitpicking here) 1. The opening for the laptop is on the side (not the top) which makes it a little awkward to get in and out. Not a big deal though. 2. I would have liked a little more padding underneath the laptop. The amount of padding is pretty similar to most other laptop cases though. You just need to be careful about setting it down to hard. 3. The size was perfect for my 15.6 widescreen. I havent tried a 17, but Im guessing it would be too big (if you could get it to fit inside, it would be VERY tight)

Overall I really like this bag, and would recommend for purchase, as its good value for the price. Some things to be aware of however: 1. Large gromets would let water into the two side pockets if it rained on the bag, or it got splashed. I would have liked to see better weather proofing. 2. The main stuff pocket has a rather small opening at the top. Not a big deal, but I like a full width opening at the top. 3. The pocket separators in the main stuff pocket dont attach to the bottom of the bag, which is fine for papers/folders, etc... but if I put something small in the front of this pocket, it ends up shifting back and lying under the separator pockets. I have to do more hunting than is necessary for these items when they do shift (headphones, or small notebook, etc...) 4. being left handed, I am somewhat miffed that the laptop section only opens on the right hand side, but I do like the side opening pocket and the padding.

I got this as a gift for someone who travels a lot, so I cant really speak to longevity. Ive had dozens of laptop backpack over the years and this one has to be one of the best designed ones Ive seen. I initially purchased the larger one, since the detentions were only a half inch larger in each direction! That was a huge mistake. a half inch all around is way larger than one would think and no way that one would have fit under an airline seat. This bag, on the other hand is the perfect size for someone who has to carry a lot of gear, but needs to remain conscientious of size. The fact that it opens up like a clam shell is really nice. To think of all the times I had to manage two laptops, shoes, belt, wallet, carry on.....just shoot me already! This bag definitely keeps the line moving faster. Wish everyone had a similar set up going through the TSA checkpoints!

I have been using this backpack daily for four months now, and its been holding up well to the abuse. I generally carry the following: - A 15.6 inch HP laptop - Power cord for said laptop - Extension cord for power at coffee shops - Power spliter so I can get power at coffee shops - Books of various sizes (for the most part, small - about 5x8 on average, 1/2 - 1 thick) - First aid kit - External Hard Drive - etc. As you can see, I carry a LOT of stuff, generally running about 25lbs worth of stuff in my backpack at any given time. I was hesitant to buy this backpack initially due to reviews about breaking straps, but so far I havent had any issues with it. Now, for me, I would prefer to have a bit more room in the backpack, but thats just because, as mentioned earlier, I carry a LOT of stuff. For the pro/con list people: Pros: - Good padding on the back, pretty comfortable - Decent number of pockets. Two large (one only for laptop, one for laptop + accessories), one medium sized (should be able to fit an iPad), and at least five small pockets (one hidden inside the medium pocket. - Fits my 15.6 laptop perfectly - Two water bottle carrying slots Cons: - The side zipper pockets cant carry much if you use water bottles since they interfere with each other. - Could use a bit more padding on the bottom of the backpack

The reason I bought this backpack is that I wanted something that could be useful to be for many future traveling trips. We will see about this. I took it on a trip recently. The back portion worked perfectly. I have laptop on one side, tablet on the other - zipped it open to run through x-ray security, zipped it back up and went on my way. It was great! My goal was to see if I could fit a weeks worth of clothes so I wouldnt have to take a carry on suitcase. I fit a pair of jeans, 7 shirts, bed clothes, and one set of workout shorts and pants. It was super tight but all of it fit. I wanted to see if this would really work for a 3 day trip or a week vacation where Id be wearing board shorts and t-shirts everyday. It worked. I even took a light jacket, rolled it up and strapped in onto one side, water bottle on the other side. Looks like its made to last. Thumbs up here!

I really like the backpack as a backpack/computer bag for work. Plenty of space in the main pocket for my lunch cooler and whatever else I want to pack. The unfoldable laptop compartment is helpful when travelling, however, there is no luggage strap. Its very annoying because most TSA Friendly Business backpacks have an integrated strap for attaching to a rolling suitcase. The bag would be PERFECT if it had a luggage strap. Edit: To provide a bit more information about the Swiss Gear SA1923 Black TSA Friendly Scan Smart Back Pack - I am still using this product on a daily basis to carry my work items (laptop, lunch, medications, etc). Even with the constant abuse, I have yet to notice any signs of premature wear and tear. The bag is just as solid as the day I bought it. I have received multiple compliments on it in the workplace asking where I bought it and how I like it. Would definitely recommend as a work bag.

I have been using my Swissgear backpack for a number of months now and could not be more pleased with it. Not long after buying this from Amazon, I was given a new laptop to use. My Original HP 17 laptop fit in it perfectly with some room to spare. The new Dell developer 19.5 laptop pushed the limits. At first I thought there was no way I was going to get it to fit. I then figured out the right method of sliding the bottom corner in first, then follow with the top corner. It then slid in the rest of the way with just a gentle tug at the last corner to get it to fit in. The zipper has been holding up great for the last several months with no trouble! I love the durability of this backpack. It holds everything I need, including a 19,200 ma backup batter pack for my peripheral recharging needs. I cant say enough nice things about it, Enjoy yours!

This is my second SwissGear laptop bag. The first was purchased locally and lasted about 4 years before the stitching on one of the straps started coming off. I was able to limp along with it that way for a while, but needed to get another before the strap let go. Am hoping that this one gives me some more time. So far Im liking the bag. Not quite as big as my old bag (they seem to be similar size on the outside, so I assume they are comparable models) but this seems to be more an issue of how the pocket zippers run and not an overall size difference. The large compartment zipper makes a narrower opening than Im used to so its difficult to get as much into the pocket due to the opening. Seems to be good quality and should last for a few years. This bag goes everywhere with me...to work every day and on every trip I take.

After many types of messenger bags I decided to switch out to a backpack for a lot of my work. I did some research online, checked out the reviews and decided on this SwissGear SA 1923. Good bag. its a very well made back and so far has held up to a lot of my punishment. Its easy to sling over my shoulder and when I have to carry something large I can wear it proper and not worry about it slipping off. It has ample storage space and a lot of compartments to store the odd bits. In the main computer compartment I store my Lenovo 14 laptop. The only addition I did was put a piece of foam at the bottom of the compartment from a Targus bag to keep the bumps from hurting anything. The bag is made to TSA specs so the next set of zippers inwards will cleave the backpack in two. In normal mode it allows me to store my iPad or bluetooth keyboard in a webbed compartment. Oh, quick hint. At the top, where all these zippers meet, theres a loop where I put a carabiner. All these zippers have a hole at the end where theyll easily fit onto a small carabiner. Do this or the weight of the laptop will pull the zipper down. No problem unless youre wearing the backpack, driving down the road on your motorcycle. VERY close call. Side pockets allow me to separate out my AC adapter and small amount of tools. Theres a large central compartment for my notebook (paper) and iPad and a front pouch that gathers all of my other bits and pieces. Oh yeah, theres a top front pocket, by the handle, thats perfect to hold quick to get at items. Great for drink mixes or granola bars. The material seems tough, it stores a lot of my junk and is pretty easy to carry around. Exactly why I purchased it. Easy to carry by the handle as well as one or both shoulder straps. Plenty of pockets and carabiner attachment points. And, is TSA compliant. But why not 5 stars? I only had two problems with this bag, both relatively minor. First, it will fall FLAT ON ITS FACE! The way the bag is made causes the bag to flop over onto its face no matter how its loaded. Not really a problem but I like to put my bag down so I can get at the pockets and the first time I did this it took a header off a chair and crashed onto a concrete floor. Kind of a pain to always have to hide away the pockets when you put it down. Second complaint is the lack of storage for small items. I have a lot of cables, adapters, and other small do-dads. There really isnt a good small item dividers. Like I said, small complaint but important to me. Ive gotten around it by purchasing other small zippered storage bags that I can stuff into the larger compartments. All in all a good bag. Glad I purchased it and would recommend to others but with those two caveats.