Troubadour Apex Backpack 3.0 - Premium Waterproof Laptop Backpack Fits Up to 17" - Ergonomic Design for Work and Travel - Stylish Backpack with 5-Year Guarantee - Scree

Outstanding backpack. You get what you pay for.

I wanted to love this backpack. It gets stellar reviews in all the industry publications and while it is a very sharp looking back, I could not justify one major shortcoming in its design that was a deal-breaker at any price point, let alone at over $200. Aesthetically, this bag is a knock o. I got a ton of compliments on it and the gray color felt very on-trend, minimalist, and modern. The build quality was very strong (which I'd expect at this price) and the interior was lined with soft touch and felt-like materials all around. Zippers felt good and the materials were premium. Functionally speaking, here's where it's a mixed bag. On the one hand, the interior pockets have plenty of zips, pockets, slots, and a spot for pens, two separate compartments (which I did feel was secure), and a phone pocket in one of the straps that you may find your mileage varies at. It barely fit my iPhone 13 Pro Max and it was very uncomfortable and cumbersome to get out. But the complete dealbreaker for me was the water bottle storage on the sides. Due to the streamlined look and fit of the bag, the pockets are a tight elastic and the pockets are angled. It struggled to hold my 24oz Owala water bottle (and if you've got a rubber "boot" on your bottle, forget about it). It fell out constantly and when the bag was full, it was nearly impossible to fit the water bottles in. I also didn't find the straps to be terribly comfortable and could never get a good fit (too much of the cheap nylon part that you can extend/tighten the bag, not enough padded shoulder straps). The gray color also showed a lot of dirt and grime, unsurprisingly, but that was a chance I knew I was going to take. Overall, while this is a beautiful-looking backpack, I simply couldn't get around the water bottle issue for the price point. I know this sounds trivial, but anyone who travels with any regularity is carrying a water bottle, and that's not a detail you can sacrifice.