Thoughts and Conclusion
Using this backpack over the course of a few weeks, I had only a few complaints. One issue was with the zippers; while they never jammed or bound, the square-ish corners of the main compartment could cause them to catch when it was only partially full unless I pulled out a bit as I attempted to open or close them. Another was with the small zipper pouch on the front; its size, shape, and zipper position made it difficult to use it for anything much bigger than a pen. Attempts to find an appropriate pouch for my laptop’s power brick failed, I ended up just tossing it in the bottom of the main compartment. The pouches on the inside front are also a bit small, those who prefer to travel with a full-sized mouse will need to be somewhat more creative in its storage. The external side pockets, as mentioned earlier, were in practice mostly useless due to awkward positioning.
Now for the positives: If you routinely travel with a 17″ or 18″ laptop, finding a laptop bag sized to accommodate it can be a serious chore in and of itself. The Beacon managed to accept my bulky monstrosity of a laptop without a noticeable change in backpack size, and still had room in the main compartment for all of my accessories plus nearly a ream of assorted papers. The sheer amount of stuff you can cram into this bag is astonishing, and it never stops being comfortable to wear. The included rain-shield is also a plus, especially in Florida where frequent, heavy rainstorms are the norm for much of the year.
So is this backpack worth buying? Ultimately, that’s a question that can only be answered after you’ve tried it out in person. Nitpicks aside, this is an excellently-made backpack that has eliminated a lot of the annoyances and outright pains of traveling with a large laptop. If you find yourself living the “road warrior” lifestyle with a full-sized laptop or needing to pack extra accessories, the Everki Beacon is definitely worth a look.
Nice one..