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

After an exhaustive search of backpacks online and in-stores, I ended up buying this one for school. It looks a bit bulkier than expected-but Im not complaining. For those of you wondering about how the backpack will look like on you and need a reference on height, I am 55. This backpack has no problem fitting in my 17 MacBook Pro (including its Vera Bradley Case) in the laptop compartment. On days I dont bring my laptop, I store a 1 inch binder in the laptop compartment. It also has an additional pouch across from the compartment for storing a tablet in which I use to store 3 or 4 regular sized folders. The main compartment of the of the bag can be used to store up to at least 4 binders and a textbook. For those of you who dont have a laptop, you can also store 2 more binders in the laptop compartment. Or, you can store a 2 inch binder, two 1 inch binders 1-5 folders, and still have room for a book. The main compartment of the bag also has an attached mesh zipper pocket across from it that can be used to store your chargers and what not. (Ive also packed the bag varying ways of how to hold your supplies for those of you who were wondering about storage.) I use the side compartments hold my glasses while I use the other to hold a hairbrush. I would prefer the straps to have a bit more support like the Jansport bags have - other than that, I have no complaints :)

Im writing this review from the airport now having just gone through security. First off, the bag is solid. Feels it, looks it and should hold up no problem to my travels. Lots of pockets for storage and organizing. Fit my dress shoes, three shirts and some other assorted clothing items as well as my usual travel electronics and accessories. The reason I bought it, though, was for my laptop on business trips. I asked the TSA agent monitoring our line if the bag folding flat was acceptable. He said yes so long as nothing obscures the laptop. The way this bag is constructed has the laptop in a pocket closest to your back and when opened flat, the only thing on that side of the bag. Theres even a little mesh window for security to see through. All your other stuff is separate. Got to the x ray machine and unzipped the bag, no agent gave it a second glance. Went through the scanner and grabbed the bag and my shoes then I was on my way. Its a simple thing, removing your laptop, but this actually made things faster and easier because there was no need to fight off people around me as everything I had was already contained. I could snag everything and get out of the way. Very happy.

I have used this bag for a couple of trips in the last week and am very happy with it. The bag is very well put together and it is really convenient for the airport as it is as simple as unzipping the back half of bag and opening it out flat for the security scanner. If I were to suggest anything that would make the bag better I would ask for more sections inside the main compartment to store things. There is really only one small pouch inside and then some dividers but I didn;t have a great place to store my paperwork when traveling. The front and side pouches are very roomy and I had plenty of room to store the various gadgets and accessories that I feel the need to travel with nowadays! All in all, this is a nice handy bag and is great value for the cost.

I got this so that I could comfortably haul all of my college textbooks, laptop, and everything else that I have to lug around campus everyday. I am so happy with this bag! Its extremely comfortable and durable, and there are pockets everywhere for everything. I really like the padded pocket for a cell phone or MP3 player, and the laptop compartment has a handy velcro strap that will keep your laptop secure, and it also has excellent padding for additional protection. I have a 15.6 notebook, and it fits in with lots of room to spare. I even keep it in another padded case just for extra protection with no problems. There are lots of loops and hooks so you can easily attach stuff to the bag as needed, and it seems like itd make a really great hiking bag as well. The handle is a very solid nylon rubber, and the shoulder straps are padded and comfortable and theres even a loop to hang your sunglasses from. I feel really confident and good about this bag, it was an excellent purchase for a college student hauling A LOT of stuff daily.

OK, so that may be a bit dramatic. I looked for quite awhile for a bag reasonability priced with pockets, bottle pockets, key pockets, kleenix pockets, eyeglass case pockets, book pockets, laptop phone and cord pockets and so on. I commute many mornings via Park and ride into work and need a bag that is easy to carry, pockets for bus pass, phone, Kindle, paper files, pens, keys, glasses, lunch bag, rain coat, and wow. This bag has it all. I am quite satisfied. Sturdy construction. Zippers tough and hold up to my every day use. I have been using for a couple months (or thereabouts) and have nothing about which to complain. Side pockets, one on each side, easily handle my 22oz thermos and coffee cup. The front pocket has slots for pens, markers. There is a attached key clip thingy that easily releases and re-clips. I dont use the padded laptop pocket much - it is large enough for a 15 - 17 screen. My wife things it larger than necessary, however, she isnt the one on the bus in rain and or snow wanting an easy one hand or over the shoulder bag. I do recommend it! Did I mention it has pockets? 22Oct2013 update - I continue to really enjoy this bag. This week (no kidding) I have seen this same bag over the shoulder of a fellow bus commuter, and a gentlemen who belongs to the same wellness center. I have take work out clothes with me to work using this bag so that I could stop and workout on my way home. This is ideal in my book.

I got this last Fall (2015), and it never let me down. First, it was very durable; it never tore up from everyday use (though I found a few strings loose in a less essential part of the backpack). Also, there were no problems washing it (when I did have to wash it after a late-night incident in London). Secondly, it has plenty of compartments to use to your pleasure, with basically a place for everything I ever needed. The laptop-scanning feature was legitimate; the TSA (the United States Transport Security Administration) allows for the feature to be used so long as nothing was in front or behind the laptop when being scanned. Ive made it through Virgin Atlantic, Eurostar, and Air France with this backpack and this backpack fit the size constraints. Plus I got this $120 backpack for $55, so I got my moneys worth (and then some) pretty soon. Short answer: No problems; only good things to say.

I bought this backpack as a replacement for another Swissgear backpack that the strap broke. Although it is made well and I like the amount of pockets it has, I do miss the large front pocket in the front top of the bag that I had on my other one. It was big enough to hold my phone and inhaler as well as any pill bottles I carried on the plane. The construction of this pocket - with the zipper facing down is poor, in my opinion. When you open the pocket with the bag upright, everything falls out of it. The main pocket is large and can hold books, notebooks, my large teacher planner, etc. The back computer pocket holds my 13” Ipad, 15” Dell computer, as well as all charger cords, extension cords, and any other computer accessories. Overall, I like the bag, but do not care for the “improvements” that were made to this design.

I received this bag as a gift to replace my old backpack. I went to look it up a little and I was at first kind of confused about the solidity of the materials. Even though SwissGear is a well-known brand, I wasnt sure about its ability to make bags. But it has been 6 months now, and even though I always pack my bag at its limits, it is still in a really good condition, so I was gladly surprised and figured that I would come here and rate it to share my comments about it. First of all, the main pocket is quite wide and will take all your books without any problems whatsoever. The front bottom pocket is really useful to put all your small items, I personally use it for my chargers. The back pockets are perfect for a laptop and/or a tablet. I used the side pockets to put some small bottles. The side pockets with zipper wont serve a lot if you put bottles though, but its not that big of an issue since its up to you to choose what you want those pockets to be used for. I would then gladly recommend this item and if its still going in that direction, I may certainly use the same as its future replacement.

So as the title says, I would like to specifically address the topic of the size of this backpack. Ive read MULTIPLE reviews that say it will fit a Dell XPS 17 (which is about 17.4). Within 10 mins after I post this review, I should have two pictures up for you, showing you the fit of the XPS 17 and another of the tag that says Fits up to a 15 laptop. So, if you are willing to struggle a bit, it actually will fit the Dell XPS 17 laptop, but this is EXTREMELY tight. Its just trying to squeeze that one last corner. If you have a laptop that is just 1/2 an inch or more smaller, I feel positive it would fit. Sadly, without a struggle and the risk of breaking the zipper or scratching the laptop corner, I just cant safely say youd want this backpack for a 17 laptop. Now to confirm the other reviews, it is a great backpack. It feels sturdy, strong, and has plenty of space. It fits my large 32 oz waterbottle in either side as well. Two small pockets on the front, one with place for ipod and the other with spaces for pens/pencils. Two pockets on either side, underneath the waterbottle holders. These pockets are about 3/4 the height of the whole backpack, so nice to fit many things. Then three main pockets, one for the laptop, one thin one, probably only paper/folders would fit here. And then the last one is fairly big, enough so to hold a large textbook, binders, etc. So a great backpack for anyone with a laptop under 17.

Best backpack. I bought this backpack in 2015. Its 2021. I use it for travel on an almost weekly basis. It doesnt have a scratch on it. Your back will not sweat wearing it either thanks to the mesh back. Cant recommend it strongly enough. Only thing I wish it had is a sternum strap.