Thule Crossover 2 Laptop Backpack, 30L

It was exciting to receive this product. This backpack was really stylish and seemed to be made of durable materials that would withstand great punishment. And the 30L storage capacity is truly impressive. Unfortunately, I grossly underestimated the sizes of the backpack. As my own frame is not especially large, I ultimately returned this product with some regret. It would have been great to use something that looked to nice and was made of such great materials.

Thule makes some truly epic gear, whether outdoor peripherals for your car, hiking packs and yes, regular backpacks too. Both my wife and I own Thule hiking backpacks that weve used for years without a problem and love the brand. After spending the last two weeks using the Thule Crossover Laptop Backpack I can safely conclude this is another excellent product from the brand. So a bit more about how I tested this backpack - I use a backpack daily to commute to/from work and Ive done so for over 10-years. Ive tried other types of bags - satchels/shoulder bags and traditional laptop cases, but nothing really has the all-around portability and practicality of a backpack, so thats what I use even well into my 30s. ► How I Use the Crossover: The Thule Crossover pretty much has it all whether youre a student porting your laptop, books, and gear or a worker like I am that throws everything in one bag. For me, that includes items like my 13 laptop, usually a notebook (or two), a 1 3-ring binder, a few pens, mechanical pencil, building access badge, cables and charging adapters, and typically my lunch. You get the idea - a lot of stuff. The Crossover has room for it all without looking like youre a Sherpa on the way to summit. ► Overall Thoughts After Two-Weeks: The most surprising aspect of this backpack is the rigidity of it. Most backpacks Im accustomed to (the non-hiking variety anyway) are generally relatively soft and well, not rigid. The Crossover, on the other hand, has quite a bit of rigidity and in my pictures, for example, is mostly empty but stands up easily on its own. Most certainly the rigidity is on purpose and thanks to the extra protection in specialized compartments - the safe zone - that are designed to keep your expensive gadgets and accessories safe. The front pocket, with the safe zone tag, for example, is quite rigid and perfect for storing items like sunglasses. The laptop pouch which is the furthest back and close to the shoulder straps is incredibly well padded and also has a semi-rigid backing in addition to the usual padding. Id describe this as the perfect traveling/commuting backpack because I wouldnt hesitate to place this backpack under an airline seat or in overhead storage, even with fragile electronics inside, thanks to the padding and overall rigidity. That said, there is one trade-off and that is the overall comfort of the backpack. Even after two weeks of daily use, I can still notice the Crossover is on my back if that makes sense. With my old backpacks, they sort of went unnoticed and Im hoping that as I adjust to the different feel of the Crossover it sort of just becomes the new norm. ► Thoughts on Quality & Style: I have the Crossover in the black finish and it looks great! The small white dots all over the backpack really look better in person than in the product pictures and give the backpack a cool, textured look. The inner compartments are lined in a beautiful blue color making it easy to find dark colored peripherals and is a nice contrast to the outer color. Quality-wise the Crossover has the same quality Ive come to expect from Thule. The bag arrived in perfect condition without an errant string or thread. Zippers feel heavy-duty without looking like it. The backpack just sort of exudes a sense of durability and quality. ► Closing: Prior to purchasing my Thule outdoor hiking backpack, my wife questioned my choice simply because she felt the price was excessive. However, after taking the backpack halfway around the world - multiple times, and on various outdoor adventures, shes come around. Buy quality, buy once. Thats how Id describe this backpack - one that Ill be able to use for many years to come. If youre looking for a top-notch backpack, youve found it. Recommended!

Space / storage is not as big as mentioned. Extremely rigid design and several flaws in top pocket design. The zipper damages internal space edges of the top pocket.

Love it

Great and spacious backpack perfect for the on the go type. I am a pilot and Jet around a lot I usually use this as my go to backpack. Thule has such a quality to it that even through my many trips the bag has held up surprisingly longer than expected. Pockets for everything and an organization system that feels incredibly satisfying I use this bag when I am flying as Pilot in Command or just traveling. So good I bought the Dob kit they offer and the electronics organizer. Love their products to pieces. Zippers are strong and high quality the outer fabric is very durable. and the side pocket fits a MIRA 17 ounce bottle like a glove. A place for everything and everything in its place.

Ive been using this for over a week now and Ive really grown to like it. At first, I had a few issues with it b/c its thin (by design) and theres no real room to spare. However it really does have the space you need, even if you have several peripherals, you just need to pack it differently than wider backpacks. To put it in perspective, I keep my IBM Thinkbad, a logitech trackball, a hyperdrive USB hub and a 1TB usb Drive, along with the charger and cable. In addition I keep a few pens, business cards . The outer pocket has one seperater in it and lets you pack away pens, business cards, a few extra phone charging cables and small items. Its great. Also, the outer part of it is reinforced so its quite strong (but also padded so that you get a good bit of extra protection without having to worry about it being too rigid. You can slide your computer in the primary pouch and unless you have an oversized laptop itll probably be just fine. Id recommend just double checking the size before ordering. It also has two pockets on the sides that will let you keep your chargers, USB drives, extra cables and the like. Once you get used to it, you can quickly pack and unpack it very quickly. In addition, Id just note a few general items about it. The zippers are really strong but they are still easy to open and close. They are really strong. There are four pockets outside of the primary one but they have compartments in two of them to let you keep things organized. Its thin compared to most backpacks but the straps are very sturdy and are really comfortable. It took a little getting used to it but Ive really been glad I switched.

This is a sturdy and well protected backpack. It will keep your tech safe. However, it doesn’t have much adjustability. So, if you need to put your camera in here, too bad. It really only fits flat tech and maybe a couple of books. The capacity is pretty low. If I’m only carrying my laptop, iPad, phone, and planner— all is fine. If I need more, it just doesn’t work.

This is probably the best backpack Ive ever had. The way its designed alone is worth it, with a number of different compartments for different items. Its especially great for anyone who travels. In the back compartment, I store my laptop. The middle compartments is good for books plus my tablet. Not to mention the hardshell case for glasses plus the front compartment good for accessories like charging cables, pens, keys (that can be put on the internal clip) and anything else you might need. The side zippered pockets are also great for water bottles, etc. Overall, even if you load up the backpack, it doesnt lose its form. I also like the fact that when you put it down, ti stands upright at all times. Some might say its overpriced. I say its worth it because it has plenty of capacity and is built to last for years.

Really like this backpack, Am impressed with the quality, plenty of room for all my gear. Compartments are easy to get to. I decided to take a chance on this one realizing the price point is way up there compared to others great value for my money. Looks great

Compared to other 30L backpacks I have, this does not hold anywhere near the amount of stuff. An Underarmour Huey (30L) backpack literally holds 2X the stuff. The water bottle pouches on this Thule are small and it is near impossible to zip up the water bottle pouch with an actual water bottle in it. if you have your bag full, forget about it. If you want a small 30L bag. this this one if for you. You will be forced to be a minimalist.