Logitech Kinetik Backpack review: Logitech Kinetik Backpack

Design
The Logitech Kinetik 15.4 backpack is one big notebook case. It measures 44cm by 32cm, which is fairly normal, but with its addition of a protective exo-shell casing, it protrudes in depth a whopping 21cm. With this shell and the orange fabric used in the design, wearing it made us feel like some kind of mutant Mutant Ninja Turtle -- Michelangelo's humanoid cousin perhaps.

7.4

Logitech Kinetik Backpack

The Good

Big enough to carry everything but the kitchen sink. Made from tough, durable materials that provide good protection for your laptop. Ergonomically comfortable.

The Bad

Colour scheme favoured only by deer hunters and highway construction crews. Very heavy when fully loaded. Sticks out far enough to present a danger to those behind you in queue.

The Bottom Line

This backpack is designed for those who don't like to travel light. It's big, sturdy and ergonomically well-designed, but its colour scheme leaves a bit to be desired.

It has two fully zippered compartments and numerous storage pockets and flaps in each one. The notebook slot, which closes with a Velcro strap, is located on the outside of the compartment closest to your back. A pad is provided that slides over your notebook to further protect it on the top and sides.

The outside compartment is quite large. There's a mesh pocket, a slot that would hold a three-ring binder, spots for pens and business cards, and attached to the outside shell are two smaller padded pockets designed to hold Webcams, mice, cameras, phones or UBS keys. There is also a third shallow zipped pouch positioned in the middle over the notebook compartment.

Performance
We took this backpack on an overseas trip to New York and succumbed to the temptation to fill it up with essentials to survive the long flight. In addition to our laptop and work binder, it easily held a large paperback, Bose noise-cancelling headphones, a mouse, digital camera, a spare t-shirt and trackpants plus a rather large toiletries bag.

While it gets full marks for capacity, the fully loaded bag weighed a ton. Once hoisted onto your shoulders though, the padded straps and contoured panel that conforms to your back made it comfortable enough to carry. Our biggest problems were digging through things to pull out the laptop at security checkpoints and finding the muscle to hoist the heavy pack up into the plane's overhead bins.

Also note that you must exercise caution wearing it in crowds -- it sticks out quite far behind you and a quick turn or twist could easily knock over unsuspecting bystanders.