I’ve carried the same bag to the office for almost two years, and as much as I appreciate its quality and how polished it looks, I wish I could fit more inside it. In fact, I started carrying a second bag with me on the days I commute into the office, just so I have a place for my lunch bag, my water bottle and any small packages I need to pick up that day. Since I’d already been thinking about shopping around for a new work bag when the opportunity to test?this Bagswan Amazon laptop bag came around, it seemed like the perfect chance to try a more functional office bag.
I swapped out my trusty, yet pricey, work bag for this $27 version for a couple of days, and after carrying it with me to the office and the library, I can say it gives my old bag a run for its money.
This tech-friendly backpack has a padded compartment for your laptop and a built-in USB charging port, so you can charge your phone on the go. It's available in 12 colors and three different sizes, and has multiple compartments, making it perfect for the office or a weekend getaway. Plus, it doesn't weigh me down during my commute.
What I liked about it
It has plenty of compartments for all my belongings
One thing I love about this bag is how deceivingly spacious it is. The sheer number of compartments it has (there are seven of them) means there’s plenty of space for your laptop and everything else you might need for the day. My current everyday work bag can comfortably fit my laptop, a planner, a small tech organizer and few smaller things, like my wallet, AirPods and glasses. This bag, on the other hand, can fit all the above plus my water bottle and lunch bag, with room to spare.
The main compartment has a padded section at the back of the bag for your laptop and a slightly smaller padded section where you could store a small tablet, like an iPad Mini. This is also where I keep other things like my planner and tech organizer. The stretchy pouch on the inside of the bag is just the right size for larger water bottles like mine (I have this one from Corkcicle) that can’t fit in either of the water bottle pouches on the side, but it could also be used to hold a portable charger (more on that later).
If you wanted to carry a book with you or if you had other larger things to carry, the second largest compartment is the perfect place to put those belongings. In addition to having a deep zippered pocket, there are also two inner pouches for stashing things you might want to put in a more secure place, like your work badge. I haven’t had the opportunity to take this bag on a trip yet, but if I were using it for an overnight stay, I would probably stash things like my toiletry bag there.
I also love that the zippered compartments on the front of the bag are surprisingly deep. There are four of them, which is way more than I need for day-to-day life but would probably come in handy for carrying extra things during trips. I keep my keys in the frontmost pocket for easy access and stash things like hand cream and lip balm in the section behind it — which has two small inner pouches and a mesh pouch.
It’s more stylish in person and made of durable materials
Items sometimes look different on a website than they do in person, but this bag is even more stylish than I originally thought it would be. As important as functionality is to me, I also need a bag that looks great, and this one fits the bill. It’s made from nylon and is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about ruining your bag if you get caught in a rainstorm. While I probably wouldn’t take this bag with me to an after-work dinner at a fancy spot, it’s professional enough for the office and work events. It’s available in 12 colors, but I chose the bag in the gray-and-black color scheme because I wanted a bag that wouldn’t show dirt as easily. I’ve also found from experience that light and cream-colored bags are harder to keep looking new. Though the gold hardware on the bag isn’t my favorite, I am a fan of the faux-leather detailing on the front of the bag, though only time will tell if it holds up.
The built-in USB charging port makes it easier to charge my phone on the go
The bag has a built-in USB charging port that I found helpful to use during my commute. You’ll still need to have your phone’s charging cable and a portable charger on hand, but the port eliminates the need to carry a portable charger in your hand, which is something I really appreciated. It made charging my phone on the train and on my walk to and from the subway much easier since I didn’t have to juggle both my phone and charger in one hand like I usually do. To use it, I simply connect my portable charger to one side of the charging cable (it’s housed in the port), drop my charger into the stretchy pouch I mentioned earlier, then plug my phone’s charging cable into the other end outside the bag. As convenient as this is, it’s worth mentioning that if you’re going to use the port, you should also use a short phone cable. Because my cable was too long (it hung past my knees), it kept getting caught on my clothes when I was walking, which eventually caused it to pull out of the port.
It’s travel-friendly and doesn’t hurt my shoulders
In addition to stellar organization, the bag has certain design details that make it comfy to wear, including padded shoulder straps. I’ve gone two years without padded straps, so carrying a bag that has them was nice for a change. When I put heavier things inside the bag, like my laptop, my shoulders don’t hurt under the weight, and I don’t feel sore at the end of the day. My commute is over an hour, and while most of that time is spent sitting on the train and subway, when I couldn’t get a seat the other day, I stood with the bag on my back for the 40-minute train ride — with no pain.
One of the things I love about my previous work bag is that I could slide it over my luggage with the strap on the back. This bag has it too, making it perfect for travel. Between all the zippered compartments, the USB charging port and the water bottle holders, if you’re rushing from one place to the next, this is a great bag to have. It’s also available in two other sizes (I have the smallest) to accommodate larger laptops.
What I didn’t like about it
It only comes in one dark color
There’s a lot to like about this bag, but I wish there were more color options. As I mentioned earlier, it’s available in 12 colors, including an adorable beige-and-pink combo, but aside from the one I have, they all have a beige front, which wasn’t what I was looking for. If you prefer a darker bag like I do, you may be disappointed in the color choices.
Bottom line
This is the first backpack I’ve bought off Amazon, and after using it for a couple of days, I wish I found it sooner. It’s perfect for the office but versatile enough to be used beyond the workplace. And though I haven’t used it while traveling yet, the quality seems promising so far and it’s saving my shoulders during my commute. If you’re searching for a comfortable work backpack or a thoughtfully designed bag for a trip, this one should be at the top of your list.
