Customer Reviews

Wenger Swissgear GA-7343-06 Cobalt 15.6 Inch Laptop Backpack

I put this bag through its paces over the easter weekend, taking it from deepest Surrey on the train up to Preston and back whilst I visited the family. I usually take my laptop with me to do a bit of work and to fix anything my folks happen have to done to their PC so it was the perfect opportunity to see how good this back pack is.

On opening the delivery from Amazon I was pleasantly surprised to find it was really well padded in the back and in the shoulder straps. Nothing makes a trip longer with a rucksack than having one that murders the shoulders once it is carrying a bit of weight. On having a good inspection of it the bag revealed a multitude of good sized pockets. The front of the bag has a large front flap that I found ideal for putting documentation in flat without having to fold it. On top of this big front pocket sit two other compartments, one above the other. The lower one has on its front a series of loops that I have been trying to work out what I might put in there. However inside the compartment is a very neat set of storage pockets. A velcro one for possibly putting a mobile in, several credit card sized little pockets and one of those mesh net style pockets as well. Certainly a nice flexible little compartment. The other smaller front compartment is a simple storage space with no other bits in it.

Obviously one of the most important parts of this rucksack is the main storage compartment and I found this to be excellent. I have a Dell Studio 15 laptop and the very well padded section for storing the laptop took that very comfortably. A very neat fit and made even more secore by a good, solid velcro strap that fastens over the top of the laptop. The padding was very good, both side very well padded to the inside of the bag and also the padding that sits against your back when carrying it. The other huge bonus with the main storage compartment is that it has a fold-down bottom to it. What this means is if you are on a short trip, say one change of clothes and the laptop, then you can keep the rucksack a bit slimmer by not folding down the base flap in the main compartment. However if you need to store a bit more in there then with the bottom folded down it gives a very good sized interior and makes packing plenty of stuff in there very easy. I was very impressed with it.

On the road this thing was really nice to carry. I live about 30 minutes walk from the nearest train station and the walk is a bit across country, up and down a hill or two, so a decent walk. With the bag fairly well loaded up it felt quite comfortable on the walk to and from the station. One design feature is that the back has a nice central channel that lets airflow down it and would stop things getting too sweaty on a long trek. As I mentioned before, the amount and good quality of the padding provided by the bag for both shoulders and the back meant I felt quite happy and comfortable. The range of compartments meant that on the train journey from London to Preston and back it was easy and convenient to have the PSP and such stored in easily accessible pockets. And as far as Virgin Trains are concerned this bag had no problems fitting on the overhead luggage shelf even fully loaded! All in all it was the ideal bag for me to use for that long weekend trip.

The all round quality of the build is excellent. Good materials used and it feels like a bag that is going to last a good while and be happy to handle just about any kind of trip you might make with it. I will definitely be using this for taking my work laptop and paperwork out and about when I travel with work. I would also not hesitate to take this with me when I go out walking or on short trips away as the capacity and quality are excellent even when not taking the laptop along. It is also of a size that it shoudl pose no problems as carry on luggage which can be very helpful these days.

All in all I am very impressed with this bag. Excellent quality, very secure storage for the laptop and flexible enough to be a really useful addition to the travel luggage.

OK so the first thing I want put in this review is the capacity as I couldn't find it on here and didn't know until the product turned up. It's a 24 litre bag, so what does that mean? Well,let me start at the beginning.

The reason that I wanted a decent laptop bag was because I am a computer science student, when at uni I have to transport quite sizable (and quite dull) books along with my laptop (and all associated peripherals) and regularly stay at my girlfriends and need a change of clothes. I also ride a bike which is no mean feat when carrying all of the above, trust me!

I ordered the bag on Saturday and it turned up on the following Monday. I'm currently working over the Easter holiday to make some extra cash (whilst juggling with revision), problem is, it's a 4 mile round trip to the office.

I've always been a fan of walking bags (the types that walkers use, not bags that literally walk) because I'm quite active and never no when I'm going to need the extra space and comfort that they offer. prior to ordering this bag I was using a compact 20 litre bag and putting my laptop in a case with it's charger etc) in the bag but found that I would have to make a choice between books or clothes if ever I was to stay at my girlfriends house for the night.

As of Monday however, that has all changed! like I said this is a 24 litre bag but if there is one thing that the swiss seem to excel at, it's getting the most out of the available space, so here's the list of stuff I have to take to work with me daily.

1 macbook pro (13 inch)
1 macbook pro charger (held in Quirky powercurl )
1 usb mouse
1 4x usb hub
1 100 sheet A4 refil pad
1 data structures course text (840 pages)
1 AI course text (190 pages)
1 pencil case (full)
1 sunglasses case
1 pair trousers
1 short sleeve shirt
1 regular sized lunch box
1 bottle water (50 cl)
1 towel (hand)
1 bottle vo5 hair gel (mega hold)
1 jar vo5 extreme style (matt clay)
1 bottle fcuk body spray
1 bicycle pump
1 bicycle toolkit (Draper)
2 bike lights (front/rear)

Now believe me when I say that the bag is comfortably full with all this stuff in it, you could probably fit more in but you'd have to start cramping stuff and probably end up with hair gel on your work clothes but still it's needless to say I was well impressed that I could actually fit everything in.

Even with this full load, because of the so called "comfort straps" the bag is incredibly easy going on the shoulders and in fact feels lighter than my old bag with less stuff in it.

The "SWISSGUARD Computer Pocket" is a real piece of ingenuity and although I use a 13 inch laptop which gets swallowed in the pocket, the construction insures that the laptop is completely secure.

The only problem I have now is remembering which pocket has what stuff in it but that also offers a slight mini-game experience whenever I need to find a pen I guess.

I bought this bag to wear when cycling to work. Now five months on and it is doing very well. Everything still works (zips, straps etc) and very little sign of wear. It is showerproof, a good size (can take medium sized Dell laptop easily), and has plenty of pockets and compartments. Shoulder straps are strong and comfortable. Recommended.
UPDATE: Now August 2011 - still going strong.
FURTHER UPDATE: June 2012 - still no sign of wear.

I bought the Swissgear GA-7343-06 backpack ca. 18 months ago. It may be worth summarizing my experience. Unfortunately, these are warnings. Perhaps the designers also read such feedback, and take notice.
I use the backpack daily, and have taken it to the field and around the world (literally). I usually have it packed - it can accommodate a hefty portable computer, binoculars and a camera, plus a few books, and the many small pocketrs hold cards, passport, batteries, etc.. These are the positive sides.
Alas, the list of negatives is longer. It is not rainproof, and several features actually channel water into the backpack. This is annoying. At least the document holder pockets should be made waterproof. There are a few other imperfections:
1. the straps connect to the backpack through an elastic section, ca. 10 cm long. This is claimed to increase comfort. I doubt it - even less so as they lose elasticity pretty quickly (my backpack was washed only once, in lukewarm water, no detergent), and unevenly. My left shoulder strap has totally lost elastcity, while the right has not. This is a needless and annoying feature. The straps are otherwise OK, they do not need this elastic part.
2. The elastic edges of the two side pockets have lost all elasticity, and I constantly lose things, as they tend to fall out of the pockets. Needless to say, VERY annoying.
3. The long zip of the computer pocket section is totally exposed, and is vulnearable to damage. I had to have it replaced due to the following accident: when falling from a car seat or chair, the backpack tends to make a neat and predictable turn-on-its-head maneuver and lands on its head (this happened just too many times), scattering things from its pockets. During one of these sommersaults, the corner of my computer just broke an eye of the zip, and this was it - I had to replace the zip. It was pure luck that -after several unsuccessful tries - a friend found a repairman (in Hungary) who could procure an original zip, and replaced it. This is not possible at all in some countries (e.g. Denmark). Solution: a protective flap over the zip, inside and out. And redesign the backpack to change its point or gravity.

All in all, I am afraid I have to advise against buying this backpack. It is not cheap, and while made of durable material, there are several features that make sure that before long, you have to buy another one. So - this is more of a fashion or prestige item (remember the 15 Swiss-flag buttons) than a really durable piece of equipment.

This is probably the best laptop bag I have ever used. I am a teacher and so carry a multitude of things around with me - including a laptop. My problem has always been that I have to compromise between having a good quality bag for my laptop or enough space to move the other things I need around. Now I don't have to compromise.

The laptop section of this bag is well padded and has plenty of room. There is also lots of other space in several pockets of different sizes, so there is somewhere to put everything. I also love the thick, adjustable straps of the backpack - my main problem previously being back ache from lugging books, laptop etc around. But now I can easily carry this on my back comfortably.

I can see this bag lasting for many years to come as the workmanship looks very professional and I can't see any potential weak points.

This is the second Wenger laptop bag I have, the first being one I bought five years ago when they just started out on the market. That bag is still in perfect condition having been used constantly over the years working offshore. That to me is a testament to it's excellent build quality having not been pampered in any way - quite the opposite in fact.

This bag has some design changes but from my initial impression is that it is as well made as my current older bag and that bodes well for long term use.

My original bag has shock absorbing straps which this does not - and to be honest I don't think that this is any loss. The shock absorbers are basically elasticated pieces inserted into the shoulder parts of the straps with a strong cord backing. I've found that once loaded the bag doesn't give much spring and lacked some padding in that area. This bag doesn't have the elasticated parts but it does have thicker padding which initially at least seems more comfortable.

Lots of pockets available for a multitude of items. Almost too many if truth be told unless you are obsessive about ensuring your items are well organised. The center main section will take larger items - SLR camera, clothes etc. The laptop section of course allows the majority of laptops to reside in padded seclusion and to be kept safe from bumps and drops. I've found I can stuff a magazine or paper in there as well easily.

Two side elasticated pockets. I use these when flying to put a 1 liter clear plastic storage bottle - the type you get from hiking shops - in with my liquids. You can pull it out and put it through the scanners without recourse to a plastic bag and it saves faffing around as you can stuff it back in he bag easily after security.

The bag bottom is designed to allow the bag to stand securely and this works well. The materials and zips are top quality with the heavyweight feeling associated with expensive gear.

Overall I don't think that you could find a better all round laptop rucksack for the very reasonable price.

This is a really top notch and comfortable to use bag. The materiel is patently good quality and tough, and will clearly last for a long time; it's very attractive to look at too. It's a little on the small size (compared to a similar Eastpak bag I own), but really so much more comfortable. The padding in the back of it seems to literally fit around the arch of one's back. Excellent.

I'll keep it brief, and just sum it up by saying that this rucksack is probably the best quality one I have ever encountered, and I am no stranger to items like Lowepro rucksacks for photography.

The build quality on this laptop carrier is excellent, materials feel well chosen and good quality, stitching is robust. The laptop section is well padded and there is sufficient room inside to carry extras and maybe even a few days worth of clothing. For the price it represents the sort of quality item I'd expect to pay twice that or more for, so I can't give a better recommendation than that. If you want an item like this, then this Wenger rucksack is a no-brainer choice for value for money.

It will be seeing plenty of use with me, as it is also a nice size for aircraft carry-on baggage.

After only a year and a half, the stitching started to break. I have sent several email and with no reply. It's a shame, as it was a great bag to use and having paid �45.00 I expect better quality and lasting longer. The warranty is not worth what it say.

Absolutely amazing bag for short hop plane journeys and general daily use. It fits in an overhead compartment of any plane and can hold all my electronics, clothes for at least 4 days and still have space for a few other bits. Comfy straps, nicely shaped at the back and really rugged construction.