I evaluated in store or purchase online and returned almost a dozen everyday carry laptop backpacks . I needed something to go in the car to work, to kids sporting events and on a plane for work conferences or vacation. Competitors included Osprey, Northface, Thule, Helly Hanson, Victorinox, SwissGear, Stio. All very good to great but none had the convenience, flexible and spacious design with lots of pockets and comfort with the obviously impressive construction quality. This is a really impressive bag which I am sure will be very durable . Read more
WOW! This is an absolutely FANTASTIC bag. I had never heard of Everki before, and certainly not the Atlas backpack. However, on a recent flight (as a traveling consultant, planes are my second home), I happened to be standing behind a guy with an Everki pack. As a long-time Arcteryx fan -- smart, bomb-proof packs with great styling -- I admired the pack this gent was wearing as it looked just as solid as my beloved Arcteryx Blade 24. Fast forward a few months, and I find myself in a situation where I need to commute with two separate laptops. As much as I love the Arcteryx Blade, it just wasn't big enough to accommodate two laptops and all of the sundry gear that goes with them. So, I did some quick searches out on the interwebs for a purpose-built, multi-computer bag, and Everki kept coming up, and with high ratings. So, with some fresh travel coming up, I decided that now was the time to take the plunge and give the Atlas a try. I just received the bag a couple of days ago. I had high expectations of the Everki (having seen one in the wild before), but I was absolutely blown away by the build quality of the Atlas. This thing is industrial and built to take a beating. You can just feel the quality on this thing. Top quality materials are used in its construction, and there is heavy use of Cordura, parachute material, rivets, and heavy stitching. The zippers are large -- kind of similar to the oversized zippers used on Ogio bags -- and they open and close without a hint of snagging. Like my beloved Arcteryx, I wasn't able to find a single loose stitch or fray, and the attention to detail, fit, and finish is obvious from the moment you heft it. I say that because this is not a light bag. It is designed to carry a lot of equipment, and to do so safely. But the real surprise was just how well laid-out this bag is with a simply ridiculous amount of pockets and storage. I was able to fit both the 15" MacBook Pro and my Dell 15", along with two satchels, each with power bricks, cords, etc., AS WELL AS my Epson projector AND two O'Reilly reference books. And I still had room for extra power strips, international power converter, and even my sunglasses case. And there is extra room to spare. I am a huge fan of minimalist solutions, which is why the Arcteryx appealed so much to me. And, despite the crazy amount of pockets and storage space in the Atlas, it is so well designed that all of it doesn't seem excessive, and it still has a general feeling of minimalism and still maintains a reasonably small profile when all zipped up. I spend a great deal of time and perform a great deal of research on gear that I purchase as I like to make the purchase only once. I buy only the highest quality gear that I can afford, regardless of the price, and I have very high expectations for products that I've purchased. I can say unequivocally that the Everki Atlas has far exceed my expectations in all regards. It is with bittersweet feelings that I relinquish my Arcteryx Blade 24 to my daughter, who does quite a bit of business travel, too, and I plan on staying the Everki course from this point forward, as long as they continue to deliver top quality products such as this. Absolutely five stars! *** 2nd Trip Update *** So, I've taken this bag on two trips now and have a much better understanding of how well it works with my "office in a bag" concept, including working with the airlines. The bag is absolutely the perfect bag for traveling with two laptops. Plenty of storage space, very well organized and sorted, and just plain easy to use. One thing I really appreciated about the bag on these trips were the very wide and well-designed shoulder straps. I'm guessing that my bag comes in at over 20 lbs, and I found the wide straps to be completely comfortable and perfectly positioned and designed. I also appreciate that the bag is designed to stand on its own, which makes loading and unloading very easy. I remain so very thrilled with this purchase. Also, absolutely no problems with the bag as of this time -- no sticking zippers, no unraveling threads or stitches, or anything of the sort. I think I've finally found, "The One". I'll give a six-month review, just to provide some insight into how the bag wears over the long-run. Reiterate: 5-stars, well earned. Read more
In a day and age when you can find nearly anything you want, you sometimes run into a gem amidst the total crap that surrounds it. I have personally looked for a new bag for months while being disgusted with the quality, configurations, material and otherwise lackluster choices made when designing some of these other products. This bag is fantastic. Not perfect, but it is looking very promising after a very close inspection. This review is initial and I will update it as it gets some wear on it. - The first thing you notice is the quality of the fabric; not only does it feel sturdy but it can be said that it is a bit sexy as well with the design print in the front. - Second you notice the quality of the zippers when you start unpacking this thing, opening it up. I have had a lot of bags and these are nice. I do not get that impression or fear you get with others, wondering when they will break. - After opening all the pockets, you see a nice selection of partitioned spaces. The bag I last bought for my programmer (a large HP ENVY 17) was also from here, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00507NAYQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This is a rather popular Targus bag that already has a rip in it from 1 year of use when I hardly move the bag from where it sits. The bag slouches heavily when not zippered anywhere and the organization is terrible compared to this bag. - The orange colored interior is very nice but I didn't get the bag for flash, I bought it for quality. The orange does however allow you to see better where things are against the black color of the outer shell. - The laptop compartment is really neat for making sure the laptop is snug and not moving around. This is the first bag I have seen this on. Once you set the size, you do not have to do anything more than slide it in. Nicely lined pocket, easy to secure. - I just bought an Everki Titan a few weeks ago and the quality is there, but this is a smaller bag. One thing I noticed was that the pouches do not all open up a lot; you have to run the zipper down and then tug the pouch top out a bit to get it open. Not the end of the world and maybe that will loosen up a bit in time. - The larger section is just huge for whatever you would need until you try carrying part of your home along. Bigger things like game systems and external electronics that take some space will eat that pocket up. I am using this for business and have plenty of room for everything. I attached some pics of everything I threw in there and have actually throw some more in after. Can't use it if you don't have it with you. I do not travel by air much anymore so I cannot comment about under the seat storage. By the size of this, i am pretty sure it will fit just fine in the CRJ or Embraer that are still being used by some. Anything bigger is cake. - I did notice a couple things that just irked me a bit but did not make me trash the joint - The front pocket on top does not have any kind of closing mechanism; this pouch is open on the top and although it is pretty deep, if you stack anything that is rather tall, you do have a chance of it hanging right out the top and losing something. If there is not enough pressure to keep the contents smashed in and the bag tips, so may your things. You could argue that if it doesn't fit, don't put it in. That is my thinking but if they just put some quick release strap or even Velcro on the inside to hold it closed, the point would be moot. - There is no real dedicated document slot unless you call that inner zippered see through pouch the document pouch. In what I would consider the "business area" with you cards, pens and such, there is a small square there to hold who knows what. I threw in some very needed guitar picks (just never know), a couple thumb drives, SD cards and a micro adapter. I would rather have had a nice larger square for the passport, tickets and so forth. This is preference but for someone who traveled the airways for 17 years every week, that just makes sense. I am not taking a star away for anything I didn't care for because of the shear fact of how much better this bag is constructed than any bag I have had and ALL bags have had something that either didn't make sense or was not perfect. Yes, it costs more money. If you would rather have quality than quantity, I believe this is the bag. I have another and the quality is there on the titan as well. Some companies just make better stuff. Update 9/11/2019: This bag is still the beast it was when I bought it. Under inspection, I see a very minor stretch under the left strap. This is because I use this strap every single time i grab the bag, which is every single work day into the office or job site depending, and back. Absolutely the best bag i have ever owned. The small irks are still exactly the same. The front pouch that is open; I hardly use it because I do not want to keep track of the possibility of dropping something. If it is small that can dive to the bottom of the pocket, I throw it in. The zippered pocket behind is the same as well. Fully unzipped, it doesn't really open up a ton but you can still see everything and place and take items without issue. I am guessing after all this time that this close configuration is part of what makes this bag stand up to time. I can still open up every single zipper in this thing and the bag stands up. Obviously if you have a weight shift ratio to one side, i am sure you can get it to fall. Straps are in excellent condition for the use of the bag. I might buy stock in Everki as quality matters that much to me. Update 1/2/2025 - I am still rocking this same bag. Never, have I ever had a bag last this long. No, I am not in and out of airports and rental cars anymore, but I still carry this home every single day. I have been through like three laptops, maybe four while this bag is still rocking. Worth every penny. Read more
