I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
I personally like a good backpack, especially one that is lightweight and feature-rich, like the Vessi Astoria backpack. This backpack has great features, a great style, and even better comfort (with a few possible drawbacks).
If you are a person who likes to carry a whole lot of stuff and have a place for it, this pack won’t scratch that itch, but if you want to carry your laptop and your lunch in style and comfort, this backpack is the one for you. And just like me, I am sure this pack will become one of your favorite go-to everyday backpacks.
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What is the Vessi Astoria backpack?
I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
- I really like its styling.
- It’s very comfortable.
- The backpack’s material seems to get dirty.
- It has a lack of smaller pockets.
- The rubber on the zippers is falling apart.
The Vessi Astoria Backpack is a 13-liter backpack (much like this pack that Austin reviewed). It has two main compartments that zip up; the first compartment features a padded laptop sleeve able to carry up to a 16″ laptop, an elastic-topped second sleeve (what I use for books or iPads), and there is an additional zippered pocket in the main compartment, as the rest of the main compartment is open you are able to store anything from your puffy jacket to your lunch and anything in between.
The second compartment is on the front of the bag and is fairly small, but it does help hold your wallet keys and other smaller items. This bag also has great adjustment for the shoulder straps and is a nice lightweight option for every day.
What do I like about this backpack?
1. I really like its styling.
The style. Yeah, it’s kinda odd to have it be one of the first things to talk about… but just look at it, I have seen and used a lot of backpacks, from everyday backpacks to 120l mountaineering backpacks (you can find all of our favorites here), and there are not a lot on the market that will beat this for style and one of the best styling attributes for the bag is the front pocket if you didn’t know you would think it’s just part of the stitching, it’s just low key and doesn’t scream “here I am, I’m a pocket with all your important stuff in it”!
2. It’s very comfortable.
This backpack is very comfortable, if you get this bag, which you can get it here (Paid Link), just carry your stuff a short distance or you a a walking commuter and this bag will be on you for hours, I assure you that you will not be thinking about your backpack at all, you may even return to the office to get it just to find it on your back the whole time. That is the level of comfort you will get with this backpack!
The shoulder straps are a highlight as well; their length adjustment is very good if you are tall or like your bag to ride a little bit lower or if you like to keep your bag tight against you for, say, riding a bike or just moving through a packed subway you will have lots of adjustment with the shoulder straps, in addition to having a large adjustment they also boast a grippy material on the shoulder pads, it definitely keeps this bag in place and from falling off if you a single strap person.
What do I NOT like about the Vessi Astoria?
1. The backpack’s material seems to get dirty.
The material the bag is made of seems to get dirty easily (just like the Able Carry we also reviewed), just from general handling and getting tossed on the back seat of my car. This bag has gathered some dirt along the way; I will not blame the bag 100% for this.
It is a light gray color, so that may be why I can see the dirt on it more. So, if you are a clean freak or just don’t want a dingy-looking bag, you may need to wash it or just find a different color that will make seeing the dirt a bit harder.
2. It has a lack of smaller pockets.
There are no small pockets for organizing your things; if you don’t need to carry any small items like pens, or you don’t mind having many different items floating around in the same compartment, then you will like this backpack.
As for me, I have lots of small items that I like to keep separate (Not every item, just something here and others there), and this is a big turn-off to this bag (bigger bags like this can resolve it, but then it’s bigger); there is a divider flap in the small compartment, and that is it (other than the dedicated large pockets in the main compartment of the bag) so when I have my keys and wallet and pens and dongles for my mac and all that it just goes in one pocket, and I end up just having a big mess.
3. The rubber on the zippers is falling apart.
Last is just a small thing but I thought it was odd that only after 3 weeks of use the aglet on the end of zipper pulls are breaking apart and falling off! Not the end of the world but for $130 (Paid Link) the zipper pulls should at least last like 2 months before coming off… well way longer then even that but you understand what I mean.
Who should buy this backpack?
If you like having a good everyday backpack that can haul your laptop and a couple other things, and you’re in big-time style and extreme comfort, this backpack is for you. If you like having different compartments to store stuff in or just need a lot more storage.
This probably is not the bag for you, but if there’s somebody looking for something to haul, just your laptop and maybe lunch to work and back. This backpack will have no problem doing that, and it is actually a great choice and a comfortable one.
Where should you by the Vessi Astoria?
I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
- I really like its styling.
- It’s very comfortable.
- The backpack’s material seems to get dirty.
- It has a lack of smaller pockets.
- The rubber on the zippers is falling apart.
