Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe, Eco Nightfall

This Timbuk2 Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe in Eco Black Deluxe checked every box. The build quality feels fantastic with sturdy fabric, smooth zippers, and a solid structure that does not collapse into a floppy mess the second it is empty. The color is a deep black that looks professional enough for work but still modern and the recycled material angle is a nice bonus.​ Functionally it checks all of the boxes for me. There are pockets and compartments everywhere but they are laid out in a way that actually makes sense so small items do not vanish into a black hole at the bottom of the bag (maybe a little). The dedicated laptop compartment in the back easily holds my 17 inch gaming laptop with room to spare and the main compartment still has space for a charger, mouse, books, headphones, and a few extras without feeling overstuffed.​ What really sold me is that this bag replaced a couple of big name packs that went straight back to Amazon after ordering. Those others claimed to fit larger laptops but barely did it. Quality was good on some others too, but the pocket design on this one was best for the price point. There was another that cost twice as much that I had my eye on, but I wanted to stay within my budget. This one feels durable, rides comfortably on my shoulders, and keeps everything organized the way a tech heavy everyday carry actually needs. Again, after trying and returning other brands this finally feels like the keeper!

UPDATE: 2 years later, lots of travel for work and personal and this thing still looks and feels new. Super sturdy and it holds everything I need. The side pocket for the water bottle hasn’t stretched out at all. This is a great backpack. ORIGINAL: I don't do 5 star ratings because really "... love it?" I love this backpack. It's light, strong, snug and thinner than I thought it would be loaded. I carry a Surface 3 laptop, a 12.9 iPad Pro, Bose headphones, a Plantronics headset, the laptop charger and all the other various cords in an Amazon Basics zip case and a tilt stand for my laptop. The bag doesn't have a suspension pocket for the laptop, but everything fits snugly and feels well-padded and secure. I've dropped it a couple of times with no issue. The straps are comfortable even with this load and it feels balanced. The extra pockets for phone, keys, meds whatever are thoughtfully designed and don't bulge out when loaded. I've got all my stuff in it right now and it's maybe 8 inches thick so it goes under an airline seat and I can shove my toes underneath it and stretch a little. The water bottle pocket fits your standard water bottle no issue, and holds it securely. The shell is water resistant to even a drenching rain storm. The shell fabric wears well - I've had it a year now and it looks basically new. The strap to go around your luggage handle is almost too snug - you have to stretch it to get it on, but it holds tight and doesn't make my carry on fall over, so props there. I have one quibble and it's a small one. The fabric is sufficiently flexible that you have to use two hands to close the top zippers. If you try to pull with one hand the zipper folds. Given everything else they got right I'm sticking with 5 stars.

These were expensive compared to others we looked at on line, but how can you really compare quality when looking at a picture. Fortunately these were recommended to us by a friend and we are very happy with the purchase. We bought two, one for my wife and one for myself for a 7 week European vacation to use for daily trips from our Airbnb; with one each we would spread out our daily travel load and not have everything in one backpack. We also used them as carry on bags on all our flights. We have since used them for local day trips and Airbnb trips in the USA. They hold a surprisingly large amount for a Laptop Backpack and we even used them for supermarket shopping supplies for food to cook at our Airbnb stays. They are very comfortable to use, a little awkward to adjust the straps and they do occasionally slip and need adjusting. I think the adjusting strap clips are the only weak point but it is fairly simple to tighten them as required. The quality of the material and manufacture is excellent, they have very good zippers and a very well balanced amount of storage space in each section, with each compartment falling into an intuitive use over time. The backpacks also look good, feel good and have been very well thought out by the manufacturer and I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone. We are both 70 years old and these were a perfect fit for us both.

- Perfect size for my personal needs - I don't like a backpack that sticks out a long way from my back. It hits other people on airplanes, makes it difficult to squeeze through tight spaces, etc. This backpack sticks close to your back, but is tall enough to hold plenty of stuff. Drawback? It doesn't stand on its own (which is something I genuinely do not care about, but if you do....) - Well-done organization - It's a Goldilocks backpack for me....not too much organization, not too little...it's juuuust right - On durability, I'm counting on Timbuk2. I have a small messenger bag that is literally 8 or 9 years old and looks new (which I still use for quick trips to the coffee shop or whatever). If this backpack doesn't last, I will come back and update this review. - Looks? Matter of taste. To me, it's very professional-looking, and I'd take it on a business trip, including to a board meeting. If you're looking to impress someone with a $500 Tumi, this isn't that. If you're looking for a great-looking, slick, professional bag from a well-respected brand that costs <1/3 of a Tumi, this fits the bill. For what it's worth, I looked at forums, reviews and YouTube videos about probably 30 bags. I almost bought 2 or 3 others, but I kept coming back to this one. Then a colleague of mine raved about his - which he's had for about 5 years of heavy travel, and still looks amazing (he got the dark blue one, and it's a great color, too) - and that closed the deal for me.

I went through dozens of bag reviews, bought four of them and returned (sorry Amazon), when I just should have started with the GOAT of pack manufacturers, Timbuk2. For everyday carry this is the best. Great padding, all the little details like thumb hooks for the straps, adjustable and removable chest clasps, high grade zippers and premium material; it's all here. I don't like a dozen pockets for items that will change size over time and limit what I can carry. Compartments are roomy at the bottom but keep the bag snug. Straps are padded and perfectly designed. When Ipick it up it feels a little weighty until it gets on my shoulder and then feels like a feather. You could pack this thing out and walk around all day with no problem. YKK zips of course. I ordered a $420 that could not hold a candle to this thing. Love the tight laptop compartment which feels like it has enough padding to stop a truck. Plush top handle which is a must. Only one con is the bottom strap clasps. They feel very fragile as they are light plastic. Would have gone with metal, even magnetic, because I think these things are going to get beat up hard since they are in the bottom of the pack. However, I haven't had it that long so we will see. All told, this is a $500 everyday carry stylish and top grade everyday backpack for $150. I've had my Timbuk2 messenger bag for more years than I can remember, so I guess I'll write a followup review in 2035. 😃

The backpack is made well - strong material and great zipper pulls. I wish it were about an inch deeper. I use this for work travel and carry a laptop, iPad, book, and some paper files. There just enough room to squeeze a light pullover jacket. The water bottle holder keeps a 24oz bottle snug.

Fits my 14" MacBook Pro perfectly with room to spare for books, notebooks, and other daily essentials. The build quality is excellent — feels sturdy and well-made. Great size, not bulky, and should easily last throughout college. Highly recommended.

Was looking for a replacement for my Lenovo Legion Recon backpack (which was finally giving out after years of use). Did a ton of analysis-paralysis over many months, before finally pulling the trigger on the Timbuk2. Not a perfect backpack, but am quite happy with it after a few months of use. A lot of the reviews have listed out the PROS, so let me just lay out what I consider my CONS: - water bottle container quite tight; can only insert "small" water canteens, but my 20oz Klean Kanteen is too large apparently. - no dedicated compartments for headphones, mouse, etc - there's a a few pockets and multiple compartments, but my previous bag had clearly labeled compartments for all the above, which were purposebuilt (e.g. headphones compartment had a velcro holder). The Timbuk2 has a huge central compartment, but I just end up dumping everything inside it. The 2nd frontmost compartment has more pockets, but a bit tight for my items (mouse, power adapters, Steam Deck, ebook reader, etc). - a bit "front heavy"; keeps tilting over, even if I have a laptop in the backmost compartment. Might be because of my load, but also may be because it's a bit more compact than expected. That being said, these are all MY personal CONS; I'm still giving it 5 stars because the quality feels unmatched, there is enough space for my things, and it's quite comfortable on my back. :)