When Osprey asked if we wanted to take a look at their new packs, I thought we’d get a few of their hydration packs, (and we did in fact get one, the review of that is forthcoming) but the package also included the new Flapjack, a backpack-style laptop bag that’s the bee’s-knees.
With a padded laptop sleeve (here seen holding my iPad and a magazine”we like to rock both old-school and new-school media in the Hugger East Cost HQ) the Osprey Flapjack has been finding itself on a lot of my rides to town.
A typical day will find me doing some work at a local coffee shop, then taking a break to do all the errands I can on my bike so I don’t have to drive anywhere unnecessary. Usually I sling an ancient Timbuk 2 bag over my shoulder and cross-strap it on as I galavant around town but I’ve recently substituted the Osprey bag.
As a backpack it causes less lower-back strain than my Timbuk 2 and as a result I seem to be able to carry heavier loads. Since the pack is vertical I can also transport things that otherwise would fall out of the messenger-style Timbuk 2.
There are two deep interior pockets, a number of zippered organizer sections and a comfortable set of shoulder straps. The laptop section has enough padding to run without an additional laptop sleeve, though I’d recommend one if using the pack in any situation where a sharp-edged object might sit in the other pouches.
The best feature for my money though is the top-carrying handle that allows the bag to be carried one-handed when off-the-back. Too many bag makers completely forget to include alternate carrying options.
The Osprey comes in three colors (an off-white and a rust color are the other choices) and sells for about $90, available at most of the online retailers.
Replaceable rear-straps in a variety of colors make the bag just slightly creative, but i’m pretty fond of an innocuous black bag. (That comes from years of hauling around camera gear while trying to look like I’m not carrying around camera gear.
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