The feature that I have most enjoyed on the Comet is its handle on the center of the backpack.  When I first saw this handle, I thought to myself; “great, another useless feature…”.  After a few days use, I found that I was totally wrong.  Out of all the handles on this backpack, I find that this is the handle that I use the most.  This is primarily because my backpack is usually laying on the ground with the front facing the sky.  When going to pick up the Comet, I almost always use this handle.  It may sound pretty cheesey, but it is a cool feature that might just surprise you.  The Comet has two large pockets on the outside that are great for holding laptop cords, mice, small camera’s, food for hiking, and pretty much anything you typically need during the course of the day, whether you are heading into the office or out for a day hike.  There is one more zippered pocket on the outside of the Comet and this is good for holding things like keys and other small items.  I personally would have liked to see a fleece like pocket to hold sunglasses and not scratch them.

The inside of the Comet has a laptop sleeve that fit’s my 14.1 inch laptop well.  I don’t think it would hold more than a 15 inch laptop.  There is also a separate sleeve to hold a hydration bladder, but I wouldn’t feel to comfortable keeping my hydration bladder next to my laptop.  I image that’s not what the designers intentions were though.  The capacity for this bag is 1700 cubic inches, which is plenty big for most day hikes and commutes into work. The zippers on the bag are your standard YKK zippers with the outside zips having a water resistant material to help keep water from leaking in.  The zipper pulls are super easy to use as Osprey has added a small piece of plastic to the string, making it a little easier to zip and unzip.

The back panel of the Comet has three mesh pads that help you carry the load and allow for a small amount of ventilation.  There is a waste strap to keep the Comet from moving on your hips too much, but it is not a weight barring hip strap.  In this type of pack, a weight barring hip strap would be a little overkill in my opinion anyways.  If you like a sternum strap on your backpack, you are in luck!  The Comet has a sternum strap with another feature I look for, a buckle that has a whistle.  Last, to help carry the load on your back, Osprey has added load lifters to the to the shoulder straps.  I haven’t used these all that much, but I could see them being used from time to time.  Pricing out at $89, I find the Comet to be appropriately priced and find the pack to be a good value, one that you will have for years to come.  For more information on the Osprey Comet, please visit OspreyPacks.com

Whether you’re looking for a bag for commuting to work or a bag that you can take to school, the Timbuk2 D-Lux Messenger Bondage is a great option to look at.  I’ve been testing this bag out while commuting to work by bike, train, and foot, and I by no means travel lightly.  I like to pack my lunch, gym clothes or work clothes, a 15″ laptop, books, and work folders.  To allow for the bag to carry all this, the D-Lux Messenger has two cinch straps on the bottom of the bag that allow your bag to expand and compress allowing your goods to be secure whether you are carrying a large load or just a laptop and a few papers.

For the organizational freaks out there, the bag comes with a few add ons that attach to the inside of the bag and are removable if you don’t need them.  It has plenty of pockets for your pens, pencils, headphones, cell phones, business cards, and more.  For those who want to stash a cell phone or camera without having to carry it in your pocket, there is a side entrance in the bag that you can use without having to open up the lid of the pack.

Since laptops are fairly standard for most students and business people, I think it’s important to use a bag that allows for some protection to your computer.  The D-Lux Messenger has a Velcro secure laptop sleeve that has small foam bumps that help bumper bumps and drops.  In the messenger bag I tested, the laptop sleeve was bright red, which is a fun contrast and adds some style. For additional flair, the D-Lux is ribbed with a fun color and the inside of the bag is lined with a royal blue waterproof liner to keep your stuff from getting wet.

Commuting to work or school by bike is a great thing for your health and the environment, but not all packs are created equally when they fit on your back and shoulder.  I found this pack to be extremely easy to adjust as I share it with other testers and they often adjust the shoulder strap to different lengths.  The strap also comes with a removable foam pad that is great for saving your shoulders.

When all is said and done and you no longer want your bag, Timbuk2 has a great recycle program where you can send your old, but clean bag in and you get 20% towards a new bag.  Not a bad deal! Good for you and good for the environment.

Wikipedia states that there are roughly 2,500 species of Cicada’s, they may just have to add one to their list with the birth of the Eagle Creek Cicada 28L.  The Cicada pack series is a new line from Eagle Creek who specializes in travel packs.  After trying this pack out in a number activities, we found this pack to be most effective for those that commute to work via walk-bike-or public transport. Eagle Creek had the business class commuter in mind when designing this pack because it has pockets and organizational compartments for just about anything you would want to take with you to work.  The Cicada has a padded laptop compartment  along the rear of the bag to keep your 17 inch (or smaller) laptop safe from possible bumps and dings.  The laptop sleeve does not run the entire length of the bag, rather the main compartment continues beyond the sleeve, which ensures that your laptop will not be the first point of impact during a fall. For the sporty types, the laptop compartment can be used as a hydration/bladder compartment.  One downfall, the bladder cannot be suspended and slides to the bottom of your bag and their isn’t a specific hose outlet either.  With that said, the Cicada line is geared for the commuter, yet may be used as a daypack when push meets shove or you are traveling light.  To keep you laptop and other important items safe from the elements, the Cicada 28L has a nifty water resistant split wing cover that should keep things dry during most rain storms.

Many commuter bags that we have tested in the past have been a little cramped at times when trying to fit a change of clothes for a trip to the gym, a lunch bag, and a few documents.  With the Cicada 28L, there is no problem what-so-ever when packing for your busy day.  Items we often packed in the Cicada 28L included our beloved laptop, shoes, business attire, document folder, lunch, cell phone, mP3 player, and other small essentials. For those of you that like your digital toys, the Cicada 28L has three fleece lined pockets: one for your digital camera, one for your smart phone, and a larger elongated pocket for your sunglasses.

Additional pack details that deserve some attention includes the adjustable frame sheet that you can contour to your personal preferences, a hard rubber top hold for lugging around, two stretch mesh water bottle holders, an abrasion resistant bottom, and a hip belt that you can easily tuck away when not in use.  If we could change one thing on this pack, it would probably be the price.  At $150, we think this pack may be a tad pricey, but a price point between $100-$125 the Cicada 28L would be a good value in our mind. Outside of the price tag, we found the Cicada 28L to be a great option for all the eco-friendly commuters out there.  For more information, please visit EagleCreek.com

The North Face Ruckus is a commuter pack that caters to those who want to bring half of what they own with them to work or school. This pack is basic in the sense of its compartments, but it fits very well and when you loaded up, it won’t break your back. Whether your a student or a worker bee, you can put all your books, work clothes, a laptop, and your lunch into this bag with no problem. The laptop compartment did not have too much coverage, so if you are one of those who need a lot of padding around your computer, this may not be a good fit. Otherwise, we feel this bag tested out great and we highly recommend it. You can find the Ruckus at TheNorthFace.com.