Luckily for many of you, you don’t have to experience me trying to find something in my bag. So as I’ve mentioned before when I am toting a lot of my gadgets and trinkets around, I like using bags that are more catered to my devices
After being satisfied with the Aero Bag from STM Bags, I was super psyched when they sent over the STM Drifter backpack to review. When you check out the Drifter backpack on STM’s official site they state that it’s large enough to carry a 15″ laptop, tablet, phone and other necessities.
Drifter Backpack – Design and Build
The Drifter is part of the STM Bags’ “Annex Collection”. The Annex Collection is their attempt at more stylish yet useful bags. It’s the only backpack in the collection (the others are messenger bas and shoulder bags). The bag has that urban look to it, like it could survive the the in and outs of the tough on-the-go lifestyle
So let’s start with the outside of the Drifter backpack. The first thing you notice is zippers and pockets. At first glance you see three zippers on the front side, a zipper on the bottom and then the zipper that opens the main / large compartment of the bag. If you counted, that’s a total of 5 zippers. So lots of storage, or at least a lot of compartment are a given. It definitely does look like a book-bag version of cargo pants.
The 3 zippered pockets on the outside are about the same size. They’re big enough to fit phones, wallets, battery packs or a gaming console such as the PS Vita or the Nintendo 3DS. The top pocket would be the place you keep the most sensitive things in, such as a cell phone or pens. It has a fleece lining for protection. It’s has two slots. The second pocket is just open. The third pocket has the clip (for keys, badge, ID).
Rain / Water Protection
The pocket on the bottom is not really meant for storage. There’s a shower cap looking cover for use in heavy rain. When not using the cap (which is most of the time), it serves as a form of cushion and slight protection for the bottom of the bag.
On the sides of the bag you have a slot for a water bottle or umbrella and the other side is a small zippered pocket as well.
Inside the Drifter Backpack
The zipper to the main compartment of the Drifter doesn’t zip all the way down, not even halfway. While that works in preventing accidental slips and falls, sometimes I prefer more flexibility when putting away the devices.
The inside of the front flap has a mesh see-through pocket. It’s great for chargers and adaptors. Or things that you need quick access to. The main slots for your laptop and tablet are lined with fleece for easy slide-in / slide-out process. Right outside the tablet compartment there are two slots.
Experience
Even after putting a 13″ Macbook, a 10″ tablet I still had plenty of space in the main compartment. I was surprised by how roomy the Drifter backpack is. I was able to put my mirrorless camera and on-ear headphones with no problem and there was still room to spare.
You can really max out storage on this bag and still be comfortable because of the back cushion and adjustable chest strap. The chest strap is very important to females to give proper support in the chest area and of course for obvious comfort reasons.
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Get the Drifter?
I use the Drifter bag when I’m dressed casually as it’s more a casual bag and it’s large. Luckily the bag goes well withe the hustle and bustle of NYC. The bag id definitely durable and it seems to be able to handle most types of weather.
I recommend the Drifter backpack to those techies that are constantly on the go and need their gadgets and trinkets readily available and protected.
Pricing and Availability
It’s available in 3 colors, graphite, red, and olive. You can learn more about the Drifter backpack from STM Bags’s official website HERE. It’s available in 3 colors, graphite, red, and olive.
You can get it from Amazon.com as well.
Pricing starts at $111.99
