SpireUSA : Icon Backpack

Pros Well made. Lightweight and comfortable to use. Very compact yet has a good amount of room.
Cons No outside cell phone pocket.
Retail Price : $130.00

SpireUSA : Icon Backpack Review

For about a year or so now I have heard about Spire. How they make great bags and backpacks. How the quality is superb. How comfortable they are.

Well I’m here to say all of this is an understatement. I tested the Icon backpack for the G4 Titanium and was really impressed. What impressed me first off was the sleeve for the Powerbook G4. It fit perfectly. I actually used the sleeve a week before I used the Icon.

While testing the Boblebe-e Megalopolis I needed a sleeve to add some protection above and beyond what the Megalopolis provided. The Icon sleeve fit the bill and worked great.

The backpack is made to hold the sleeve in it’s own compartment within the main area of the backpack. When using the sleeve in conjunction with the Icon, the sleeve’s closure flap velcros to the bag itself. When the sleeve is removed and used on it’s own, it velcros to itself. Both the sleeve and the Icon provide great protection.

While I’m on the subject of the backpack, Spire thoughtfully designed the Icon so that if the laptop sleeve is removed, the backpack functions as a personal backpack (daypack).

The front pocket of the Icon holds all sorts of stuff. From my list I was able to carry #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11. I could have probably squeezed in the discs, but decided against it. All this fit into the Icon with no bulges, bumps or bruises. My phone was carried by using a shoulder strap pouch made by Kipling for their Hacker line which has since been discontinued.

This backpack, even after adding my list was still extremely comfortable to wear, compact, and didn’t look like I was carrying a Geek's Armada. I can’t imagine a more perfect backpack for urban, campus, or business use.

I want to mention that the Icon could also carry the iBook Dual USB very well. Spire has a great product that I can highly recommend. I even like it better than my K2 Jiver. And that’s saying allot!


SpireUSA
http://www.spireusa.com


Review Rating

AVERAGE SCORE 8.7
Construction 9.0
Comfort 9.0
Organizational Features 8.5
Protection 8.0
Aesthetics 9.0