I have been researching backpacks for some time now and thought this is what I need for the gym, for travel and overnite trips and for whatever comes my way..well I just returned from my trip to Yellowstone National Park and put over a thousand miles on that trip and I can't be more pleased with it ...I LOVE IT and I'm thinking of giving them as Christmas gifts to my kids..Thanks LL.BEAN for selling a great bag with a great look.
The new design for the rucksack is by far inferior to its old design. The top handle is now much smaller, and more awkward to fit into a hand. The sinch cord used to be leather all the way through and worked very well, the new design is not and doesn't. For my purposes I used the pockets in the top portion of the rucksack, the new design no longer has these.
My disappointment with the new design the rucksack was such that I was left with little option to return it. Its a real shame, because the one that I had was a real classic.
I commute to work and back on a bike in all waether except snow and ice and bought this backpack a couple years ago to replace a similar sized nylon pack from LLBean that leaked like a sieve even in a drizzle. This pack, as advertised, is water resistant/repellant and kept contents dry during most downpours. The fleece lined straps are very nice and appropriately spaced to keep the pack on your back without needing a chest strap. The mesh dividers in the outside pockets are great for organizing smaller items and the flap pocket is also very handy. The pack has 3 main shortcomings in my opinion. First, the gromets on the draw string for the main compartment are not durable and come apart. I actually ordered 2 packs - the first one the gromets came apart after 3 days and I exchanged it for the second pack I have. The gromets in the second took longer to come apart but the same thing happened and I just lived with it. Second, the backing is not stiff enough to handle any weight put in the top flap pocket and bends backwards when the flap is opened casuing the main compartment to "close" and be difficult to load. Third, you will need to punch additional holes in all of the leather straps to get them tight and adjusted properly, and they are buckle closures - the snap closure technology on modern packs is superior, but this is part of the "old world charm" which this pack does have - 1940's WWII surplusish. Other than the draw string gromets coming apart the pack has worn well over two plus years, but is being retired in favor of a more modern multi-compartmented, computer-sectioned snap closure pack.
