I got this as a travel bag, tons of room, lots of pockets, very comfortable! Love the iPod pocket, but it's big enough to use for easy access to tickets, etc. I didn't think I'd use the bottom compartment, but it's great for a jacket or clothes you've been through.
I bought this pack thinking it was a great purchase for campus commuting. I agree with the reviews that say it is well-constructed, large, and high quality. Anything from LLBean is going to be quality. However, I think the biggest flaw with this pack is the design of the bottom shoe compartment. I thought it would be great for storing an extra sweatshirt/jacket to carry for emergencies, and possibly other random items such as an umbrella. If you do not intend to carry LARGE RIGID ITEMS (such as sneakers or athletic shoes/cleats) at all times, then do not purchase this pack. The padded back extends to the bottom of the shoe compartment, which means that the compartment cannot be compressed or folded back if it is empty. So, if the compartment is empty, your bag will constantly fall forward, instead of sitting up straight, because it will not have a solid bottom. Even with a thick bulky sweathshirt (hoodie) in the compartment, my bag keeps falling over, which makes it difficult to access easily during class. Also, the shoulder straps are very wide and close together, thus making it not particularly easy to quickly sling on your back. The lack of a side mesh pocket for water bottles is also very disappointing. I thought I could live without it, but keeping the bottle inside the pack just makes all my books/notes wet from condensation.
This pack is plenty roomy, but the shoulder straps are too close together at the top, and it digs into my neck with the slightest weight. It is a very bad design flaw and i would not recommend this to anyone unless they have a very skinny neck.
I purchased this pack since I recently started commuting to work on my bike. There is a LOT of room in this thing. Looks sharp. My fear was that the shoe pouch wouldn't hold my large shoes but it turns out this was not a problem. Highly recommended!
