carry.md

Backpack criteria.todo

• All black, no tacky logos
• Laptop sleeve
• Not too officey for hiking or cycling; not too outdoorsy for commuting
• Waterproofish
• External water bottle pocket (negates GoRucks etc)
• ~20-25L
  • small enough to be a personal item on a plane
  • big enough for day-to-day use
• Doesn't make you look like an accountant
• Comfy straps (I've been using a packable daypack for a year and my shoulders hurt)

Current shortlist

• Outlier UHB
  • Cuben fibre sounds interesting
  • wish there was a way to see it IRL…
• Topo Daypack
  • No bottle pocket
• Topo Rover
  • Might be perfect
• Patagonia Black Hole 25L
  • ticks every box but I can't decide if I like the look of it
• Patagonia Toromiro 22L
  • No water bottle pocket
• Alchemy 20/25L Daypack
  • Can't tell how it feels
  • Stocked at Sportique SF - 808 Sutter
• Cote & Ciel Isar & Nile
  • Need to see IRL
  • No bottle pocket
  • Stocked at Sportique & Acrimony SF
• GoRuck Echo (16L)
  • too small?
• GoRuck GR1
  • No bottle pocket
• Timbuk2 Spire or Parkside
  • Might be perfect; haven't seen it IRL, hard to tell how big it is
• Dsptch Ruckpack

Current packs

• Timbuk2 Especial Raider
  • Almost perfect but it's not comfy enough for every day commuting
• Topo Trip pack
  • No external water bottle pocket
  • Fits a 13" macbook pro but not in the sleeve, so it doesn't sit flush against your back :(

Literally was in the same boat as you, looked for a month. Opted for this one

Just picked up one of these and loving it: http://store.y-3.com/us/y3store/backpack_cod45288453bu.html

No water bottle holder though.

Very happy with my Bontrager Madtown Backpack. I use it primarily for cycle commuting (for which it has good weight distribution) but also for hiking on planes etc. Also has both laptop sleeve and separate waterbottle pockets, which I need.

A friend of mine swears by her Tortuga pack (daypack, travel pack, and they make a larger one, too); it looks like they fit your bill.

I'm a huuuuuge fan of my Samsonite (a variant of this model), which might also work for you, if it's not too corporate-looking. It's light and tremendously comfortable, with lots of padding.

You've probably found one now but have you seen PeakDesign's new backpack?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peak-design/the-everyday-backpack-tote-and-sling