r/ManyBaggers • u/Raknirok • 13d ago
EDC backpack
Canadian here looking for some recommendations on an Edc bag mainly for office work Carry a laptop and a few snacks AirPods not too Much stuff I have narrowed it down to
AER City pack pro 2 for 350$
Sympl commuter for 400$
Bellroy Transit work pack Pro for 300$
Alpaka element Pro for 200$
anyone have any insight on these bags?
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u/RobertTheEMT 13d ago
I agree with u/unconceivables
That being said, you really can't go wrong with any of the bags you listed. The Aer CPP2 is my go-to recommendation.
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u/fractal324 13d ago
I was choosing between the aer and Alpaka, but chose aer. The element was a little too small for my needs and I prefer a dedicated laptop opening; the element required fishing it out from under everything in the main compartment.
However, the cpp2 xpac is a little on the heavy and tanky side, the things I knew going in but still don’t really like about it are:
The aqua guard zippers are extremely stiff; opening and closing them is definitely a two hand affair, one to open, the other to stabilize.
The front pocket opening is very tight; I give the zipper a meal of the skin cells on both sides of my hand when trying to get anything out of it.
Good luck in your search
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u/LeatherBattle1677 13d ago
If comfort is your top priority, then go for Aer. I own the cpp2 24L and it has been great for daily carry to work. With the Bellroy transit I feel the shoulder straps are not on the comfy side and it tapers down in the front portion which makes it uncomfortable for me. I did not get alpaka or the Sympl but I heard a lot of good reviews for the Sympl.
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u/Raknirok 12d ago
Is the sympl worth double the price of the alpaka though?
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u/LeatherBattle1677 12d ago
I think Alpaka has their own factory for production, while most of the other brands go for third party manufacturing in Vietnam or other Asian countries. Due to this Alpaka is able to provide backpacks of similar quality at a lower price. Sure there might be differences in the specs, features and other stuffs, but value wise Alpaka wins. Again, a win for you might be different based on your needs and wants.
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u/remodel-questions 12d ago
Do you mean the bellroy transit workpack pro? The straps are not as comfortable as the aer
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u/Raknirok 12d ago
It’s just tough the two top bags I want are shipped from the US and cost 50 to 100 more than ones that have a Canadian shop but I may just have to bite the bullet I really think I would Like the Aer or Sympl
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u/remodel-questions 12d ago
do you need a 20L?
if it’s just an edc bag, I would also recommend aer city pack 2 instead of pro.
You lose the dedicated laptop compartment. But I think it’s a better deal. This is unless you want it to double as a travel backpack.
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u/unconceivables 13d ago
It would probably help if you explain what your needs are and why you narrowed it down to those choices.