Rivacase 8160 16" Laptop Backpack Review

It’s back to school time and this week I’ve got two review coming up for you of two backpacks which I think is the quintessential school item! I think everybody, no matter how old, uses a backpack for school so today for review I’ve got the Rivacase 8160 which is a black colored laptop backpack that fits up to 16” sized laptops. Yes the bag is made for laptops but that doesn’t mean you specifically have to use it for that, you can use it for anything and I think it should last a long time as it’s very nicely made and quality bag. It’s not a huge bag by any means, but it’s large enough for books, laptops and most anything else you might need to take with you to classes. So just read on to see more about this backpack..

 

Vendor: GearZap

Price: £49.95 / $78.21

Overall Rating: 5/5

 

Specs/Features:

Rivacase 8160 up to 16" Laptop Backpack – Black

Protects your up to 16" device
Designed with a unique protective vertical load compartment, which has soft sides and a strap, this backpack ensures that your up to 16" device will have maximum protection.

Made from high density waterproof material
This bag is made from a high density waterproof material, meaning you are able to carry your laptop around in all weather conditions, great for a walk in the rain to work or even on a camping trip.

Organized pockets and compartments
Helping you to stay organized, even with a bag full of items, this well designed rucksack from Rivacase will ensure that you have quick and easy access to whatever you choose to store inside it. Keeping items apart also means that the bag minimizes the risk of items clashing together and becoming damaged.

Advanced adjustable shoulder straps
Advanced shoulder straps that have softened bands will allow you to be comfortable even when carrying the bag when it is full over a long journey.

Material: Polyester.
Internal dimensions: 255x390x50 mm
External dimensions: 330x470x160 mm
Weight: 0.905 kg

Manufacturer Link: http://rivacase.com/en/products/1?page=shop.product_details&category_id=6&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=52

The Rivacase 8160 was provided by GearZap for review where you can find laptop and  MacBook bags along with camera cases and much more.

 

 

Impressions / Review:

 

No special packaging, none needed as it’s just a bag right?

 

So here’s the Rivacase 8160 and it does look rather plain, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Personally I’d not into really flashy bags or products, but I know some people are, so to each his own. The 8160 is made of polyester so it should be durable and rather rugged and survive going to and from classes.

 

Before we get into all of the pockets and such let’s check out the back of the bag and other details. The back of the bag of course has padding and nicely padded shoulder straps.

 

The back of the backpack doesn’t actually rest on your back fully, it’s raided off of your back to help with airflow and to keep you cool. There are four raised sections on the back that do this.

 

The straps and thick and padded and are also covered with a mesh material to help with better airflow to keep you cool. Not sure if you see it from the pictures but there’s actually numerous holes in the padding in the straps.

 

On the top of the bag is a very thick and sturdy handle so you can just grab and go. I like handles on top of backpacks, I find them very useful myself, it’s nice to see a sturdy one here surely.

 

On both the right and left sides of the backpack you’ll find identical mesh pockets that you could use for a water bottle. I put a rather large one in there and it stayed put just fine. The pockets are mesh yes, but the tops of them are elastic to hold the bottle or whatever else in place.

 

 

Ok, let’s jump to the pockets and the front of the bag. On the front is the Rivacase logo in an angled section that’s actually a small handy pocket.

 

 

Hidden behind that sort of fold though is a zippered pocket.

 

The pocket is just that, a pocket, no compartments or anything in there.

 

Behind that you’ll find a larger pocket but this one has spaces for pens and pencils and other odds and ends can fit in the smaller pockets there.

 

I should note that both of those smaller pockets there are padded so you could, for example, put your phone in one and your MP3 player in the other.

 

Here I put my phone in the larger pocket and my mouse in the other along some pens in their appropriate places. Of course the pockets don’t close so it might not be ideal for a phone unless you’re very careful to keep the bag upright.

 

Finally we move to the main compartment and it’s secured closed by two nice heavy duty zippers. I like having two zippers on bags as I think it makes life easier.

 

Once you open the zippers you’re greeted with large padded section for your laptop. This part is secured by an elastic band with velcro on it to make sure your laptop doesn’t slip out.

 

Opposite the padded section is a space for whatever, it’s just a mesh pocket.

 

My laptop has a 14.1” screen and it fits just fine inside of the padded section and the velcro holds it firmly in place.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

The RIvaCase 8160 is sort of small backpack but yet it should have more than enough room for what you need to take to class on a daily basis.

I really like the back and straps. If you’ve ever walked any distance with a full backpack then you’ll know things get hot and you sweat, the 8160 is made to allow airflow behind the bag and between it and your back so it should help keep you cooler. The straps are mesh as well and the padding has holes in it for airflow.

The bag itself is made of a thick polyester material so it certainly feels sturdy to me. The bag, new, is very stiff from the thick material, but I’m sure with use it should relax and get softer.

The laptop compartment is well padded so it should offer a lot of protection for your laptop while traveling.

The price varies where you look but it’s about $75 on average, so it’s not what I would call inexpensive and for that you do get a nice quality bag. I’m giving it to one of my kids for school to use everyday and I’m confident it will last all year and longer.

 

 

 

Pros:
+Small and compact bag
+Very well made
+Several pockets
+Soft and padded straps and back

 

Cons:
-Might be considered small by some

 

 

Disclosure: This product was given to me for review by the company for review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the review; I do not, never have, and never will, accept payment from companies to review their products.