I’ve been using the Accelerate Backpack from Briggs & Riley’s Verb collection for the past couple of weeks. I’m on the road quite often, and I need to have my laptop with me for work wherever I am. And of course, along with any laptop comes a tablet, a phone, chargers, adapters, cords, batteries…and that’s just the electronics! I also need to bring a change of clothes, travel documents, medication, and all the other travel essentials.
In the past, I’ve carried a separate laptop bag along with my backpack. But carrying two bags was a bit of a hassle. So I tried other backpacks designed to carry a laptop. And while I liked some of them, I still found myself wishing there was a better way to organize everything. Or I’d find there wasn’t enough protection for my laptop. Or the bag was too big and bulky.
Then I found the Accelerate. In the short while I’ve been using it, it has already spoiled me. It safely and securely stores my laptop and electronics. And it still has room to double as a general travel backpack. From my laptop charger to my water bottle, everything has a place, and I only need to carry one bag.
The laptop sleeve and tablet pocket provide enough room and padding to hold my 15″ MacBook and iPad Air. What I like about this part is the Cord Pass feature. There’s a small porthole between compartments, which lets me connect my charger to a power outlet without exposing my laptop. This is great if I need to charge my laptop somewhere like an airport or a hotel lobby.
The other large compartment makes it easy to wrangle all my electronics and travel accessories. There are several smaller pockets and elastic slip compartments. These can hold pens, batteries, chargers, flash drives, and other smaller items. There is also a pocket with RFID protection. So I can safely store my passport, credit cards, and other sensitive documents.
On the front of the bag is a slim, zippered pocket. It’s a good size to store a cellphone, while still allowing for easy access. Larger cords and chargers (or even an extra pair of shoes) can fit in the zippered bottom pocket on the front of the bag. The water bottle pocket folds out when I need it, and tucks away when not in use. And the SpeedThru pocket on the top of the bag makes it easy to keep travel documents accessible when I need them and tucked away when I don’t.
The bag itself seems quite durable. Yet it’s very lightweight and comfortable to carry. The straps rest comfortably on my shoulders, the padded handle makes it easy to carry by hand, and the whole thing can even slip over the handle of my carry-on bag for easy transport. The bag is spacious and durable, while still being light, comfortable and convenient.
The level of thought and detail that went into the design of the Accelerate Backpack would make it difficult to go back to any other option I’ve used in the past. Everything I carry with me—from tech to travel documents—has a home. No longer am I digging around in my backpack, trying to find the right charging cable or adapter. I know right where everything is, and can easily access whatever I need at the time. Buy on Amazon.com.
Nice sounding pack Love Briggs & Riley. views of the shoulder straps and the bottom compartment would have been welcomed. I have a multi-year old North Face Surge pack with similar features, they are nice. And it fits over my B&R Baseline handle. But nothing last forever, so nice info.