Living in NYC you are bound to see two things. Smartphones galore and backpacks. All shapes, sizes, and colors of backpacks. Most of the time if you run into me I’ll be rocking one as well, especially during the long busy work week. I tend to have a few of them too varying on what I’m carrying to even what my wardrobe looks like that day (which you may have noticed). One bag I been giving a nice run this summer has been the Cromwell Rolltop bag from Knomo. I have used Knomo products in the past but that was more along the lines of their organizer cases called Knomad Mini which I used to store tablets, smartphones and so forth. I had great luck with those so I figure their bag line could be just as good, right?
Style
The Cromwell Rolltop Backpack comes in two colors of either Blue or Gray. I opted for the gray as I like its neutral look and it’s one of my favorites anyway. First things you will notice on the Cromwell is how super light it is and this clean nylon material that outfits the front of it and most of the back. The shoulder straps also have a bit of the material on it as well. The shoulder straps are padded and there is a cushion meshed back for support.
Opening the Cromwell is where it gets good. For starters is a slot for up to a 15″ laptop which is spacious. I used my Surface Pro 4 in there which is a little over 13″. Outside of that is like a pouch that can be used for a plethora of items. I have stored everything from business cards, smartphones, water bottles to even pens in that area. It is a pretty welcome change from another rolltop I used that only had a laptop compartment and that was it. Most other stuff I did have I would toss into the backpack if I felt it wasn’t a big deal. Inside the pack its coated with ultra-water-resistant polyurethane to keep things dry from the rainy elements. I also felt it did good on keeping some of my cold beverages slightly colder than they would of. On the front is a zipper pocket if you want to throw trivial things in there such as biz cards, earbuds, or keys. Like the inside the backpack, it is also coated with ultra-water-resistant polyurethane.
As far as closing the backpack, you roll it up to your desire and secure it with the fasteners on each side. If you want it a bit tighter you can pull on the straps. I do that time to time and helps keep it nice and sealed. There is a chest strap too but I rarely ever use them on any backpack I have.
Usage
So basically, I been rocking with the Cromwell for the past month and change and I don’t think I have any qualms about it. It has been pretty good on my back and shoulders even when I have filled it with a ton of stuff. I have used it out in the rain a few times as well including the other day when it was downpouring hard and it manage to not only dry quick but keep all my items inside bone dry. Because no matter how “waterproof” a bag is you always have worries about your prized possessions inside. One thing I like how this type of rolltop backpack is it stays locked and sealed compared to others I used.
Verdict
At a price of $99 you not only get a great looking backpack but one that holds up in various conditions. It feels great on the body and haven’t come across any discomfort wearing it for lengthy periods of time. Weatherproofing is great and keeps your items dry and out of harms way. The extra pouch with pockets is nice to go along with the laptop sleeve pocket. If you can get to try one out definitely do so and you won’t be disappointed.
