Why This £35 Hiking Backpack from Decathlon Is My New Favourite Tech Bag
An Unexpected Find!
A few months ago, I was out shopping to find a new backpack to take hiking with me.
After visiting numerous stores, I decided to buy the Quechua Escape 500 from Decathlon. Not only did this backpack fit my budget, but it also met my requirements in terms of size and pockets.
Little did I know, it was going to become my everyday tech backpack.
In this article, I will talk about how a backpack I bought for hiking trips ended up becoming my everyday tech backpack, and I will be sharing my thoughts and opinions on it.
So, without any further ado…
First Impressions
One of the first things that caught my attention when I came across this bag was the design. I thought it looked pretty cool, and it felt like a decent quality bag.
I liked that it had a lot of pockets including a dedicated laptop compartment as well as a smaller compartment perfect for an iPad. But I don’t think much of it back then as I wasn’t planning to use it to carry my laptop.
I also liked that including the laptop compartment there was also one big main compartment and a smaller one in the front of the bag.
As already mentioned in the introduction, I wasn’t looking for a new tech bag for work, I was looking for a new bag to take out with me hiking.
The Quechua Escape 500 fit my requirements perfectly. It wasn’t too big or too small, it had a lot of pockets I could put stuff in, and it fit my budget nicely.
When I got home, I had another look at the bag and that’s when the idea of using it as my everyday tech backpack for work came.
Why It Works Great as a Tech Backpack
As an IT engineer, my requirements for a work tech bag are simple, it needs to fit my laptop and iPad in, it needs to have the room to fit other laptops, and it needs to have enough room for some of my tools.
The Quechua Escape 500 fits those requirements much better than the backpack I was using at the time, so I decided to give it a go to see what it was like.
I was in for a surprise, because not only did everything I need fit in nicely, but it also allowed me to organise my stuff better than my previous backpack. On top of that, it feels comfortable to carry, even when it’s heavy.
The bag offers a 24-litre capacity and has 14 pockets and 3 compartments to keep you organised. The first compartment contains two pockets; one can fit a 15-inch laptop and the other a 13-inch tablet. Both of these pockets are raised, which the store website claims are to avoid impact.
There are five zipped pockets, two expandable bottle holders, and a place to put your keys.
The bag also features something I haven’t seen before, a phone pocket on the left strap. The pocket is conveniently designed so that you can connect a cable to it leading from the bag. I think that this is actually a pretty clever solution for when hiking.
The bag is also fitted with a suitcase attachment strap.
Combining these features with my requirements for a work tech bag, it works great, especially as I commute into the office on a weekly basis by train.
How it copes as a tech bag
I’ve been using this bag as my main tech bag for work for around three months and I’m impressed. At the time of purchase, I spent £34.99 on it which I think is a fantastic price.
Considering the fact that I commute with it to work using public transport on a weekly basis, the bag is still in an excellent condition.
The bag comfortably fits the tools I use to do my job. For those interested, I am primarily talking about my iFixIt kit, a larger ratchet screwdriver as well as other tools I need for my day job. On top of that, the pockets allow me to organise these tools. With my previous, bag these tools were loose in the main compartment.
While the laptop compartment only has room for one laptop, I can comfortably fit in more laptops in the main compartment. The most I had the opportunity to try is two laptops and my iPad.
I always try to include advantages and disadvantages of the products I review, but the truth of the matter is that I found it incredibly difficult to find something I dislike about this bag. But thinking about it, it would be nice to see a waterproof rain cover built into the bag. But I really can’t complain considering the fact I only paid around £34.99 for it.
I actually ended up purchasing one from Decathlon for around £6.99 and it fits perfectly in the compartment at the top of the bag. I thought it would be a good idea to ensure my tech doesn’t get wet in heavy rain. Speaking of which, the Decathlon website states that the bag is water-repellent but not waterproof. They also state that you can continue walking temporarily in light rain. So, I guess it’s a good thing I bought a rain cover.
Final Thoughts
To summarise this review, I think that the Quechua Escape 500 is a fantastic bag and while I haven’t used it for its intended purpose yet, it works incredibly well as an everyday tech backpack for work.
I think that this is an ideal backpack for anyone who is looking for a good quality bag with a lot of compartments. Whether you are commuting to work, travelling, or going on hikes, this bag is ideal. I mean, not only can this bag fit a lot inside, but it’s also comfortable to wear.
While I haven’t taken this bag on an actual hike in the countryside, I have used it when walking to and from the train station, which is around a 20 to 30 minute walk each way. I found that even when the bag is heavy, it’s comfortable to wear.
But overall, I am highly satisfied with the bag.
What tech backpack are you currently using? Let us know in the comments!