Ogio Politan Corporate Backpack

I bought the backpack for my high school-aged daughter. The bag fits her MacBook 13" and her books and binders, and has plenty of storage pockets for calculator, charger, etc., all without being too heavy (i.e., less than 15 lbs., depending on the books carried). Unfortunately, the backpack carry handle is not comfortable at her lower neck when she's carrying the bag on her back. Even though the black carry handle is slightly cushioned, it has a stiff wire within it and she could feel it pressing on her lower neck and shoulder blades. We've had to lower the bag considerably so she can not feel the carry handle when she carries the bag. That's unfortunate because the bag is long and lowering the carrying position does not allow the bag to fit proportionally and comfortably on her back. Also, the shoulder straps have an additional undesirable snap across the chest to secure the shoulder straps. Although the snaps were adjustable, we needed to remove them. I ordered the bag because of its exterior strawberry color and the colorful polka dots on the interior--it looked very "feminine"-- but this bag is not designed for girls to carry although it seems sturdy enough. (Posted on 9/18/10)

If you are looking for a large backpack that you can just toss everything in, then this is a great choice. It fits comfortably, and has a ton of storage. If you are wavering between choosing this bag, and some others you won't be let down with going with this bag.

It says it holds up to an 17" laptop, and the sleeve section opens from the top. (Posted on 9/12/10)

Waste of so much money i bought this for a trip and college i went on a plane and with in 1 hour there was multiple holes in the bag after trying to trade it in they said it was my fault it wasn't my fault the bag was faulty do not buy this bag buy something worth the $65 (Posted on 9/11/10)

The bag-size measurement tools said this bag would fit my huge HP 18" laptop, but in this end, the bag was too small. I wound up with a Targus 17” XL Laptop Backpack I found at an office supply chain on sale for less.

This bag may be still tight for even a 17" laptop, so unless your laptop is very thin, or 16" or less, I'd keep looking. However, aside from the size, the Politan backpack is well built, & the way the top handle is built into the bag is ingenious & easy to carry! (Posted on 9/11/10)

2nd politan - maybe you won't abuse it as hard as I did but nothing more than business frequent travel. 2 in a row and zippers shot on both - don't have the energy to ask for another replacement. (Posted on 8/25/10)

There are some people who are into flashlights, some who are into watches, some who are into cars... I am into bags. A few years ago I was on a quest to find the 'perfect' laptop bag...professional, durable, nice looking with attention to details. I bought most of the brands offered in the US and promptly sent them back for one reason or another...until I found OGIO.
I have owned this backpack for 2 or 3 years, and I am now looking to replace it in-kind. I travel for work a lot, so I wanted something that would allow quick laptop exit (for the security line at airports) as well as durability AND well-thought out pockets. This bag delivers ALL of these as well as the ability to look (and feel) small when it holds so much. The only reason I am replacing it now is a broken zipper on the laptop compartment. I yank the zipper hard everytime I get into this bag, so my only surprise is that it took this long to break!! My only 'complaint' (if you want to call it that) is the water bottle holders on the side...too small to securely hold a water bottle. This is not a deal breaker for me given every other wonderful aspect of this bag. IMHO this bag will not disappoint! (Posted on 7/10/10)

This backpack is just fantastic!

Overall, it is very stylish and distinctive. It stands out as a unique brand and look amongst a sea of boring and cheap bags. The Politan has a very sleek form. Even when completely full, it does not look bulky and awkward on your back. Storage capacity is about 4 textbooks plus a laptop which is more than adequate. OGIO does make a couple larger backpacks, however, placing the Politan in the mid to larger range in size.

The laptop pocket is closest to the back and is separate from the main compartment. It is accessed through a weatherproof zipper along the top that opens just enough to allow easy access without allowing the bag to flop open. The compartment is well padded and holds the laptop securely. There is no concern about the weight of books damaging the laptop.

The media player pocket is lined with soft fleece and protected by a weatherproof zipper. It is suspended from the top of the bag to keep devices away from heavy item at the bottom. It fits just between the laptop compartment and the main storage. When empty, it seems like it's not even there! With a media player inside, it stays surprisingly out of the way when accessing either the laptop or the main pocket.

The main storage is exactly what is expected. It is spacious and the sides of the backpack do not intrude into the compartment. The alignment of the zipper is absolutely flawless. It starts from the back of the pack, but by the time it reaches the top of the pack it is in front of both the laptop and media pocket zippers. It allows for easy access to the main storage and contributes to the sleek form. The design feels like the laptop and storage compartments are integrated, instead of making the main storage feel like an additional layer of bulk added on top of laptop storage.

The foremost zipper compartment features an organizer panel for pencils and more. It is situated on a flap that divides the compartment into two pockets. The rear-most section is large enough for a graphing calculator while still allowing easy access to the organizer. This improves upon an earlier OGIO design where the flap was too flimsy to easily insert writing utensils.

The final pocket in front features mesh ventilation down the sides and a small patch of Velcro at the top to keep it loosely secured. It allows for quick access for smaller items and is large enough to hold two or three DVDs.

Along both sides there are mesh pouches for water bottles. The mesh pattern is tight and the elastic bands keep the profile slim when the pockets are not in use. Along the same panel there is access to low-profile pockets as the zipper is obscured behind the fabric. They do not add any bulk and when they are not in use it as if there are no pockets at all. The pockets are perfect for laptop accessories. They are well-placed to intrude into the dead-space of the main storage as textbooks are generally thinner than the width of the bag.

The shoulder straps are well padded and ventilated. They are well integrated as an extension of the body of the bag instead feeling like an extremity . The neoprene handle is sturdy, comfortable, and very useful. OGIO blurs the distinction between where the bag ends and the straps begin. (Posted on 3/10/10)