Comfortable (and styling) Daypack for Students/Commuters - REI Undergrad
Written: Feb 23 '04 (Updated Feb 23 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: comfortable, padded back and shoulder straps, reasonable price
Cons: styling is not for some
The Bottom Line: The Undergrad is an excellent choice for students and commuters looking for something to carrying plenty of stuff comfortably
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| jps246's Full Review: Rei Undergrad Backpack |
Designed for students or commuters who are carrying plenty of stuff with them, REI’s Undergrad daypack is a versatile backpack that should be able to carry what you need.
I didn’t have too many ideas for what to get my brother, who recently started attending college, for Christmas and while I was shopping at REI I came across the Undergrad pack. The rounded edges and pockets do look different from some packs out there, but the Undergrad did offer plenty of space for him to carry everything (he is attending commuting college and needs to carry everything each day) at a reasonable price – so he ended up getting the Undergrad for Christmas and I got a full report from him when I saw him last week and got to see how it works loaded up, instead of just sitting in the store.
Undergrad Details
Made up of high-density nylon and polyester, the Undergrad is a tough pack that can take the wear and tear than loads of heavy books will give it, especially at those books rub and wear at the insides of the back. The pack offers 1800 cubic inches of space and is made up a large main section, a front pocket, panel pocket and an inner CD pocket that can hold a CD player. There are also two mesh side pockets that you can carry water bottles, or other smaller items in. The front pocket on the Undergrad has pencil slots, a clear slot for IDs and a zippered mesh pocket to store smaller items in.
Overall the Undergrad is about 18 inches in height, 14 inches across and about 9 inches deep. It weights (without anything in it) a little over 1 ½ pounds. Styling on the Undergrad is unique. Edges tend to be rounded, as are the pockets. There is a distinctive look to the pack, especially with the willow (a greenish color) and carbon (gray) color scheme. There are no other color schemes available on the pack. The Undergrad has a foam-padded back and the shoulder straps are also foam padded.
The pack is made by REI and retails at the store for $54. It is backed by REI’s guarantee and should it be severely damaged, or otherwise ruined under normal conditions, REI will repair it or replace it for free.
Experiences
My brother travels to and from college each day (in a car) and needs to carry books and notes for his different classes with him, since he doesn’t have a locker or a dorm room to store them in. Therefore he needs plenty of space. The Undergrad with its 1800 cubic inches handily stores his books for classes each day (about 4 books on average), along with associated notebooks and binders (about 2 or 3 on average). This is pretty heavy and only gets more so when you factor in all the other stuff he’s managed to pack in there.
He’s been using the pack for the past two months – so basically 5-days a week for 8 weeks. I checked out the material of the pack – while it no longer looks new (it’s not stiff and definitely not clean), there is no evidence of stretching, tearing or ripping anywhere on the pack.
I also had a chance to try it out fully loaded down with his books. At about 15 pounds, the Undergrad was a comfortable backpack to wear and walk around in. The shoulder straps are both padded and curved to comfortably fit on the shoulder. The padding in the back of the pack provides enough cushioning to prevent books from poking directly into your back. The waist strap on the pack is comfortable, but in general, I don’t think most people using it for a school or commuting backpack would likely use the waist strap.
I guess when it came to styling and color, I was a bit behind the times in the backpack styling world. My brother pointed out that not only were other students also carrying the Undergrad, there are other packs with similar styling and seem fairly popular. I’ll also admit that seeing it after it’s been broken in and used for a while, that the willow color tends to mute itself a bit and the pack in general looks better to me. That said, the more I see it, the more I like it.
Final Thoughts
A very comfortable backpack, the Undergrad is an excellent choice for students or commuters who are looking for a backpack that can carry a heavy load, or plenty of stuff, but still look good and feel good on your back.
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Recommended:
Yes
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