Essential Laptop Backpack

I love the quality and size of this bag. It’s very functional and my “go to” backpack for everyday use and business travels. It’s the only backpack I’ve encountered that stands up by itself and doesn’t tip over when not completely filled. I bought a second one for my son, a college student, who also loves it.

For the past few months, I've been trying out numerous bags to find the perfect EDC for work. I don’t carry a lot—just the essentials like my laptop, cables, and headphones. Everything I tried was either too big, leaving unused space, or too small, unable to accommodate extra items. However, this bag meets all my criteria perfectly. Two must-haves for me were a water bottle holder and a luggage passthrough.

I own several WF Designs products, and their quality and craftsmanship always surpass my expectations. If they ever create another version, I'd appreciate a quick-access pocket at the top.

I have purchased many products from Waterfield over the years including wallets, sleeves, bags, gear pouches and most recently the essentials back pack. I have had many laptop bags and found them all to be fairly decent, however they always seemed lacking in some way. While checking the Warterfield website I saw the essentials bag and thought this just be the right one for me. I was right! Starting with the build, it is solid and of the highest quality. Typical for anything from Waterfield. The size is just right too. It fits my iPad Pro and some notebooks and other papers for work. Good size pockets for accessories and two generous side pockets for water bottles, umbrella or other needs. I also like that the side pockets have little tabs so you can secure a water bottle from falling out. I had some bad experiences with other bags when putting on the backpack and flinging my water bottle across the room. The little touches are great. It also has a strap on the back to slide over the handle of my luggage. There is a Velcro tab that hold the center of the strap to the back of the bag which I thought was odd but then discovered it was great to hold the strap tight to the bag and also secure the strap when on the luggage. Although I have only had the bag 3 months, this one is it. It will be my daily for a long time. Great job!!

I purchased this after first choosing a backpack from another company. Why did I ultimately trade up to the Essential Laptop Backpack? Well, in addition to the superior craftsmanship and care that show in every detail, the Essential stays upright when you put it down, making it incredibly easy to actually pack and empty - no more struggling with a slouching backpack, no more having to prop it up against a seatback just to be able to reach inside. The use of a single main compartment instead of multiple smaller compartments is, to me, also an undervalued feature. While the idea of multiple storage pockets is tempting to me as a person who likes to keep things organized, I find it much easier to actually find things now - because they are all in one place. There is just one additional outer zipped pocket, useful for the quickest access. And that’s all I need. All in all, the economy of this “keep it simple” approach matches the Essential Laptop Backpack’s overall elegance. Deep side pockets are a nice touch, and the overall construction is sturdy, as you’d expect. I’m glad I made the switch!

Retired...but active with several groups so meetings are still a thing for me. I'm always looking for a better (less complicated) bag that has some class and some structure...this bag is a winner. Sits upright, holds a lot of stuff and looks good doing it.