I Wore This $40 Prada-ish Uniqlo Backpack All Over Utah’s National Parks
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
I hadn’t used abackpackin years and then suddenly I needed one for travel. The ones I had — two Fjällräven Kånkens (laptopand regular) and a now-discontinuedBaggu— were cute but too small to act as a high-capacity personal item. Going on an airplane with kids ages 7 and almost 4 meant my husband and I would be schlepping a lot of stuff between us, and I had to be able to carry my weight. I’m usually a big proponent of using aroomy toteor thematching bagthat slips onto the handle of your carry-on, but sometimes a giant backpack is more practical, especially if you plan to use it at your destination.
Most backpacks are dorky, though, and I was reluctant to commit to buying one until I saw the multi-pocket backpack from Uniqlo. It was a great price — $60 and cheaper now that it’s on sale — but also minimalist and anonymous looking, two qualities I was after. It has touches ofPrada’s nylon backpack(the archetype of the stylish backpack) with its flap, drawstring, and buckle closure and two front pockets. In addition to its looks, it’s also functional. I love how structured it is and the way it holds its shape thanks to the padded back and shoulder straps, which in turn makes it comfortable to wear even when it’s completely packed with stuff.
New! You can now save this product for later.
And the pockets make it so easy to organize. There’s a bottle compartment on either side that can actually hold a water bottle (or a sunglasses case or a pack of wipes), plus two front pockets where I like to keep my wallet and myLeSportsac pouch(with room to spare for hand lotion and a reusable bag). I can throw my computer in the inner laptop sleeve along with other tech peripherals and a book. The main compartment (which can be accessed by a side zipper in the back) is amply sized for everything else.
I recently brought it on a spring-break trip to Utah’s national parks, then to a writing retreat in Oregon immediately after, and I really put it through the ringer. On travel days, it held my essentials, a film camera and extra film, all my various paper goods and stationery (notebook, journal, Hobonichi, pencil case, etc.), iPads, and the kids’ headphones. The drawstring and flap, which you close with adjustable buckles, let you stuff the bag all the way to the top and keep everything securely contained. The flap even has a zippered compartment (where a pack of Kleenex and extra napkins live). All the pockets make it easy to pull things out and put things back in (like your ID and phone) as needed.
Once we were in Utah, I used the backpack as our daily hiking bag (my husband carried our younger son in aDeuter carrier), packing three water bottles, a gallon Ziploc filled with trail snacks, my camera, hats, sunscreen, and jackets that were shed throughout the day. It went with us to the Narrows (but notthroughthe Narrows, alas) and the Emerald Pools of Zion, through the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, and across the Arches of Moab (including on a midnight hike to Delicate Arch, sans kids). It got dusty from the parks’ red sands, but all I had to do was give it a good shake and it was ready to go from Utah’s deserts to the North Umpqua River in Idleyld Park, Oregon (and then eventually back to New York City).
More From The Strategist
- The Strategist Fall 100
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- The Strategist Summer 100
- I Replaced My Tretinoin With This $30 Retinal Cream
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
