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Whenever I travel, either for press events or social, I am laden down with tech and gadgets, so a decent backpack or messenger bag is essential.
I normally use cheap options from Amazon, and the Internet is full of options to suit all needs and budget. Recently Gaston Luga contacted me to check out their Clässic Backpack which is a stylish backpack suitable for either sex made from a canvas material with PU-leather straps.
This is quite a minimalist backpack adopting a pouch-style main compartment with few additional compartments. The main compartment is extremely spacious, and there is a smaller inner padded pocket holds most 11″-13″ laptops, however, the pocket itself lacks any form of closing and is quite baggy, so I suspect it will allow laptops to slip out quite easily.
I use a 15” Dell XPS 15 and this just fits in the main compartment allowing you to pull the drawstrings closed.
On the outside is an additional zipped pocket with the zip hidden by a flap and secured with magnetic straps. The main compartment is also concealed with a large canvas flap and again secured with magnetic straps. Finally, there is a hidden back pocket to store your valuables safely.
As a fashion item, I think this is great, I love the classic design and this colour scheme which fits most of the styles and colours I wear. The main compartment is voluminous so that you can store plenty of items in there. I always hate wearing a technical style backpack when my style doesn’t suit it. It gives off a very nerdy vibe (though I am a nerd).
Where it does fall short is as a backpack for technology and security. Every time I attend MWC in Barcelona, there are reports of people having items stolen from their bags. This offers little in the way of protection. The PU-leather straps are magnetically sealed so provide no security, if your laptop is in its pocket nothing is slowing down a theft here either.
The hidden pocket on the rear has had no thought about it at all. It is tiny, it will fit my Huawei P30 Pro but the phone sticks out of the top. Furthermore, there is no zip on it either, so if you did put something valuable in there, you risk it falling out when taking you back off.
Overall, if you are looking for something stylish to carry around your daily essentials to and from work, or for social occasions, then the Gaston Luga Clässic Backpack is fantastic. If you are looking for something to securely carry thousands of pounds worth of tech, I would probably look elsewhere.
Priced at £99 with free shipping and returns which is not exactly cheap, you can pick up the Herschel Casual Daypack which is not dissimilar in design for less than this. While I prefer the design of this to the Herschel I feel like for £99 you should get real leather, not PU, and real buckles.
Brooks England Dalston is a similar overall design, and this uses a small amount of vegetable-tanned leather, the Sandqvist Roald Ground Organic Cotton Backpack is £5 more uses leather and roller buckles plus an inner zipped pocket.
Gaston Luga Clässic Backpack Review
Summary
A lovely looking backpack with a stylish classic utilitarian design that is not really designed for a tech geek.
Overall
72%-
Style - 85%85%
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Practicality - 65%65%
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Price - 65%65%
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
