I decided to buy an an Ogio Metro backpack for my European vacation. It was on my short list last year when I was searching for a new laptop backpack but I was frustrated by the lack of local availability and the scarcity of pictures of its innards so I ended up buying a Tumi that isn’t a backpack instead. I love the Tumi, it is a great bag, but not pack one bag for a weekend trip great. I’m planning a few 2-4 day trips, I want to keep my laptop with me but I need to travel light.
So I ordered the Metro.
Interestingly, the Metro actually has two places for a laptop — the rear compartment and a sleeve attached to the rear of the main compartment. My Dell Inspiron 8600 can be squeezed into the sleeve but with the bag fully loaded it is not a quick or easy maneuver. Anything larger than a 12-inch laptop will probably leave you holding up airport security lines. The opening for the rear compartment is perfectly sized for a 15.4-inch widescreen and a 17-inch will probably fit ok. The padding in either compartment is merely adequate, neither provides full protection from all directions.
The main compartment is cavernous, easily capable of swallowing a 3-inch binder with room to spare. If it had some straps it would be perfect for a few days worth of clothes.
The Metro has no rigid walls or dividers. About the only safe place to stow a magazine or folder is against the laptop in the rear — less than ideal.
The small outside compartment has the usual stuff — some pockets, two pouches, and a clip for a keyring. There are six outside pockets of varying sizes. Two are at the top, one sized for CDs and the other for an MP3 player with a headphone hole. The MP3 pocket is too small for anything much bigger than an iPod — my 2.5-inch external harddrive barely fits — and both top pockets will intrude into the main compartment when used. The other four pockets are convenient and completely external.
The backpack straps are decent and have a cross-strap. The carry handle at the top has a substantial and sturdy feel to it.
Overall the Metro seems well-made and capable of withstand serious abuse. There’s nothing seriously wrong with it’s design, and for my intended use the Metro comes very close to being perfect.
Read on for pictures…
Good review. I too was frustrated with the lack of information on the Oggio Metro when I bought it last year, but have found it to be a great backpack - probably the best I’ve ever owned. Strangely enough, my model does not have the interior laptop pocket, but everything else is identical. I kind of wish I had your model - not for a second laptop, but to keep the books and notebooks for my different classes better organized.
I don’t think the inside laptop pocket on the 2005 model is useful for much besides the smallest of laptops (ie: 12″ iBook or smaller). Nothing larger goes in / out easily, especially with the side pockets loaded, and paper products would be easily bent / warped unless they have very rigid covers. A slim text book might be ok, most notebooks probably would not fare well…
I’ve been looking into this bag quite a bit lately, and I have had the same problem locating it in-stock at any store. You mentioned that the laptop padding is not that impressive. I was wondering if I could get some more details from you about how thick it is or what corncers/sides are lacking? does the laptop pouch let the computer touch the ground? thanks.