Customer Reviews The Sak Ventura Backpack

This is nice leather and a cute style with smart features, but it's not really black. It's very dark brown--what IKEA calls "brown black." I'm disappointed because I wanted it to go with my black boots and other black accessories. But it will easily hold my 13" Macbook Air.

First of all, the strap is adjustable and easily becomes a messenger with plenty of strap length to spare. The reviewer who said it doesn't must not have know how to make the strap longer (simple pull on the straps to adjust for both backpack style and strap style). This is a medium sized messenger or a smaller style backpack. It holds an iPad upright, but not sideways. It has two outer pockets under the flap, one larger that I can also put my ipad in and one smaller that has a zipper and is a perfect place for a cell phone or passport. That being said, I am not sure it would be great for those who like to carry a lot of stuff. I can fit my ipad, wallet and makeup case, but eyeglass case, ipods etc would fit VERY tightly with the other stuff in there. Think this is a great bag to travel with because of the options on how to use it crossbody/shoulder/backpack...handsfree when pulling other luggage or holding kids hands.

I absolutely love this bag! I've been looking for a cute backpack to take to school since my regular shoulder bags gave me back pains from all the junk I was lugging around. This totally fit the bill...it evenly distributes the load onto my back to alleviate the pressure, and fits all my things without being overly bulky. That being said, be sure to pay attention to the dimensions, as you will only be able to fit the essentials in this bag. For me, that consists of my tablet, a notebook, small umbrella, and water bottle...with just a little more room to spare. If that is an issue for you, you might want to look for another bag. Otherwise the color is great (though as one reviewer said, you might want to be careful with scratches), and I love that you can convert it to a messenger bag.

Nice soft leather, well made, but the flap style made it difficult to access and the convertible style, which I thought I would love, I absolutely hated the straps. They would slip whenever you grabbed it by the straps. If you filled it too much, the flap wouldn't stay closed and not a very "deep" backpack. It does hold an iPad however. It was very comfortable to wear!

I love this bag with different ways of using it. It was my Mother's Day gift from my husband and he knew I wanted this when I least expected him surprising me that Mother's Day morning with my daughter. It's not about the gift, but this one was also special. It's got the nice leather on the outside (you can get a different textured one if you like, if you look and choose closely), and I personally liked the "rugged" look one because the smooth leather kind was easier to get scratches , and I had to return one because of it having scratches of someone’s nails already. My husband couldn't look into the details like I would! Now I have the same one, different texture, same beautiful color with fun pockets and prints inside that are so cute. (My 9 year old loves it, too, because she can help me carry it on her back when my hands are tied.) And I have been a fan since the '90s for having a messenger type/tightly knitted classy bag for my son when he was growing up, as I used this bag for his things and mine... I love Sak, no matter what, thank you for always thinking of the "Users/Consumers" ideal way of living life, with Sak.

The straps don’t hold. Beautiful Color, lightweight leather bag, but it may have To go back. Sigh. Also needs more closure. Magnet barely work. When loaded up it’s front heavy. Really needs a top handle . Bummer.

This bag is too heavy empty. The strap is too short for the bag to be a messenger bag. Leather looks cheap!

I purchased the Sak Ventura Backpack from Zappos, and I couldn't be more pleased with the entire purchasing process. I LOVE the bag, which was absolutely perfect for travel during the busy holiday season while maneuvering through major airports. I'm all about functional comfort combined with modern classic styling, and this bag totally delivered. It is very well made. I know I will get much use from this bag, especially since it easily converts from a backpack to a crossbody. I love the soft leather. That said, it does have a tendency to scratch more easily. This could be a factor for some, but for me it adds a unique, classy distressed look to the bag. I really am impressed with the total look and bag functionality. As for Zappos -- what a dream shopping experience! Their customer service is absolutely amazing! Also, they properly packaged the bag for shipment, which is important to me. This was my first purchase with Zappos, and because of their quality service, I will definitely put Zappos at the top of my list for future purchases. From beginning to end the entire purchase experience was amazing!

Love this bag! It is comfortable and perfect size for traveling. Is stylish and versatile. I took it to NY and I could fit everything I wanted. On this trip I walked for hours and my shoulders did not suffer one bit!

Super cute, quality bag. Lots of storage, I can actually find things!! Great cross body or it can easily be changed into a backpack. I love it!

I bought this bag for traveling this summer and I LOVED it. The things that made it super handy...1. The big inside pocket zips (great for making sure my mac book air or ipad & wallet were safe). 2. There is a zippered inside pocket great for keys and lipstick 3. There are also non-zippered inside pockets that I used and 4. Going from purse to backpack was amazingly convenient. I talked about this bag so much my friend I was traveling with bought one too.

This bag does just fit the essentials, but that is all I wanted it for. I actually got out a ruler and compared it with the dimensions listed before I ordered it to make sure it was large enough. The pictures of the bag on the Zappo's site were accurate even bearing in mind that the models holding the bag may be petite. The bag is soft, functional and is stylish to boot. I just wanted it for vacation when we are sightseeing, and for daytrips when I'm shopping and don't want a heavy bag on my shoulder. This bag is perfect for my needs and the price can't be beat.

This messenger/backpack is super cute & stylish! I was looking for a bag to take on a trip that had a zipper closure, would hold a water bottle and misc. items, yet wasn't too big or heavy if I carried it all day. This bag is perfect! It's not too big or too small. I bought the dark teak bag for my friend and the camel colored bag for me. The outside is a nice leather with a cute lining inside the bag. I would recommend this bag for the style & cost.

I bought this backpack/purse for a trip and it worked great for traveling. I was able to fit even more in it than I thought - wallet, a couple books, a magazine, a small water bottle...it was a great purchase and I'm glad I got it.

I ordered several back pack convertible bags, and this one won. I got the teak color. That said, there are a few things I'm disappointed about. The straps don't look like the ones pictured - they aren't stitched with leather. I can easily get over that, but the straps don't hold their position/length either (it slips = annoying), also resulting in the bag not keeping its shape. The magnetic snap is also really weak, so the bag is almost always open. It's a good size, not tiny like some of the other convertibles. I can even carry my laptop in it. Overall, happy, and I recommend this bag.

I was really disappointed in this bag's performance as a backpack. It's so soft and unconstructed that it becomes limp. When you try to carry it as a messenger, the straps pull the top part of the bag down so it gets all scrunched up toward the bottom. The leather is soft and it is roomy enough, just very limp.

I got the venture backpack in the brown leather. I love the quality of this backpack/cross body. I was able to easily fit my wallet, iPad (also inside of a case), a bottle of water, car keys, phone, a small zip pouch with lip balm and other things inside with room still to spare. When putting it on as a backpack the straps don’t lose their size. You can easily put it on/take it off. Other reviews mentioned how soft the leather is and that it scuffs easily. I would agree it’s really soft - but not flimsy. It definitely holds its shape. It does scuff fairly easy I guess - but it’s leather, so I’m used to that. It doesn’t bother me at all. I’m so pleased I stumbled on this bag! It’s definitely a favorite.

Quite the Versatile bag.... Love it. The leather is very nice. Black is classic.

Nice, cute, versatile bag. Love the colorings on this one. Great size, not too big or small. Good organization too. Like the fact that you can throw it on your back and go or use it as a cross body when needed. Material seems to be good quality too. Great for travel and daily use.

I've been searching for the perfect backpack style purse for the times I travel in cities that require a lot of walking. I finally found it. I didn't purchase mine from Zappos; I purchased it from Belk Department store cause I wanted to see it in person after the 1 negative review that was given on it. Go with the positive reviews on this bag. This bag is the perfect size. You can travel with your table, water, keys, passport, make-up, hand lotion, etc. All the essentials needed while traveling. Would even be perfect for a college student. I really wanted the black but the store didn't have it and I needed it for an international trip (the next day) so I just got the Camel color and I love it. Beautiful bag, nice soft leather with the right space. Adjustable straps to go from crossbody bag to backpack (or even front pack which how I choose to carry it while walking around unknown international territories). You'll love it if you buy it.

This is a great bag! I live in rainy Seattle, WA and it's perfect for our wet winters. I ordered this for two reasons: 1. I wanted a classy rainy weather friendly bag that didn't make me look like I was going hiking every day, and 2. I needed something that could for my 13" macbook air. Consider my needs met!

I sized down and it fit great... however that single strap behind the heel bulged out too much to secure my feet. It left a gap behind my heel so my foot flopped around with each step. The side view picture shows that weird bulge.

I love my backpack, purse, etc. it's comfortable and you can use it in several ways! I prefer the backpack concept since I carry so many things it!It's soft and smells great, leather or course!