Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Spire

This bag had been on my wish-list for a while, and when it went on sale, I decided to go ahead and make the purchase. I was excited to replace my old Swiss Gear bag which was bulky and old with something more practical and water resistant. While I like the style and the roll-top approach I have found the overall feel to be very rigid. The straps don't allow much movement and don't give much when accessing my computer from the hidden zipper access. I also wish there were more pockets, at least on the interior.

I just got this a month ago and took it on a 6 day trip to NYC. In part because of the summer weather, I was able to pack super light and used this bag to carry all my stuff. That was awesome. The bag is deep and only loads from the top, so you have to dig for your stuff. Because it's deep, I wish Timbuk2 had used a contrasting fabric for the interior, it would have made it easier to find stuff. The bag is too big for me to use as a commute bag. It's not my favorite Timbuk2 product (I've owned ~5 over the years) but I'll definitely use it for trips.

I love this bag so much! it can fit everything and anything I need it to- from short bike rides around town or heavier camping trips, it can carry everything I need. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the water bottle holder on the side was big enough to fit my 32 oz hydroflask, a huge plus for me. The only thing I don't like is the length of the straps (I'll have to cut off some slack at some point), but I am also a very petite person so I'm used to this issue. I am looking forward to using this bag for many years to come.

I like the bag a lot, very cool looking but the large main pocket is dark and it's hard to see what's inside.

I love timbuk2 products, durable, stylish, practical and comfortable. I enjoy being organized and the many pockets helps with this. It can be difficult to get stuff in and out of the main compartment as the top loading feature makes this difficult. Pens usually fall out of the pen pockets and materials will get stuck on the pens when I am loading stuff in. It'd be nice to see a backpack with top and side loading options.

This bag has plenty of space and is functional. I'm an average sized female and I feel like it's pretty large on my back. I really like the style of the bag and all the pockets. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it was larger than I expected.

I bought this pack to replace a custom Prospect backpack which was just a little too small for me. I use this on my daily Metro commute and for traveling. I love the pockets inside and that they are readily available from the back zipper. It's also big enough for two lunches and a jacket! Only two minor complaints: I lean my backpack against a wall at home, and it seems to be picking up paint residue, which my old pack never did. It's very difficult to clean off the material. We haven't repainted since I had the Prospect (which lived in the same place) so either the material is wearing out my wall or the other way around. :P I'm just going to find a new place to put it. My other complaint is if you have pens in the internal pen pockets, they interfere with getting things in and out through the back zipper. I have stopped using the pen slips and just put them in one of the internal zip pockets because of this. All in all I'm very happy with the new bag, and I doubt I will outgrow it.

I like it a lot, but the strap to lock the laptop is too short for a MackBook Pro 15'' Retina. Anyway the laptop is still protected, but I would prefer to be able to lock it.

Great heavy duty backpack for everyday use Built out of high quality material Add to this stylish design and decent range of color choices Definitely recommend!

So great for carrying my heavy computer or just a six pack and a picnic lunch and blanket!

I was disappointed in the degree of shine from the metallic-look fabric. It is more subdued than the image on the website and consequently less interesting than I was hoping.

Great for on the bike, Comfortable even though the straps are pretty thin and lack padding. I think for heavier loads it would have been nice to be a bit more padded. FYI - Make sure you are in on the Euro store as I paid like $70 extra for delivery & Tax OMG! Should the site not route me to my local store site? On the whole, love it.

I was surprised how much I was able to fit inside this bag. I had my 15" lap top inside with notebook, tools, and enough clothes for a 3 day stay. I've already gotten some compliments and I have used it once. The padded straps are fantastic!

Online Catalog showed this with shiny gold chrome hardware. The delivered pack had a dull brass/ mustard finish on hardware and zips, and did not knock the socks off the gift recipient.

Have been using this pack for work. Roomy, enough pockets, fits my macbook pro well. The closing system is not a buckle, it is a hook that goes through a loop. I would buy this again, it was a great deal for the money.

There's a mesh pocket inside the pouch on the front of the bag that's weirdly placed, about halfway up the wall of the pocket. Makes it a little difficult to get to the bottom area.

About a year ago, I upgraded my laptop from a 13" to a 15", and I had to trade in my small messenger bag for the Spire backpack. For the most part, I've been loving this bag. It looks great, feels comfortable with heavy loads, and has plenty of space and pockets to hold everything. I'm able to carry around my laptop and charger, water bottle, umbrella, books and notebooks, writing utensils, external USB drive, glasses, earphones, calculator, 3DS, phone charger, cables, and knives, and still have a little bit of space for extra stuff. The roll-top is very convenient, and much better than using a zipper, and the Napoleon pocket is just as convenient as on the messenger bag. The bottle opener on the right shoulder strap can also come in handy. There are two main issues that I had with this bag, though. When I put my pen and pencil in their respective pockets, and my 15" MacBook Retina in the laptop sleeve, the pen and pencil would scrape against my MacBook and cause scratches on the surface. I ended up putting a folder between the laptop and writing tools so that it could take the damage instead. Another solution is to move your writing utensils out of the pencil pockets and into another pocket. Easy enough fix, but still annoying that I had to get my laptop scratched to figure it out. The bigger issue is that this bag is not weatherproof like I'd hoped. With a little bit of rain, the bag is fine, and you can brush off the water no problem other than the contents of the front pouch possibly getting a little bit damp. However, when the rain gets heavy, and you have to be out in it for 5 or so minutes, it's likely that the water that comes into the front pouch will seep into the contents of the roll-top bucket and get your laptop and notebooks wet at the bottom. This has happened to me twice so far. The first time, I thought that I hadn't zipped the bag up tight enough and it was my own fault. So I started making sure I'd zipped my bag as tight as possible. However, the second time it happened, I decided that it must be an issue with the bag. After some testing in my shower, I concluded that the bag is not weatherproof under a downpour. Because this, I'd recommend getting a rain cover for this bag if you want to avoid getting your stuff wet. This is an excellent and stylish bag. The two issues I mentioned with it are able to be worked around, and if Timbuk2 addressed them this would be the best backpack I've owned.

I am still on the search for a perfect commuter bag, and this one came dang close. It's a little bit small to hold books/school supplies as well as a change of clothes, but for just a simple trip to the office/school it's pretty great. Sits really well on my shoulders on the bike. Really great bag!

Overall I'm happy with this pack. There are a few things though that I would have loved to see including: more pockets. I have lots of cables, connectors, etc. that I need to haul around and there just aren't enough places for them. The 2nd laptop slot is a little too tight for an iPad Pro along with my MacBook. They fit but it's difficult getting either out easily if they are both in. When I set the pack down on the floor the first time, I heard a disturbing clank and realized there is no bottom padding to protect the laptop so I'll need to remember to be very careful when setting this down.

I really love this bag. I got it in navy. It looks great and seems durable. I love the pocket on the outside for my mug, and all the exterior straps that let me hook on carabiners and bike lights--this feature really sets the bag apart and makes it super useful. I hook on climbing shoes, my Nalgene, and whatever else is convenient. I also like that the bag has a compartment for my laptop. My biggest complaint, however, is that the bottom pocket, as well as the one in the middle of the bag, fall into the main compartment. What this means is that when I fill them with my wallet, pens, sunglasses, and maybe headphones, then there is way less room in the main compartment. This makes getting stuff in and out of the bag very difficult, even if it should fit. If the exterior pockets were a bit larger, or constructed in a way so they would not collapse into the main compartment, this bag would be 5 stars for sure. All in all I really like this bag, and would recommend it for people who want a bag for everyday use, as long as they don't need to carry a bunch of stuff with them at all times.

This is an awesome bag. It looks unique compared to the many generic looking backpacks out there. It's pretty comfortable and distributes weight well so that even when carrying heavy loads, it's not too bad. It's also a lot deeper than you'd think, so you can cram a lot of stuff in there. The main issue I have with this bag though is that once you start putting in things in the front pockets, it becomes very difficult to add in other items in the main compartment. It also gets really frustrating to take things out. I know the knapsack roll at the top is one of the unique designs of this bag, but I think it can actually get in the practicality of using this bag at times. But other than that, it is a great bag to use...just be careful not to cram too much stuff in the front pockets.

The laptop secure strap is totally not necessary for me. It bothers me every time I put in and pull out my 13" macbook. I am considering to remove the strap somehow. The pen pockets are shallow for most of my everyday pens. The clips of pens just touch the edges of those pocket rather than clipping on them. If this details were fixed, I'm sure it's the best bag I have ever carried.

For my daily bike commute I needed a good backback. Some keywords I went looking for: Quality, nice design, safe storage for my laptop, enough space to pack my evening groceries in the same bag. This pack gloriously succeeds in all of the above. Downsides are there as well: This pack is a bit is a bit heavier than my previous one which is probably due to its sturdy construction. The pack being spacious means it has a quite large and flat back panel which makes it a little warm on a long bicycle commute.

I recently retired my Patagonia college backpack which held up surprisingly well for 4 years worth of daily use of 15 plus lbs everyday so I went searching for a bag with equal equality to commute to work but with a little more style for the business world. This pack does the job. It fits all I need: macbook, lunch, snacks, books, files ect. and still looks good. Yes it is not a very wide bag which makes it difficult to fit things like my large LSR camera on weekend trips but I can get around that by storing it at the very top. Over all I like the sleeker look that also makes it easier to slide into packed areas like subways. DOWN SIDE: I really only have two downsides to this pack. First, the top strap is not very adjustable. It would be nice to have a little versatility here to either further roll the top down or to expand the top to make it bigger. Second, the sides of the pack are not made of the same material as the rest. The top, front, and bottom are made of a super rugged and water resistant material while the sides are a thick canvas. Why they couldn't keep the same material on all sides to really make the bag weather proof is beyond me but as it is the bag is probably fine in some rain but if given time to let the sides soak your inside valuable may get wet.

I bought this bag to prior to starting a new job and purchasing a Macbook (Air 13") for its protection and functionality. It has all the pockets I could use with separate slots for my Macbook and iPad with easy access through the back. I use it mainly for hauling my electronics, wallet, assorted items and lunch to and from work. It is very functional. My only complaint is the velcro and buckle. It is difficult to get into the main part of the bag when you're standing up. I would move my wallet to a side pocket, but I'd rather it be more secure in the main pocket. The buckle is tricky to maneuver when you're standing in line and in a hurry. Also, the shape of the bag is taking some time to grow on me. I would definitely buy another Timbuk2 bag again, but I might find something with an easier buckle and a rounder shape. However, this bag should last me quite a while and I am very happy with it.