Customer Reviews Timbuk2 The Authority Pack

Upgrading from a North Face bookbag that was wearing out from use. I wanted a bookbag with a dedicated laptop pocket and this bag delivers. I knew I needed this bag in my life the minute I saw the introduction video. I am a pastry instructor at a high school so I needed a bag that can carry my books, laptop, uniform and all my stationary. This bag seems to fit my needs. For the most part, everything from my old North Face bag was able to fit into my Authority bag. The only exception was my 40 oz Hydroflask water bottle. The pocket for bottles is a little on the small side, none of my water bottles seem to fit into the stretchy pocket. I have to work around this by keeping it in my main pocket. Which leads to my other nitpick, the pocket spaces. They're very tight, so you have to make the best use of how you pack your things. The pockets are not as expandable as you would expect, although maybe that may change with use over time. Don't expect yourself to be able to cram that much stuff into it compared to other bags. The Authority bag just barely fit all the stuff I had in my previous bookbag with some workarounds and compromises. However, despite these nitpicks -- I love this bag. It's gorgeous and comfortable and keeps everything organized. I am very satisfied and glad there is a lifetime warranty on this. Thank you.

I use this product for my daily commute to my multiple businesses as well as my travels.

I rated this bag 5 stars because it is a great bag with only minor non-dealbreaker things. It's a lot slimmer than I thought it would be, but that's a good thing. It doesn't look bulky when you're walking around and it still fits everything I need for my daily commute to work. Negatives: the only downside I've found so far is that the base of the bag isn't stiff at all, so the bag won't stand up all the time if it's not loaded up with things. Also, there's zero bottom padding (other than the laptop compartment...it does have bottom padding). This isn't a deal breaker, but wish there was a better base or a little padding for the entire bottom of the bag just so my stuff is better protected when I set the bag down and possibly may stand up a bit better on it's own.

I've been traveling for work much more, and wanted a work backpack alternative to my Tumi shoulder strap briefcase (which was more and more uncomfortable for lugging through the airport and throughout Europe). I tried a bunch of options, and this was the perfect combination offering a professional look, padded laptop sleeve, tons of pockets and organization options (the two quick access pockets in the back are great). I bought this right before heading to Europe for two weeks for a conference and daytrips on the train to different offices. it held up perfectly and was lightweight too. The only weird thing is there was no luggage/ID tag (and it doesn't seem Timbuk2 carries these?). Oh, and I didn't want to spend big $$, and this was a great price and construction quality was as good as way more expensive versions. My first Timbuk2 purchase, and it won't be my last!

already patched and pinned! I am a hospice nurse and this bag goes with me to every home I visit. It is the best!

Great bag

I use this backpack everyday and I love it.

The most under-considered aspect of this backpack until would be how lightweight it is. My old backpacks, despite being lower quality, always got heavy no matter what was in them. This back is significantly lighter which is great!

I got this bag for my morning commute. I walk every day and it fit anything I need. My husband has used several times but the straps don't fit him. He's about 6'2" and the chest straps thay buckles across is up on his shoulders with no way to adjust. The water bottle pocket also only fits a slim type water bottle. Could be nice if one came with it.

This is a great bag, It has lots of pockets and it is high quality. I have the gray bag and it is very stylish. It is very comfortable and lightweight. My daily carry backpack was an Eddie Bauer bag and it was my daily bag for the past 3 years, now I will be replacing that with the Timbuck2 Authority bag. I carry a Lenovo Yoga at it fits perfectly with plenty of pockets for notepad, pens, charger, USB phone and keys with additional room for gym shorts or a shirt. I would buy the authority pack again and I would recomeend it to all my friends. I use this bag to go to work and on bike rides its great.

I bought this for my husband. He loves it. Lots of pockets. It will hold not one, but two laptops. The straps make it very comfortable to carry. Great product.

This bag is great for commuting as it slim but great to pack your laptop and other items for work! Very clean simple design.

My wife and I have not gone hiking as of yet, but I did use my backpack in commuting and carrying my business materials ie laptop, paperwork, folders, tablets, chargers for all of my technical equipment. It is a very sturdy backpack. It has lots of padding so I feel safe putting my laptop and other devices in it. On the occasions I used it, it rained almost every day and none of my items got wet inside. The straps have lots of adjustments, there are many pockets and several sizes to hold anything. So whatever you need a backpack for, no matter what weather conditions, no matter what you decide to carry, this backpack is it.

The authority pack makes a great replacement for the venerable Command backpack a Timbuk2 classic, you can see a bit of the styling in it. This bag works great for commuting and for school. My usual load would be a 13 inch computer (although it can easily swallow a 15 inch, charging cable, two 70 spiral sheet notebooks, one textbook, wallet, phone, keys, a paperback/magazine, and a small case with my pencils/pens/calculator (with room to spare after this stuff) This bag has basically 3 compartments, one large well padded computer area, a second bigger compartment with a sleeve for a second computer or tablet, and a third section that has a few smaller pockets. PLUS a water bottle pocket and two smaller outside zipper pockets. All this organization is great if you carry lots of different items that have different shapes and you like to keep things separate and easy to reach. If you want one large main compartment where you can fit bulkier items, think a change of clothes or groceries the Division pack might be better. I love all the compartments, and I am not fiddling around in class looking for something that gets lost in a bag with no organization. You cant actually tuck the sternum straps into the shoulder straps, but when you remove them they look smooth and clean. This bag works well and does not look too dorky, it looks sharp without looking too fussy.

I really wanted to love this backpack. I'm headed back to grad school this fall, and I was looking for something durable and professional looking, with plenty of organizational pockets. The Authority delivers on all of this, but it sadly feels too big for my frame I'm 5'6" and short-waisted, and this pack just felt too long for me. I'm returning it and will have to keep looking...

I use this every day just like my previous backpack. Holds laptop, accessories, headphones, glasses and often goes on quarterly overnight trips with me. So far so good, except I will say the zipppers should be a little smoother as compared to other brands in the same price point. Other than that I'm happy with it.

I upgraded from a Timbuk2 messenger bag and after that, another Timbuk2 back pack. I bought this one because it seemed better suited to schlepping around a work laptop and other work stuff (portable office). It excels for this purpose! Not only does it hold all my work stuff, but it is really comfortable as well. I don't get "back pack fatigue" from it at all. The only thing I wish it had more of is more small exterior zipper pockets to help in organizing. My former back pack had lots of these, but was less than comfortable after carrying it around for extended periods. If you need a work pack, and don't need to carry an excess of personal items with you, this pack is awesome!

Timbuk2 is a awesome company with great craftsmen ship! The backpack I got from them is great no bag is perfect but this one checks off most of my boxes!

Like the style, fairly compact. It's not spacious but a great commuter bag. But worried about the zippers. Seem to catch quite a bit and not sure how much longer they'll last without issues. And the bag is less than a month old.

I walk to/from work each day (about 2 miles each way). I work full-time, and am also in graduate school, so I'm essentially carrying a full day's needs every single day. I pack lunch and dinner, and also need to carry a change of shoes, a sweater for freezing classrooms, my 13" iPad, a textbook or two, my notebook, thermos, water bottle, and more. My first thought about this pack is that it is simultaneously too big and too small. I am a cis woman & slender, with a narrow frame. The shoulder straps are definitely intended for someone with wider shoulders than mine. They really weigh on my clavicle and shoulder bones when the pack is heavy. It's also very LONG on my body. The pack does not hold as much as I'd hoped it would. The water bottle pocket is super narrow, as most people mentioned, so I can't fit my Nalgene. I use a S'well wide-mouthed thermos and can fit that in only if I turn it upside down. It takes some serious maneuvering to fit anything remotely misshapen into the pack (makeup pouch, for example, or flats). Once I get everything into the front pocket, the second pocket's capacity is basically limited to only completely flat items. It can be hard to take things out of the second pocket while first is full. I tried keeping my iPad in the very back pocket to remedy this, but I don't like the way I can feel its outline against my back. My sneakers don't fit in the pack at all; I ratchet them to the bottom of the pack using the bottom straps. I still end up carrying my lunch/dinner in a separate bag, which is exactly what I'd hoped to eliminate doing. Lastly, this is a super sweaty pack. Whew! I am always very damp after walking, even though I'm not a typically sweaty person. On the pro side: this is a really well-made and attractive pack. The plus side of not fitting everything I want into the pack is that it stays very streamlined-- no bulging. The key ribbon is always a favorite feature. The inner zippered compartments are helpful.

I really like my new backpack, but I'm not 100% thrilled about it. The organization of this pack is great: there is a place for everything I need and it maintains its covert and slim look. It rained heavily the other day and none of my stuff got wet and the pack dried off quickly. Others complained about two things I thought were non-issues but they became annoying. The pack does not stand up on it's own. It's always falling over, which is especially annoying in the gym locker room. The point where the straps are adjusted rubs too much on my arm and becomes uncomfortable. I have not experienced that with a backpack before. Otherwise, I still like it despite these minor inconveniences.

This pack is great. Sleek design, good laptop compartment, not too many organizational section where it gets to be a bit much. Exactly what I need in a work/commuter backpack + sometimes gym items. My only surprise is how narrow it is, the big component doesn't seem to expand as I thought it would. It is a little stiff in that way. Also the water bottle holder doesn't hold my standard 24oz hydroflask, which is a bummer. Otherwise though I am happy with it!

This is great for my larger laptop! It has its own pocket There are spots for all the items that I use daily so that I can easily transport them from the house to the office and wherever else business takes me. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was that the water bottle holder is too small to fit even my thinnest bottle. I was really looking forward to that feature.

This is my first timbuk2 bag and I used it to travel to multiple locations including a 42 hour train ride to Chicago and the bag was amazing I was able to fit so much stuff yet the bag never felt heavy and always felt very low profile.

Great bag with stylish and minialist design. Lots of pockets and organization, and I love the tripod/umbrella/towel holder at the bottom. Only issue is that there is one water bottle holder. It boggles my mind why a product would be released without a second, as the area is not used anyways. When I have coffee and water, one of the bottles has to go inside the bag for no reason. Timbuk2 stop doing only 1 water bottle pocket, 2 is more useful and more symmetrical in style. Other than that, great bag.