Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Granville 20 Backpack

I've had this for about 3 weeks and it's been a great bag for biking, fits everything I need and keeps it dry.

This backpack is suitable for work and travel. It is waterproof so you can carry it even it is raining outside.

This pack has been to 20-some countries and a ton of coffee shops for work sessions. At first I wanted more pockets, but with the addition of an electronics organizer inside the pack it's been great for anything. Like a lot of Bird gear, it reflects the place it was designed--Vancouver. So you can wear it on the bike in the rain riding to meetings and not stress about your computer getting soaked. I rarely use the top zipper in Alberta, but when needed it's really nice to have a weatherproof vault for my important gear. And sometimes stuff spills on your bag on flights or wherever, nice to have that spill off and not soak the bag or contents. It's a commuter bag, not really a hiking bag, but it works OK for that when needed. Nice internal pockets for a computer and tablet, passports etc. I have a whack of bags but always seem to default to this one in the end, it's just right.

Was sceptical about ordering this as the reviews weren't great, but I knew Arcteryx made solid gear so I figured I'd give it a chance! Bag is solid, durable, and amazing quality! I use this for cycling around town and it looks like I'll be using it for a long time!

It's durable, stylish and spacious enough to use for work, travel and even gym. Also, whatever the weight you carry, it balances really well that you don't even feel it when wearing.

I have had the Granville around three years and it has been bomb proof. None of the issues others have commented about regarding material failure. I put my bag through much greater rigors than most will experience in an urban environment. As a winemaker I abuse the bag daily as it gets thrown on the floor of the cellar, my truck...or stepped on by my 90lb Lab. As for the flap, I get it, but I don't use the main compartment zipper so it's no difficult to contend with, and my contents have remained intact. I'll buy another when this one finally buys the farm.

Bag is everything arcteryx said it was going to be. Was looking for clean, good looking bag that could be used for many things if needed. Did not need or want a bunch of zippers and pockets. Simplicity at its greatest. Not bulky at all. Sits well on the back. Nice feature with adjustable height chest strap Perfect for carry on luggage. Love how light the bag is as well.

1

Super durable!

Very professional looking. Great color. Very durable. I have no doubt it will be waterproof in rain (haven't had it in the rain to date). Easily fits computer, cords, and other office essentials (pens, business cards, etc.), a change of clothes, a water bottle, several snacks, and a notepad. Closing latch is easy to use. Appears to be extremely well made. I like it a lot!

Love the minimalist look. Its water resistant quality works perfectly for me in the rainy weather. The only wish I have is for the bag to be a tad bigger, so it can carry all my gadgets.

This is a great backpack; I use it for work and as a 'purse' but it is also a great carry on and school bag. Fits my 13inch laptop without issue, a bigger one would most likely fit as well.

I really love this bag for its simple design and exterior construction. I do wish it had slightly more organization and better fit when filled or not. The exterior material means I don't have to worry about wet weather or where I place my bag. It's a nice luxury to have when carrying papers to grade or a laptop to protect. The shoulder straps are soft, supple, and fit well when fitted to your body. The chest strap could be placed differently for when biking to have a more secure fit, but is good for walking. The interior of the backpack is white, which helps with finding things. The laptop sleeve easily fits my 13" MacBook Air. I find no discomfort when wearing the pack with it in the sleeve. The small zippered pocket on the laptop sleeve gets very little use; I think changing the color to white or something different than the black material might make it visually different enough to remind me that it is there and I can use it. I really wish there was another pocket or fabric on the opposite wall of the pack's body. Anything small to hold things like keys, deodorant, or a snack. It would help. I don't find myself ever using the exterior pocket. I wish the magnetic clasp on the prior generation still existed. I find the clasp cumbersome, although I appreciate that you can adjust the closure system's tightness.

I really love this bag for its simple design and exterior construction. I do wish it had slightly more organization and better fit when filled or not. The exterior material means I don't have to worry about wet weather or where I place my bag. It's a nice luxury to have when carrying papers to grade or a laptop to protect. The shoulder straps are soft, supple, and fit well when fitted to your body. The chest strap could be placed differently for when biking to have a more secure fit, but is good for walking. The interior of the backpack is white, which helps with finding things. The laptop sleeve easily fits my 13" MacBook Air. I find no discomfort when wearing the pack with it in the sleeve. The small zippered pocket on the laptop sleeve gets very little use; I think changing the color to white or something different than the black material might make it visually different enough to remind me that it is there and I can use it. I really wish there was another pocket or fabric on the opposite wall of the pack's body. Anything small to hold things like keys, deodorant, or a snack. It would help. I don't find myself ever using the exterior pocket. I wish the magnetic clasp on the prior generation still existed. I find the clasp cumbersome, although I appreciate that you can adjust the closure system's tightness.

I've had this bag about four months, as soon as it came out to replace the old Granville 25 bag, and have used it heavily, almost daily since. For further context, I was looking to replace an Osprey Escapist 25l pack that I had used for EVERYTHING under the sun, very nearly every day for the past 3-4 years - this pack had a lot to live up to. First of all, the good bits. The design is a classic, sleek and elegant and perfect for the city, for carrying on crowded tube trains and throwing on overhead luggage racks as well as looking good on your back. Shoulder straps are comfortable and well thought out for what the pack is meant for, not too bulky but able to carry some weight if needed. The laptop space can also carry up to 19in comfortably if needs be, but be aware it will push up on the lid as you fold it down - although it won't get in the way of the closing zips. The material is exceptionally rugged, and waterproof as far as I can tell - I left it sat out in heavy rain at football practice for hours one evening and not a drop got through. There, however, some drawbacks - I will admit, mostly in comparison to the older model and minor flaws at that, but worth bearing in mind nonetheless. The size difference is the biggest killer - 25l was the perfect size for weekends away or day hikes, and 20l, especially with the flat shape this bag has, is ... fiddly. It requires some well thought out packing, especially if your are taking bulky books or water bottles, and to make use of the whole space you need to pack up and over the bottom curve of the zip. The density of the fabric and the shape of the bag also leaves the interior curiously dark. Finally, the closing mechanism - this new model has zips underneath the flap, something the older model does not, and this makes it somewhat tricky and very fiddly to open and close the bag, especially in a rush, something the older pack, with its magnet and hook mechanism definitely had the edge on. Even these flaws are not without a silver lining. The new closing system is clearly designed to give better security and better weather protection, which it achieves nicely, and the smaller pack size makes it the *perfect* size to slot underneath the seat in front whilst flying, for example. A lot of my gripes are in relation to the old design and my other packs, so must be taken with a pinch of salt - perhaps without my pack history I would be inclined to give it 5 stars! It remains a fantastic design suitable for the worst conditions in the city, and I can very much see myself using it for many many years to come. Whilst not a pack I can take hiking like my old Escapist, it is hands down the better option for around town.

I've had this bag about four months, as soon as it came out to replace the old Granville 25 bag, and have used it heavily, almost daily since. For further context, I was looking to replace an Osprey Escapist 25l pack that I had used for EVERYTHING under the sun, very nearly every day for the past 3-4 years - this pack had a lot to live up to. First of all, the good bits. The design is a classic, sleek and elegant and perfect for the city, for carrying on crowded tube trains and throwing on overhead luggage racks as well as looking good on your back. Shoulder straps are comfortable and well thought out for what the pack is meant for, not too bulky but able to carry some weight if needed. The laptop space can also carry up to 19in comfortably if needs be, but be aware it will push up on the lid as you fold it down - although it won't get in the way of the closing zips. The material is exceptionally rugged, and waterproof as far as I can tell - I left it sat out in heavy rain at football practice for hours one evening and not a drop got through. There, however, some drawbacks - I will admit, mostly in comparison to the older model and minor flaws at that, but worth bearing in mind nonetheless. The size difference is the biggest killer - 25l was the perfect size for weekends away or day hikes, and 20l, especially with the flat shape this bag has, is ... fiddly. It requires some well thought out packing, especially if your are taking bulky books or water bottles, and to make use of the whole space you need to pack up and over the bottom curve of the zip. The density of the fabric and the shape of the bag also leaves the interior curiously dark. Finally, the closing mechanism - this new model has zips underneath the flap, something the older model does not, and this makes it somewhat tricky and very fiddly to open and close the bag, especially in a rush, something the older pack, with its magnet and hook mechanism definitely had the edge on. Even these flaws are not without a silver lining. The new closing system is clearly designed to give better security and better weather protection, which it achieves nicely, and the smaller pack size makes it the *perfect* size to slot underneath the seat in front whilst flying, for example. A lot of my gripes are in relation to the old design and my other packs, so must be taken with a pinch of salt - perhaps without my pack history I would be inclined to give it 5 stars! It remains a fantastic design suitable for the worst conditions in the city, and I can very much see myself using it for many many years to come. Whilst not a pack I can take hiking like my old Escapist, it is hands down the better option for around town.

Very nice product. Always get great things from Arcteryx and this is no exception. A few criticisms/ suggestions: front zipper is stiff and could use a "tab" to help with opening the pocket. Wish there was an external water bottle pocket and per con mentioned above the top flap is kind of stiff and gets in the way a bit. May be that the pack is new and it will soften up

This bag is great, but smaller than youd expect, the way the top flap is manufactured, it doesn't fold out of the way when open, so it gets in your way when you try to access the main compartment. This is pretty frustrating and a surprising design coming from Arcteryx, who usually is very thoughtful about ergonomics like this.

I love Arcteryx products. They're *the* benchmark for industrial and product design. The Granville 20 is a beautiful looking pack; it has clean, simple lines. The main flap of the pack is held down by a custom buckle that's relatively simple and easy to use (although a bit challenging for one-handed use). My prime complaint, and the biggest issue with this pack, is its capacity. This is the largest cycling pack Arcteryx offer and it struggles to hold a laptop and a basic set of clothes and shoes for the day. Moreover, because of its slim size and the lack of compartments, things like bicycle locks need to be stored at the very bottom of the pack, necessitating everything being unpacked just to lock your bike. I wanted to love this pack, but it's completely impractical for commuting. At least it'll look good sitting on the shelf.

I love Arcteryx products. They're *the* benchmark for industrial and product design. The Granville 20 is a beautiful looking pack; it has clean, simple lines. The main flap of the pack is held down by a custom buckle that's relatively simple and easy to use (although a bit challenging for one-handed use). My prime complaint, and the biggest issue with this pack, is its capacity. This is the largest cycling pack Arcteryx offer and it struggles to hold a laptop and a basic set of clothes and shoes for the day. Moreover, because of its slim size and the lack of compartments, things like bicycle locks need to be stored at the very bottom of the pack, necessitating everything being unpacked just to lock your bike. I wanted to love this pack, but it's completely impractical for commuting. At least it'll look good sitting on the shelf.

I bought this about 9 months ago and I've tried to like it, but its frustrations mean that it now sits at home mostly unused. I still like the style of the bag, but it's that design that probably leads to most of its pitfalls. By far the biggest issue I have is with the top flap which requires a clip to be opened and then a zipper to be slid across the width of the bag. Having 2 steps to open and close the bag isn't ideal, but it's made much worse by the fact that the clip feels unsecure and the zip constantly snags when trying to open. This awkwardness is exacerbated by the fact that the flap constantly fights against you when trying to access the bag. Due to the 3D design, its natural position is closed, and so you have to effectively turn the flap inside out for it to stay in an open position while accessing the main compartment. Although I haven't carried an unprotected laptop in it, I would also worry that the zip running across one of the internal sleeves might cause scratches. I find other aspects of the bag mostly fine, with durable material and comfortable straps, but as already mentioned, it's frustrations mean that I no longer use it. I have large variants of Brize and Blade also, and enjoy using these far more.

I bought this about 9 months ago and I've tried to like it, but its frustrations mean that it now sits at home mostly unused. I still like the style of the bag, but it's that design that probably leads to most of its pitfalls. By far the biggest issue I have is with the top flap which requires a clip to be opened and then a zipper to be slid across the width of the bag. Having 2 steps to open and close the bag isn't ideal, but it's made much worse by the fact that the clip feels unsecure and the zip constantly snags when trying to open. This awkwardness is exacerbated by the fact that the flap constantly fights against you when trying to access the bag. Due to the 3D design, its natural position is closed, and so you have to effectively turn the flap inside out for it to stay in an open position while accessing the main compartment. Although I haven't carried an unprotected laptop in it, I would also worry that the zip running across one of the internal sleeves might cause scratches. I find other aspects of the bag mostly fine, with durable material and comfortable straps, but as already mentioned, it's frustrations mean that I no longer use it. I have large variants of Brize and Blade also, and enjoy using these far more.

Looks good, but it is not functional at all. The round zipper is difficult to open and close. The special closing clamp is a gimmick and has no function. The handle loop from between the back straps of the bag is so small that I can barely fit my 3 fingers into and I have a medium size hand. This is very annoying that you can't easily grab it from the handle. There is no provision for sliding it on a carry on luggage handle. This is not a big deal unless you fly with it. Also, the bag is not designed to stand on its own. If you set it on the floor it will fall on its face Or back immediately due to lack of bottom structure. All in all, this bag looks great, but I'm very disappointed in these shortcomings.

Looks good, but it is not functional at all. The round zipper is difficult to open and close. The special closing clamp is a gimmick and has no function. The handle loop from between the back straps of the bag is so small that I can barely fit my 3 fingers into and I have a medium size hand. This is very annoying that you can't easily grab it from the handle. There is no provision for sliding it on a carry on luggage handle. This is not a big deal unless you fly with it. Also, the bag is not designed to stand on its own. If you set it on the floor it will fall on its face Or back immediately due to lack of bottom structure. All in all, this bag looks great, but I'm very disappointed in these shortcomings.

I had a former version which I loved. That one lasted 7-8 yeaers and I used it all the time so when it finally was worn out I wanted a similar one and foundt this. Big dissapointment. This one hasn't got room for anything. It looks the same but the big room hasn't room for much more than a laptop and the pocket in the lid is removed which makes it difficult to use. And the way to close it is also not good