The Smart-Pack is the latest travel backpack looking to stand out in a crowded field, and it’s bringing specially designed compartments and openings, durable materials, anti-theft mechanisms and built-in wireless charging for your phone to help catch your eye.
So far, it seems to have worked – the bag has blown through its Kickstarter crowdfunding goal many times over, with weeks left to go. Given the number of clever pockets and pouches you’ve got here, that’s perhaps no surprise.
Designed for daily trips and short vacations, the first impressive feature of the Smart-Pack is the way it separates out your shoes, clothes, and work tech, so you don’t need to worry about mud from your sneakers running down your laptop.
Each of the separate compartments is easily accessible, folding out so you can easily slide items in and out. The space for your laptop and other gadgets is guarded by a TSA-compatible combination lock, too.
The built-in Qi wireless charger (that’s the standard used by nearly all the phones on the market right now) is actually in the strap – the idea is that you charge up your phone just near your shoulder while you’re walking around, so it’s simple to get at when needed. You do need to provide your own portable power bank though.
You get a hidden pocket for your passport and valuables, a quick access pocket for your credit and debit cards, dual water bottle pockets, a strap for your shades, and even “ergo posture corrective padding” on the back.
Everything is wrapped up in water-repellent fine weave canvas and fully sealed zippers that will keep all your precious possessions dry in a thunderstorm. With a hand-stitched finish and oak leather accents, the Smart-Pack looks pretty cool, too.
“The Smart-Pack is the perfect choice for a life on the go and allows storage for a one-week trip,” says maker Skyborne. “This bag is TSA and CSTA approved, it fits under most standard airplane seats, and easily in the overhead bin.”
According to its manufacturer, the Smart-Pack measures 19 x 14.7 x 10 inches (48 x 35 x 17 cm), and tips the scales at 3.2 lb (1.45 kg) before you put anything in it.
At the time of writing, the lowest pledge for the Smart-Pack is CA$223 (roughly US$168), almost a third off the expected RRP, with delivery scheduled for January 2020. As with every Kickstarter campaign, committing money is no guarantee of getting a finished product, though Skyborne has run successful crowdfunding campaigns before.
Smart-Pack aims to be much smarter than your average backpack [New Atlas]