Chrome BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 Pack vs Evergoods CTB40

These are great for a cellphone but probably not big enough for a tablet or a kindle. Since the edges of these pockets meet in the middle, it seems like the design could have been adjusted to accommodate a tablet. Also, since most people jam their phones into pockets or purses where there is no fleece or padding I’m not sure this is a valuable pocket to have. Still, it’s nice to have the option

One thing to keep in mind since you mention carrying musical equipment is the size of your equipment. The PD is one big cavity, while the Allpa's volume is split in half into two sides. A big bulky piece of equipment will probably fit better in the PD.

You know the drill so oriented in this position. In this side access position, you can kind of seen here with this velcro flag, that this is a laptop ...

There's a top handle so that you can handle it this way and just kind of pull it in and out of tight spaces. This curved back panel lets it wrap aroun...

I don't mind it especially since there's a zipper along the side that makes it easier to quickly grab your laptop (or any other things in there) in and out. The interior has another bag which is velcro-ed to the backpack interior which you can remove and use separately. There's a number of side zippered pockets on the outside which is really handy. Really unique design which took me by surprise when I first looked at it but the more I use it, the more I really like it!

The real standout of the CTB40’s interior is its massive clamshell compartment. On the downside, though, the whole thing is a little tough to access due to some very sticky zippers on the main compartment—which is definitely the biggest gripe we’ve had while testing it over the past two weeks. We initially thought that stickiness was attributed to the pack’s DWR coating, but it’s clear now that the welts on the exterior of the bag really affect its ability to unzip and zip quickly, especially on the sharp corners where there’s extra fabric reinforcement.

This is definitely a concern, as dampness reached the laptop compartment. Items stored within the tote bag stayed dry, so if you expect to be out in heavy rain, be sure to store anything you don't want wet there!

On the side, there's a there's a big laptop access and this laptop is housed in a stretch sleeve that's suspended in the center of the bag so it's not...

This bag fits and easily carries more than my other bags. I would previously struggle to fit clothes and lunch and work supplies in a backpack. This one has room for it all! I can load and up and feel like I'm ready for the Army.

Um, mainly. my everyday carry is a Goruck Gr2 40 liter and going from that to how it just opens flat to this was kind of a difficult, uh, transitional...