Customizable internal shelving, 2 zippered side wing panels, removable pouch, zippered bottom flap, luggage handle sleeveOn paper, the STM Goods Dux Backpack seems to offer as much as its sticker price of $250 promises: Ergonomic straps, a cooling back panel, the adjustability of the internal compartments, protective padding, and water-resistant external pockets.
But in practice, writer and seasoned traveler Bridget Shirvell found that the inconveniences outweighed the perks. Firstly, while comfortable to wear, the pack dwarfed Shirvell's average 5-foot-5 frame."[This] might have been a trade-off I was willing to make if I felt like there was a ton of room inside the backpack," she recounts.
Plus, the customizable velcro dividers, which should help optimize packing space, actually took up a lot of room themselves due to their bulkiness. Not to mention the fact that the bag couldn't fit as much as a far-less-frilly backpack she took on a recent week-long trip through Southeast Asia. Writer and tester Bridget Shirvell could see the appeal of the STM Dux backpack on paper. But she found she couldn't fit even three days' worth of essentials in the pack, in part because of how bulky the inside adjustable compartments were. She also found the side-access panels a bit annoying to use.
Still, those"more organized" folks who appreciate the unique design will find plenty to love, like the external water bottle compartment and the lining of the inside laptop compartment, which was"so soft I wanted a blanket made out of that fabric," according to Shirvell .Pricey for actual amount of room it offers, works best for extremely organized people