Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack Review 2023 | Complete Guide

The Review of the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack

There are so many different types of backpacks available for everyday use as well as for traveling that it may be difficult to know where to begin. To cope with your confusion, we have a complete Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack Review. In all honesty, the list is rather overwhelming.

The Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack is an example of a backpack like this. Although it is marketed as the ideal bag for either business or vacation, should you really consider purchasing it? After all, every traveler has different expectations regarding their gear!

And it seems to sense that you would be worried about its quality as well as its comfort and its longevity. This review of the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack will attempt to address all of these questions and more in order to help you decide whether or not this bag has the potential to become your new best friend.

Taking a Quick Look at the Tortuga Backpacks

Tortuga Backpacks is a contemporary American business that began manufacturing travel backpacks for digital nomads and modern nomads in 2009. The company was founded in 2009.

Fred Perrotta and Jeremy Michael Cohen, the creators of the company, are both seasoned travelers who have utilized their own experiences and the abilities they’ve gained from traveling to design backpacks that are functional and adaptable for travelers.

In addition, the Tortuga brand maintains a blog known as Blacksmith, on which they give advice with the goal of assisting travelers in having the best possible vacation experience and also responding to queries pertaining to the Tortuga brand.

They have made three different lines of packs that enable you to move about without having to check your baggage since they are committed to designing multipurpose backpacks that can be used both in the workplace and when traveling.

Although the subject of this Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack review is the company’s primary line of business, travel backpacks, the company also makes packing cubes in addition to other travel gear. others.

Pros

A Minimalist Design

Modern and efficient, this bag is big enough to pack enough to last you for a few days without feeling like a burden to carry around.

A Good Harnessing system

Panel and padded straps are constructed with injection-molded foam to provide adequate ventilation

Travel Bag and Daypack in one

With the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack, you can use it for both short trips and as an everyday carry.

Focused on Technology

You need this bag if you are constantly on the go with your computer, tablet, e-reader, charger, and other gear.

Pocket for Water Bottles

Because of this, the bottle holder can be closed when not in use so that it doesn’t snag.

Zipped Pockets that can be locked

The zippers can be locked for added protection.

The trolley sleeve

You can attach the trolley sleeve that comes with this set to your rolling suitcase to make movement at the airport easier and less stressful.

Cons

The Bag is not a Heavy Duty

Camping and hiking are not suitable for this pack as it is meant more for urban activities.

Full Review

This in-depth evaluation of the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack would concentrate on the design, construction, level of comfort, and overall impressions of the bag.

The Design and the Quality

To begin with the aesthetics, this pack has a clean and basic style that is suitable for use in a range of environments, including the workplace and when roaming about the city.

Long trips are not ideal

Unless you are one who travels light, the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack is not large enough to transport a laptop in comfort during long trips. The heather grey hue of this bag, which was also created with travel in mind, is one of my favorites. Since it blends in with its surroundings and looks like a typical backpack, it is not easily noticeable.

Even while it does a good job of hiding nicks and grime, I still believe they could be more daring with their choice of colors and designs. Just a tiny shell logo appears at the bottom of the bag and on the zipper pulls, Velcro, and shoulder straps. The branding is quite understated.

Extremely comfy, and even when it’s full, you shouldn’t have any trouble with the amount of weight it carries. When you are carrying the bag for an extended length of time, there is a sternum strap that may assist you in redistributing the weight being carried by the bag.

There are padded straps and the back of the bag as well. In general, the straightforward construction and streamlined appearance of this bag give the impression that it is a backpack rather than a travel bag, which is a desirable trait.

Materials and the Building Process

This material is constructed out of 900D polyester that has been coated to make it water-resistant. The ballistic nylon that is used on certain backpacks is heavier than the polyester that is used on some backpacks, therefore the benefit of using polyester is that it is a little bit lighter.

Because it weighs just 2.8 pounds, you may make use of this feature even if you plan to use it on airlines that have more stringent weight constraints. The zipping was accomplished by Tortuga quite well. They are lockable in addition to being YKK zippers.

It is possible to use a padlock to provide an additional layer of protection for all of your belongings by locking the zipper. It is not entirely waterproof since the zippers are not water-resistant; nonetheless, the water-repellent exterior may keep water out during light rain showers.

Moving on to the rear paneling, I really like how the foam was injection-molded for this part. It contains a sufficient quantity of cushioning in addition to the material that meshes to keep moisture out. In addition to this, the suspended mesh allows for an excellent movement of air, which helps to keep your back from becoming sweaty.

As we are on the rear panel, there is one more convenient feature to point out: a wide pass-through that enables you to lay the bag on your luggage so that you don’t have to carry it while you go through the airport.

It is possible to tuck the bag’s straps out of sight if you want to give it a neater appeal and carry it as a briefcase or to prevent anything from sticking out when you are not using it as a briefcase. If you do not want anything hanging, then this is also an option.

They are fastened to the base of the bag using sturdy metal clips, yet they may be removed with relative ease since they are located there. In addition to that, another excellent and long-lasting material option, Duraflex, was selected to be used for the plastic hardware across the duration of the pack.

Size and Weight

The dimensions of this bag are 18.5 inches by 12 inches by 6.75 inches, and it weighs 2.8 pounds. This is a somewhat compact bag. If you just have a carry-on item, the vast majority of airport gate agents will just wave you through, and your bag should be able to fit neatly beneath the seat in front of you.

To begin, it has a capacity of roughly 25 liters, making it an ideal size for transporting daily essentials or for taking along on short excursions. It’s sort of a good in-between size that would work well for a lot of different reasons, and I really enjoy that the bag keeps its slender form even when it’s completely filled with all of your belongings.

According to this evaluation of the Tortuga Setout Laptop backpack, the bag does not have sufficient space to be considered a “single travel bag.” Even so, it functions well if you are going to be gone for a maximum of one week or two days.

Putting Things Away and Organizing

If you are a digital nomad, you are going to fall in love with this backpack since it has enough capacity to carry all of your equipment as well as an extra room! Let’s investigate the many divisions that are available.

One basic pocket with fast access is located on the front of the bag. This pocket may be used to store items such as your boarding card, wallet, phone, and so on. It’s an easy spot to get to, so you can simply stick your hand in there and get a few of the items you need right away.

Pocket for a water bottle: There is a pocket on one side of the bag that may be used to store your umbrella or water bottle. When it’s not being used, the flattening feature of the pocket is one of my favorite aspects about it.

Straps that can be concealed: On the other side of the bag is a folder from which you can unclip and conceal the shoulder straps. If you despise straps that hang loosely, you will really like this feature. In addition, the trolley sleeve that attaches to the luggage may be found in this area.

A bonus is that while you are utilizing your strap, you may cram your sweater or any other object into the area there. The integrated organizational system features a large selection of slide pockets in the front compartment. It’s not quite intuitive to operate, and I wish it were a little elevated so that it was easier to get to.

With the exception of the key clips, all of the other features, such as the little pockets and the zippered compartment, are quite congested. Therefore, at best, you will only be able to retain modest objects such as pencils, business cards, an identification card, a book, and other such things.

Within the tech section, there is a compartment for laptops with a screen up to 15 inches. The compartment for your laptop features a dummy bottom that shields its contents in the event of an accidental drop. Both sections have Velcro straps for closing and can hold a tablet or e-reader, and the front compartment can hold either one.

In close proximity to that is a mesh area that may be used to keep your wires, chargers, and other pieces of technology that are otherwise difficult to organize. In a similar vein, if you are having trouble deciding whether or not a bag is worth your laptop, you can go through my in-depth assessment of the top laptop backpacks by clicking on the link provided below.

Main compartment: It features a clamshell shape that opens into a big area for you to arrange your stuff any way you see fit. The laptop compartment is also available. Making the most of your luggage space when traveling is easy with packing cubes. On the other hand, you are free to organize your belongings in whatever way you see fit for day-to-day carry.

The bag features two mesh pockets that may be used to store toiletries or anything else you wish. It is safe to assume that the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack is rather spacious since it is able to accommodate a substantial amount of gear, clothing, food, toiletries, water bottles, and other items.

Comfort and a Good Fit

Let’s get started with the most important step by examining the harness system first. The whole of the harness system is rock-solid, very comfortable, and well-built. The shoulder straps are padded to a comfortable degree and made of a breathable mesh material that helps prevent sweat from accumulating in the straps.

In addition to that, I particularly enjoy how the injection-molded foam on the rear panel contours to the shape of the body while yet enabling airflow. In addition to that, the bag has a detachable and adjustable sternum strap that can be used to assist in the distribution of weight while you are carrying the bag for an extended amount of time.

There is no provision for attaching a hip belt, which is perfectly acceptable for a bag of this size. When you connect your bag to a piece of luggage or if you’re simply in the mood to carry it in your hand like a briefcase, you may safeguard the bag by tucking the shoulder straps inside the bag itself for more security.

If you are a city traveler who wants to blend in, this is the right bag for you because of its streamlined design and water-resistant fabric in a gray color.

Price

The price of the Setout Laptop backpack is $125, which is a drawback for those who are interested in backpacking but have a limited budget. Although it is not an inexpensive option, I believe that the price is fair considering the good quality of the bag as well as the convenience it provides for traveling.

Conclusions

This backpack offers sufficient room for your technological gear, as well as some clothing, a toiletries set, food, and other goods of a similar size. If traveling as little as possible is your thing, or if you are searching for a nice everyday carry, this pack is an excellent option.

It also helps that it has a nice appearance; the design is quite simple and classic, and it does not have any obtrusive hip straps. In addition to that, the harnessing mechanism is incredibly comfy! In spite of this, I gave this bag a 4.6 out of 5 stars in my review of the Tortuga Backpack due to the unclear placement of the zipper pulls and the rigid organizing elements in the front pocket.

Overall, without a shadow of a doubt, I’d suggest the Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack as a daily carry bag as well as a fantastic trip backpack for those who are just carrying a few essentials with them.

You might, however, opt for the Tortuga Setout Backpack 45L as a feasible alternative if you want a larger volume of storage space. In conclusion, if you need assistance deciding whether or not a bag is worth your laptop, you can also go through my in-depth evaluation of the top laptop backpacks by clicking on the link provided below.

Feedback from Customers/Opinions

My research as well as the feedback from those who have actually used this product indicate that it is long-lasting and will survive a number of different situations with little or no harm. The most minute of details must be brought to your attention, however.

To begin, the zippers are of extremely high quality, but it may take some time until you get used to using them. You could realize that you are inadvertently opening the incorrect pocket time and time again. Why? The zippers for the front, laptop, and main compartments are all identical and are located fairly near to one another.

But hey, you should be alright after you’ve had more practice with it. In addition to this, the front pocket’s arrangement does not lend itself to speedy retrieval of items. It will be difficult for you to store the majority of your goods and even remove them from the bag.

In this evaluation of the Tortuga Setout Laptop backpack, I gave the bag 4.6 out of a possible 5 stars despite the fact that it has a number of drawbacks. But other than that, the pack is of high quality, can be used for a variety of purposes, and looks great. It is also quite popular among the people who use it.

Another option to think about is the Tortuga Setout Backpack with a 45L capacity. Do you find yourself wishing that a Tortuga Backpack had more space?

If you’re looking for the ideal single pack and you have a few more bucks to spare, the Tortuga Setout Backpack 45L is an excellent option for you to consider. It may be expanded to accommodate a larger range of needs. Due to the size of the pack, it is not recommended for usage on a daily basis since it is not ideal for this purpose.