ProView – Deuter UP Sydney
The Deuter UP Sidney can handle many, if not all, challenges thrown at it when it comes to being a commuter backpack. I put it to the test doing just that, commuting! It has been with me everywhere. From the gym, to work, extremely long road trips, easy hikes, and online classes since in person was not a thing when I received this bag.
Deuter UP Sydney
Product Description: The UP Sydney is designed to accommodate everything you need for a day at work, at college, or when you’re just out and about. Clever compartment configuration and a lid opening with magnetic fastener mean items are quick and easy to access. Aluminum hooks on the lid provide added safety.
Offer price: $125 MSRP
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Quality
(5)
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Features
(5)
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Durability
(4)
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Fit
(3)
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Eco-Friendly
(5)
Summary
Let me get started with this — awesome. That is the only word that I can use to describe this backpack. It was extremely comfortable for me and the many pockets it has makes it great for everything that I needed even though I may not have even used all of the pockets and features that it had to offer.
Overall
4.4Pros
- Comfortable design
- A plethora of pockets and compartments
- Has chest strap and waist strap
- Lightweight
- Laptop pocket
- Security Pocket
Cons
- Magnets on the front are not very strong
- Does not repel dirt very well
Features
I actually used this bag quite a bit for all of my daily trips. Some of those places were like the gym, both of my jobs, different climbing gyms and on short hikes with my dogs. For all of these activities, the bag was great! It had the right amount of room for just about anything that I could throw at it. When I took it to the gym it fit both of my 42 oz Hydro Flask’s and an extra change of clothes and a small protein bottle. Which is actually a lot in the grand scheme of things. Most of my usual go-to backpacks don’t have compartments that would make storing these things so seamless to use and efficient.
When I went to the climbing gym, on the other hand, I wasn’t packing a lot of things to take with me, just a harness, a water bottle, and maybe a pair or two of climbing shoes so the bag was more than capable of that. When I used it for work basically 6 days a week it stood out the most then being really easy to store away and carry all of the essentials like my lunch, laptop, chargers, snacks, and water bottles, and sometimes my iPad all at once. When I went on hikes and various trail walks it was okay the straps that go around your waist was definitely comfortable but after a few hours of walking it slowly became a little uncomfortable, but the chest strap was great. It held all that I would need for a few hours of hiking easily. With all of this being able to use this bag in these situations it made me happy to have and use this bag and it will be my daily bag for quite some time because of my busy schedule and need to carry specific things with me to all the various places throughout my week
Performance
I’m not the tallest person in the world, standing at 5 ft 9 in (1.76m) with a reasonably sized torso and the bag was extremely comfortable lining up with my back nicely with a decent amount of padding to separate me from the laptop compartment of the bag. The straps are well padded but not over padded which was a nice amount because it seemed somewhere in the middle to me. The bag looks sleek and stylish but with a nice touch of color but not super overbearing to the point that you stand out like a sore thumb. This bag has A LOT of compartments inside and out, even one for a water bottle on the inside which I’ve never seen on any other backpack before this one which means that they thought of all options when making the compartments on this bag. It also happens to be really lightweight when it comes to storing it away when you’re done using it. With that being said it definitely exceeds all expectations for me.
Friendliness to the Earth
Deuter’s materials are 100% recycled material and manufactured according to the Blue design standard which is pretty awesome. It is made from 40 x 0.5L Pet bottles. They even give a lifelong commitment to service and repair your bags that way they can be used to their fullest potential and cut down on waste. They also make a point of making quality and sustainability on the top of their list of priority will all of the products that they make.
The Final Word
This is a great Daypack for anyone to use no matter what the need is. It has more than enough pockets and compartments for whatever challenge it may be faced with. And the comfort is phenomenal — just the right amount of padding in the lumbar and upper back/shoulder area. The only thing that they could do better on for me is to have a place to tuck the waist straps into when they are not in use and stronger magnets for the top flap but other than that — phenomenal. If I could describe this bag in one word it would for sure be “Pockets” and a lot of them, and it’s great!
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About the Gear Tester
Nate Small
Nate is an avid climber and aspiring mountain guide. As a CWI and a climbing coach he's always seen around the indoor climbing scene across all Connecticut, or at your local crag around the Central Connecticut area. Nate has worked for Rock Climb Fairfield for three and a half years with local schools and newcomers to the sport as a whole. During the winter he works as a park’s sections attendant for Mt. Southington grooming jumps and features for snowboarders and skiers of all ages, and when he is not climbing or snowboarding, he’s most likely fishing. You can see what he’s up to on his Instagram at @natethegr3at
