Targus 16 Inch Groove Laptop Backpack, Black - Fits Most Laptops up to 16", Water Resistant Travel Backpack for Business Commuters and Travel (CVR600)

I bought this backpack in October 2023 and it has been holding up pretty well! The bottom protective rubber has started to come off in the corners but other than that the rest of the bag is in good condition. There are many storage compartments, I use almost all of them to keep myself organized. The zippers are fairly good, I haven't had much of a problem with them. I look forward to shopping with Targus again!

A little big for my frame. But back support is comfy.

I feel like it is a pretty durable backpack and would last a while. The many pockets inside are almost useless because they overlap one another so you have to put small or flat objects in each one. Other than that, the ratings on this unit coincide perfectly with the ratings that Amazon is asking for, so I will comment on those, for the 17" backpack, below.APPEARANCE: 3 out of 5 StarsIt looks bulky and cluttered when filled. With the pockets all over the place, it just looks like there is too much going on in one space. So many pockets are not always a good thing. Depends on your preference I guess.EASE OF USE: 4 out of 5 StarsContinuing with the pockets. I bought this backpack because I am a gamer and I thought that I was going to like having many pockets for my numerous peripherals, but it really just clutters the bag. Some pockets you can use because of items in overlapping or underlying pockets. It separates the larger compartments nicely at least. Fact is, it is a backpack, how hard it is to use depends entirely on how you stuff it.PORTABILITY: 4 out of 5 StarsDue to the bulky size, it does the job but can be fairly inconvenient for car rides or work. Honestly, it is a backpack, and what backpack is not portable.LAPTOP PROTECTION: 3 out of 5 StarsThis is my major gripe. They really did well by putting a divider with about a half inch of foam between the laptop space and the main item compartment. It also provides a velco strap that goes over the top to hold it firmly in the compartment. The problem is they made this foam piece about an inch to inch and a half too short. This exposes the top of the laptop with no padding above it, in any way. Not a big problem for setting down upright but I would not reccommend laying sideways in a luggage compartment, or the trunk of your car. Something slinding into the top of your bag could be a big problem. Not to mention the possibility of something being dropped on it while upright. There are always possibilities for damage no matter what kind of protection you have, but I would think it would not have been a big hastle to add more protection to the top of the bag.All-in-all, I would give about a 3 1/2 overall rating. I rounded to 4 instead of 3 , just because these are my oppinions and the bag seems to be constructed well. I personally prefer my Case Logic backpack, but this will do the job when more space is needed.

Perfect backpack for a laptop

Date of purchase: August 29, 2010Price: $25.14History with Targus: Second Targus backpackPros:- Since price is already listed ... CHEAP- Durable; lasted me through the last two years of high school with some signs of wear. (See below for more info)- Large main component with two sleeves inside; able to hold (with some organization) two large binders, folder, laptop, a thick book, glasses case, notebook and two calculators (I even stuffed in a rather thick manila envelope in the laptop sleeve).- Great secondary component; held my obnoxiously large laptop charger, various other wires and a folder for filler paper and various documents. Also has a sleeve, but the material is more like the pouch on the outside - not sure what that's called.- Laptop sleeve (has decent padding on the front, sides and back)- Lots of pockets and zippers- - Right side pocket (when wearing the backpack) has a zipper as well as a sleeve on the inside. I was able to hold a stack of index cards here along with batteries in the sleeve.- - Left side pouch held a water bottle well- - Front compartment has a padded pouch with a velcro strap (great for holding your flash drive) as well as three loops for pens. No complaints whatsoever. Glue sticks, highlighters, pencils, pens, mechanical pencils - all fitted well in the front compartment.Con:- Lack of padding at the top and inadequate padding on the bottom of the laptop sleeve (You'll definitely don't want to drop your backpack ... not even an inch off the ground if you value your laptop; which is good practice anyway and something I got used to doing, but with a heavy load and weak arms that's easier said than done). But yeah if you're looking for something that will protect your laptop like an impact case for the iPhone ... this is not it. My backpack, with my old laptop, actually fell from a stand-up position on top of my desk to the concrete floor ... laptop was still fully functional, but the corner of the frame broke off.That's the only con I can think of though, granted a big one for a 'laptop backpack' it's one that can be overcome with better care and handling.Fit of Laptop:Okay when I first got this backpack I had a different laptop and, while I don't know the exact measurement, it was a monster in size (I believe it was a HP dv6000 whose's measurements are supposedly 15.6; but anyone who had this laptop will probably agree that it's definitely not like today's "15.6 laptops" - much more large square screens with a thick body). It fit VERY tightly into the backpack when I packed it with the rest of my school work. So much so that when the corner of my laptop broke it, and I started putting it in with that broken side up, it started scraping at the inner, upper park of the backpack and tearing away at the material there.However when I got my new laptop, a 15.6 HP dv6t, the backpack kind of swallowed it ...Quite strange; I'd take pictures and show you the difference, but I no longer have the old laptop.Signs of wear I can see are:- The side of the top of the shoulder straps are a bit frayed- The top corner where my laptop was chipped and scratched at the backpack had a cm slit- And the very corners of the PVC bottom was torn/missing (seems like I might have hooked it or scrapped it against something ...)Comments on Use/Durability:So as you saw I've had this backpack for two years and those are the 'only' signs of wear that have shown. Everything is still working and intact; zippers, shoulder straps, pockets and all. Like I said I used this backpack for my last two years of high school; this meant always over-stuffing it with schoolwork and computer equipment and included going on several school trips both years with it. In fact I carried around my backpack so often, along with the laptop, that my friends began poking fun at me for it ... until they started doing so themselves :pOverall I've been satisfied with the backpack, especially for the price! Just that one con will be a big problem if you aren't careful.Now, however, I am about to start college and thought I'd try upgrading to either the SwissGear Computer Backpack or Targus Drifter II to hopefully last all four years and provide more protection for my newer laptop. :p

I bought this bag twenty years ago, and it is still in good condition. Amazing!