Alpine Division McKenzie backpack review

Bags, bags, and more bags!  I love a good bag to carry all of my EDC (Every Day Carry) gear. The Alpine Division McKenzie backpack is inspired by a 70’s rucksack with its leather lashing squares and nylon material, but with a modern pop of color and style. When I saw the Alpine Division McKenzie backpack in “Arctic” blue, I had to give it a try.Note: Images can be clicked on to view a larger size.

The McKenzie backpack that I reviewed comes in a lovely bright Arctic blue color, with red zipper pulls and black clasps. A few features to note are:

• 1000D coated nylon outer
• Signature 420D ‘ducky’ liner
• Padded laptop sleeve – fits up to a 15″ MacBook
• Leather lashing square detailing
• Interior and exterior zipper pockets
• Drawstring closure
• Dimensions: 12.5 in x 7 in x  20 in

I really like that when I stuffed the McKenzie with clothes, my laptop, chargers, and other various items, As seen here on the back of the bag, I was able to keep the bag steady with the front clasp. As a woman, this fit me well above the chest and easy to reach.

The little leather lashing squares are a nice touch to the bag, which allows you to clip anything onto it such a keys or a carabiner of some sort.

The trim of the drawstring top has Alpine Division’s signature 420D “ducky” liner, which is very cute and a nice touch.

The inside of the backpack has the 420D ducky liner printer all over. There is a padded sleeve that fit’s up to a 15″ Macbook Pro. (Above shown is a 13″ Macbook Pro.) There is also a small zippered sleeve to fit a paper notebook, laptop charger, or some pens.

The interior of the bag is very roomy. The height of the bag is 20″, so you can fit plenty of stuff inside. My only complaint is that the bottom of the bag isn’t padded, so having my laptop or any camera gear wouldn’t be protected. I ended up using a laptop sleeve along with the insert, and just kept some clothes and a notebook near the bottom of the bag for extra protection of any electronic gear.

Here’s another view of the bag with drawstring on top. An extra zippered pocket would have been nice near the bottom of the bag. The folded over top of the bag does have a zippered pouch where you can keep your phone, keys and various items you need quick access to.

I really enjoyed using the Alpine Division McKenzie backpack.  It’s great if you have a lot of clothes, paperwork or softer items to carry around, but not that great if you have electronics that need some extra protection.  The color is awesome, and the nylon material is good for sun and light rain. I just wish it had another pocket or two on the outside of it.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Alpine Division. For more information, visit their site and Amazon to order.