Sometime earlier this year I realized that my Jansport backpack – faithfully hauled around college and a few continents – was beginning to show its wear. The fabric had faded, small holes were beginning to show at the bottom seams. It could be serviceable for a while longer, but I also yearned for something new, something that didn’t look over a decade old, something that an adult would wear. So I began my search for a new backpack.
I had what I thought were simple requirements.
- Could fit a large laptop (15-16″)
- Comfortable
- Looks respectable (not something for a student) and stylish
- Comes in something other than black
- Has a variety of pockets and useful storage
It turns out that the center of the Venn diagram between all those criteria is actually really tiny. Stylish, respectable bags often didn’t come in a size that could fit a larger laptop. Bags that could fit a laptop and had plenty of pockets looked like you came out of a military surplus store, or were extremely boring. Indexing on comfort often led you to something that looked like you were backpacking the Andes.
After perusing every single top backpack list I could find, I finally settled on the Dagne Dover Dakota backpack in the Large size. It seemed as if it would fit into all the categories I required. It also looked really cute, and was made of neoprene, which made it look kind of like a normal backpack all blown up with giant zippers.
Choosing a colorway was extremely difficult. Way more difficult than it should have been. I’m going to rant about it, but it’s not really that related to the bag itself, so you can click the button to read my rambling or just skip ahead.
So, again, I had known that my Jansport was ready to be retired. While I wasn’t in critical need of a bag, it was on my shopping list. After I settled on the Dakota, I found out that Dagne Dover releases new colors seasonally. It was around March, so a bit before when Spring/Summer colors would be released. I decided to wait for the new colors to see if anything piqued my fancy – the regular line up of colors Dagne offers is fine but the seasonal colors are often bright and much different than the neutral staples. If I didn’t like the spring colors, then I would just purchase a neutral and everything would be okay.
After several months of wait, the colors were finally released and I was so stoked. HOT PINK was available. This was my colorful backpack dream! I signed up for email notifications and patiently waited for the drop day.
Only to find out on the drop day that the hot pink wasn’t available in the Dakota Large, despite being in the photo on Instagram.
For whatever reason, the colorway was in the Small and Medium sizes but not Large. I was so upset. Why advertise something that you’re not even offering? And I wasn’t the only person upset, judging by comments left on the brand’s Instagram page. Apparently that pink Small Dakota didn’t even make it out of the first day of presale. Again, why hype up something that your followers can’t obtain? (They frustratingly also continued to advertise the pink color in other bag models after they had already sold out – whyyyyyyyyyy??)
I settled on the second seasonal color, Heron, a light blue. Which I actually do like a lot, and if it was the only color offered I would have been perfectly fine with it. But the way I was teased with the Hot Pink really left a bad taste in my mouth and soured something that I was really excited for. Again, this isn’t something that affects the bag itself, but it’s definitely made me skeptical of the brand’s future color releases.
The Backpack
The backpack comes with its own (comically large) dust bag, branded shoe bag, and a small zippered pouch. As you can see, it does not lack options for pockets, which I personally love. It fits my giant work laptop in the separate laptop compartment, and also has a mesh laptop/tablet holder in the main compartment of the bag. I love the side pockets by the straps, as they make a great place to stash small frequently used items, like a work badge or lip balm. I also love the secret phone slot at the top of the back – makes it very easy to quickly stash the phone without having to fumble with zippers – perfect for deplaning or rushing off of the bus!
The Wear Test
I’ve had the Dakota for a few months now. I’m not commuting every day, so it hasn’t gotten heavy use, but I have used it when I have gone into the office. I also took it as my personal item on a long weekend to Vegas. So I’ve managed to take it into a variety of situations, including a 3 mile walk home, a quick jaunt on an electric scooter to Walgreens, and just schlepping it around on the bus.
So far, I love it. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on its look from friends. It’s pretty comfy on the shoulders, even while scootering around – the neoprene serves as very good padding. I did notice some problems on my hour long walk home. The neoprene on the back has no venting which makes it fairly sweaty, and, of course, it would be more comfortable for a long walk with a chest strap. But, it’s a design tradeoff I’m willing to make in order to have a bag that doesn’t cross into that tech bro/backpacker realm.
I’m very happy with the selection and placement of pockets. I haven’t lost anything in the bag, and I also haven’t felt like I was missing a place to store an item. One minor problem was that the front pocket does become restricted as there are more items in the main part of the bag. I’m used to being able to fit a ton of things in a front pocket of that size, but it’s not as doable in the Dakota. However, the two inside upper zipper pockets are very easy to access, so that does make up for the front pocket.
The main interior compartment will probably have a bit of a tendency to become a black hole of stuff . My previous bag had three separate compartments, and I find myself missing the organization that lends. This isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it may annoy people who tire of sifting through the bag to find something on the bottom.
The one thing that the jury is still out on is the fabric itself. I chose the Heron color because I liked it, but I’m a little concerned about the possibility of staining, especially on the bottom as I place it on more questionably clean surfaces like sidewalks or airport carpet. I spilled a small amount of soda on the bag and it was enough to leave a stain.
It’s not a significant stain but it leaves me questioning what it’s going to be like after a few more trips under the seat on a plane. It might be a better decision to choose a darker color, or just accept that the bag may not stay pristine. However, I do just really enjoy the look and feel of the neoprene.
The Verdict – Dagne Dover Dakota
Overall I’m happy with my purchase. The Dagne Dover Dakota strikes the balance of form and functionality – unique and colorful enough to not just be another boring black bag, but also with enough space and pockets to store all of the necessities for a commute or a trip. I would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their current backpack to a stylish but functional model.
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