Review on Thule 3203788 Spira Backpack Black by Eric Pavelko

Not entirely sure about this bag. I like it but not sure if it represents good value for money. First the pros. Unfortunately there are a lot of pickpockets in my town and some of them are bold enough to try to break through to the pockets. Here it will not be a problem. The Thule Spira is made of thick, durable material that you'll have to crack open with power tools, so don't worry. The general build quality is very good. The padded laptop/tablet pocket is also secure and impervious to thieves and is larger than advertised. It's designed for a 13-inch laptop and 10.1-inch tablet, but I easily managed to fit my 14-inch HP Elitebook and 10.5-inch iPad Air. Thule seems to have offered some wiggle room, so if your gear is a bit larger, don't discount it. Now for the cons. Despite the excellent build quality, the side zips are easily accessible and there is no panel to hide them underneath. If I use these in the city, I have to be careful, because a practiced pickpocket can easily gain access to the main compartment without my knowledge. I'm not entirely sure about the shoulder straps either. They're tightly built but unusually thin, and they seem to cut through a bit when heavily loaded. Admittedly it's not a large bag so I probably won't load the shoulder straps with a heavy load unless I'm loading them with bricks, but I would have preferred them to be a bit wider to distribute the weight. I do not know. I give him 4 stars. This bag will likely last a lifetime. I don't see any weak points at all and would bet the stitching will never fail. I'm just not that sure about the basic appearance. At this price I think a bag should stand out and the Spira doesn't quite fit me. This is of course entirely subjective.