Update after a few weeks of use: I still love this pack! I have my transit pass tucked into one of the cup holders so I can easily reach it when I get on the train/bus. ALSO, I've added a picture of some rain that sat on the fabric, and hasn't absorbed after a 30 min train ride.

I am in love with this backpack and it just arrived today. I've returned a couple backpacks to Amazon in my search for the right one, and this is probably the One.

It's very sturdy, with great back padding and a deep air flow channel, along with mesh backed straps to allow for air flow around your shoulders. The straps are comfortable when wearing the pack, and the seams are flexible and don't cut into my arms. The Heather Gray fabric is the same water resistant material you find on good quality backpacks, though it looks like cotton canvas in the pics.

All pockets have large capacity. The top front pocket is roomy and about 7-8" deep. The side pockets behind the water bottle mesh are a whole 12" deep, and could probably fit a dress shoe on each side, for commuters or travelers (maybe this is why there are 2 grommet holes on each?) The inner pocket is surprisingly wide, at 5-6"at the base, and you could stuff much more in there, since the front of the pack is flexible. There are 2 dividers inside, to organize papers or folders.

The handle has a solid molded core, covered in the fabric and grip handle.

The zippers are smooth, and it's easy to open the scansmart lay flat pocket. This pic shows a 15" laptop on the large pocket, a 10" asus tablet and a kindle paper white in the tablet pocket. There is plenty of room for a larger laptop. The laptop pocket also has a padded arm that secures with Velcro, and holds the laptop steady, and the pocket also has good padding at the base, fot when it's set on the floor.

I'm can say that I like every feature about this backpack so far.

My ONLY complaint is that it should come with a user guide to explain all of the features. There is a sunglasses loop. The mesh water bottle pockets are elastic at the top, and have adjustable straps around them. There's a carabiner on the front (behind the Swiss gear tag in the pic) What are the little loops with up/down arrows at the top of each strap for??

Great backpack. I'll cover things most reviews don't. The main zipper is very heavy duty and should last a decade, at least. The 1900 has a spot for a full sized ipad (not for rubber case though) instead of extra compartment. What's great about the pouch is it is inset so your ipad will be protected. What is interesting about the laptop pouch is 1 zipper will open the backpack like a book, but you will still need to open the side zipper to get the laptop... since the side zipper is accessible from the outside, you can bypass the full zipper and just pull the laptop out from the side. The full zipper is good if you cram your backpack and things are tight.

Since I bought mine for travel, I want to attach it to my luggage handle. There are two vertical loop straps on the large shoulder straps at the top. It seems they were designed for this purpose. Something to slip inside the loops, but outside the luggage handle. I found nothing with the backpack that fulfills that purpose. A search for accessories doesn't bring up anything either... so I made one. Took 3/4" pvc and cut to about 7". I then took a rounded file and filed two notches on either side near the ends. It works excellent to secure the top of the backpack to the handle. Pics below.

I'll prolly only update review if something goes wrong.

I purchased the SwissGear Travel Gear Scan Smart Backpack for our son's first semester in college. He started using the backpack in the Fall Semester 2016 and my son just came home this evening from Spring Break 2017 and he informed us that he needed a new backpack because the zipper broke on the compartment that holds his laptop. Not only did the zipper break but the zipper actually separated from the backpack material (See picture). It's a gorgeous backpack and full of great pockets and compartments but definitely not durable. I have had a Swiss Gear Computer Back for over 10 years that I still use for work. My backpack has been all over the world, Japan, Kuwait, Australia, New Zealand and my 10 year old SwissGear backpack works as good as new. I am SO disappointed that my son got less than 7 months use out his.

4.9 stars ... ALMOST perfect :)

I love this pack. I use it every day, and I love it.

That said ... I'll start by telling you the ONE thing I'm not crazy about ... the fact that unless it is completely full OR I'm packing something very rigid and flat in the bottom, when I set it down on its base, it wants to tip forward. OK, so I know that now and I lean it facing against a vertical surface before I let it set on its base ... but I'd prefer if, like my first SG pack, it sat up properly, on its own. But that's a minor point. Very minor. Everything else ... I love.

This is the third or fourth Swiss Gear backpack I've owned and I really must say these guys continue to knock them out of the park. Let's talk particulars:

APPEARANCE
More than any of my previous SwissGear bags, I love the looks of this one. The red and black are perfect for me and the trim design on this one is just right. Everything is easy to find, easy to reach, and the color scheme is just what I was looking for. While the blue/black and the gray/black bags I've had in the past were attractive, this one is my favorite.

COMFORT
Full or empty, for hiking or office, this pack always feels great when I wear it. The weight distribution is wonderful, it never feels heavy on me, even when full, and unlike some older models, the straps really seem to like to stay where they belong, instead of twisting under in ways I can't control. My first SG bag had a terrible problem with the pull straps twisting as they came through the slide fittings ... not this bag ... the straps stay nice and flat and tighten and release without a hitch.

COMPARTMENT DESIGN
This bag doesn't look any bigger than the previous SG bags I've had, but it seems like I can just keep putting more and more stuff into it all the time and I never run out of space. OK, I do ... but the bag consistently takes more than I think it can. There are several primary storage compartments to tell you about.
1) LAPTOP/FLATS - Closest to your back is a laptop storage compartment with a single zipper that goes from the base of the pack to the top, but only on one side. Easy in, easy out ... that' show I get my laptop in and out every day, and it's a big improvement over the double zippers that ran down both sides when you don't NEED full access to this compartment. Brilliant.
2) TABLET/FLATS - Next out from your back is a double zippered compartment that allows you, if you want/need to, to open the back of the pack completely and lay it flat ... they suggest for airport inspections. The netting between compartment 1 and 2 allows for quick visual inspection of the laptop area (C1) and the "tablet" area (C2) ... yes, you can pile all kinds of folders and such in compartment 2, but it has a nifty little pocket built in for storing your tablet as well ... and the design of C1 an C2 keeps your laptop and tablet safe from scratching each other. Great design. and if you don't have either a laptop or a tablet, C1 and C2 will work great for large notebooks, files, folios, etc. Tons of room.
3) MAIN - Next in, moving forward from the back, is what I'd call the main compartment ... and it is cavernous. At the bottom, nearest the back, are three dividers for keeping folders or such along the back plane of the compartment but separated from each other. Forward of these dividers (which collapse almost completely upon themselves when not in use) is a larger area for storing thicker things ... stack of books, bulkier items that are several inches deep, combinations of the two. This is the area where I often keep a few poly folders, my lunch container, a hat, gloves, a small thermos ... and more. As always, the central storage section of these packs just keeps taking whatever you have to give it.
3.1) MAIN FRONT TOP - Built into the main compartment is a sub-zipper compartment in the outer flap that's great for things like loose cables or other small items you want to keep handy and protected. The netting keeps them visible but secure. It's big enough to keep receipts, a check book, even your wallet, if you like. Very handy.
3.2) MP3/PHONE/SMALLS - Onto the top of the back plane of the main compartment is a small pouch for ... well, for whatever you prefer ... MP3 player or phone being likely candidates, as there's a quick access hole just above this pocket that leads out the top of the pack and is marked for headphones ... handy. But, if you don't have an MP3 or phone to store there (which I often don't), I find stacks of post-it notes, flags or other small, delicate things you want to be able to get to quickly while keeping safe (this pocket is nicely padded) work just as well. A note on the access for head/earphones ... coming up from the inner pouch is a small hole for the cable to fit through ... this is shielded by a small hood to help keep water from getting in if you're hiking/walking in weather. Great idea!
4 and 5) TWIN SILOS - Along the size of the pack are two deep, vertical pouches (red topped for easy visibility) that are great for things like narrow water bottles or other small things that you can stack vertically. In one, I keep a SwissTool in the bottom, a pencil sharpener atop that, and a tin of breath mints atop that. In the other, I keep a full sized tube of toothpaste and a full sized tooth brush, and a few other personal items. But water bottles would fit just as well, provided they're not too large a diameter.
6 and 7) WEB WATER POCKETS - Outside and at the base of the two vertical SILO pouches/pockets are two traditional webbed pockets for water bottles. You know about those. Nothing fancy.
8) TOP FRONT - at the top of the front of the pack is a small, quick access pocket (with the SG logo on it) with a single zipper that's great for whatever things you want to get ready access to most often. I can see possibly keeping a cell in here ... if it wasn't always in my shirt pocket or a wallet ... if it wasn't in my other shirt pocket. Personally, I keep my cell recharge adapter and cable in it. I'm grabbing them all the time and they're super easy to grab for a quick recharge from this pocket.
9) BOTTOM FRONT - as with most S/G packs I've had, there's a nice pocket in the front divided with sub-pockets for things like a day planner, pens, pencils and loose items such as a small hand sanitizer bottle, mini-flashlight, etc. ... whatever you need that's on your quick access list that needs its own little inner pocket to live in ... PLUS ... for keys, an easy on, easy off plastic clip sewn into the back plain of this pocket that's great for securing them.

SPECIAL FEATURES
- Front mounted D-ring: I put my keys there sometimes when they're not at risk and I want quick access to them
- Bright silver zipper pulls - packs I've had in the past had black zipper pulls ... hard to find in low light conditions ... not these ... super easy to find.
- twin loops - they always seem to have these on the front ... I don't use them, someone must. :)
- shades loop - on the port side strap (as worn) is a loop for slipping the stem of your shade through ... would I? No, but I wear prescription shades.
- indestructible handle - this is the most indestructible of all of the grab handles I've had on an SG pack ... they were all beefy as heck, but this one could probably survive a direct hit from a ... well, I'll leave that to your imagination.
- mystery loops - at the top of the shoulder straps, there are two loops, each with a small rubber emblem on them with two arrows pointing in opposing directions ... I have no idea what they're for. I'd love to find out. :)
- side synching straps - not enough stuff in your pack to justify the depth ... use the synching straps to snug it up.

I'll add to this review as I spend more time with it and learn more ... for now ... just lovin' it.