Aer City Pack Pro 2 Laptop Backpack
City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac - The all-around city backpack. The City Pack Pro 2 X-Pac is a versatile everyday backpack designed for the city. It features a spacious lay-flat main compartment, essential organization for your everyday gear, and an ergonomic harness system for all-day comfort.
Reviews
565 reviews
Philip
6 months ago
The goldilocks bag This is a fairly detailed review, but I’ve broken it up to help skim-readers and over-researchers alike. For context, I’ve been using the bag daily for about two weeks—planes, trains, automobiles, airport floors, the lot. It’s also the first “pro” backpack I’ve owned, so while I can’t compare it to every Tom, Dick, and Bellroy, I can give an honest, real-world take from someone who had no idea what I needed until I got it. 1. Use case I wanted a travel-ready backpack that could permanently house my mobile workstation—no constant packing/unpacking nonsense. That means: 14" dual-screen laptop (very thick), 17" portable monitor, 16" Dell XPS. Chargers, notepads, pens, macro pads, spare keyboard... you get the picture. Most bags I looked at did one thing well but flopped elsewhere. This was the only one that ticked every box. Not too small, not obnoxiously massive. The Goldilocks zone. 2. Design and materials Sleek, structured, and doesn’t make you look like you’re smuggling a mini fridge. Some competitors veer into “schoolkid with 12 textbooks” territory—and unless you’re 13 and doing algebra in the park, that’s not a vibe. I originally preferred the Cordura version (less crinkly), but I needed the bag fast and only the X-Pac was in stock—no regrets. It looks sharp, feels premium, and the extra durability and weatherproofing are a welcome bonus. The padded back panel is top-tier. Hugely protective—like putting your laptop in a mattress—and also helps the bag keep its structure. This thing stands up on its own, loaded or empty. It is a heavy bag when empty, so if you’re chasing ultralight, look elsewhere—probably elsewhere within Aer’s own lineup. But the weight here feels like a consequence of quality, not poor design. Luggage passthrough – I haven’t successfully used it. Once both laptops are in the sleeve, the strap just doesn’t quite stretch over my suitcase handle. Personally, I’d prefer a vertical passthrough so the bag lies sideways—not a dealbreaker, just a small preference. Zippers – Feel very durable and quite stiff. I can open the laptop sleeve one-handed but absolutely no chance of opening the main compartment that way, even when fully loaded. Still, I’ll take stiff and waterproof over floppy and flooded. 3. Carrying It naturally rides high on the back, which I like—helps posture and balance, especially with heavier loads. Straps are breathable and well-padded. No hotspots or digging. Genuinely the most comfortable carry I’ve had in a bag this capable. 4. Organisation This was the key selling point over the City Pack Pro 2. I wanted a proper clamshell main compartment separate from the laptop sleeves—and I didn’t want to run out of space just because I decided to bring a hoodie. Admin panel – is excellent. Thoughtful pockets, great layout. One minor flaw: if both main compartment zips are undone, the front panel can fold all the way down. If the admin pocket is open too, your AirPods and keys might scatter across airport security like confetti at a wedding. You’ll only make that mistake a couple of times. Quick access top pocket – It fits sunglasses, but a chunky case is pushing it. A bit more room here would go a long way. Water bottle pockets - I rarely carry bottles as I don’t want the weight—but I’ve been keeping a small 330ml one in there occasionally. After just a week, the elastic has gone limp, and one seam is badly fraying. It’s the only part of the bag that feels vulnerable and had underwhelmed from a durability standpoint. Functionally, the pockets are great for chunkier items like power banks, but forget about smaller items—they’ll just slide out once the elastic loses tension. I wouldn’t trust it with larger bottles either, as the pocket feels like it could eventually sag enough to make the bag look like it’s growing ears. A real shame, as the rest of the bag feels bulletproof. 5. Build quality Excellent. It’s rigid, structured, and give you confidence it’ll protect your tech. Everything feels overbuilt in the best way. It’s also properly weather-resistant. Though, fair warning: the X-Pac material gets hot in direct sunlight—leave it in a sunbeam and it’ll roast your tech but that’s on you, not Aer. 6. Price It’s not cheap. But once you factor in the design, materials, build, and how much thought clearly went into the layout—it starts to feel like a bargain compared to the competition. You’re not just buying a bag. You’re buying peace of mind for your expensive tech and your lower back. 7. Pros a. Build quality b. Very durable – bag looks like new after 2 weeks of fairly tough use (except the water bottle pocket) c. Great laptop sleeve which fits multiple devices d. Comfortable to wear e. Handles are great (sounds odd but its genuinely handy) f. Surprisingly compact given internal space g. Great admin compartment layout h. Security tag pocket 8. Cons a. Water bottle pocket quality is poor b. Xpac zippers are quite stiff (some may find this to be a pro) c. Quick access pocket could be larger d. Luggage passthrough isn’t functional when packed out e. Front panel rigidity This bag is exactly what I hoped it would be: just right. The Goldilocks of tech-travel backpacks. It's not perfect—but the flaws are minor, and the positives are game-changing. I genuinely enjoy using it, and find myself showing it off like someone who’s just discovered pockets for the first time. Highly recommended if you carry a lot of gear and want something that balances structure, comfort, and function.
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