Gear Review: Wilderness Technology District Rucksack
Value Rating: 9
Durability Rating: 10
Overall Rating: 10
Duration of Test: 4 Months
Product Name: District Rucksack
Product Brand: Wilderness Technology
Best Use: Daily Commute, Short Day Trips
Size: 20-liter Rucksack
The Full Review:
The District Rucksack is a day tripper’s dream. It’s the prime choice for weekend warriors, who aren’t into doing serious miles on trail, but just enough to get to that perfect Instagram photo op.
With two main compartments, one zippered compartment with a laptop sleeve and a roll top compartment secured with a cinch and clip strap. The roll top compartment does have a side access zipper which is very convenient.
There’s back padding, the straps are adjustable, and the branding is very subtle with the leather patch which matches the style of the backpack. There is a strap across the shoulders to keep the straps on your inner shoulders, and not wandering.
There are 3 exterior pockets, two symmetrical zippered pockets, and one open deep pocket. The open exterior pocket includes a separator, 3 pencil holder pockets, and one smaller mesh zippered pocket. This is coming in at one of my favorite backpacks for organization.
I am an artist, motorcyclist and wannabe photographer. So, I need my backpacks to handle a laptop, sketchbooks (plural), my pencil bag, a tripod, my camera, extra lenses, watercolors, charging packs and more. All while not murdering my shoulders on the 1.5-3 mile loop it takes to get to that sweet Instagram spot. This backpack has passed these tests with flying colors.
I’ve been mainly using it as my commuter backpack between home and work, and short day/half day trips on and off the bike. I couldn’t ask for a better commuter backpack, fits all of my normal kit, in addition to work snacks and a thermos of tea. As a day tripper backpack, it’s stylish and looks great in photos, and makes my camera easy to access for fast shots.
The Good
-It is compact but can pack a lot more than you think. I love that it keeps its slick shape even when packed to the brim. No distorted silhouette here.
-The two zippered exterior pockets fit my watercolor palette, tea, and stickers perfectly.
-Love love love the easy access zipper on the roll top compartment. This means I don’t have to unclip, unroll and dig through that compartment. If what I want is in the bottom, I can just unzip the side reach in and grab what I want easy peasy. By far one of my favorite features of this backpack.
-The roll top allows you to over-stuff when you end up with those little extra things that you didn’t plan on. It does look a little silly, but you’ve got the extra space when you need it.
-The back padding has a space in the center to allow airflow but also is a great buffer between your back and whatever is stuffed inside your backpack. It’s a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be.
The Bad:
-When the roll top compartment is full of stuff it can be difficult to access the deeper exterior pocket.
-With no hip belt, after a mile or two, if you’ve got a laptop and camera equipment packed that weight will start to weigh on your shoulders. Especially riding a motorcycle.
-I kind of wish there was a mesh pocket on the side for a water bottle so I wouldn’t have to worry about it smashing stuff in the main compartment, or taking up extra space inside.
-I wish that the access zipper was on the other side of the bag (my left when the I’m wearing it). I am a right-handed person, so when I want to swing the bag around to access the bag I swing it on the left. But the access zipper is on the right. Maybe it would be cool to pick left or right-hand zipper like sleeping bags?
The Bottom Line:
This is my favorite commuting backpack. It’s also the backpack that I pack into my suitcase when I’m traveling, so I have an on-the-go bag that has support (unlike other ‘stoable’ bags).
Do I recommend this bag for serious backpacking? No.
Do I recommend this bag for short hikes under 3 miles? Yes.
This is a bag for casual creators who don’t need the serious space for giant DSLRs, but wanna take a sketchbook, maybe a mirrorless or point and shoot camera, and some snacks and extras.
The Full Review:
The District Rucksack is a day tripper’s dream. It’s the prime choice for weekend warriors, who aren’t into doing serious miles on trail, but just enough to get to that perfect Instagram photo op.
With two main compartments, one zippered compartment with a laptop sleeve and a roll top compartment secured with a cinch and clip strap. The roll top compartment does have a side access zipper which is very convenient.
There’s back padding, the straps are adjustable, and the branding is very subtle with the leather patch which matches the style of the backpack. There is a strap across the shoulders to keep the straps on your inner shoulders, and not wandering.
There are 3 exterior pockets, two symmetrical zippered pockets, and one open deep pocket. The open exterior pocket includes a separator, 3 pencil holder pockets, and one smaller mesh zippered pocket. This is coming in at one of my favorite backpacks for organization.
I am an artist, motorcyclist and wannabe photographer. So, I need my backpacks to handle a laptop, sketchbooks (plural), my pencil bag, a tripod, my camera, extra lenses, watercolors, charging packs and more. All while not murdering my shoulders on the 1.5-3 mile loop it takes to get to that sweet Instagram spot. This backpack has passed these tests with flying colors.
I’ve been mainly using it as my commuter backpack between home and work, and short day/half day trips on and off the bike. I couldn’t ask for a better commuter backpack, fits all of my normal kit, in addition to work snacks and a thermos of tea. As a day tripper backpack, it’s stylish and looks great in photos, and makes my camera easy to access for fast shots.
The Good
-It is compact but can pack a lot more than you think. I love that it keeps its slick shape even when packed to the brim. No distorted silhouette here.
-The two zippered exterior pockets fit my watercolor palette, tea, and stickers perfectly.
-Love love love the easy access zipper on the roll top compartment. This means I don’t have to unclip, unroll and dig through that compartment. If what I want is in the bottom, I can just unzip the side reach in and grab what I want easy peasy. By far one of my favorite features of this backpack.
-The roll top allows you to over-stuff when you end up with those little extra things that you didn’t plan on. It does look a little silly, but you’ve got the extra space when you need it.
-The back padding has a space in the center to allow airflow but also is a great buffer between your back and whatever is stuffed inside your backpack. It’s a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be.
The Bad:
-When the roll top compartment is full of stuff it can be difficult to access the deeper exterior pocket.
-With no hip belt, after a mile or two, if you’ve got a laptop and camera equipment packed that weight will start to weigh on your shoulders. Especially riding a motorcycle.
-I kind of wish there was a mesh pocket on the side for a water bottle so I wouldn’t have to worry about it smashing stuff in the main compartment, or taking up extra space inside.
-I wish that the access zipper was on the other side of the bag (my left when the I’m wearing it). I am a right-handed person, so when I want to swing the bag around to access the bag I swing it on the left. But the access zipper is on the right. Maybe it would be cool to pick left or right-hand zipper like sleeping bags?
The Bottom Line:
This is my favorite commuting backpack. It’s also the backpack that I pack into my suitcase when I’m traveling, so I have an on-the-go bag that has support (unlike other ‘stoable’ bags).
Do I recommend this bag for serious backpacking? No.
Do I recommend this bag for short hikes under 3 miles? Yes.
This is a bag for casual creators who don’t need the serious space for giant DSLRs, but wanna take a sketchbook, maybe a mirrorless or point and shoot camera, and some snacks and extras.