Apex 3.0 Laptop Backpack (Previous Generation) | Charcoal Black

I’ve been waiting to write this review until I had a few weeks with this backpack. Coming from an old but good messenger bag (Tumi), this has been such an improvement. It is light and functional but very stylish. Pockets are well designed - obviously when you move to a new bag you rethink your packing approach and I did. Bag will stand on its own if properly balanced- once in the office this isn’t the case with the computer and other things out of it but I can either rebalance or gently lean it against something. Straps needed to be adjusted for comfort and fit - I found wearing it too high caused bouncing on my lower back but I now have it resting against my belt buckle and it’s perfect. In the winter, this won’t matter as much with a jacket on. All in all, very impressed by the product. Troubadour knows what they are doing with design and functionality. (And not that it means anything, but it came in its own box that made it feel like a special, upscale item.). Worth the $. I’m sold. (Of course, I hope it holds up over the years but I see no reason why it won’t!)

I’ve been using the Apex Backpack, and it’s fantastic. The design is understated and professional while also very functional, so it's been great for my work and travel. My MacBook Pro slides easily into the padded laptop compartment, and there’s still plenty of room for pretty much everything else I need on a short trip. The waterproof fabric feels durable, and I like that it's made from recycled materials. The shoulder straps and breathable back panel make it comfortable to wear even after a long day. I’m 5’ 3” and it fits me well. It’s both stylish (I have the Airforce blue color - nice to have a non-black bag!) and practical and I recommend it.

I have been lugging around my laptop, work gear, and odds & ends in a clunky, shapeless shoulder bag for years. I finally decided I deserved an upgrade and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the Apex 3.0. This bag has a surprisingly large capacity, yet is sleek and comfortable. It is made of super high quality materials that have kept their shape and color despite me using this day in, day out. My kids spilled a smoothie on the outside and it wiped right off, and the bag still looks great. I love the phone pocket on the shoulder strap, and can stash away my small stuff (watch, cash, AirPods) in any of the small secure internal pockets. I would absolutely buy this again (although I don’t think I’ll need to since it seems to last forever…). Get yourself an Apex 3.0! You won’t be disappointed.

I bought this backpack for work wanting to downsize from a 35 liter pack that I had been using for over a year. I ordered this pack for the looks/size and have been somewhat pleased in the 5+ months I’ve used it daily. Pros - looks good and I get lots of compliments. It keeps its shape and has some nice features for being small smaller pack. It rides well on my travel suitcase and the storage organization in the main compartment is good. Cons - having a second zipper on the laptop compartment was completely overlooked when this thing was designed. Honestly, this is the only thing keeping it from 5 stars but having the 1 zipper can sometimes lead to an awkwardness of opening it up or closing it when the pack is nearly full. The color also seems to be fading over time and it’s not as “blue” as it was when it was brand new. All in all if you’re looking for a professional looking backpack and willing to spend $200+ this is a good option for a daily commute.

I love this backpack! It has an executive level finish and looks much tidier than other backpacks. It fits well and for me, has plenty of storage. It seems to be well constructed and the zippers are definitely higher end. Expensive but worth it so far

So. Genuinely love this bag, style and all. But am disappointed that less than a year into use I’m getting peeling around the handles when I really don’t even use them much. It appears that instead of a stitch they went with a cheap adhesive here.

I LOVE this backpack. Definitely worth the price. It is completely waterproof, which is excellent for me as a student who commutes, sometimes in the rain. It feels lightweight and durable, looks professional. And there’s so many little sneaky compartments for all my trinkets! Makes me feel like I’m on a mission. My laptop always feels safe and protected. My one gripe is that the water bottle pockets are sometimes too loose and my water bottle (which is admittedly large) falls out of them.

I'm a educator/business professional and have always used backpacks for my daily packing needs - journal, portfolio, laptop, chargers, etc. Although I make a decent living, I'm a pretty frugal person, so a backpack like this is not something I ever would have purchased in the past - $50-100 is the most I ever would have spent (only once did I spend more than $50). I decided, however, to step out of my comfort zone and buy a truly professional, well-made, hopefully-long-lasting backpack this time. I researched and viewed many backpacks, but always came back to the Troubadour Apex 3.0. Something about it caught my eye the first time I saw it/read about it and nothing else quite ever matched up to it as I continued to research - so I went out on a limb and bought it. I haven't had it long as of this review, but I can say unequivocally that I am 100% happy with my purchase. I fits every need I have in a work/professional backpack in regards to what I need to carry on a daily basis - plus it looks beautiful and seems to be made extremely well. I have looked at Troubadour's lineup of bags and wish I could afford to buy a bunch more - but I'm a cheapo, so idk, haha. Praying to continue loving this for years to come!

It looks quite good. I like how it is organized with the laptop compartments and handy-dandy compartments in the main section, but the sleeve adjustment system is so bad. Every time you take it with you, you realize that you have to adjust those since they moved for no reason whatsoever and it is actually quite difficult to do so. If it weren't for that system, I would give it a 5, but carrying it around and having to adjust it all the time in such an inconvenient way when other backpacks have a much better system is a killer.

A really beautiful bag. I love its color. It could be bigger. Straps are not easy to set and go out of calibration. But I love it.

Compré esta mochila para salir de viaje, me ha funcionado muchísimo porque es impermeable, tiene muchísimos compartimentos y algunos de ellos son secretos, muy buena calidad de materiales y el diseño me encantó!

Received my Troubadour Apex promptly and am impressed with the appearance and utility. I have used Wenger packs for the last 15 years or so, which have generally served me well. However, as the last one reached the end of its life I was looking for an alternative that offered more style and was also more sustainable/well-founded ethically. A friend recommended Troubadour so I checked them out. I like the fact the company has B-corp status and appreciate the five-year guarantee. The pack is stylish and has many well-considered touches: I love the closing zip covers, which will keep moisture and dirt out and the water bottle gusset compartments. They are expandable and so don’t spoil the lines of the pack and are formed from the same fabric as the main body so don’t appear as ‘add-ons’. My last pack had no bottle pouches, so these are great. The design-aesthetic is impressive and the pack is comfortable to wear. The inside compartments are well-designed and numerous. Yes, this bag is more expensive but it is an altogether more stylish and pleasing object to own. The guarantee offered and the neat brand touches add to the feeling of care and attention that really appeals to me as a consumer. I am very pleased with the purchase and am glad I switched away from the larger more established brand I had been using until now. I expect this pack to last and so have every confidence that the extra outlay initially will pay dividends both financially and in terms of removing the need to buy another bag in 2-3 years’ time. Highly recommended.

This bag is strong and is amazing quality. It is also ideal for travelling as it's the perfect size for airplanes. It is versatile because of the luggage sleeve, efficient for attaching to a suitcase. The inside compartments are very handy for all your items as well as the shoulder-strap compartment for easy access. It is also very comfortable to wear because of the padding on the straps, and it is waterproof which is amazing. Definitely recommend.