Troubadour Pioneer 3.0 Backpack

First off, Troubadour is a real London-based company. The Amazon listing (lots of keywords) made me think this was a cheap imitation brand but when the bag arrived, it was clear that this is not the case. My Pioneer was delivered well-packaged, in a large, branded cardboard box. The materials have a premium look and feel, with thick nylon and faux leather throughout and sealing zippers similar to those on my waterproof ski gear. The bag keeps its shape when empty and can sit on a floor or table when empty. I bought this bag as a "one small item" carry-on for business travel and tested it on a recent trip from SF to the UK, involving a business class flight and train travel. For this purpose, it proved absolutely perfect. I would give it 5 stars on the over-handle design alone (see pic below). I was able to slide it over my roller board bag handle with one hand while getting on and off the plane, and the Pioneer stays UPRIGHT, unlike my previous bag that slid over the handle horizontally. A surprise benefit was that it fit perfectly in the shelf found in business class pods. Because of the zipper design that allows the top to open like a flap, I could use the bag like a drawer for my laptop, electronics, and snacks. I pack light so I didn't use many of the internal slots and zippered compartments - just the laptop slot and the small zippered compartment on the lid. It also has a side pocket perfect for a water bottle, or in my case, a can of Coke Zero. I would remove half a star if possible for the internal nylon shoe compartment accessed from the bottom. I can't imagine someone (in the US anyway) wanting to bike commute with this bag, or bringing it to the gym for that matter as it's too nice/expensive. I personally can't think of another situation in which you would carry a second pair of shoes, so the nylon for the shoe compartment just wastes internal space. Also, the Amazon picture of shoes going in the bag makes it seem like the bag is tiny (it's not, as you can see below in relation to my shoes). Did they use size 14 shoes for the photo?! Maybe this is a useful feature for some, but for me the shoe compartment is a minor downside about which I completely forgot when using the bag. Overall, I love this bag and would classify it as a "luxury travel bag". I didn't feel silly wearing it with a suit jacket and I wasn't concerned with being caught in a suprise UK rain storm due to the sealed zippers and waterproofing. It's my new go-to bag for business travel, so I'll be able to update this review with an assessment of durability as I take more trips

Was looking for a really nice backpack that could do double duty for both work and also family travel. This backpack is awesome for both. It fits my 17 inch MacBook Pro no problem, and I really like that I can access it either from the side zip or through the inside of the backpack as well. There are a ton of pockets on the inside for organizing work things or kid things. And although I don’t typically carry around of pair of shoes, I really like the zipper access at the bottom to a separate compartment. I could see stashing a sweatshirt or the kids hoodies in there for easy access without getting all tangled up with the things inside the backpack. Also has standard stuff like water bottle pocket and sleeve for slipping over your roller bag handle. The material quality really fits with the price. The zippers are solid and the outer material seems like it will last through a lot of transport and tossing around. I really like that the zippers on the top for the main compartment have little loops so you can secure them together with a lock or even just a twist tie to slow down access in a crowd. And I really like that the structure means that it can stand up on its own without flopping all over even when nothing is in it. (It’s still squishable, not rigid or anything. Just stiff enough to stay upright) I’ve never spent this much on a backpack before, but the price actually matches with the quality and the features, so I’m excited about it.

I was looking for a backpack I could use to go to the office and also hold my gym clothes and shoes. I tried a few options and this one was an easy choice. It holds everything I need for work, shoulder straps are comfortable, even with a full load and best of all it has its own shoe compartment that keeps shoes and gym gear separated from your other stuff. I wear size 12 shoes and I’m able to fit shoes and a workout outfit in the shoe compartment. The main compartment has plenty of organizing options and the water bottle holder keeps my Yeti 20 oz easily. Also looks professional, I can wear this with a suit if needed.

I love the idea of this backpack. The bottom section for shoes is brilliant. Lots of pockets on the inside and I appreciate the slot on the back so you can slide it on top of your suitcase if you want. But the zippers are straight up BAD. And when it comes to luggage and backpacks, that is an unforgivable sin. Right out of the box, you notice the zippers do not slide easily. Annoying, but not a dealbreaker. But when a zipper breaks two months in, THAT is a problem -- especially when paying $300 for the product. I was willing to pay the premium because this checked all the boxes I was looking for and I assumed this would be a business backpack I'd use for a decade-plus. Beyond frustrating. Customer service says they will handle the cost of repairs but that doesn't change the reality that, for this price point, I'd much rather just have a full refund to apply toward a product that actually delivers on quality.

This is a great backpack. I’ve been using it especially for short business trips where it’s big enough to pack to easily hold a change of clothes , a nice pair of shoes, my laptop, and all the other little things I need for a one or two night stay. For the same reasons, I take it to work on days I’m also going to the gym. Really sturdy, lots of compartments, a place for my computer—-exactly what I needed.