Eagle Creek Cicada 28L Pack Review
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Wikipedia states that there are roughly 2,500 species of Cicada’s, they may just have to add one to their list with the birth of the Eagle Creek Cicada 28L. The Cicada pack series is a new line from Eagle Creek who specializes in travel packs After trying this pack out in a number activities, we found this pack to be most effective for those that commute to work via walk-bike-or public transport. Eagle Creek had the business class commuter in mind when designing this pack because it has pockets and organizational compartments for just about anything you would want to take with you to work. The Cicada has a padded laptop compartment along the rear of the bag to keep your 17 inch (or smaller) laptop safe from possible bumps and dings. The laptop sleeve does not run the entire length of the bag, rather the main compartment continues beyond the sleeve, which ensures that your laptop will not be the first point of impact during a fall. For the sporty types, the laptop compartment can be used as a hydration/bladder compartment. One downfall, the bladder cannot be suspended and slides to the bottom of your bag and their isn’t a specific hose outlet either. With that said, the Cicada line is geared for the commuter, yet may be used as a daypack when push meets shove or you are traveling light. To keep you laptop and other important items safe from the elements, the Cicada 28L has a nifty water resistant split wing cover that should keep things dry during most rain storms.
Many commuter bags that we have tested in the past have been a little cramped at times when trying to fit a change of clothes for a trip to the gym, a lunch bag, and a few documents. With the Cicada 28L, there is no problem what-so-ever when packing for your busy day. Items we often packed in the Cicada 28L included our beloved laptop, shoes, business attire, document folder, lunch, cell phone, mP3 player, and other small essentials. For those of you that like your digital toys, the Cicada 28L has three fleece lined pockets: one for your digital camera, one for your smart phone, and a larger elongated pocket for your sunglasses.
Additional pack details that deserve some attention includes the adjustable frame sheet that you can contour to your personal preferences, a hard rubber top hold for lugging around, two stretch mesh water bottle holders, an abrasion resistant bottom, and a hip belt that you can easily tuck away when not in use. If we could change one thing on this pack, it would probably be the price. Outside of the price tag, we found the Cicada 28L to be a great option for all the eco-friendly commuters out there. For more information on the Cicada 28L and other Eagle Creek products, please visit backcountry.com/eaglecreek or www.amazon.com/eaglecreek.
