When it comes to keeping your devices safe on the go, most of us try to find the best backpack while traveling. There are a few different aspects that go into this search – comfortability, pockets, space, and price.
With many different options available on the market, it can be a bit difficult to stand out from the crowd, but that’s exactly what STM attempted to do with its Kings backpack. Before jumping any further, I would like to make note of my familiarity with STM Bags.
As I have been a writer for the better part of 10 years now (wow, has it really been that long), I had the pleasure of being able to check out various STM offerings. I made my decision and had been using a now-discontinued STM product for the last 3 or 4 years. Unfortunately, that bag met its demise and I was thrust into the search for a new option.
Considering that I had used STM for so long, I wanted to see what the market looked like, and the results weren’t too great. There were bags that offered everything that I wanted, but not for at the price tag. Then there were other options which seemingly wanted to overcharge for nothing more than just a one or two pocket bag. Nope.
After wrestling around for a few weeks trying to find a replacement, I decided to check out the STM website and noticed the company’s latest offering. The STM Kings bag seemingly had everything I wanted, as well as a few extras.
Starting with the barebones, the Kings offers a total of 12 different pockets for your various devices. You’ll be able to get an idea as to how durable the Kings bag is as soon as you hold it. The outer shell has a canvas feel to it, which may remind you of something that would be used by someone going on a trek in the woods.
This may sound like some overkill, but when you use a backpack as frequently as I do, you’ll come to appreciate the small things. But the zippers…the zippers are amazing. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve had zippers get stuck or broke or whatever during even heavy usage, and that has not been the case here.
It’s no secret that the most important part of a bag is protection. STM knocks this one out of the park with its new SlingTech protection. What this means is that instead of your laptop resting against the bottom of the bag, it’s actually suspended with a “gapless corner” below.
This allows you to put your bag on the ground, and not have to worry about your laptop, tablet, or anything else from banging against the floor. Plus, in the off chance that you put your bag down a little too hard, STM has included some extra padding to help keep your belongings safe from disaster.
The second most important part of a backpack is how comfortable it is to carry on your shoulders all day. STM definitely doesn’t disappoint here, as the Kings bag features “breathable Airmesh fabric” which helps to ensure that your back and shoulders won’t get sweaty. As you would expect, the arm straps are padded and don’t cause any issues from rubbing.
As for the aforementioned pockets, there are two smaller side pockets, which can be used for an array of products. On the front, there are also two pockets – one smaller pocket at the top and another pocket with the zipper facing off to the right.
This larger pocket won’t house anything of value but will be able to hold up to two books before it starts to get cramped. There is also a smaller pocket within, which you can throw some odds and ends into for safe keeping.
Moving onto the bigger pockets, STM really thought ahead when it came to the Kings. The pocket that rests against your back no longer houses your laptop of choice. Instead, there are two pockets which allow for you to slide your tablets or thin notebooks into. These are also big enough to house an iPad Air 2 with a case on, and I won’t feel anything pushing against my back.
Now for the mac daddy of the King’s pockets. This pocket will be the home for your laptop, with a pocket large enough for a 15-inch laptop. The bag is also deep enough where you can put an array of other items in it. For example, I was able to put my laptop, Nintendo Switch in its hard-shell case, laptop charger, portable charger, and the included “Stash” bag.
Speaking of the Stash bag, this is an included bag that attaches to the inside of the main pocket. This included pouch is large enough that I was able to stick an array of charging cables, pens, and even the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Grip, into it.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. If you look at the inside of this main pocket, you may notice some orange holsters on that follow alongside the edges of the pocket. Following this trail down to the bottom of the bag, you’ll notice a smaller bag nestled against the left side.
This pocket is designed to house your portable charger, making it easy for you to charge your mobile devices. Hell, if you’re fancy enough to have one of those new MacBook Pro’s, you could even charge your laptop on the go without ever having to worry about running out of juice when it’s time to leave.
This is an extremely convenient feature to add to your bag, especially when you think about how many devices we carry with us. This will be an excellent way to keep everything charged, so that when it’s time to get to work, you can do so.
Finally, there is another small pocket on the outer shell, which is actually lined with fleece and can hold up to 2 pairs of sunglasses. However, I’ve been using it to carry my spare smartphone or MX Master mouse when I’m on the go.
If I’m 100% honest, I absolutely am in love with this bag. There is only ONE qualm that I’ve had with it, and it’s the fact that there’s no quick-access pocket for a water bottle. This isn’t enough to make me go crazy, but it’s just something to consider.
All-in-all, STM really hit a home run with its latest offering, the Kings. The bag has pockets for just about everything you can imagine, while also making sure that all of your valuables are protected from the outside elements.
You can grab the STM Kings backpack from either the STM Goods website or Amazon for $149.95. Let us know what you think about this bag and if you could see yourself using it.