Ekster Grid Backpack is the backpack for technology enthusiasts

Many companies are trying to crack the design of backpacks, especially for gadget lovers who tend to invest a little more in their backpack with which they come to work every day or take on flights. The variety of backpacks on the market is huge and ranges in a wide price range. Ekster is a Dutch company founded less than a decade ago. It was founded with the goal of developing a wallet that would fit the 21st century, but has expanded its range of products to include bags, whether travel bags or a laptop sleeve. The Grid Backpack is a bag developed as a solution for everyday use and as a bag suitable for carrying equipment such as a camera and a laptop, along with space for clothing.

Grid Backpack - opens like a suitcase, designed like a backpack:

Ekster designed the Grid to look like a suitcase, it is slightly rectangular on the sides, it knows how to stand firmly on the floor and it includes straps that cross it in every direction. It's a slightly unconventional design for a backpack, but it has an elegant look and I quickly grew fond of it. The weight of the bag is 1.2 kg, which is quite a lot, but somehow the distribution of the weight makes it feel less. It is also waterproof, so there is no problem walking around with it in the rain, this is in addition to the zippers that feel high quality and keep water out.

The back of the bag is well padded, including the straps, it is made of a material called Air Mesh for ventilation, but even if you carry it for a long time on your back you cannot avoid sweating. There is also support for the lower back, so generally when I carried it around to meetings and on a long flight, the feeling on the back was good.

For flights, Ekster has integrated a tight strap on the back, which allows you to store the bag on the trolley or on the suitcase in the part of the handle. The bag itself sits on the side, and not horizontally like other bags. This is not a problem, but it is worth noting. The opening of the central compartment is done like any bag from the top, but it also knows how to open 180 degrees, so the whole bag is open and can be easily arranged like a suitcase.

Grid Backpack - buckles for additional external storage

In the front part of the bag there are two buckles that integrate with the designed straps of the bag, to which you can attach an Ekster accessory - a compact carrying bag for chargers and cables - Tech Case (more detail below). This bag actually hangs securely on the Grid on its exterior and thus takes up no space in the interior compartment. Buckles with security straps can also be found on both outer sides of the bag, for storing a towel, a tripod or even a yoga mat. You can also find an elastic storage compartment for a drinking bottle on the outside.

The back of the bag hides a padded compartment for a laptop up to a screen size of 16 inches. This compartment can be opened and quickly retrieved. Also, at the top of this compartment is a magnetic compartment with soft padding for a smartphone or sunglasses. The padding here is supposed to protect screens/glasses from scratches and it includes another small zippered compartment for storing really small items, like AirTag/SmartTag.

Grid Backpack - padded compartment for a tablet:

The interior compartment, which includes a lot of space, includes a separate padded compartment for a tablet, two pockets suitable for storing charging cables, chargers, portable batteries or other items. In addition, there are two more pockets with zippers that include plenty of space for storing additional accessories. The very fact that the compartment opens 180 degrees, it allows you to easily store a DSLR camera and retrieve it when needed.

On the side of the bag in the back area there is a small adjacent compartment designed for a wallet, money or smartphone. This is a cell that should protect important objects from theft, when the Grid is on the back. This compartment also includes RFID blocking, which is supposed to protect against wireless theft of credit card information.

Tech Case - a case for storing chargers and cables:

Ekster also offers the Tech Case. This is a case sold as an additional accessory and it comes in the same design as the Grid. It also opens 180 degrees for convenient gadget storage. It is protected from rain and weighs 278 grams. The holster is lined with high density foam, which should protect the objects stored in it from the holster falling on the floor. It has two expandable pockets for storing cables or chargers and two more elastic straps for storing additional cables, a headphone case like AirPods and a compact portable battery. Another compartment includes a place suitable for a portable battery.

Price: NIS 855 ($225) for the Grid and NIS 230 ($60) for the Tech Case.

Bottom line, the Grid Backpack felt a little big for my personal daily use to the office, but those who take a little more things with them than a laptop, an electronic notebook (reMarkable 2), a reusable bottle and other small items, will be happy with the large storage space, along with lots of padded compartments . For travel and hiking, this is a great bag, it looks good, sits firmly on the back, attaches easily to a suitcase, is rain resistant and has buckles for external attachment of a tripod or towel.