18M, entering uni soon and looking to replace the Osprey kids' pack that I've been using for the past 9 years.
I'd like a backpack that's able to carry a 14 inch laptop, a textbook or two, a jacket, an umbrella, a water bottle... A laptop pocket and side pouches for water bottles are preferable but not a must.
Budget approx. 500-700 HKD (64-90 USD). Looking into getting a Jansport Right Pack (with the reinforced bottom), but I'd like to hear your recommendations.
Totally outside your budget indicated, but I find the go ruck bags to be extremely stable. Buy once for life type of bags.
That being said I would recommend any bag where the designer removes the metal zippers so they don't jingle and instead uses paracord or something else quiet. And not the bags were they wrap the paracord inside of the metal zipper because those still jingle. It's just my mental litmus test to tell if the designer actually cares about the use of the bag, or if they only care about the looks of the bag for selling it. So far every time I've seen a bag without metal jingly zippers it's been a well designed and well put together bag, you can tell somebody cared and loved for that design
My dad has a goruck, it's taken quite a beating (he actually goes rucking unlike me) but is still very much intact. Wouldn't get one at the moment but they are a reliable brand!
I fully agree with you about the zippers. That jingly shit is annoying as hell. My Osprey pack has the cord type of zipper but with plastic zipper pulls on the end of the paracord, which unfortunately have all broken in half lmao.