Review – The word “Dux” is an Australian slang term that means “best in class”. This is where STM Goods’ new backpack gets its name. The Dux backpack is full of skills and innovations, designed to make it a high-quality business or travel backpack. Does the design match the name? Let us find out. To review!
What is it?
This is a 30 liter Backpack Designed for maximum protection of your equipment and flexible internal configuration…well, whatever you can think of.
What’s in the box?
You will get a backpack and an extra equipment bag that can be used to store extra items.
Hardware specifications
- 20 inches by 13 inches by 9.5 inches
- 3.92 lb
- EVA foam back panel
- Baggage passing
- 30 liter capacity
- Holds up to 17-inch laptops, including 16-inch MacBook Pro
Design and features
The 30-liter Dux backpack is a chunky boy and measures 20 inches x 13 inches x 9.5 inches deep. But the look in his eyes was not at all embarrassing. STM Goods has done a good job of incorporating clean lines and modern style into office design. My test sample is a gray/black combination, which is more slate blue in my opinion.
Dux backpacks are also designed to provide maximum protection from all angles. The foam backing board protects the sides and back of the bag. Even the side pockets are padded! All these sturdy pads provide extraordinary protection for your gear, and the structured frame feels like a hard shell (if not).
The boots of the bag have hard, impact-resistant foam padding to protect your gear from drops and puddles. The back panel uses the same material in the thick pad, which contains ventilation channels. The lower lumbar cushion is cleverly built around a single component that can be used as a luggage aisle for airport operations.
Your laptop/tablet area is a separate compartment behind the back panel and can be accessed via a double zipper, which is located approximately 2/3 on both sides of the bag for easy access. This area has a laptop sleeve, a tablet sleeve, and an extra space in between, all of which are filled and lined with cute plush fabrics to take care of your valuables.
I can put my 16-inch MacBook Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (including Magic Keyboard) in that space to provide enough space for another device or laptop. Please note that special laptop and tablet cases are suspended at the bottom of the bag to provide impact protection, but the space in between extends to the bottom of the bag.
The main compartment of this bag uses a very interesting access and organization system. You have two side panels, you can pull the entire length of the bag and open like wings. With these panels open, you have full access to every square inch of the main compartment.
You will also find two removable/removable horizontal dividers, which are fastened to the front and back of the bag with velcro, allowing you to customize the main compartment as a sub-compartment, such as a set of shelves.
In this design, organizational spaces abound. The zipper on the front of the bag opens the folding panel. There is a loose button that opens to reveal two mesh zipper pockets.
This compartment also includes another pocket and key chain on the back wall. The remaining open space is large enough to quickly access items such as sunglasses, wallets, and snacks.
This is the next tricky point: you can unlock the floor of this space and snap it to the back panel to access the main compartment. Now you have a traditional top loading bag, and the entire main compartment is open for your gear. If you feel it, you can completely remove these shelves for this purpose.
The side flap not only has pockets on the inside (see picture above), but also has expandable water bottle/umbrella pockets on the outside. These pockets can be placed next to your body when not in use, and you can even take away my large 28-ounce Yeti hydration bottle by opening the zipper.
There is also a hidden deep pocket that can be zipped behind the top handle.
You will get a comprehensive set of safety belts, including low-profile padded shoulder straps, a built-in chest strap, and a pair of neoprene elastic rings for temporary fixation of objects (such as mobile phones) when you need to free your hands.
You can also get an extra storage bag at the time of purchase. This bag-in-bag fits perfectly to the trunk of the main compartment and matches the choice of outer fabric. This bag is also padded to match the construction quality of the rest of the bag.
The overall structural quality of the STM Goods Dux backpack is excellent. This bag is not light (3.92 pounds), nor cheap (retail price is about $250). But the structure, materials and attention to details of finishing are in line with the price. I couldn’t find a detail, they chose fragile fabrics, cheap hardware or rough finishes. Really, really good.
Performance
The STM Goods Dux backpack is designed to be a mobile fortress of your equipment. Indestructible protection, days of organization, and customizable interior make this beast ready for all your loads and tasks. The carrying system is surprisingly streamlined, but still comfortable when commuting.
The protection provided by this bag is excellent. Every angle—top, bottom, sides, and inside—is padded to protect your precious electronic products. Waterproof fabric, sealed external zippers and thick rubber boots add weather protection to the top of the cushion. I think I can use this thing as a sandbag, and my equipment will laugh at me.
One of the really thoughtful aspects of the design is the “outisde-in” regional organization it presents, which is particularly useful for travel and long-distance commuting. Your small storage bag is located on the inside of the side wings or is easily accessible through the top entry compartment, allowing you to quickly access small items (keys, pens, headphones, snacks, sunglasses, medicine) without disturbing the main storage area. There is a hidden pocket on the back panel to store security items such as wallets or passports. This does not include external pockets for hydration bottles or umbrellas.
The laptop/tablet area reflects this theme by allowing easy access to the device without disturbing anything else in the package. The large pockets in this space means that if you have to jump up and run to catch the train, you don’t have to struggle to get in and out of your computing device. The laptop/tablet entrance is located behind the carrying device, so you don’t have to use the shoulder strap to get your goodies. I like this very much.
The main compartment area is great. No need to dive your elbows deep into the bag to catch what you need. The detachable shelving system allows you to subdivide the space into horizontal areas to organize all items, and use the wings to quickly get items.
The structured framework of the package provides you with a huge capacity. This is everything I prepared for the office boxing. You are looking at my 16-inch MacBook Pro, my iPad, my coffee utensils, my lunch box, a rolled up jacket, my 28 oz Yeti, an umbrella, my Jabra headphones, and all kinds of daily necessities , There is more room.
The included gear bag swallowed all my cables, power blocks, and adapters. It is big enough, I only need a storage bag to hold these good things.
The organizer type will like the STM Goods Dux backpack. Everything has a place, just open a zipper and you can reach every corner of the bag. In addition to a pile of well-designed pockets and pouches in the entire bag, this internal shelving system also provides you with a variety of customizations to meet your needs.
Minimalists may not like this bag. It is large and strong, making it ideal for users who carry a lot of things. Size is a key compromise for the advantages of all these features.
what do I like
- First-class construction and materials
- Professional appearance is clean and tidy, despite the large size
- Excellent pocket/compartment organization
- The combination of side channels and shelving is perfect for maximizing the main compartment
Areas for improvement
- This is a big package for big jobs, not for minimalists
Final thoughts
The STM Goods Dux backpack provides many outstanding design ideas with extremely practical, flexible and durable packaging. Every time I go out with this bag, I find myself discovering some extra details. This is a big package, but the layout and design have been optimized for performance. If you need to carry a lot of equipment during your commute, you will love this bag.
Price: $249.95
Where to buy: STM goods with Amazon
source: The sample of this product is made by STM goods.
