I I’ve had a bit of a bag obsession since grade school. I really wanted a Jansport backpack. The one I bought was a generic one that was on sale at a local sporting goods store and it was almost the same as the Jansport but not quite. The issue wasn’t the brand, I didn’t care who made it, the issue was the build quality. The zippers on the generic one stuck. The back pockets weren’t that big.
Since then, I’ve become obsessed with quality bags and backpacks, and it’s been worth it. A good day bag or backpack is an investment. My Lowe Alpine backpack lasted over 20 years. I sold my Belstaff shoulder bag after 20 years for more than I paid for it.
This rarefied category of luxury bags worth owning is currently dominated, in my opinion, by GoRuck, Mystery Ranch, Mountainsmith, and newer entrant Evergoods. The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L Backpack was the only bag I carried on a series of trips this spring.
GORUCK TRADISCIPLINE
Maybe you like the GoRuck GR1’s (7/10, WIRED Review) rugged manufacturing, sturdy construction, and waistbelt-less design, but aren’t a fan of its “tactical” style or molle webbing? That’s where Evergoods comes in. Co-founded by a former GoRuck product manager and a former Patagonia R&D designer, Evergoods is exactly what its two pedigrees suggest: military-inspired rugged construction and durability combined with an outdoor-meets-commuter design aesthetic. Add in the fact that it’s made in the USA (in Bozeman, Montana) using an eco-friendly solution-dye process on its black fabric, and you have a bag worth considering.
The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L has a very clean, minimalist look. However, the design belies a lot of organization options, some of which are so subtle that I didn’t notice them until writing this review (like the pen loops on the front panel pocket). I actually like this; I’m not a fan of bags with dozens of clanking zippers or endless pockets adorning the outside.
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
As the name suggests, this is a 24 liter bag. It weighs 3.1 pounds (1.4 kilograms), which is on the heavy side for a bag of this size (18 x 7 x 11.5 inches). This weight is due to the heavy-duty 840d ballistic nylon and aluminum stays custom made by Evergood that are water repellent (but note that they are not fully waterproof). These are all technical features of the bag. In other words, it is well made, but on the heavy side. The only downside is that if you live in a rainy area such as the Pacific Northwest, you will need to carry some sort of rain cover with you.
One interesting thing about the CPL24 is that it’s designed to work both as a backpack (portrait) and landscape (also known as briefcase mode). It has handles on the top and on the side so you can carry it whichever way you like. The side handles are great for going through airports. What’s remarkable about this design is that it works really well no matter which way you carry it.
Organizational genius
What I like about the Civic Panel Loader 24 (CPL24 for short) is the huge main compartment that opens completely on three sides (with zipper counter pull tabs on both ends). This design makes the CPL24 easy to load and unload like a suitcase. The interior is lined with light grey 420d HT nylon, making it easy to see what’s inside.
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
