I just got back from a whirlwind trip in New York City where I traversed the city by foot, taxi, and subway, ate in some of the best restaurants, and cheered some 40,000 participants in the New York City marathon as they passed the 26 mile mark. With me on the trip from the West Coast was the Cote et Ciel Rucksack. If you recall from my preview, I was really stoked on the features of the pack when it arrived, but what I really wanted to see was how it would perform in the field. Click through to read the full review…
Highlights
Hardware - I will try not to reiterate too much from the preview, but I have to say that the hardware Cote et Ciel chose for the rucksack was top notch. You often don’t see an intersection of good design with real-world practicality but this is exactly what they were able to accomplish. For example, instead of the nylon webbing material that is found on 99% of all backpacks, they went with a durable but soft-to-the touch fabric for the straps. Due of their inherently smoother texture, they easily slide through the rings but were still grippy enough to lock securely.
The buckles performed great and deserve another mention. They are a special pivot type I’ve never seen before and the extra ~50 degrees of movement it gives allows for a level of freedom you did not realize you needed until you’ve used the rucksack.
The zippers are top notch with large pull-tabs, complete with curved sections and r0unded edges. They are large size coils, which were continually tested by my overzealous stuffing of the main compartment.
The top handle is a welcomed addition and in my opinion, a must have for any daily-use backpack or messenger bag. Designs that omit this feature (presumably in the interest of aesthetics) are really hurting the user. The handle on the Cote et Ciel rucksack is thick and double stitched. It feels like it can support a ton.
Design – It really is a great looking bag (and pretty original too). I have not seen anything like it. The lines are organic and not industrial looking but at the same time, it’s not a art-school project. It shows evidence of an eye towards usability.
Durability – I was not friendly to this bag. I used it as my secondary carry-on which meant it was stuffed under the seat in front of me on both a regional jet and a commercial airliner. I also stuffed it to the brim (more on this later) and often stepped on the sides as I struggled to find a place for my feet in all too familiar cramped legroom of economy class [Ed note: This is one of the reasons why we avoid hardcase carry-ons!]. I also walked through rain and heavy wind with the bag on and it still looks brand new.
Organization - I have a lot of stuff. I really mean it. A lot. I was glad for all the compartments in the bag. Let’s list them off – main compartment, long zippered bag in main, small zippered bag in main, laptop/iPad compartment, 4 webbed compartments, magazine/document sleeve, and another long zippered compartment running the width in the rear. I carried: scarf, gloves, pens, Moleskine, Doane Paper notepad, Canon Elph, Panasonic LX3, Canon SLR and 2 lens all in a camera bag, Microsoft Zune HD, USB flash drive, Kindle, 2 magazines, airline boarding passes, Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10, keys, and a handful of other miscellaneous items. Most of the smaller items were placed in the rear laptop section and their compartmentalization really kept things organized and easy to fetch.
——
Lowlights
Straps - I know what you’re thinking. I just mentioned how awesome the straps were on top and now I am dissing them? Well hear me out, please. Because the pack is worn vertically, depending on what you are storing in the center compartment, the dual straps may not really be effective. I tried strapping down a fleece jacket and as soon as I turned the bag upright, it just slide through both straps and hunkered down on the bottom. I suspect anything heavier or more rigid than clothing would also make it past the grips. Perhaps one improvement could be thin rubberized lines applied to the bottom of the strap. This is a minor point since one could just avoid using the straps all together.
Rear Panel - I suspected this would be an issue with my preview and in my use it’s definitely a problem. Due to a combination of the semi-rigid top area of the back straps plus a small stuff “hood” at the top of the rucksack, it is very cumbersome to open and close the rear panel. Since most of my things were stored in the rear, this meant struggling to open and close it half a dozen times during the cross-country flight. I actually dreaded each time I had to take out my Kindle or put away a pair of headphones. In practice, we are not talking about a huge amount of time lost (seconds), but it is fairly frustrating. When you reach for a bag and want to unzip it, you want one smooth motion, not to be interrupted by snags or awkward routing.
Update: Cote et Ciel has reached out and let us know that the rear panel is being redesigned in the next release of the bag.
Conclusion – If you couldn’t tell already, I am a fan of this bag. It comes from a Parisian design collective and they were able to produce something that is both visually appealing as well as performing well. The materials they chose are soft to the touch, yet durable and functional. It is great for weekend jaunts to your favorite spot up the coast or even short flights when you’re packing light. Or be like me and use it as both a carry-on and your city bag. The bag comes in a variety of subtle colors (makes matching easier) and two sizes to support the MBP 15″ or 17″.
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Very nice review. The balance with getting a great bag is finding which things are priority for you. This bag does look great. Btw, how’s the weight distribution with the laptop in there? Does it perform more like a backpack or a messenger? I know heavy laptops and messengers don’t always mix in my experience.
Hi Geiko, thanks for stopping in. I would say this bag is more like a backpack … but maybe one that spent some time with a small duffel. The weight distribution is fine though it can get a little back heavy. It’s kind of hard to explain but it’s not the same feeling as wearing a fully-loaded traditional backpack. However, it’s a very small difference and not enough to cause any issues or worries. I am speaking, of course, of having a full load in the main compartment. For laptop carry, it’s perfectly fine. The padded laptop compartment actually is the closest one to your body so it gives the bag a stable back-support. The weight is carried straight up and down, parallel to your spine. I know what you mean about heavy laptops and messengers (all that weight on one shoulder). This should suit you just fine and they have sizes to support 15″ and 17″ Macbook Pros.
Good review guys as always! I just found your blog recently and I love it, Keep it up!
Couple of questions… I see that it’s actually like a messenger bag but with 2 shoulder straps, since the flap is basically going over the side, is this bag waterproof at all? Their site isn’t very helpful, and comes with very little information and pictures to explain the unique design.
I carry pretty much exactly the same stuff as you do with the addition of a water bottle + lunchbox, spare jacket/sweater and a small umbrella. I’ve been trying to find a durable bagpack that can hold an SLR + a lens along with all my other necessities. Do you think this bag will be suitable for me or is the Vandal a better option? Please let me know if you have any other recommendations as well. Thanks!
Thanks for checking out our site. I am glad you liked the review. I am not 100% sure if the bag is waterproof. I don’t think Cote et Ciel claims this but I would say that based on my experience (walking through light rain) and the way the material feels, that it’s likely the bag is water-resistant. I see what you mean by calling it a messenger bag but it really is a hybrid. Although the strap goes to the side, it’s only because that’s the way the material folds to the side of the strap. Take a look at the pictures in this post. The middle opens up like a duffel bag cavity.
As for what it can carry, I really think it’s suited more for weekend trips or carrying clothes in the center compartment. The amount of space in the back is actually quite sufficient when carrying small items such as an iPod, headphones, Moleskine notebooks, etc. Also accommodates magazines, iPad, Kindle, or notebook fine. However, due to the design of the main compartment, it fills up quick. When I carried my SLR (in it’s own bag), it really made zipping things up easy. If you are fine with carrying your camera setup sans case, that might work. But remember, due to the way the zipper and strap setup is on this bag, you are not going to be able to pull out your camera very quickly.
Flat items or things that are easily malleable are perfect for the center compartment. You can tell they probably intended it to be used for clothes anyway since there are tie down straps. The interior is also lined with a pretty soft material, and not industrial nylon that you’d see with bags meant for heavy duty carry.
Thank you for the review… My purpose for carrying a backpack is to stuff in my tripod… would this rucksack comfortably fit one with space to spare? Say for a bottle of water and a thick frommers.
Dear Carryology,
Are you aware that you can “bend” the top of the strap part to unveil the zip so that it makes unzipping the lap top compartment easier? I had the same problem initially when trying out the bag till another friend of mine hinted me.
Fred
Freddy, I am not able to picture what you are describing. I would love it if you could post a picture or video of this trick.
http://4m.scene7.com/is/image/4m/cec0001blk_04?COTE%20et%20CIEL%2017%20Inch%20Backpack
I’ve been looking into getting this bag, and it seems to me this picture is the ‘trick’ in question, no?
(And thanks for the great review, David. You don’t see many internet reviews based on actual use of products, as opposed to a quick unboxing)
Hi Bob,
I would need to check at home but I can’t tell what is being done in this picture. I will try my hand at figuring it out though.
And thanks for the kind words Bob. We do our share of news stories here (hey, sometimes people just want a heads up on what’s hot), but we like to give our readers some in-depth, real-world opinions too.
P.S. I love that your name is Bob and you’re from the Netherlands. Is that a common name there?
It seems to me the flappy part with the straps is bent/flipped towords the front of the bag, exposing the zipper for easy access…
(And yeah, Bob is a very normal name here. Not exactly the equivalent of ‘John’ in prevelance, but regular enough
. Also, it isn’t short for ‘Robert’ or anything).
Well guess what Bob and Freddy? I took the Cote et Ciel Rucksack to Australia for a month and early on in my trip, figured out the zipper trick. Yes, you can flip the flap back for easy access. I can’t believe I never realized that before. Since this was a major shortcoming for me, this definitely boosts the rating of the pack in my mind. Now, just to be picky, if you are in a situation where there’s not much room surrounding the pack, as you try to manipulate it, flipping the flap back becomes troublesome. Not a big deal of course but you’ll find yourself in these situations since the pack requires a lot more room to manipulate than a standard (back)pack.
Just came across your blog and love it! Am about to purchase the rucksack you reviewed but noticed your note about Cote et Ciel’s redesign of the rear panel. Any mention as to when the new design will be out? Have seen/tried the bag and feel the same way re. the panel!
Hi Mari, sorry no word on when the new revision is out. We’ll keep an eye out for you though. Is there anyway you can check out the bag in person? You might not find it as troublesome as me.
Just want to say thanks for the super-helpful review. I tried out a 17″ in person and it’s too big for me, and couldn’t find a 15″ to try. So it was useful to hear the 15″ has smaller dimensions for more than just the laptop spot. Hope to be able to get one when the revision is out.
I hope you can find a 15″ in stock plasmo. It’s a really good pack with good space design. If you need any specific measurements, just let me know. I recently took it to Australia for a month and it really served me well.
Hey guys!! Great review!!! I read it after buying the bag, but it helped me to understand better the product I just purchased.
I spent a long time here in Japan trying to find a backpack that could combine: elegance (without that backpack look), space for my laptop and clothes (weekend trip), light and smaller (back height). It wasn’t easy, but I finally found it, during a trip to Korea!
Now that I’m using rucksack since december, I can say that it’s more elegant then I thought, very confortable and with a lot of space. You can use it with a suit without a problem, it will still look elegant! (girlie comment here) Yesterday I carried my laptop, a Canon EOS-550D camera and personal belongings while it was heavily snowing here in Kobe. Nothing got wet inside the bag. Not even the bag itself!! So… I would say that it’s waterproof somehow.
The bad thing about it is the time you spend acessing your stuff inside, it’s not quick. But once it’s a rucksack, it doesn’t have to be. I truely recommend it!!!
Hi Janayna,
What a cool name, also! Thanks for the kind words. I am going to Australia in a few weeks and am contemplating bringing it along as my carry-on. I carried a Canon 40D and I thought it was a little too bulky in the main compartment. Maybe it was the case I used. What do you think?
Do you think it fares well as a bag that looks professional but is still practical? I am going as part of an exchange program and I will be in a blazer/dress shirt most of the time so I don’t want a bag that looks out of place.
I was wondering, is the difference between the 15″ and 17″ models just the size of the laptop sleeve? I’m curious if I purchase the 17″ if the dimensions of the bag are actually larger since it doesn’t state them on their website
I was wondering that as well. A bit of googling turned up these, with all dimensions for the two sizes are listed:
http://rushfaster.com.au/p/cote-et-ciel-15-quot-laptop-rucksack-black/CEC-25141/
http://rushfaster.com.au/p/cote-et-ciel-17-quot-laptop-rucksack-black/CEC-25144/
The entire bag in 17″ is bigger than the 15″ version, not just the sleeve.
Hey David!!! I don’t think it’s bulky at all, you just need to learn how to fit your stuff inside. The 15″ fits me well and when I’m carrying my camera, for example, I use a small case. However it’s NOT a camera backpack and it’s not very practical for that purpose too. You won’t have the protection and speed (to open and get to the camera) that photographers need. If you’re looking for that I recommend the Kata Bumblebee UL-222: http://www.kata-bags.com/productFRM2HS.asp?p_Id=19780&Version=Photo It’s an elegant backpack also and will do whatever you need with cameras and laptops!
Once you already have the Cote el Ciel Rucksack, for sure I think that you should take it with you! It’s just soooo elegant and the great design catches people’s eyes quite a lot too!!
Hey Janayna,
I actually have the bag, that’s how I did the review. I just wasn’t sure which one to bring on my trip to AUS. I really think it’s too slow to quickly get stuff out of. For example, if you are walking around the city and constantly need to get a water bottle or a map out, this is not good. But if you are going to carry, say clothes, from point to point, that’d be great.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Kata bag. I bought one (or two) last year and didn’t like them so I sent them back. I don’t really need a dedicated camera bag since I have a Lowepro for that. I find bags that are specifically designed for carrying camera gear and a laptop often are really bulky and not too great on the looks department. I want something in between like the Incase x Ari Marcopoulos bag – http://bit.ly/edZ5yR
Even that is not good for travel since it’s really only big enough to hold a camera a few lenses and a laptop. At least it’s minimalist.
Thanks for adding to our ongoing discussion of carry.
Yes yes!! I know you have the bag… ahahha… that’s why I said that you should take it with you (even not being quick as both of us would like).
And… about THE ONE you want… my suggestion would be: have you thought about designing it? That’s what Ari Marcopoulos did, right?!?! And… as a “carryologist”… I think you have the skills (and experience) to do so! For the technical aspects you would probably need to gather with a product designer.. but…
… you’ll have your perfect backpack… and we’ll have a great new product in the market! =)
Btw… have you tried the Incase Nylon Compact Backpack 15″?? Maybe it will fit your AUS trip!
I actually do have this backpack but I find that it can’t really hold much. I will give it another shot tonight by packing it full of the stuff I need and seeing how it holds up. One advantage it’d have though, over the Cote et Ciel, is I assume it’d fit under airline seats better. The Rucksack is a really tight fit under the seat on an airline.
Hey Carryology Guys! Have you thought about adding video to some of the reviews? I think it’ll help sometimes and would be a great upgrade to the site!
That’s a great idea! I just bought a new HD camcorder and I have a Creative Labs Vado HD (like a Flip). Unfortunately, I have a face for radio.
Have you seen the videos Belroy has produced: http://vimeo.com/bellroy
No.. I haven’t seen them yet. But… I’m not into wallets.
[I'm starting to think I'm a backpack junkie thou!]
jana.
PS: You don’t need to show your face, only the product. Amm… and… hands?
Would you recommend this bag for a college student? For carrying textbooks?
Hi Osvaldo,
Thanks for writing in. I would absolutely not recommend his bag for a college student, particularly if you were using it to carry books. It is difficult to access the man compartment and once you are inside, due to it’s unique design, there really is not that much room. It’s more suited to carry things that can be compressed (there are even straps) such as clothing.
How about not carrying a textbook, just carrying notebooks (4 max), small lunch, laptop and a few small miscellaneous items?
Nice Review, I’ve been looking at this bag for a while now. I just had a technical question about the bag. I was wondering if the 15″ version can hold a Lenovo T500, which is a much more heftier laptop then most. I ask this because I notice that most designer laptop bags are designed with the sleaker & thinner macbooks in mind.
Carl,
It looks like the T500 is 1.8″ high. My ASUS UL30VT is 1″ high and it fits. Let me go home and throw the ASUS into an Incase sleeve which should add some dimension to it and see if it fits. It’s no bother since I am packing for Australia anyway and I’ll be brining my laptop. You have to remember that the Cote et Ciel’s laptop area is sort of loosely defined. I don’t mean that it’s ambiguous but instead, the walls aren’t super tight or rigid; there’s some give. There’s a good chance your laptop would fit.
My laptop with Incase sleeve is 1.5 inches tall and the fit is pretty right. I am not sure if yours would fit
nice bag there! its really unique since it can change from a rucksack to a bagpack/messenger/duffel.. but looks too flimsy for my liking
just wondering is it ok to put my 13″ MBP inside? Is it too small for the 15″ rucksack?
I really appreciated your review. I have been looking at this bag from a distance for some time. I am purchasing it for my husband for his birthday, but I am trying to make color selection. You wrote that the bag you reviewed was a grey melange, but it appears in the photos closer to the black melange on the website. Can you confirm that your bag was the grey melange. If so, I think it’s just right.
Many thanks,
Andrea
Andrea, the bag is in fact the grey melange. If you need, I can take a shot in different lighting for you. I suspect it may appear black because of bad white balancing on my part.
Hello David,
I really like the design of this bag. I’m pretty picky when it comes to how a bag looks, and pretty much every bag I see lacks visual appeal.
I’m a little worried it won’t suit my needs. The main thing is, I need it to fit my 15″ MBP. I’ve almost always kept it inside a soft case, and I wonder how much protection does this bag provide? Because I was considering buying the 17″ so that I could fit my soft case in too, and so that the bag is bigger in general.
Aside from my laptop, I usually have a couple of books in my bag, fountain pens, wallet, keys, and other small things.
The other thing I use my bag for is grocery trips and such. Usually I load up on quite a bit. Can you fit much inside of it? Do you think it’ll kill the bag?
How long can you see this bag lasting for? I really really hate buying new bags, as mentioned before, I don’t find many attractive or pleasing. Plus, this will be the most expensive bag I’ve ever bought… I hate “wasting” money if it’s not going to last at least a good while. My current bag broke and I’ve only had it for a year or so… repaired it, but I mean for about 20USD it’s put up with a lot. I’d expect a bag like this to last at least 10 years, haha. Am I being unrealistic?
Hi Spud,
I am sure the 17″ version would hold your 15″ MBP with sleeve. I wonder why you can’t just put the 15″ sans sleeve in the 15″ backpack? There is plenty of padding. I have never even come close to dropping a laptop (or the bag it’s in), or damaging one in anyway. I don’t consider myself that careful of a person, either.
I would not worry about durability. For you, the question should be volume. You can fit quite a bit but due to it’s design (see pictures in the review), you have to get creative how you pack things. If you were to take it grocery shopping, you would need to sit down on a bench once you were outside and move items from the shopping bag to your backpack. If you were to get a gallon of milk, for instance, you wouldn’t be fitting much else in there.
From everything you’ve described about your needs and personality, I would advise against this backpack.
Hi David,
Thanks for your helpful review, including the above comments.
Just bought the 15” rucksack. Love it.
My bag looks like the one on your pictures. When comparing with pictures at various online shops like here, it seems the announced redesigning has been done: http://www.coteetciel.com/rucksack-grey-melange-medium.html Note the dividing of the ‘side flaps’ just under the upper attachment of the shoulderstraps. The design doesnt look more attractive to me. Anyone of you can understand / guess the functional improvement of this small change?
Anna
Hi Anna,
I am having a hard time seeing the difference of the new design. However, one complaint I had about the bag was it was hard for me to access the back panel and they said they would fix it in a later revision. I am guessing this is the change they have made. The pictures on their site are not detailed enough to spot where this change was made. Maybe it would help if I had my bag in front of me. Can you take a picture of your bag, where this change was made, and post it? I’d love to compare.
David
I’d been looking for such a stylish backpack for so long. I was trying to find one without a masculine look but is still cool somehow. I’ve got my 15″ rucksack just a couple of days ago from Selfridges’ men’s underwear section! The best thing about it is the hidden zippered compartment on the side which can hold your keys, mobile and purse/wallet. It is even accessible when the backpack is worn as long as you learn the placement. As I see this feature is not mentioned.
I was hoping to see a review about this backpack. Hopefully I’ve seen a great one. Thanks, I feel happier about my choise now!
haha, I finally found this bag being sold in US with free shipping!!
You can find it from here:
http://www.pocomaru.com/p/35/Rucksack
chen, I’ve also noticed this Pocomaru’s bag at Pocomaru’s Amazon page. My problem is I order from Russia. So far, I haven’t met any seller to send this bag to the Soviet Russia)
At the same time, I’d like to buy this under $200. It’s rather an old model. So, why not)
Does anybody here know who sells to Russia and whose Cote et…bag reviewed here costs less than $200?
Does this 15-inch bag really have space for a MacBookPro 15,4?
I’ve got 2 reasons for this doubt.
1) The manufacturer doesn’t mention size 15,4.
2) My two previous laptop backpacks were not ready-made for carrying laptops inside. They needed pads to put on the bottom of the laptop compartment. They used to scratch my laptop until I understood I needed to protect it at least at the bottom. My previous rugsacks were a 17-inch Samsonite LX Business (something like this, anyway, the most expensive laptop backback the money could buy) and a Lowepro. The Samsonite’s spring left a fingertip size scratch.
So, I doubt whether the CoteetCiel bottom is safe without making a hand-made pad. I did read David’s offer to insert a laptop without any cover. But is he sure? Has he noticed the problem of the spring or any other sharp damage inside the notebook bag compartment?
Besides, I noticed, It’s not an easy job to insert a 15,4 MBP even into the 17-inch InCase laptop backpack compartment.
I just ordered this bag from Mr. Porter and I’m hoping the problem with the laptop sleeve isn’t too much of a big one when it comes to taking things out of that compartment (especially when travelling).
I’m still looking forward to getting it though. :p
Hi David
Great review and great looking bag! I actually saw this bag in person in HK but when the clerk told me the price it went rite back on the shelf without being checked, ugh how I regret not taking a closer look at it. I’ve been frantically trying to locate this bag online, not knowing its name or brand but thanks to your site I’ve been reunited again with the beauty. Now my only option is to take a risk and buy this bag online and pay for the shipping (and returns if it doesnt suit me). So before I take the dive, do you think the 17″ version will the laptop size mentioned below. Its a damned beast at 10lbs with the charger included, do you think the construction and material of this bag can handle something like that in the long term?
Width 17.4 in
Depth 11.6 in
Height 1.6 in
Once again thanks for your review and your time!
Regards
Jin