“I've had a couple of backpacks for work that I've ended up liking for personal use, but none of them compare to the Day Owl backpack. I was looking for a backpack that was 1) professional enough that I didn't feel like a little kid wearing it, 2) well laid out enough that I wouldn't have to take every single item out of the backpack if I needed to get at something at the bottom, and 3) large enough to fit my laptop, my lunch, and my knitting. I've been using it near-daily for two months now, and the Day Owl backpack meets all three of those criteria! I had considered getting the Slim in case the regular backpack felt bulky, but I don't regret getting the regular one at all. I love the fact that they manage to fit in a top pocket, two side pockets, and a front pocket without it ever feeling bulky at all.”
Hi Annora! Thanks so much for your support. We appreciate your positive feedback and are so glad you had a great experience with us. We are glad to have you in the community.
Nina
Customer Care
“Review written 12/28/2023, last edited 01/09/2024
TL;DR: Great backpack for school and for work. Straps may be uncomfortable at first.
I wanted to love this backpack so much because it's sustainable, fashionable, and functional. And I do still love its design: the material feels high-quality and the pockets all hold more than I'd hoped. The backpack also feels the same regardless of what's in it, which I consider a plus. Genuinely, I can't tell if I have a laptop inside, all of my travel supplies inside, or nothing inside when wearing it.
However, there's one big flaw: my shoulders hurt when wearing it. I'm 5'6", and my straps are adjusted to the shortest length. (I also tried making them even shorter using rubber bands.) But no matter what I do, the backpack puts an uncomfortable weight on my shoulders that starts off unnoticeable and gets worse the longer I wear it.
EDIT: The backpack still puts pressure on my shoulders. But, after a week of wear, my shoulders no longer hurt (not sure whether my shoulders adjusted or if the backpack did). I would recommend this backpack for school and for work; if you're looking for a backpack to wear for hours at a time, though, you might want to look elsewhere.
Some extra thoughts:
- EDITED: The water bottle pocket is pretty tight. Most 24oz bottles will fit, but how easy the bottle is to take out depends on its shape (completely cylindrical bottles are harder to take out). As a result, I usually use this pocket to hold an umbrella or lots of snacks instead.
- The small top pocket can hold a surprising amount. Currently, mine is holding: keys, a travel-sized moisturizer, lip balm, AirPods, and a small pocket notebook. You can squeeze your charger in there, too. (I just checked.)
- If you're worried that the main pocket won't hold all your school or work things, worry no more! It can comfortably hold my binder, notebooks, pencil pouch, and large chargers, even with the water bottle pocket eating up some space. I've also been able to fit a large jacket + water bottle + wallet for outings.
EDIT: For students who are debating between this backpack or the Slim, get this one.
- EDITED: The zippers are good quality. They got stuck occasionally on the zipper cover flap when I first got the backpack, but they don't anymore.
- EDITED: The fabric does attract some lint, but in the same way a cotton shirt does (i.e. it's barely noticeable). This will likely be different if you have pets that shed a lot.”
Hi Andrea! We truly appreciate your support. Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback.
I will definitely pass it on to our production team. You are a valued customer and we are glad to have you in the community.
Nina
Customer Care
“Road Tested Inside and Out! I purchased this bag years ago when Day Owl was first launched. It has been a great bag since accompanying me on my daily commute and frequent travels. In fact, I took it with me when I went to the Balkans for 6 months earlier this year. And when I say "road tested" I mean it. We rented a car in Sofia to travel with a group of 5. Amidst all the craziness of retrieving the car, communicating with attendant and managing a set of bags, I managed to leave this bag on the ground in front of the car - and drove over it. The bag caught on the underside of the car and I dragged it through the parking deck a good 100 ft. Fortunately, I didn't not run over it with the wheels and my laptop was not damaged! The surface of the bag seemed abraded, but after a week, it wasn't noticable anymore. Impressive! Now about the inside. I made peach preserves this summer and had a jar in the office refrigerator. Decided to bring it home - but forgot about it in my backpack. It didn't exactly explode, but it did create a mess. I was amazed at how easily I was able to clean up the insides with a wet sponge and a little dish soap. Simply great materials inside and out. Couldn't be happier with this bag even all these years later.
(Disclosure - I am associated with an organization that made an early investment into this company and my curiosity led me to try out the bag. However, I do not benefit from its success and so do not feel like there is any conflict of interest in my posting)”
Hey Shannon! It's so nice to hear from you. What an AWESOME review!! We can't thank you enough for your continued support. We truly appreciate you. You are a valued customer and we are glad to have you in our community.
Nina
Customer Care
“I've had this bag for well over two years now and use it almost exclusively for traveling. I originally chose it after a long search because it fit within the size guidelines for a "personal item" on most airlines, including budget ones, and it was square-ish so I could maximize the room. I was also looking for a backpack that fully zips open, which this one does. It's been great flying with it! I love that no part of it really bulges if it's overstuffed so I can always fit it under the seat and it always looks neat. I also like that the inside is a material that isn't slippery, so all my stuff stays organized within the bag and doesn't slide to the bottom. I usually pack rectangular things like packing cubes and a book, and it all fits nicely like Tetris and stays that way. I wish the inside was a lighter color (I have charcoal with a dark green interior) so I could see my stuff better, but I think that's my only real issue with it. I don't use the side pocket (not water bottle) or the front pocket because they're so small, but they don't take up any space so it's fine.
This bag gets attention for being eco-friendly, but I'm surprised it hasn't ~taken off~ in the travel groups; it's the perfect personal item! I just bought my sister one for Christmas because she loves mine so much.”
Hi Katie! Thanks so much for your support and kind words. We truly appreciate you! Thanks for choosing us to carry your day. You are a valued customer and we are glad to have you in the community.
Nina,
Customer Care
“Strongly recommended.
1. Material - no complaints. It scuffs relatively easily, but this is expected with a canvas-like texture.
2. Build quality - no major complaints with stitching. One loose thread end at the top handle, but 10s with a lighter fixed that quickly.
3. Comfort - Not uncomfortable, but I do wish the straps had a bit more padding. I'm not sure how the amount of foam in there will hold up over time.
4. Storage - Good capacity, and I appreciate that the main compartment unzips nearly all the way. I also appreciate that the bottle pouch is large and neoprene-lined. This is important as it takes up internal space (this is a tradeoff and one I am fine with), so any spills are contained.
5. Organisation - Good, but could be improved
5a - I'm not sure how the cable organisation is supposed to work for longer wires. MOLLE webbing would be great instead to clip stuff like pouches, which is what I'm doing instead.
5b - Would have appreciated 1 more zipped compartment. If I had to guess, this wasn't added on the laptop side because of the floating top pocket and the two sleeve pockets below, but this could have been added on the front flap side.
5c - Would also appreciate being able to clip something on the outside (maybe a D-ring under the serial number).
5d - I wish the luggage strap was lower. On 24" 4-wheeled suitcases this makes it a bit hard to grab the suitcase handle at my height to push it around.”
Hi Joshua! Thanks so much for the detailed review. We really appreciate it!
Your feedback is important to us, and we are glad to have you in the community.
Nina
Customer Care
“I love my Day Owl backpack, I think it's the most convenient backpack to have. Aside from it being super stylish and nice, it fits everything and it feels like everything has a place. I can carry all of my stuff in an organized way, and I have never found that with any other backpack. Can't recommend them enough, I will never buy any other brand if it's not Day Owl.”
