Solo's Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote is both a backpack and a tote bag for your laptop and much more. With comfortable, padded backpack straps, sturdy tote handles, and a luggage strap, you can carry this protective carry-all bag any way you'd like.
Price: $70Bottom line: Carry your laptop computer safely in this stylish blend between a backpack and tote bag.
The Good
- Can be carried three ways
- Padded 15.6" laptop compartment
- Comfortable hideaway backpack straps
- Slides onto luggage handle
- Lots of compartments
The Bad
- Won't appeal to everyone's taste
- Tote handles always visible even when not in use
Carry-all does it all
Solo Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote: Features
The Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote is a stylish and flexible bag for all of your essentials. It has a fully-padded compartment for up to a 15.6" laptop computer. The exterior is black canvas and faux leather with gold hardware. The Solo logo on the front is gold metal but not obtrustive. The interior has a gray and white striped fabric lining.
This bag can be carried three different ways. The backpack straps are sturdy, adjustable, and well-padded. The backpack straps can also be conveniently tucked away when not in use into an exterior pocket made for that purpose. The backpack straps buckle at the bottom; to hide them you unbuckle them and slide them into the pocket.
You can't beat the flexibility of being able to carry it as a tote, a backpack, or on the handle of your luggage.
The tote straps can be snapped together so that one isn't always sliding off your shoulder, but they cannot be hidden away. Across the back of the bag, there is a panel designed to slide over the extended handle of your rolling suitcase, which is handy when traveling. On the bottom of the bag are two faux leather "feet" to protect the bottom of the bag from wear and tear when you set it down.
The bag has lots of compartments. On the outside, on the front, is a large zippered pocket. On the back is a small zippered pocket plus the large hideway pocket that the backpack straps slip into when not in use. Inside there is a large, padded compartment for your laptop. The bottom of the laptop pocket is padded as well. Note that there is no strap or closure across the top of the laptop compartment like some laptop bags have. The top of the bag itself does zip closed. Also inside, there's another small, zippered pocket, plus an orgaziner section. The organizer has two small compartments for cards and such, two pen/pencil/stylus slots, and a phone compartment.
Form and function
Solo Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote: What I like
Overall, this is an excellent bag. You can't beat the flexibility of being able to carry it as a tote, a backpack, or on the handle of your luggage. It's roomy enough for most people, with its 15.6"-laptop compartment. I like the interior compartments and pockets throughout.
The black canvas and faux leather, the gold hardware, and gray and white striped fabric lining look great. The padding around the laptop compartment is generous enough to protect your laptop when you're carrying it around.
Slightly awkward
Solo Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote: What I don't like
While the backpack straps hide away when not in use, and the luggage panel is unobstrusive, the tote handles are just there all the time whether you're using them or not. Also, because this is a hybrid bag, it always looks a bit like a tote bag when wearing it as a backpack (since the tote straps are visible and it's wider at the top,) and a bit like a backpack when using as a tote (since proportionally it's much more tall than wide.)
Just a cool product
Solo Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote: Bottom line
If the looks of this flexible bag with its black canvas and faux leather, gold hardware, and gray and white striped fabric lining appeal to you, it's an excellent choice. Functionally, it can't be beat, as it can be carried three different ways. Carry it on your back with the padded backpack straps that hide away when not in use. Carry it as a tote bag with two handles that snap together so one won't slip off your shoulder. Or slide it onto your luggage handle with a panel just for that purpose. Solo's Parker Hybrid Backpack Tote has tons of compartments for all of your essentials, including a large padded compartment for up to a 15.6"-inch laptop.
