North Face Surge backpack - new design?

My new surge backpack just arrived, and it appears quite different than the photos I have seen online. I guess this is a new design, and I'm not sure its a good one. I thought in the old ones that the laptop pocket was on the outside, and on this one it is clearly right against your back. There is more padding though in this area. Does anyone know if this is a good design? I ordered it because I thought it would be just the opposite and keep my laptop off of my back.

Are most laptop backpacks designed with the laptop pocket right against your back?

I added some pics:

 

Ya...

My new NF Recon is just like that.

 

Hey there!
That looks to be a very nice bag (and the placement of where the lappy go's is alright) !!! Thanks for providing actual pics, it's always helpful for others that may be looking

Cin

 

Typically a backpack will put the laptop right against your back for two reasons:

one, that position is the most stable position in a pack configuration, and so the laptop gets shaken around the least and two, that position is the most ergonomic, you always put the largest/heaviest item in a backpack against your back to distribute the weight.

So yes, almost all laptop backpacks are like that. Also, the old surge also had the laptop compartment against the back.

 

I have both the Surge and Box Shot. They are both really nice. The only problem is I can't decide which to keep and which to return.

 

The Surge looks nice! You should link the pic's and/or create a thread...(if you want feedback from you fellow peep's here, on help with choosing)!

Just a thought!


Cin

 

I ended up going with the Box Shot over the Surge. I decided the Surge just looked a little to flat in the back. Attached is a picture of what it looks like. I got a pretty good deal on it. It was $118.95 from Ebags, but I found a place that had it cheaper. Plus, I got a $50 gift card for Ebags using my Coke Reward points. Ebags did a price match so the total cash I had to pay was $48.10, and I get a $10 gift certificate on my next purchase from Ebags.

 

Nice you did get a great dea!!!

But, I cant open up the link of the photo you gave...is it because its a word doc??



Cin

 

Not sure why the link doesn't work. It works when I click on it. Maybe word files don't work. Here is another link.

 

kb1gra, thanks for the info, I guess I will be keeping it then .

I think I got confused about the placement of the laptop compartment on the old model because of this review:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=157487

Looks like he got his backpack pictures mixed up.

 

Yeps! There now it can be *seen* lol. Very nice backpack!

Glad your keeping it!

Cin