WANDF Expandable 17 Inch Laptop Backpack - Airline Approved Carry-On Bag 18x14x8 with Water-Resistant Pocket for Men & Women (Navy Blue) - Perfect for Travel, Work & School

First off, I'm very picky. I spent a ridiculous amount of time combing through all the fine details, photos, and reviews for dozens of very similar bags. In the end I chose the WANDF backpack and I'm glad I did.What I was looking for:~A compact backpack that met personal item size standards on Frontier airlines (note that not all airlines use the same size standard)~A fairly clean exterior to minimize chances of straps etc snagging under an airline seat.~Numerous well thought out compartments with one large main compartment that opened fully similar to a suitcase.~At least one hidden pocket on the exterior for valuables.~A pass thru port for a cord from a power pack with a reasonable way to secure that power pack inside while still being easy to remove the pack at TSA if needed.~Stowable or at least well secured backpack straps when they are not in use.~Durable materials.~Comfortable to carry.~Bonus points for colors I actually like.This bag nails virtually all of those wants.~In its un-expanded form it does meet personal item size limits on Frontier. When I arrive, if I want to shift things around and use it to carry larger items by expanding it, I also have that option.~There are numerous pockets and yet the exterior remains fairly smooth and free of snag points. There's even a wet pocket should I need to stash a damp swimsuit or something similar without it completely messing up everything else in the bag. The main compartment swings all the way open (after releasing cinch straps and unzipping) which makes packing easier and facilitates TSA checkpoint. Two zippered pockets inside the main compartment (one mesh, one nylon) offer places to secure small items. A large laptop pocket at the back has ample space for a laptop and other items. The water bottle pocket is a bit odd... I would have preferred it to be open mesh... but it is serviceable.~The hidden pocket on the back is in the typical spot (low back area) but the zipper tab can be pushed below the padding enough to truly render it invisible to all but the most determined scrutiny which I like for added security. Despite this it's extremely easy to open when need as well. There is a second small exterior pocket which is not technically hidden but is not overly visible on one side of the pack which gives me an additional location to stash small flat valuables.~The outermost pocket on the front has a rubber pass thru grommet that easily allows a usb cord and/or headphone cord to fit through. The pocket itself is big enough to hold both of my rechargeable battery packs without too much extra space, so they don't slide around and get banged up. The pocket is easy to access for fast removal at TSA if needed. I personally prefer a pass thru port over the built-in connector (hard connector port that you plug battery into on inside of bag and then plug phone into on outside of bag) that some bags have because I depend on my battery pack charging my phone as quickly as possible. Built-in connectors are often of low quality and add a "slow point" in the charge circuit that I just don't find acceptable. Simply passing my own quality high speed cord through the rubber grommet of this bag assures that I get the fastest charge possible.~Although the WANDF bag does NOT have fully stowable backpack straps, it DOES have a clever way of securing the straps when not in use that works fairly well. The trolley strap on the back can be unhooked at one side and then re-secured OVER the backpack straps to hold them snug. The trolley strap connector is a little difficult to unhook at first, but with practice I got the hang of it.~The fabric the WANDF is made from feels tough but nice. Time will tell if it is truly durable but it certainly looks and feels the part. I've owned many bags that didn't seem anywhere near this durable that I paid far more for. So my hopes are fairly high that this will hold up.~The WANDF is generally comfortable to carry as a backpack. Straps are well padded and the back is nicely padded with some air mesh type fabric in all the right places. I would have appreciated a sternum strap, but this is not a deal breaker as it's pretty easy to add one. I will say that the pack sits a bit high on my back (not unexpected for a fairly small pack) which CAN lead to the balance feeling a bit odd depending on how you load it. Weight distribution could prove to be important if you're planning to carry it on your back for long periods... but for short stretches while traveling it's perfectly fine regardless of how you load it in my opinion.~The color options are pretty basic... black, grey, navy. No bonus points for anything flashy. But... the grey is extremely attractive in my opinion. It has a "heather" effect to it and looks quite nice while still being basically unremarkable... and sometime appearing unremarkable is a good thing. After all, if you ever get tempted to overload this little T.A.R.D.I.S. of a backpack and try to squeak it past a gate attendant anyway, then you probably won't want to stand out too much.All in all... I'm very impressed with the WANDF backpack. It's surprisingly roomy for it's size, has more pockets than I care to try and count, seems well made, looks attractive, is comfortable, and ticked all the boxes I had on my wishlist of features for a personal item pack.