- Hey, it's Nathan from Pack Hacker.
And in this video, we're going to be taking a look at the Zack.
A 41 liter backpack from Swedish bag company, Sandqvist.
Here at Pack Hacker, we're a team of frequent travelers
that like to review travel gear and bags all the time,
so if you're new here, consider subscribing.
So without further adieu, let's take a look
at the Sandqvist Zack.
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If your surname is as awesome sounding as Sandqvist,
you're probably going to name your company after it.
And that is exactly what Anton Sandqvist did
when he created this fashionable bag brand
in Stockholm, Sweden, 2004.
Our first experience with Sandqvist was over six years ago
when we tested their Uno day pack -
a bag we still use to this day.
What first caught our attention was the aesthetic,
which considering that Sandqvist
is a more fashion-focused brand, isn't surprising.
But what kept us around was the practicality and durability,
which is why when Sandqvist released the 41 liter
Zack backpack, we couldn't wait to get our hands on it.
Opinions on aesthetic can vary wildly from person to person,
but we're just going to come right out and say it.
We love the overall look and style of this pack,
which is exactly what you'd expect from a brand
that takes its inspiration from Nordic landscapes
and urban city lifestyle.
The Sandqvist Zack is available in two colors.
The black which is the one that we have right here,
and beluga which looks a tad lighter
and has got like a dark green tint to it.
To be honest, we like both of them,
you can't go wrong with either.
With dimensions of 20.5 inches in height,
14 inches in width, and nine inches in depth,
this pack is a beast,
squeezing just under maximum carry-on dimensions.
And if we're honest, we felt that the quoted 41 liters
is actually a bit stingy.
For comparison and in reference, this pack is a lot closer
to the 45 liter Goruck GR3
than the 40 liter Goruck GR2 for example.
Now there is a 26 liter version of this pack available
which may be alright for some weekend getaways,
but in regards to one bag travel,
it's probably just a bit small.
The Sandqvist Zack is rocking not one,
but two highly durable fabrics.
1680D ballistic polyester around the corners
and back of the pack, and Cordura EcoMade polyester ripstop
on the front and sides.
To put it simply, this pack is made out of some of the most
versatile, durable and reliable materials out there.
This thing is really built to last,
and the combination of the two different materials
only help to improve the aesthetic.
The pack also weighs in at impressively light 1.85 pounds,
one of the lightest 40 liter plus backpacks we've reviewed.
One of the first things you'll notice
on the outside of this pack is all of the handles going on.
Now there's five in total.
You've got one on the top, one of the right hand side,
you've got two on the front and one on the bottom as well.
What we really like though
there's some impeccable stitching going on,
and they're nicely padded too.
You will also find two compression straps
on either side of the pack, which are these things here.
Now these are really great because first of all
they don't get in the way of any zips
or any pockets on the bag, which is really useful.
And also when you've got a bag this big,
having compression straps is also really, really handy.
They've got these cool kind of elastic keepers on here
as well, so you don't have any dangling straps around
which is also great.
The compression straps can also help
when you're trying to secure something
to the side of the bag on this side
where they've got the side pocket.
Now this is really cool with something like a tripod.
We found you can just stick the leg in here,
pop it all the way out the top
and put the compression straps over
and that will secure it in really, really well.
That's a great fix if you want to carry a tripod
on the outside of this thing.
But that's kind of where the side pocket at least
kind of loses its usefulness.
Unless you've got something big
and you've got it all the way up the side of the bag,
it's just not that great for anything small.
So most people use a side pocket
to pop their water bottle in, and unfortunately,
we found this is just a weird shape.
It's too long and short to house like a one liter bottle.
Even if you try and cinch this compression strap over it,
we found the bottle just falls out - it's not ideal.
Sandqvist referred to this pack as a backpack and a duffle.
And while it is true, you can carry this thing like a duffle
just by holding it like this,
putting the two shoulder straps together
and kind of using it like this.
And it actually separates the weight,
balances the weight really, really great -
it's just not something we find ourselves doing often.
If you're in a rush for like a train
or you've got a lighter load in here,
then this can work quite well.
But something that has backpack straps on and is this big,
we prefer to carry it on our backs.
The shoulder straps here along with the back of the pack
are really well padded, we really like this,
and it provides a surprisingly comfortable carry
for such a large backpack.
And there's also an adjustable sternum strap
which you can move to whatever height you'd like,
it feels really well made,
and there's an elastic keeper again
for all of those dangling straps.
While the Sandqvist Zack does check a lot of those
travel pack boxes, unfortunately there's a few things
that hurt its case just a little bit.
On this thing, you're not going to find any load lifters,
a frame sheet, or a hip belt.
Now not every travel backpack
necessarily needs all of these things,
but for a bag this size and the amount
it can stick out from your back,
we feel they would be useful additions.
At this point, it's important to note that Sandqvist
sell the Zack backpack as a weekend bag
and not a full-on travel pack.
So we can see why they've made a few of these omissions.
Every zip on the Sandqvist Zack is YKK,
and there are even a few different sizes going on.
The main enclosure is zipped up with a big
chunky-teethed YKK 8VS,
the laptop compartment is YKK 8RCZ,
and everything else is a nice YKK 5RCZ.
The zips on this pack are built to last,
and the bigger compartments have the bigger zips.
It all makes sense.
Looking at the front of this pack, you may be mistaken
to think there are no quick access pockets.
Well you would wrong because there are in fact three.
All of the openings are on the back of the pack
which is a really great security feature,
and we love the way they've done this.
Now the first pocket we're going to be taking a look at
is the one on the top right here.
This one is surprisingly big
and it stretches the entire width of the top of the pack.
It's going to be perfect for your quick access items -
so we're talking passport, phone, wallet, even headphones -
we really like this pocket.
The second pocket we're going to be taking a look at
is pretty much exactly the same but it's just on the side.
So it's a similar size,
kind of stretches the depth of the pack.
You can fit, you know, pretty much the same you can in here.
We found ourselves using the top one a lot more,
we just like where that was positioned.
But this side one is pretty much just as good,
another great pocket.
Now the final pocket is one we actually didn't see
straight away looking at the pack.
And it is on the corner right here,
the kind of top left corner of the pack.
And it's a tiny little pocket
but we found it to be really useful.
So it only stretches down, you know, about three/four inches
but we found this great for coins while we were traveling.
Anything small sized that would otherwise get lost
in the larger pockets is great for this little pocket here -
we love this one.
Now before we get into the main compartment of this pack,
there is one last thing that we have to check out -
and that is the laptop compartment.
Now you can find access to it via the long zip
on the back of the pack here.
So open that up and here you will have size
for a 15 inch laptop, even a 15 inch laptop with a sleeve on
or a case on, is going to fit perfectly well inside of here.
When there's a laptop inside as well,
it call also work kind of like a frame sheet
so supporting the back of the pack,
giving it a bit of sturdiness.
And don't worry about your laptop getting harmed at all
because there is a nice foam padding on the back here,
which is going to keep it completely safe.
Now at first we were a little bit unsure
about the location of the laptop compartment,
but it ended up working really well in use.
So we found that we able to grab our laptop
whenever we wanted to, we didn't have to open up
the main compartment to get to it,
we really like the laptop compartment on this bag.
Now let's finally unzip this main compartment
and have a look inside.
Now at Pack Hacker, we've referred to bags
that are really big inside as being like a bucket.
Well, the Sandqvist Zack is pretty much more like
a full on bathtub.
There is so much room inside of this thing.
Within the main compartment,
you'll find a medium-sized pocket attached to the side.
This is great for smaller items
that would otherwise get lost inside the main compartment.
We didn't find ourselves using it too often,
but it's a nice addition.
Turn your attention to the back of the panel opening,
and you will find three more pockets
for some added organization.
There's a long zip that will give you access
to a large thin pocket, which is great for documents.
And the final two interior pockets are both mesh
and come in really useful.
We found them ideal for our external hard drive case,
but they'll work well for any items
you need some added organization for.
In our six weeks of testing to date,
the Sandqvist Zack has really traveled.
It's been on trains, buses, and long haul flights,
accompanying us on trips to the UK,
France, Spain, Germany and the USA.
We've not been easy on this bag either.
We've had it full to the brim and seriously heavy at times,
and its durability has shone through.
This is a bag that's built to last.
The Sandqvist Zack is going to look great
in an urban city environment.
It looked seriously good strolling around Paris in spring,
and it will function flawlessly for your weekend trips.
But with no hip belt, load lifters,
and a shape that can cause the bag to sag
a little bit at the bottom, there are some drawbacks.
You can carry this bag when it's really heavy,
but it's not ideal.
So if you're looking for a pack that's going to accompany you
on a year-long trip to South East Asia,
this probably isn't the pack for you.
That being said though, if you're in the market
for a maximum legal carry-on size backpack
that you want to stuff a load of lighter weight items into,
then you're going to need to seriously consider
the Sandqvist Zack.
Now on to some of the pros and cons.
This pack is very aesthetically pleasing
and we think it looks great.
There's some fantastic quick access pockets
on the outside of the bag,
and all the zips are at the back for added security.
On to some of the cons.
There's no hip belt or load lifters on this bag.
The bottom has a tendency to sag when heavy,
and the side pocket won't hold a water bottle very well.
The Sandqvist Zack, though sold as a weekend bag,
works well as a travel pack,
and looks fabulous while doing it.
The bag has been designed thoughtfully
with great features and has been put together
using durable materials that we trust
will stand the test of time.
With the lack of hip belt and load lifters,
this bag isn't ideal for heavier weights.
But if you need a ton of room and have a lighter load,
this bag is a great option.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
of the Sandqvist Zack backpack.
Be sure to head over to packhacker.com
forward slash newsletter and never miss an update.
Thanks for checking this one out,
we'll see you in the next one.
My Swedish pronunciation
is really going to struggle in this one.
Sandqvist.
Woo!
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