- [Narrator] Backpacks with built in batteries are not
a new thing and you can find ones that are smaller, lighter,
and definitely cheaper than the Tylt Energi Pro.
But two months after I moved into this thing for
what I thought was going to be a quick review week,
I'm still toting it around town and I'm still liking it
a whole lot more than I'm not.
(upbeat music)
First the basics, the Energi Pro is made of water-resistant
210D polyester that comes in a dull,
but inoffensive gray and black color combo.
And it is thick.
13 inches deep, which is one of the few things
I don't love about it because it makes it tougher
to stow in tight spaces.
The bag is also front heavy, even if its only got
a few things tucked away in that main compartment,
its got a tendency to topple, which is annoying.
That said, the deep design does give you plenty
of carry capacity, the laptop compartment is more
than big enough for my monster MacBook Pro 15,
and the bag can lie flat for airport security screenings.
The main bay have enough volume for a boat-load
of cumbersome gadgetry, like my DGI Gimbal, extra changers,
mini-tripods, and the fancy candy bars you're apparently
supposed to buy for flight attendants when you fly
as a non-revenue passenger.
No charge for that travel tip.
The main bay doesn't give you quite as much vertical space
as I liked, because of the intrusion of the sunglasses
pocket, but in exchange you get a place to store
your fragile stuff that you don't want crushed
when you have to jam this thing under an airplane seat.
There a large NFC resistant pouch if you're paranoid
about RF skimmers stealing your credit card info.
And a velvet-lined one that's great for tablets.
Tylt also includes a kind of gadget purse
to corral accessories or cables, which is nice,
but it takes up so much of that precious space
that I ditched it on day one, and didn't go back.
One of the things Tylt really did right with this bag
was to simplify the charging mechanics.
The previous generation Energi had all these
convoluted interior conduits for the charging cables.
While there still wire routing in the Energi Pro,
you can use it if you want, it's stream-lined.
As for me, I tend to just leave my cable coiled up in
the battery pocket so I can charge stuff when using
it outside of the bag.
The battery that comes included is pretty big,
over 20 amp hours, with quick-charge 3.0 USB type C
and USB power delivery.
So it will do a quick job of charging
pretty much any modern smart phone or tablet.
I swapped it out with a lighter pack though,
because I frequently over-load this bag.
With 12 available pockets, including a bottle or can holder,
it's remarkably easy to do.
- [Man] Oh hey, I haven't seen these in ages! (laughs)
- [Narrator] But there's so much gel padding on
the shoulder straps and back that even when you're toting
around 15 or even 20 pounds, it's pretty comfortable.
The padding makes the shoulder straps stand out weirdly
when it's just sitting there but it's worth it.
This video was originally going to be a roundup
of several tech backpacks from Ghost Tech, Artix,
and my former main stay, the Kata camera bag.
And these have definite advantages,
for the battery bags, integrated power level meters
and charging ports, a slim design in case of the Artix
and then a fashionable paint job in case of the Ghost Tech.
For the camera bag, a purpose built compartment
for lenses and bodies.
But like my college Daniel Bader,
who also reviewed the Energi Pro for Android Central,
I've taken the Tylt bag on many (mumbles)
across many borders.
And in the process, it's become my tech backpack of choice.
Now would I feel differently if I had to pay a hundred
and fifty bucks for the privilege?
Maybe.
Call me a latinum pincher, but I think that's a lot
to ask for any backpack, even if you price the included
battery at fifty bucks or so.
But even if I'm paying a Tylt tax, that's a pretty cool
brand, I've used the company's wireless chargers for years,
and as any frequent traveler with a gadget addiction will
tell you, having a bag that can smartly store your stuff
makes trips away from home a lot easier.
And having one that comes with a battery built in
is a nice bonus.
Find it on sale, if you can, but if your back really needs
a pack today, I say go for it.
If you like the Energi Pro, or any of the other bags
in this video, you'll find the links to buy them in
the description on YouTube, right along side that subscribe
button, which I'd love it if you pushed.
As always, new tech videos landing at least twice a week
from Mr. Mobile, so until next time folks,
thanks for watching, and stay mobile my friends.