Spire Volt XL Backpack

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Michael Shulver

November 07, 2003

Introduction
About a month ago I received a Volt XL backpack from Cory Barnes at Spire USA. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Spire manufactures a range of backpacks, courier-type bags and protective cases. The Volt is not the first Spire product that I’ve tested; a few years ago I bought one of the first of Spire’s Meta backpacks for my G3 PowerBooks. Some of these computer bags and cases are very expensive and so many purchasers will live with them for a long time. So I’ve often wondered how reviews would turn out if they were written after a couple of years. Trouble is, this could be unfair on the manufacturer (the better ones anyway) as they constantly update their products. So, perhaps this review is a useful compromise between a fresh review and a long-term test; where appropriate I’ll let my experience of the Meta inform my review of the Volt XL.



In writing a review I try to make comments for a general readership, but its useful for the reader to “know where I’m coming from.” I’m a lecturer at a University. This means that I teach and research. As far as this review is concerned therefore I need a bag to carry my gear to and from work, from office to lecture theatre. The latter involves carrying a 5”+ stack of handouts for my students. I also need to take my gear out on field research trips. To and from work I travel by car or motorcycle. Field trips could also use bus, train or aircraft. I’m tall, fairly fit but don’t like carrying heavy loads, especially on the motorcycle. On to the review:

Overview
The Volt, like all Spire’s backpacks is modular. That is, it consists of a basic pack which is customized to fit your laptop with a range of pocket / sleeve combinations. My sample was all black but there are three other color schemes: black-blue, black-grey, black-sand. The main components are pictured below; the Volt XL, the R3 laptop pocket (top right) and the Boot laptop sleeve (bottom right). Also pictured are the shoulder straps for both the main bag and the Boot.



The Volt XL’s nominal dimensions are 19” x 12” x 8.5”, but the depth (8.5”) obviously varies depending on how you pack it. Empty its fairly light at just over 3 lbs. The Volt XL has two main pockets, one, adjacent to your back for the laptop and its protective sleeve, and another towards the front for all your bits and pieces, gadgets etc. (For the remainder of this review “rear” will refer to side of the pack with the shoulder straps, and “front’ the other side)



The front wall of the bag also sports two flat zipped pockets. The Volt XL is primarily a backpack, but the straps also fold away to turn it into a shoulder bag.



Exterior
The Volt XL’s exterior is primarily of Ballistic Nylon. The pack has two sets of compression straps, the lower pair have friction loop fasteners, and the upper pair are the click type.



Some structure is provided by closed cell foam padding in the back, two layers in the base of the pack, and also in the wall dividing the front and rear compartments. Stitched to the front of the pack at 1.5” intervals is a strip of webbing for attaching karabiners, bungee cord etc..



In the picture above you can also see a reinforced eye through which you can run the headphone lead of your audio player. The backpack straps are padded; not too much, like some sacks made for walkers and climbers, but just enough to be comfortable. So when the straps are stowed away so that the pack can be used as a shoulder bag, they fit neatly behind a false rear wall of ballistic nylon. The waist strap also stows away here. Both the inside of the backpack straps and the centre portion of the pack’s rear are lined with a breathable mesh. This makes for a comfortable, low-sweat carrying experience. On the outside of the straps are a couple of webbing loops and a D-ring for attaching keys, phone etc.



The backpack straps are permanently fixed at the top, but use some neat sprung fasteners at the bottom. A small chest strap attaches to the main straps on a piece of webbing that allows about 4.5 “ of vertical adjustment. If you use the shoulder strap there are several carrying options (so lefties are accommodated), one of the most useful being the vertical mode – very handy when moving in crowds or china shops!



Unlike the usual cheesy “afterthought” shoulder straps one normally gets with backpacks (see Judie’s UPstrap review), Spire are to be congratulated for providing a substantial, well-crafted and comfortable strap. The Volt XL also has a lugging handle at the top, and this is made from nylon over a tube of plastic. Though thin, it is very comfortable (many bag manufacturers make their carry handles thick and chunky, but this actually makes the forearms work harder). Zippers are sturdy but flexible and have neat custom-made tags.



Front exterior pockets
Two vertically zippered pockets form the front face of the pack. The innermost and largest of these is lined with light grey nylon and will hold a small magazine, or paperback book. The outer pocket is unlined, but contains a small mesh pocket at its base. This is an ideal place for a personal audio player and Spire provide a pass-though eyehole for the headphone lead.



Interior
Starting with the main front compartment; this contains a zippered cable-tidy area in contrasting grey nylon at the front, and four small pockets at the rear. Two of the pockets are ballistic nylon and two are of sturdy mesh. Also in there are a couple of pen loops and a key lanyard. Adjacent to one of the mesh pockets is another pass-through hole for personal stereo headphones. A neat bit of detailing is the little rain-cover over the eyehole.



In the rear (laptop) compartment we again have light grey nylon, though that which covers the dividing wall between front and rear compartments is the soft / furry kind.



Laptop protection
The soft nylon allows the attachment (via Velcro) of the semi-rigid “R3” sleeve. This provides a suspension cradle into which slips either the “Dash” or “Boot” laptop sleeves. The hard nylon inside the R3 also protects your laptop against the impact of sharp objects within the pack. Most people would probably leave the R3 in place though it can be removed if necessary.



My review sample came with a Boot sleeve which is a small bag by itself. Sandwiched between ballistic nylon on the outside, and more light grey nylon on the inside the Boot’s walls contain closed cell foam to protect your laptop. The Boot also has a carry handle and removable shoulder strap. There is also a small document pocket at the rear.



The less expensive “Dash” sleeve has no carry handle, shoulder strap or pocket. Its also a bit lighter. The Dash / Boot and R3 combination comes in a range of sizes to suit different laptops and these are described on Spire’s website. When specifying the review sample I had a G4 Ti-book, but half way through the review I sold this and bought a 12” G4 PowerBooks. The R3 / Boot combination fit perfectly the Ti-book, but is also fine for the 12”.

In use
I used the Volt XL everyday for about two weeks before beginning the review. Typical contents are pictured below (click for full size image).



Even with this lot the bag is by no means full. The stack of lecture handouts could be replaced by an overnight kit; a change of clothing and a wash bag, or as is often the case with me, my sports kit and wash bag. Note that I keep all my cables in a separate padded bag. The Volt’s cable tidy is perfectly adequate unless you happen to live in one of those countries with sharp and pointy mains plugs – like the UK! This one is made by Kriega.



Carrying this stuff with the Volt XL is just fine. I have a 1 mile walk from office to lecture theatre and I arrive in comfort. When walking I tend to use just the backpack straps. The only time I use the chest and waist straps are on the motorcycle and bicycle. Besides stabilizing the load the latter appears to make heavier loads a little more comfortable. Something perhaps obvious, but worth thinking hard about when buying a laptop back is its overall length. I’m not exactly short in the back area but I’ve noticed that longer packs, especially those with rigid inserts, restrict mobility on the motorbike or cycle as the bottom of the pack drags on the seat. Many readers get around on scooters, cycles or motorbikes and if they want a backpack should go for the shorter kind. Here the Volt XL is ideal (whereas my old Meta was a bit too long).



Not so much a problem, but something I miss from the Meta is a side carry handle. I found it very useful when swinging the bag of my back to say, put it in the trunk of the car. Its also useful for the airport check-in adventure. You know the scenario; your carry-on bag looks small, but contains 15 tons of gadgets to while away the flight. You really don’t want the check-in clerk to weigh it, so you go into stealth mode: tuck away the backpack straps, and carry it as if it was empty briefcase made from crystallized cobwebs. You smile nonchalantly at the clerk, while under your shirt your forearm is pumped to the size of Maurice Greene’s thigh.

Packing the Volt XL is easy though you have to take care not to put odd-shaped items in the rear compartment. The laptop is well protected, but your back will soon feel anything sharp. I tend to put flatter items such as paperwork in the rear.



The compression straps do a good job of tightening up the whole thing, and these coupled with the double layer of foam in the base make the pack look good whatever you are carrying. The light grey liner really helps when trying to find stuff, though I would not object to a louder color in here. The range of pockets in the front compartment is ideal for my needs and does a good job of tidying CD cases, hard drives, PDA etc. I’ve tried using the MP3 player pockets for my iPod, and while these were perfectly acceptable, I usually prefer to keep the iPod clipped to my waist. These pockets would obviously be useful in the dodgier parts of town, keeping the iPod out of the way of pickpockets. I terms of looks, the Volt XL is, I feel smart and understated. My black version looks great; I think it would even look good on James Bond or Batman.

Build quality and component choice
Here I must make another comparison with the Meta. The Meta suffered from several loose fibers. Irritatingly these never unraveled very far, just enough to get caught in zippers etc.. The Volt XL is not perfect, but I only found two loose bits of thread and these were just leftover bits, not structural or anything. I cut them off with a scissors. All important seams are sealed. The sprung fasteners that on the Meta clipped the backpack straps to the bottom of the bag were a nightmare. If you wore a wool pullover then these were guaranteed to cut a few holes in it. The Volt XL has much better items that have no such snagging potential. In all respects the Volt is a well-built bag that looks like it will last. I say this with some confidence. The Meta went everywhere with me, and when I retired it by passing it on to my sister it was still perfectly serviceable, and looked good. I took the Meta to the beach, skiing (not with a laptop in the back) hiking and on many business trips around the world. I stuck a drinking bag in the laptop compartment and went cycling up and down extinct volcanoes in the Canaries. It was as good for taking stuff to lectures as it was for the weekly food shop. One day while skiing in the French Alps I was getting onto a chairlift with my Meta on my back. I got a ski stuck in something and as the chair moved inexorably forward my right foot stayed put. However, the base of the Meta had in the meantime caught on the back of the chair; on a bolt I think. The ski eventually released my boot, but the lift operator was a bit slow in reacting and I was now hanging there in the Meta’s straps some 20’ off the ground. No problem, the Meta held me there until I was helped down. Furthermore the Meta showed no signs of strain to the straps. The only sign of damage was where the “bolt” got caught in the breathable mesh lining the rear of the pack. This was just a tiny little hole that never got any bigger over the years. The Volt XL seems to be built even better than the Meta, so I’ve no doubts about its longevity.

Summary
If you want a simple, elegant and robust laptop bag then take a serious look at Spire’s range of bags. The Volt XL is at the bigger end of the range, but while it holds a lot of gear, its not too bulky. When the compression straps are cinched up, it’s very stable for either walking or riding. Its understated looks do not scream “steal me.” Spire’s attention to detail is impressive, this bag has been well thought out. I like it.

 

Price: $130.00 for the Volt XL (includes R3 pocket and a shoulder strap)
           $30.00 for the Boot laptop sleeve (includes a small shoulder strap just for the Boot)

Pros: 
Thoughtful and mature design
Understated looks
Very comfortable
Versatility

Cons: 
No side carry handle(s)
One or two bits of loose thread