King Kong Heritage Leather [Review]

Let's start by saying that a 'Buy It For Life' gym bag seems like a contradiction. Unraveling seams, fraying fabrics, and brittle plastic clasps that snap are the sorry fate of a well-loved yet heavily-abused gym bag. You tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it was a bag made out of polyester and plastic.

King Kong strives to offer something better with their Heritage Leather Backpack. In fact, we believe this falls squarely in the BFIL gym bag category. In this King Kong Heritage Leather Backpack review we give you the details so you can decide if this is the gym backpack for you.

Video Review

The Rundown

What we like

• Gorgeous full grain leather construction that looks amazing in person

• External shoe compartment

• 26L main compartment that’s roomy enough for most gym sessions

• Comfortable padded shoulder straps

What we don’t like

• Every piece of hardware is made out of metal except for the shoe compartment buckle which is unfortunately made of plastic.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 20” x 12” x 7” inches

• Capacity: 26L

• Weight: 5.9 lbs

• Materials: Full Grain American Leather, 100% Cotton Twill lining, metal zippers

• Laptop Sleeve: Up to 16”

• Tablet Sleeve: None

Where to buy

Similar Backpacks

Materials and Construction

Let’s start with the construction. The Heritage Leather Backpack is made with full-grain leather, a material that only improves in appearance as it ages. Over time, full-grain leather develops a rich patina, giving the Heritage Leather Backpack a unique look.

The interior of the backpack is lined with 100% cotton twill and features leather trim throughout. The zippers and hardware are made of metal, so there is no worry of cheap plastic snapping or cracking. The one exception is the buckle found in the exterior shoe compartment, which unfortunately is made out of plastic.

There is an elephant in the room when we talk about construction - and that's the bag's weight. The King Kong Heritage Leather Backpack is heavy, weighing in at a whopping 5.9lbs empty because of all the leather used in its construction. We're not putting a judgement on this weight, as it's the price to pay for an all-leather bag. Only you can decide if this is in the range of acceptability for how you plan on using it.

Pockets and Compartments

The compartments on the King Kong Heritage Leather Backpack are pretty straightforward, keeping in tune with King Kong's mission of designing a gym bag that rivals those made before the time of mass-produced, cheap bags that we see in most gyms today.

The King Kong Heritage Leather Backpack offers 26 liters of packing space, plus an external shoe compartment. We tested the shoe compartment and can confirm that it can fit a size 12 men's running shoes with room to spare for larger sizes.

Overall, the Heritage Leather Backpack offers a pretty 'back to basics' design. You won't find pockets for specific items like a phone, sunglasses, or pens. But it does offer a zippered pocket on the inside of the main compartment and a front pocket on the outside that can fit multiple items like a phone and wallet or smaller workout items like lifting gloves and a jump rope.

The 'back to basics' design also applies to the 16-inch laptop sleeve inside the main compartment, a lightly padded sleeve with no false bottom. If you are expecting a fancy laptop sleeve like you would find in many urban laptop backpacks - don't. Will this laptop sleeve get the job done? Yes. Is it the best we've ever seen? No.

Finally, we have the two side water bottle pockets. These pockets are deep and we can confirm that a 32oz Nalgene bottle fits comfortably inside. The water bottle pockets also zip shut for a cleaner look when not in use.

What Fits Inside?

We managed to fit a change of clothing (pants, t-shirt and sweatshirt), 12 oz boxing gloves and a toiletries bag inside the 26 litter main compartment. The exterior gives us some more storage thanks to the exterior shoe compartment and dual water bottle pockets. The front pocket is surprisingly roomy and we could easily fit a phone, wallet and a pair of weight lifting gloves.

Need more packing room? Check out the King Kong Heritage Leather Duffel that gives you 46 liters with an additional 5 pockets for organization.

Final Thoughts

This backpack rocks. There is no other way to say it. The supple leather and straightforward design makes it feel like an heirloom item. Can a gym backpack be an heirloom item? Well, we think so, thanks to King Kong. We can’t express enough how nice this backpack feels.

However, the $499 price tag isn’t for everyone. This is why we believe if you like the look of the Heritage Leather Backpack but can't justify the commitment, you should go with King Kong PLUS26, which shares a lot of the same design but at a more affordable price. But for anyone ready to make the leap into a premium gym bag design constructed to last decades, then the King Kong Heritage Backpack is the bag to get.

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King Kong EDGE35 [Review]

The King Kong EDGE35 is a versatile backpack that can be used for workouts, travel and daily carry thanks to its 35 liter capacity and clamshell style main compartment that makes loading the backpack a breeze. This main compartment is large enough to fit multiple changes of clothes and bulkier items like boxing gloves and other workout gear. The EDGE35 even includes a large bottom shoe compartment for sneakers or dirty laundry.

For daily carry, the King Kong EDGE35 features a large 17” padded laptop compartment and a front admin compartment with plenty of pockets for organizing smaller essentials. The side Fidlock magnetic buckle straps allow you to compress the backpack down for a slimmer profile on days you want to keep it light.

Construction-wise, the King Kong EDGE35 is an absolute beast with beefy zippers and a heavy-weight fabric construction. This definitely feels like a backpack that you can toss around without worrying about the integrity of the construction. Of course, this rugged construction comes at the cost of weight - the King Kong EDGE35 weights a total of 4lbs when empty.

When it comes to the overall design we are impressed the King Kong EDGE35. The 35 liter capacity makes it a great option for gym goers who carry bulky workout kits like shoes, boxing gloves, pads and weight lifting belts. The fact that this backpack opens like a suitcase for easy packing is easily one of the highlights of the EDGE35’s design and its wide variety of pockets and compartments makes it a great choice for anyone looking for a one-bag solution for workouts, travel and daily laptop carry.

What we like

• Sleek design that looks great as a gym or travel backpack.

• Plenty of pockets for organizing gym items and clothing inside the main compartment

• Side water bottle pockets hide away when not in use for a cleaner look.

• Clamshell main compartment for easy packing/unpacking.

What we don’t like

• Compression straps work great for managing the backpack size but unfortunately you have to undo these buckles to get into the main compartment.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 19.7” H x 12.6” W x 8.7” D

• Capacity: 35L

• Materials: 1000D Nylon, YKK Zippers

• Weight: 4 lbs

• Laptop Compartment: Up to 17”

• Shoe compartment

Where to buy

Similar Backpacks

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Under Armour Hustle 5.0 [Review]

The Under Armour Hustle 5.0 was designed with student athletes in mind and you can see this inspiration throughout its design. A roomy 29-liter capacity gives you enough room for a busy day of classes and a bottom shoe compartment allows you to partition shoes, laundry and other items you want to keep separate from the rest of your carry.

Is this one of the best affordable backpacks for school and workouts? Let’s find out.

Video Review

The Rundown

What we like

• Roomy 29L capacity is large enough to store a basketball, shoes, school books and more.

• Available in lots of colors for a personalized look

• Soft-lined laptop sleeve and front valuables pocket to protect tech from scratches

• Bottom shoe compartment is great for keeping dirty stuff away from clean items

What we don’t like

• Light weight and low cost comes at a cost to overall quality. The MSRP is $55 and to be honest, this backpack feels like a budget backpack.

• UA Storm Technology is a bit oversold. Although the bag is technically water resistant, it’s nothing special.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 20” (H) x 12.6” (W) x 6.3” (D)

• Capacity: 29L

• Materials: 100% Polyester

• Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15”

• Tablet Sleeve: None

Where to buy

Buy on Amazon

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Who is this backpack for?

• For Students: The roomy main compartment is perfect for storing your laptop, books and notebooks while the exterior pockets give you the organization you need for pens and accessories. The Hustle 5.0 is a nice Goldilocks size for school - not too big and not too small.

• For Athletes and Gym Goers: The bottom compartment is handy for separating your dirty shoes or laundry from your clean items. The MOLLE webbing on the front and shoulder straps also makes it easy to attach additional gear. 

What fits inside? Pockets and Compartments

The Hustle backpack can be divided into three major compartments: the front admin compartment, the main compartment, and a bottom shoe compartment.

The front admin compartment features slip pockets for pens and accessories and is also large enough to store a couple of additional notebooks and smaller books.

The main compartment is where you will find a soft-lined 15-laptop sleeve. Under Armour did a good job at providing a false bottom so that the laptop sleeve floats about two inches from the bottom of the bag to prevent damage from drops.

If you are using the Under Armour Hustle 5.0 primarily as a school backpack, the 29-liter capacity can fit a fair number of large binders, books, and notebooks. 

For sports, workouts, and travel, you can fit three or four days' worth of clothing and toiletries depending on how lightly you pack. A full-sized basketball takes up about half of the inside of the main compartment.

The last major compartment is the bottom shoe compartment. Our testing revealed that it can easily fit a full-sized #7 basketball as well as size US 12 men’s running shoes.

What fits inside the shoe compartment? Men’s US size 12 shoes (left) Size 7 full sized basketball (right)

One important thing to mention about the shoe compartment, however, is that it shares its space with the main compartment. This means that whatever you store in this shoe compartment will take up room inside the main compartment. When Under Armour says this bottom compartment is "expandable," they mean it expands into the backpack.

Under Armour includes a few additional exterior pockets for extra organization. The first is the fleece-lined pocket on the front of the bag that is large enough for items such as a phone, sunglasses, or wallet.

There are also two side pockets for items such as water bottles and umbrellas. These pockets can easily hold larger 32-ounce bottles.

Materials and Construction

The Under Armour Hustle 5.0 is primarily made of polyester, making it very lightweight. Seriously - when empty, this backpack feels like air.

However, this lightweight construction comes at the cost of overall quality. The outer fabric and inner lining feel thinner than we would like, and the stitching throughout is very simple, which is most evident when looking at the inside pockets. If you want a heavy-duty backpack, you might want to consider spending a little bit more and finding a bag made with more substantial materials. Our Best Backpack with Shoe Compartments buying guide features some great alternatives.

The shoulder straps are nicely cushioned and very comfortable, we have no complaints here. However, the cushioned foam back panel leaves something to be desired. There is no structure to it, making it easy for oddly shaped items to poke into your back, which is our largest complaint.

Under Armour also does not include a chest strap or waist belt for additional support. We actually like this about Under Armour backpacks because it means fewer annoying dangling straps, but it might be a deal breaker for those intending to carry heavier loads and would like the extra support.

Waterproof? UA Storm Technology

Under Armour uses its UA Storm Technology as a selling point for this backpack, and we are here to set a few things straight. Although the fabric has a water-resistant coating, we believe that the UA Storm technology is a bit oversold in our opinion. If water gets on the fabric, it will roll off, but under heavy rain, water will find its way into the backpack with repeated exposure.

The Under Armour Hustle 5.0 also does not include any special water-resistant stitching, and the zipper for the main compartment, where your expensive laptop will be, is not water-resistant either, giving it weak points for water to sneak in. This construction is not anything special, nor is it bad. In fact, most backpacks are built this way and offer the same level of protection.

Will you be okay in a light rain? Yes. Is the Under Armour Hustle backpack waterproof? No, not even a little bit.

Final Thoughts

Buy on Amazon

Under Armour's best-selling backpack is popular for a reason - it hits enough sweet spots to a broad spectrum of people. It can be used as a gym bag, a sports bag, a school bookbag, and even for travel in a pinch. What's not to like?

With an MSRP of $55, you really can't go wrong. However, it's important to understand that this backpack isn't high-end. It's not made with the best materials, nor is it the most water-resistant backpack you can get. But if you're looking for a backpack that balances functionality and affordability, the Under Armour Hustle 5.0 is perfect.

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Lo & Sons The Hakuba

The Hakuba by Lo & Sons is a gym, travel and commuting backpack designed to be as versatile as you are. One special feature of the Hakuba is its removable insert that can be adjusted as needed to increase the space inside the main compartment. A mesh divider on the insert allows you to keep the bottom compartment divided for shoes and laundry or you can roll the divider up to take advantage of the full 35.5 liter main compartment.

When it comes to pockets, the Hakuba gives you plenty of organization throughout. Quick-access pockets on the top of the bag are real life savers when traveling and the zippered side pockets give you storage for water bottles on work out days and discreetly stay in place for a more streamlined look at the office.

What we like

• Clever removable insert allows you to adjust main compartment storage as needed

• Stylish minimalist design

• Bottom compartment is perfect for shoes or dirty laundry

• Discreet side water bottle pockets that stay out of the way when not in use

What we DON’T like

• Curved bottom won’t allow the Hakuba to stand straight up without toppling over when placed on the ground

• Steep price - the Lo & Sons Hakuba retails for $275

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 21.5"H x 13"W x 7.75"D

• Capacity: 35.5L

• Material: 600D Recycled Poly, water resistant zippers, memory foam shoulder straps

• Laptop Compartment: Up to 15” laptop

Where to buy

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Reebok Active Enhanced Backpack

The Reebok Active Enhanced Backpack is a versatile gym bag that can also be used for school, travel or work thanks to its laptop compartment and front pocket for daily essentials. One of our favorite features is the bottom compartment that can store a pair of shoes or laundry. This neat feature keeps all of your clean and dirty items separate for peace of mind on long days.

What we like

• Ventilated bottom shoe/laundry compartment in the bottom keeps dirty items separate.

• Simple design doesn’t scream “gym bag” Versatile enough to be used as a daily carry backpack for work or school.

• Can’t beat the price: $50 MSRP

What we don’t like

• Although the quality is good for the price - it does feel like a polyester backpack. If you are looking for a premium gym backpack, look somewhere else.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 17.5” H x 12.5 W" x 8.5" D

• Volume: 29L

• Materials:  100% Polyester

• Laptop Compartment: Up to 15”

Where to buy

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