Backpacks are a staple of geek culture. Whether you use one for carrying all your gear to and from work or for picking up swag at a con, chances are good you’ve got an old backpack in your closet. I love the backpack I have, but Ogio asked me if I wanted to try out their new Renegade RSS backpack and I just couldn’t say no. Ogio makes great bags for all purposes, but the Renegade RSS is the Cadillac of their backpack line, loaded with features, well constructed, and ideal for the geek lifestyle.
Like several of their backpacks, the Renegade RSS has a number of pockets that use “red protection”. These pockets, identified by a red lining, provide extra protection, whether padding or a hard plastic enclosure, to keep valuables safe.
In the Renegade, there is a crush-proof vault at the top, perfect for sunglasses or any item you want to keep extra safe. Along the back is a “reactive suspension system” (the RSS in the model name) for laptops up to 17″ in size. With reinforced walls and an absorption system, your laptop will be protected if you drop the bag.
There are also special pockets for cameras, phones, tablets/readers, electric chargers, and more. Each compartment is identified inside the pocket by an icon that shows you what item is recommended to be placed inside. The bag weighs in at almost three and a half pounds, which is heavier than a lot of bags, but the protection and piece of mind this weight provides is worth it.
To put the bag to the test, I stuffed clothes, a tablet, a camera, phone, toiletries, and everything else I’d need for a couple days in Austin for SXSW. The Renegade RSS was comfortable and up to the test; although the dense foam against my back didn’t do me any favors when the temperatures approached the 90 degree mark. Still, I was impressed that I had enough room for all my stuff and still had space to pack away some swag.
Pockets for important devices like your phone are easily accessible by sliding the pack onto one arm and there’s even a small, zippered pouch on the shoulder strap for little items like a key, a pen, or other small item you might need to get to quickly. On top of all that, the Renegade RSS comes with a limited lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship, important for a bag that gets a lot of use and abuse.
The Renegade RSS is available in black and retails for $150.
Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample of this product.
