Hands On With Belkin’s Active Pro Backpack

I’ve travelled for work for the last 15 years or so. In that time, I have road tested a lot of backpacks. For the last month or so, I’ve been carrying the Belkin Active Pro Backpack as my go-to bag on a few overnight trips and countless commutes between offices. Here’s how it stacked up.

The Active Pro Backpack I tested is designed for a 15.6-inch laptop. There’s a large, padded compartment for the laptop as well as a smaller pouch that can carry a 10-inch or smaller tablet – I used that for an iPad Air 2.

Unlike many backpacks that have a zip that runs right around the main compartment, this backpack opens from the top. That makes it easy to slip your computer in and out at airport security checkpoints but can make it a touch annoying to grab something from the bottom as you have to dig your way down.

Inside, there’s also a pouch for holding smaller bits and pieces. I used that for my laptop and iPad power supplies as well as couple of other cables I like to carry.

The internal capacity of the Actve Pro Backpack is quite impressive. It was able to easily accomodate the tech I carry when I travel as well as a couple of changes of clothes – t-shirts, a pair of jeans, socks and jocks, and my toiletry bag.

Annoyingly, there’s no spot for stashing a couple of pens although I did slide them onto the tablet spot.

Outside, there are external pockets on the sides that are secured with Velcro. And there’s a “hidden” pocket on the back that has a zip. It’s located behind the lower section of padding. There are also pockets on the front for stashing smaller items like a smartphone or wallet.

Although it lacks straps for securing the backpack across your chest and abdomen, Belkin has made this quite comfortable to carry, even when fully laden. I carted it across the streets of Melbourne and Sydney and sat comfortable on my 178cm frame.

At just under $80 the Belkin Active Pro Backpack is great value. It’s well made, comfortable to carry and has a massive amount of space.


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