Video Review: Dakine Gemini 28L ($125)

Introduction

As you all know, my recent reviews of Crossover Daypack focus on what can beat my current favorite pack (The ECBC Lance reviewed here).  It will not be easy as there are so many things that the ECBC offers (which is why it currently stands atop the mountain).  I recently stumbled across the Dakine Gemini online and was pleasantly surprised at the design and specs.  So, I bought it to see if the reality matched the marketing.

Take a look at the video tour of this bag below:

As usual, let’s focus on The Good, The Bad, and The Indifferent.

The Good

- The looks.  This bag caught my eye for its understated simplicity while still retaining most of the features that I look for in a crossover daypack. This is unusual for Dakine who typically makes flashy, skater-inspired bags.  (As an aside, I greatly admire the packs from Incase that have a design philosophy of simplicity that is similar to that seen in the Gemini.) I would be comfortable wearing the Gemini into a boardroom as well as up a local hill on the weekend. In terms of styling, it seems like it would go perfectly with a classic navy peacoat. Not too casual, not too stodgy.

- The suspension system. The suspension system is excellent (though it is missing a waist belt).  It supports loads well and has no hot spots where it digs into my body. (Note: something that feels "funny" in the first three minutes, will feel like a railroad spike in your side after three miles!)  Importantly, the design of the back (or what contacts your back) has deep, wide channels to allow for airflow.  The best suspension systems are those that you do not notice, and in this regard, the Gemini excels because it disappears.

- Sunglasses compartment. Though few packs have this feature, its presence in a pack has  become a beacon calling for me to do a review.  For me, as a prescription sunglasses/glasses wearer, having a place to safely store whatever pair of glasses I am not using is essential.  While it is true that I could simply use a case, know that it is: (1) hard to find a standalone case that fits my large sunglasses (the wrap of Oakley sunglasses increase their volume significantly), (2) it is much easier because it is a one step process to switch glasses, particularly since these compartments are on the outside of the pack, and (3) it is safer to have a "case" built into your bag because you will not take out your case, switch your glasses, and then leave the case on the table when you depart.  The Gemini sunglasses compartment used to be fleece-lined (from what I gather in old videos showing a previous version of this bag).  Today it is simply a nylon bag at the top of the pack offering protection from the stuff in your pack that would rear up and try to scratch your lenses.

- Multiple pocket in interior including multiple mesh pockets.  This is where the Gemini really shines.  Just like me, the bag looks shockingly simple on the outside, yet it is wonderfully complex inside.  Well, at least this is the case for the bag.  The Gemini sports 7 pockets in the main compartment. Six of these pockets are mesh so that you can see into the interior with ease.  All but two are zippered.  There is so much potential for organization, that an OCD person like me can spend hours planning just the right place for all of my stuff.

- Computer compartment.  Even the computer compartment has options!  First off, having this be a TSA friendly compartment is a boon.  Because it unzips along the sides, you can also access your laptop without having to move aside the shoulder strap. Additionally, there is a padded vertical pocket opposite to the padded computer pocket that can hold a iPad Pro or important papers.  There is no pack with a better computer compartment that I have reviewed.

- Material.  The fabric is thick and stiff enough to allow the pack to hold its shape while at the same time having enough flexibility to allow for the zippers to move smoothly around all angles.  I do love the weave as it reminds me of a barn jacket more than a tent.  It gives the pack a "dressed up" look that matches it's form.

- Versatile 270 degree opening.  I thought this was going to be a gimmick until I tried it.  Now I wish all packs had this design.  It allows this pack to act like a top loader, a panel loader, or a side loader.  Totally cool, brilliant design.

- Subtle logo.  Frankly, this was not something I paid any attention to until I reviewed the OGIO Ascent (here) where the logo was obnoxiously conspicuous.  OGIO should pay me for advertising their brand! To be fair, if you look at just about any other pack made by Dakine, the logos are equally garish.  In the case of the Gemini, however, Dakine decided to match the packs outward simplicity with a tasteful single patch in the lower corner.  (Of course, now I should go back and add this to all my other reviews of packs that have the same degree of subtlety.)

The Bad

- No external organizer compartment.  Indeed, for those of you who have read my reviews in the past, you know that I demand that a Crossover Daypack have an extertal organizer. In this regard, the Gemini fails. Perhaps I can justify that the lack of a dedicated organizer panel is balanced by the multitude of internal organization options that exist for this pack. However, that you would be disingenuous.  In the end, it is clear that the outward form of the pack would have been compromised with the inclusion of an externally accessible organizer panel.  Form of function won out here.  

- No pen slots. Even if you choose to forgo an external organizer compartment, you have to have at least two pen slots somewhere inside the main compartment, right?  It is baffling that a bag that is so clearly designed for business or school does not include pen slots.  While I can use one of the pockets for pens, it is not nearly as convenient as having a dedicated vertical slot.  This is one strange oversight on Dakine's part.  In fact, there is no chance it was an oversight.  It is such a glaring omission that it had to be deliberate.  I would love to hear their justification.

- Grey interior.  While it is certainly better than being black, grey is not that much better under poor lighting. To be fair, since the pack opens up so much, this is less of an issue than it is for other packs that have a limited ability to open up.  However, I would still argue that going with bright blue (or a lighter grey) would have been preferable and would not have appreciably taken away from the overall subdued look of the pack.  After all, I imagine that I would more often use this bag as a top-loader and in that case, the light penetration is far more limited.

- No loops on shoulder straps.  This is fairly minor for most people. I am admitting my true nerdiness is stating that I love having my key card on a retractable leash attached to my shoulder strap. I use the thing all the time and fishing for it in my pack is simply untenable. Not having a place to connect this leash saddens me.  (Know that my ECBC Lance also lacked a loop for this and I actually sewed one in - so it’s not a deal killer!)

- Dakine (the name).  This is going to sound really petty, but I can’t stand the name ‘Dakine.’  My parents grew up in Hawaii and so I know that ‘dakine’ is a Hawaiian pidgin English term used when you cannot think of a word for some object, place, or feeling. (For example: “Hey, brah! Did you see dakine? Chee, he so lolo.”  Interpretation: “Hey, friend!  Did you see Robert?  Wow, he is such a fool.”)  Hey I love dialects, but as a word lover, I get just as upset when my students use “thingy,” “stuff,” and “whatnot.”  Using dakine is being intellectually lazy.  Sorry.  I am a nerd through and through.  Don’t listen to me.

- Missing waist strap. In know that I rarely use a waist strap and I know that it is a pain if a waist is not removable or does not tuck away when it is not being used.  But if you have ever cycled through campus at high speed or sprinted to a meeting because you really needed that coffee and did not expect it to take 15 minutes, then you know that the extra stability offered by a simple waist strap might save you from crashing into tree.  It really is a no-lose situation if you make the waist strap something that you can tuck into a slot when you don’t use it.

The Indifferent

- The handle.  The handle on the Gemini is integrated into shoulder straps.  It forms a bridge of sorts between the upper part of the shoulder straps.  I am not sure this is a great design.  I think it might drive me crazy, but I can’t be sure, so I put it here in “The Indifferent” section simply because the jury is still out on this.

- Internal/external water bottle pocket. The problem is that I like to have my coffee thermos in as accessible a place as my glasses.  In fact, I use that coffee thermos more often than my glasses.  However, it is only a zipper away with this design and it keeps the bag looking streamline. So, on balance, I’m indifferent.

Conclusion

Overall, I love this bag.  It is really close to beating the ECBC.  In some ways, it is better than the ECBC (looks, fabric choice, looks, 270 degree opening, looks).  I think that I will end up actually using the Gemini a lot.  This is the way I think about it.  I can use both bags because they sort of serve two different states of mind. 

I think of my ECBC Lance as being like a Toyota Sienna Minivan.  It is incredibly versatile, reliable, and comfortable.  It never lets you down and will allow you to move lumber from Home Depot, the kids to soccer practice, and the family to the Cape.  However, it has virtually no sex appeal. 

The Dakine Gemini is like a BMW 328xi Sport Wagon (it can’t be a Lamborghini.  After all, we are talking a backpack here…).  It is still pretty versatile, but not quite as versatile as the Toyota.  However, it is more fun to use, more comfortable to drive, and looks pretty cool for a station wagon. 

So, sometimes I have to use the Toyota and sometimes I get to use the BMW.  This means that I can find times when I can use the Gemini.  It cannot be the only pack I own, but I can easily find room in my "garage" for it.

There it is.  The Gemini is a keeper.  For someone who is not shy about having too many backpacks, it is a no-brainer for me.  I am moving my gear into the Gemini 28L now.  Vrrrooom!