Video Review: Timbuk2 Showdown Laptop 22L ($89-$99)

Introduction

After months of a fulfilling relationship with the ECBC Lance crossover daypack, I began the process of looking around again.  Not because I was dissatisfied with the Lance, mind you.  The renewed search was driven by a desire to see what was out there in 2016.  My next four reviews focus on packs made by Timbuk2 out of San Francisco.  First up:  The Timbuk2 Showdown Laptop.

The Showdown is a 22L pack - a smaller size than the sweet spot of 28L that I typically go for.  However, since pack manufacturers frequently under and over-estimate pack size and also do not always include the size of external pockets, it is always better to get ahold of pack to judge how well it holds your stuff rather than relying of the specifications provided on the web site.  

Take a look at the video below for a thorough tour of the pack:

As usual, let’s take a look at “The Good,” “The Bad,” and “The Indifferent” when it comes to the Showdown.

The Good

Lookin’ Good.  I realize that looks are a subjective matter, but I think that this pack does a decent job of bridging the crossover ethos. The Showdown certainly is sporty enough to look fine hiking through the woods or mall on the weekends. Its rustic, multi-pocketed look might not go well with a tailored suit, but does go well with a tweed jacket, button down shirt, and corduroys.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Fabric. Timbuk2 has 13 different Showdown packs in different colors and fabrics.  I reviewed the “Desert Grass” (heather green) color in the “Washed Cotton Canvas” fabric. (This fabric option also comes in khaki, orange, yellow, pink, light blue, and light green.) It has the feel of an L.L. Bean Barn Jacket. I like this because it will be silent rather than crinkly in the cold.  The fabric is stiff and thick enough to allow the pack and the pockets to hold their shape.

Suspension System.  There is an open spine channel for comfort and circulation and the shoulder straps have no hot spots or pinches under load.  There is nothing overwhelming great about the suspension system, but it does its job well and I quickly forget about it when in use.

Loops on Shoulder Straps. Too many companies leave this feature off their packs when it is so simple and useful. Having loops allows you to attach accessories that are within easy reach when wearing the pack including: cell phone pouches, keys, and even the tube from your water reservoir (that can be stored in the laptop compartment in place of your laptop).

Fleece-lined Exterior Pocket.  This is a must for me as a prescription glasses wearer.  I am constantly swapping out my prescription sunglasses and my “indoor” glasses.  Even if you are not an eyeglasses wearer, this is a great place for your cell phone.

Three Zippered Outside Pockets. This is an usual feature. While it is true that one could have accomplished the same level of functionality with three large pockets inside a single zippered panel, I do like the option of getting to an item without having to expose all my other stuff to the elements. Plus, to my eye, it's a cool look.

Separate Laptop Compartment. This has become de rigueur in most of today’s good crossover packs.  However, it is still something I will consider a plus until it is an option that is as ubiquitous as shoulder straps.

No Zipper Covers.  Zipper covers are useless and impede zipper access and movement.  Three cheers to the Showdown for having no zipper covers anywhere near this pack.

Excellent Zipper Pulls. Similar to a suspension systems, this is something you only notice when they are bad. In this case, however, the Showdown has great pulls that have enough heft, give you a solid tactile feel, and provide real leverage when unzipping.

Click on the image to enlarge.

The Bad

Unstable. I really want my packs to be able to stand on their own. When a pack flops onto its front or back, it is harder to access and harder to fill. Frankly, there is no reason this pack could not have been designed to be more stable on its bottom.  Unfortunately, Timbuk2 deliberately cut the pack so that it has a sloped bottom.  Boo!

Click on the image to enlarge.

Computer Compartment Zipper.  The zipper itself is fine.  It runs smoothly with no hang-ups around the bend.  However, the opening is awkward as the zipper runs from 11 to 5 (on a clock face) instead of the more typical 9-3 or 12-6.  As a result, you need to slide a 15 inch computer in at an angle.  I am not saying that this slows you down appreciably, but you do have to pause for a moment to aim the computer in.  More significantly, it does take more effort to wiggle your computer out of the compartment.  My thinking here is that there is no reason to limit the zipper.  It would not take much to make the zipper a double zipper (it is a single that opens from 11 to 5) and have it open along all edges except one (making it TSA friendly).  It was a strange and deliberate design decision by Timbuk2 to limit the opening to 11 to 5.

No Computer Compartment Interior Pocket.  The computer compartment lacks a dedicated computer pocket inside of it. With the current design, it could not have a dedicated pocket as it would be near impossible to remove and insert your device.  However, the lack of a dedicated pocket with a safety strap is dangerous. If you were to, ahem, leave the zipper open when you went to pick up your pack, the computer will happily spill out onto the floor as you go to throw the pack over your shoulders.  If you are lucky, your laptop will fly out onto the couch (phew!).

Lower Front Pocket Opening.  I love the three organizer pockets on the front of the pack, but the one on the lower right has an opening that is too limited.  Keep in mind, while I have man-hands, I don’t have particularly big hands.  It would have made more sense to make this zipper open more, even if I had tiny hands, as it would allow you to get better access to whatever you hold in that pocket (for me, it is my mobile phone).  Right now, it opens along one single side and I am forced to reach in with two fingers.  Making the zipper mimic the zipper on the pocket above it (12-4) would have made a lot more sense.  

Organizer Location.  The organizer panel (with slots for pens, credit cards, and dongles) is located on the front wall of the main compartment.  Keep in mind that if your main compartment is filled with a jacket, a couple of notebooks, and a camera, it might be difficult to access this organizer panel.  It is always preferable to put the organizer panel in a dedicated exterior pocket given how often you need to grab something from this panel. While Timbuk2 did put this panel on the wall closer to the front of the pack, which makes it easier to bend the panel away from your stuff in the main compartment, it also creates another problem. The weight of the stuff in this organizer will cause the pack to deform if it is not filled and subsequently dump your pens on the ground.  (See photo below.) Bottom line:  it’s a bad location for the organizer.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Missing Interior Pocket.  The Showdown needs one more pocket below or across from the current organizer panel, inside the main compartment.  It can be zippered or not, and it would be great if it were mesh so you could see into it. Ideally, the pocket should extend from the middle of the pack to the very bottom of the pack. Reason?  I have small, heavier items that need to be kept in a pocket.  For example, a backup battery, a case containing my earbuds, or a small French to English dictionary. The weight of these items is such that putting these items into the current organizer, inevitably causes the organizer to deform the pack and create the issue described above.  

Water Bottle Pocket.  There is a water bottle pocket that is half mesh and half cotton fabric.  It is useful, but I do think it would be more secure if it were about two inches deeper.  It is also really tight for a 1 liter bottle.

Missing Side Pocket.  Typically, pack companies that include a water bottle pocket will have two water bottle pockets on either side of the pack.  In some rare cases, pack companies will do one better by having a water bottle pocket and a zippered pocket on the opposite side (great for wallets, keys, cell phones, etc).  In the case of the Showdown, there is one water bottle pocket and nothing on the other side.  Seems like a wasted opportunity.  

Sternum Strap.  I am happy that Timbuk2 included a sternum strap as it improves stability and comfort.  However, while the strap can slide up and down the strap, it does not lock into place.  This means that it will shift around and inevitably need to be adjusted each time you use the strap.  

No Waist Belt.  It is rare when pack companies design these into a pack that is only 22L, so I can’t whine too loudly about this, but there is no downside to including a removable waist belt.  Waist belts stabilize the load when you are moving quickly.

The Indifferent

Lash/compression Straps.  There are compression straps on the bottom of the pack.  Ostensibly, one could use these straps to attach a yoga mat or jacket.  While one could imagine using them to tighten down the pack if you aren’t using the full volume of the pack, know that daypacks are, by nature, small and used for non-technical situation where cinching down a pack is unnecessary.  Frankly, if Timbuk2 was that concerned with stability (which is the reason you trim a pack using compression straps), a waist belt would be a FAR more effective means to increase stability.  My guess is that I will never use these compression straps.

It Is 22L.  Indeed, I have to give Timbuk2 credit.  This bag is indeed a 22L pack.  I can’t fault them for correctly advertising this as a 22L pack since it is.  However, it is a bit small for my needs.  As I have said in the past, 28L is the ideal size for a crossover daypack.

Bottle Opener. In a nod to craft-beer drinking hipsters, Timbuk2 has included something, as a 47 year old father of two children who is decidedly unhip, will never use.  That said, I have completely nerdified the “feature” by attaching my retractable key leash to this bottle opener.  Aren’t I cool?

Conclusion

I really wanted to like this bag because I love the way it looks and feels.  The cotton canvas is stunning and the bag is made well (no surprise given that it is made by Timbuk2 which is known for making bombproof bags).  This is why it is such a good idea to get a bag and examine/use it rather than simply looking at photos and specs online.  In the end, this pack simply came up short in too many ways to make it onto my recommended bag list (an article I will be compiling soon).

I think the biggest issue is the computer compartment.  I can’t figure out if Timbuk2 over-thought or under-thought this compartment.  The fact that the zipper does not open far enough seems like they were over-thinking things.  For the life of me I cannot figure out why they did not install a zipper that opens up in a more conventional way.  [Incidentally, if they thought their design allowed the pack to hold on to the computer even if the zipper was mistakenly left open, know that this did not prevent my computer from flying out (onto my couch, thankfully) when I forgot to zip it up.]

The second biggest issue is the location of the organizer panel (where you keep your pens).  It’s in a bad place.  I think that Timbuk2 did not test this panel before they put this bag into production.  Perhaps if they had added another pocket for the heavy stuff it could have saved the organizer, but even then, it would have benefitted from a different location (see my photos about this issue, above).  

Lastly, and perhaps this is unfair, but the bag is too small to be an effective crossover.  As a true 22 liter pack, it lacks the volume that I need for it to be a good weekend pack where I need to pack an extra layer, snacks, and photo gear into the main compartment.  This is entirely unfair in that Timbuk2 accurately advertises this pack as a 22L.  Had I simply believed them, I would not have bought this pack.  Alas, you can’t typically trust bag companies to measure their bags correctly.  As I have said elsewhere, 28L is the sweet-spot for crossover daypacks.

In the end, as much as I loved this pack for its looks, I can’t imagine using it.  Not when there are equally attractive and better designed bags out there.  Sorry, Showdown, you are pretty, but your personality stinks.