Everyday Carry

The North Face Kaban Laptop Backpack

Authored by:
Bernard Capulong
The North Face Kaban Laptop Backpack

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Sometimes getting through your morning commute can feel like a mountain to climb. If there's one thing to make it easier, it's a great backpack to keep your essentials ready and organized. With tons of outdoor gear expertise, it's no surprise The North Face knows how to make a bag for all your urban adventures, too. The Kaban backpack has the right features, materials, and organization for urban EDC whether you're biking to work, hustling between classes, or just exploring the city.

One of the most important qualities of an EDC bag is ease of access when you're on the go. The 26L Kaban makes getting to your gear quick with a U-shaped, top-loading design. The front compartment opens to reveal a contrasting interior with mesh stash pockets near the top of the bag, perfect for cables and chargers. On the back of the outermost panel is a zippered mesh pocket for added storage. A typical admin panel stores pens, your phone, and other small items. A soft fleece lining makes this the perfect place to store your tablet or other delicate tech, too.

While the front compartment is a top loader, the 3/4 zip allows you to unzip it enough to access it from the side, making gear at the bottom of the compartment easier to reach. Another small pocket accessible from the other side is perfect for your frequently used gear, as you can draw the bag under your arm and reach in from the top without having to take the bag off.

You're free to load the spacious main compartment as you see fit, as it doesn't have any internal pockets in the way. It's perfect for books, a change of clothes, packing cubes, and so on. And if you don't need to load the main compartment, keeping it empty leaves the bag nice and slim for a low profile carry. Behind the main section is a dedicated laptop compartment that accommodates up to 15” laptops, complete with a pull tab to make retrieving your computer easier.

Thoughtful details round out the bag, like its side water bottle pockets, water resistant exterior fabric, and ventilated back panel designed for comfort, sweat wicking and optimal airflow. Lastly, an adjustable sternum strap and adjustable shoulder straps let you dial in the fit for a secure, high-riding pack that carries comfortably when cycling or under load. You can pick one up in your choice of muted, street-ready colors or opt for outdoor-inspired high-vis options at the link below.

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Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Author
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

Discussion (2 total)

Jos Miguel Dias ·
Hello. nice review
Do you have any idea how many packing cubes (and which size) would fit inside?
Bernard Capulong ·
Hi, I've since returned my review sample but from what I remember the main compartment is around 19L or so? You can probably get by with a 10L packing cube and a 5L packing cube.