The Friendly Swede Roll Top GRANEBERG Waterproof Backpack for Women and Men, Dry Bag Backpack, Waterproof Bag, Backpacks, School Backpack, Travel Backpack, Fits 13" Laptop Backpack, Work Backpack

Oh, Friendly Swede, how I want to give you nothing but 5 stars and glowing reviews. As a person who is drawn to all things Swedish (being Swedish myself) I was highly predisposed to love this backpack to pieces. I chose it because of its super cool style and unique look. Love that about it, no doubt! Yes, it is waterproof and yes it seems very durable (but that is hard to rate after only one week of use, of course.) I concur with all other reviewers regarding the usefulness/lack of usefulness of the zippered pockets and the interior pockets. The small side zippered pockets look cool but let's face it, will not be used. The larger rear pocket is perfect for a cell phone. Because it is so flat and the material is not vary pliable, you cannot really use it like a pouch pocket. Think of it more like a slot. The inside of the backpack has a couple nice sized pockets. The large one will not hold my Macbook air, and based on previous reviews, I did not expect it to. So basically ,it's a large bucket. Regarding the roll-and-buckle like a dry bag: It is a WAY different think to get used to if you have had a zipper backpack your whole life. It functions great as such (5 stars) and it what it claims to be ( and looks super cool!) but I am just saying that it requires a fair amount of adaptation on the wearers part. So in short, all of the aforementioned is really under the heading of It's Me and Not You. My only :-( is the sometimes difficulty of getting it on because the padded part of the shoulder straps do not continue all the way to the backpack itself. They are attached onto the nylon strap which is attached to the backpack. While this is what accounts for part of the cool look of it, it does not slide up over the shoulder very well and oftentimes flips over on the way up, so then you are using it with a twisted strap and the padded part with the opposite side flipped out if you are not careful. And because the padded part it not sewn on at the very top, sometimes the top of the padded part gets tucked under the nylon strap and you have to fiddle with it to pull it up and straighten it back up. Once it is on, it is pretty comfortable, but it is a fairly decent pain to get it on and readjusted as necessary. Thus my 3 stars on that category.Oh, lastly, I was concerned that it would look too big on me. I am 5'5", 108 lbs. Happily, I think that it does not look too big, so I would say okay to it fitting someone my size as well as an average sized guy.

I mostly get around the city by bike, so I wanted a bag that was waterproof but still fashionable. I feel confident about the bag's ability to keep my stuff dry even in a downpour (though I haven't put it to that particular test yet). It looks cute as a walk-around-the-city-bag as well; I didn't want a bag that looked to sporty or outdoorsy. I'm also kind of small, so I didn't want a huge biker backpack that would totally eclipse my body. The bag fulfilled all those wishes.However, I think that if I saw the bag in-person then I wouldn't have bought it. The straps are kind of flimsy and not particularly comfortable (but not exactly uncomfortable). I think I will add a sternum strap to help make the bag more comfortable when I ride. My biggest complaint is that the exterior pockets are too small to be very functional. They are all designed to be low-profile, so it's form at the cost of function. The side pockets are kind of a joke. I can jam my keys and maybe a chapstick in them, and it's kind of a tight fit. The exterior pocket can fit my wallet and my phone, and a pen. Forget about a water bottle. That would have to go in the main pocket, which is inconvenient because you have the buckle and the rolling to contend with.I was hoping I would make this backpack my main backpack, but with these small annoyances, I find myself hanging on to my old backpack for it's usability and convenience. My other backpack is also fairly cute and has pockets where I can just drop my keys or my water bottle (the side pockets on the FS bag are so small I have to tamp my keys in). it has rings where I can attach my helmet, U-Lock, bike light, etc. Simply put, I can store and retrieve my things with ease. The Friendly Swede bag would be nice as a supplemental bag for really rainy days, grocery runs, or days where you need a backpack but want it to look cute. I will still use my bag and be fairly happy with it, but I will also continue to be mildly annoyed with it as well.

Update: I reached out to customer service about my bag and they very kindly resolved the issue. I'm hopeful this was just a defective back. The bag I received is definitely 1 star but their customer service is 5 start thus the average 3 star rating.The strap broke after 5 months of daily use as an office bag. I would not recommend this bag for outdoor/travel use or long term office use. Very cheaply made product.

Was a good bag, but the strap came detached at the seams after 2.5 years of regular use for work and vacations. Could also use some subdivision in the main holding space. Great bag otherwise.

Update: I got a second bag!Now I have one bag for riding to work and one for the taking gear on a boat. It rains frequently and unpredictably here, and the backpacks keep my stuff dry and accessible without worry. I love the big pockets on the inside of the bag- most waterproof bags don’t even have a pocket for laptops or documents. I also enjoy the size. It’s enough room to pack a laptop, chargers, notebooks, lunch, water bottles, binoculars and my rain pants and jacket ( when it’s not raining), all while being compact enough to fit neatly in my bike basket.As for the other reviewers that mention the apparent fraying fibers: you really do just trim those off and never see it again. It’s not a big deal.Things I would ask for in future versions: put the exterior middle pocket higher up on the bag and make it a little deeper and angle the zippers on the side pockets so it is a little easier to get items in and out. The side pockets a pretty small and tight. my cell phones are too big to fit in them, but they work well for holding small tools and charging cords.—First Purchase Review:I ride by bike to work everyday rain or shine and this bag keeps all my documents and gear dry and secure. It is petite and stylish yet durable. I give this 5 stars and I am ordering a second bag. My only uncertainty is that dark marks have appeared on the outside of the bag from daily use and I can’t seem to remove them.

I received my rucksack not long ago. I haven’t used it yet but noticed the fibres as are shown in the photos. I contacted the company about this because I’d noticed another reviewer had mentioned seams on their rucksack coming apart.Pros: how quickly the company responded & dealt with my query.Cons: I was told that the existence of ‘stray fibres’ is ‘quite normal’ as the seams on this waterproof bag are heat welded, so the occasional fibres are a result of the welding process and was advised to ‘trim these away.’ They go on to point out that their bags are covered by a 3 year warranty.My concern as I initially told them is that I do not expect to pay £54.00 for a rucksack and receive it like this! Before selecting a rucksack I’d spent some time reading the reviews on various rucksacks on Amazon, I settled on this one only to find this issue. I have never spent this much on a rucksack before and was entitled to believe I would be sent one that had gone through a quality control inspection before it was passed for sale. I am disappointed at the response received and whilst I appreciate there is a warranty, my preference given the amount spent, was to receive a bag in perfect condition, not to be told that all I need to do is trim away the fibres which in my view should have been done before I received the bag! This response has somewhat taken the shine off receiving the rucksack!I was therefore trying to decide whether to return or use it. Since receiving that response from The Friendly Swede, I just put it aside without using it but now I’ve decided I’m going to use it & hope for the best! Not a very happy customer! Will update after it’s been in use for a while!

**updated after 10 months of use, see last paragraph**First of all, the Friendly Swede might have one of the most helpful customer service experiences I've ever had. Secondly the bag is excellent. I haven't been able to test the water proofing yet but all signs are good so far that it is a very well made and fully sealed bag. You can see and feel the quality. When the bag arrives it will feel a little stiff but after a few uses it starts to soften.In terms of comfort, it feels great on your back. I can't quite put my finger on it but it's just a comfortable bag to carry. The straps seem well made and cushioned.The laptop pocket internally fits my 13 inch laptop like a glove and feels secure. The bag is great for carrying everything you might need going in and out of the office or for a day trip into the city.Love the clean white look, seems to keep white and I've been able to clean off any day to day marks. The white also helps for visibility on darker days.All in all I am very happy with the purchase and the experience I had interacting with the customer service. I would recommend this bag and if it's quality is anything to go off their other bags must be decent too.**10 month update**10 months later and I must say, this bag has held up very well. I use it daily for my commute which includes bus, train, cycling and walking. For all those modes of getting to work having a waterproof bag like this is great. I don't have to worry about the bottom getting wet on the floor of buses/trains and equaly it helps when I'm walking or cycling in the rain. All the components, zips, clips, straps, and the general material of the bag has held up really well and basically looks and feels as good as it did when I first got it. I would still very much recommend getting this bag if you are looking for a quality bag.

I use this bag for going to and from work. Overall, I really love it and I'm glad I bought it, and there is only one minor con.Pros:- Waterproof- Great look (I like it and have gotten a few compliments, I got it in black)- Good laptop compartment (protective and fits my laptop nicely)- Comfy straps- Convenient number/size of outer pocketsCons:- No side pocket for umbrella/water bottle. I have to put my water bottle in the main compartment, which is a bit less convenient for puttin in and out. If I have a soaking wet umbrella, I have to use the fabric on the handle to go through the clasp, which is an okay work around, but it jangles about a bit annoyingly if you're cycling - or put the umbrella in a carrier bag then put it in the main pocket.

Instead of going into massive details about how and why I adore this bag, I'll just compile a list of Pros and Cons, so you can see for yourself if it suits your needs.Pros:• Definitely waterproof, I take this bag with me on boat trips etc, and it keeps all of my stuff dry. I haven’t submerged it underwater fully, so I can’t promise you anything here. Besides that, I wouldn’t recommend keeping things that I wouldn’t want to get wet (e.g. phones) in the side pockets, although I keep my phone there and haven’t had any problems yet.• Very robust. I don’t think any extensive details are really necessary here• It has a large carrying capacity, i.e. you can fit a lot of stuff into it.• It is lightweight• I really like the roll-top closing mechanism, which ensures that no water would will get in, which a zipper can never do, even the best ones.• I used it for at least two weeks now, and it still looks like new.• Looks stylish as hell• I know that this isn’t technically about the bag, but I guess this counts: their customer service is ace, the ‘friendly’ part of the company is definitively there. I mean I even received a letter with my bag, explaining all the specifics of the bag. For more details about this, look in the cons section.Cons:• Its shoulder straps are a bit close to each other. So, in some cases that straps may rub against your back (especially the lower part of the straps), but if you adjust them carefully and keep your back straight (which you should anyway), you shouldn’t have to worry• Its laptop compartment isn’t large enough for the average laptop, but I have a small, 12” laptop, which fits perfectly.• It did have some loose threads sticking out, but the bag had a label, which explained why there are threads and how I should get rid of them. Simply use scissors, and you’re good. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are still companies out there that care enough about the customer to actually create these labels with explanations.• The outside pockets are not all-too useful: to begin with, they are relatively small, especially the side pockets. I can fit two packs of tissues and my wallet into the front pocket, but the side pockets are even smaller, so if you have one of the larger phones (e.g. iphone x), you will not be able to fit it into the side pockets with ease. That being said, I, personally, don’t care too much about the side pockets, as my main concern was keeping my belongings (lots of them) dry and clean, which the bag is perfect at.• The bag doesn’t have a lot of pockets, so for the people that need to stash their things in various pockets to know where they are (me being one of them), I recommend to get small pouches for each category of things, i.e. I have a pouch for my electronic devices, a pouch for my toiletries, etc., because the only pockets that you get are the three on the outside, and three on the inside, that being the laptop compartment, a medium size pocket on that, and the main compartmentWhile my list of cons seems to be extensive, I think that the arguments that I present against it get defeated by myself in that same paragraph. I use this bag for my EDC, and it is absolutely perfect at that, I am really glad I bought it. In conclusion, it really depends what you are looking for in a bag. If you are looking for a bag with tons of pockets and secret compartments, then this probably is not for you. But if you want a robust, waterproof, stylish bag that will last you (probably) a lifetime, this is your best bet

Very good bag, lightweight, very waterproof. Laptop section works well.For 5*, could a mount point be added for a back light? A small strap on the back pocket to clip one in? I ended up using epoxy to add a mount for a flat pannier light. Couldn't pierce the fabric, that would damage the excellent waterproofing!A light on the bag adds a lot of visibility at night, it's higher so seen better in traffic.Update: it's so waterproof the epoxy came off! I've had to sew a light, using upholstery thread, onto the label!