Toffee Berlin Backpack Review
The new Toffee Berlin Backpack priced at $172.68 denotes a time gone by, but also promotes modern functionality through its style. It’s been on our shoulders for months and we’ve unzipped our verdict. Buy on Amazon
Design
Toffee have been unashamedly vintage in style with this backpack and its pleasing shaping will definitely have broad appeal. Whether used for college, work or travelling, this is a backpack that suits pretty much every occasion and matches with most outfits too. It comes in three hued colours to keep the vintage style vivid - with a choice of navy blue, black or khaki green. We opted for navy blue because it features complementing brown leather side pockets that we thought completed the whole affair rather sublimely, along with the zip and top carry-handle. The interior of the bag is quilted in a thick nautical print cotton.
A unique feature that makes this backpack less ordinary is the water resistant waxed canvas. We actually use other Toffee products with similar waxed canvas and its application on these is proof it provides excellent ongoing protection for your possessions in light downpours. Furthermore, from our months of regular use we’ve really liked just how solid and responsive the YKK zips are, and we also appreciate that the Toffee Berlin Backpack features studs on its base so that the canvas doesn't directly buff against the ground or get deeply ingrained with dirt.
Comfort
The adjustable shoulder straps, whilst padded, have rather sharp edges. They remain soft yet snug on the shoulders with 5kg of weight loaded, but when we increase the weight the side of these straps can dig a little if just wearing a t-shirt, etc., but when we wear a coat or hoodie the straps pose no real discomfort at all. Pleasingly the rear of the backpack is padded and our backs don't complain about any fatigue or aches.
Storage
Here’s where the vintage notes of the exterior design merge with a modern backpack interior layout for what we consider a highly suitable space for on-the-go lifestyles. We see a cotton lined pocket intended for a tablet, another padded pocket which fits up to 13” notebooks and then plenty of free open space outside to pack away our headphones, books, portable speakers, a hoodie, a pair of gloves, DSLR camera, a lens and even the all important 500ml water bottle. Whilst the above list denotes a maximum list of what we can cram inside the Berlin backpack, ordinarily we’d store fewer items in the main compartment to keep things really organised and pop smaller items, like portable speakers or books, inside the front zipped pocket and water bottles in the side pockets. An important note we’d like to throw in is that, because the bag is flatly rounded towards its top, it seems easier to take items out and see within than backpacks like the Penny Pouch.
Verdict
The snug Toffee Berlin Backpack is an unashamedly retro-styled water resistant canvas backpack that can organise and store a modern life on your shoulders.
