Blacks Vertigo rucksack review

Want a bag without spending the earth? We see if Blacks has the answer<br>

4 September 2006 11:02 GMT / By Stuart Miles

If you're not ready to show the world that you're carrying a very expensive laptop, then a rucksack is the way to go. There are of course plenty of rucksacks out there from a number of different manufacturers to suit most needs.

Blacks solution, the Blacks Vertigo is an entry-level bag costing £25 that does a good job offering what most would need without breaking the bank.

Available in black and only black, the bag's lining is bright orange and more importantly waterproof. There are two main compartments plus a soft lined audio pocket for mp3 player, and a soft lined laptop compartment as well, however the latter isn’t padded.

As with other bags on the market, the Veritgo offers holes to lace your headphones through so you can ditch your iPod or MP3 player out of the way, but still use it.

Elsewhere there are lots of small internal pouches, including a stack of pen slots for those who like their share of pencils, pens, and other pointy things.

The back offers probably the best padding we've seen on a bag for a long time with six soft, but firm raised pads to allow plenty of air and comfort on your back.

There is also a waist strap for extra support if you've weighed down the 15 litre bag to the maximum.

Verdict

As an entry-level bag the Vertigo ticks most of the boxes. However those looking to stow a laptop safely should be warned that the padding is a soft lined pouch rather than anything of any substance.

That said, expect plenty of kids to be carrying these to school for the new term.

The catch? It only comes in a rather boring black.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Blacks
Price as reviewed: £24.99
The good: Soft lined audio pocket for mp3 player, well padded back, laptop padded section
The bad: Only comes in black
Quick verdict: Good entry level bag, but its only available in boring black
Score