Synapse 19, 25 or Synik 22

[raybtwo]

My current EDC is a Luminary 15 and I love it but it will not accommodate my 14" HP EliteBook laptop. That means on days that I take my laptop home from work that I am carrying my Luminary and my old TB Super Ego messenger bag. The Super Ego is a great bag but I have come to the conclusion that I just prefer backpacks.

I went with the Luminary because at the time my work computer was a desktop and the only thing I needed to carry in it was an iPad which the Luminary is perfect for. Since then my employer switched exclusively to laptops and of course COVID so I have been taking my laptop home with me a lot more.

The thing that I like about the Luminary is that it is compact. I don't carry a ton of stuff and have found with larger backpacks that I tend to clutter them up with junk I don't really need. In a new backpack if I am not hauling around my laptop then I will not have a lot of stuff.

My first choice for a new EDC backpack would be the Synapse 19 but based on the description and what I have read here on the forums it might not be able to accomodate my 14" EliteBook. Similarly I'm not sure that the Synik 22 will either. Does that sort of leave me with the Synapse 25 by default? Again, I am trying to go with something that is not too big.

Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated.

Ray

[G42]

Welcome to the Forums raybtwo !

I think that HP was the laptop I had at my last job but I'm not 100% sure... mine did fit my S19 in a zippered padded case, in the main compartment, but did not fit correctly in the SN22 in the built-in laptop section

If no one answers with specific experience of the laptop you have, definitely contact the fine folks in Customer Service and they can help you with sizing.

[proximal]

I have a 14" laptop for work (Lenovo T14s) and it fits just fine in a Synapse 19. I am not using it with a Cache or other case with it, although I think it would probably just fit if I did have a case with light padding. A 14" laptop also does fit in the Luminary 15 main compartment, so if your goal was to get something just to fit your laptop, I am not sure a Synapse or Synik would be any better than what you already have.

[Cristina]

Hi Ray,

Are you set on using a built-in laptop compartment or are you happy to put your laptop in the main pocket of the bag? The answer to that may mean the difference between bags, since some people would consider a laptop fitting in a bag only if it fit in the laptop pocket. Of course, the Synapse series doesn’t have a dedicated laptop pocket like the Synik series, so that’s something to consider.

I hope you’re able to get your first choice S19!

My current EDC is a Luminary 15 and I love it but it will not accommodate my 14" HP EliteBook laptop. That means on days that I take my laptop home from work that I am carrying my Luminary and my old TB Super Ego messenger bag. The Super Ego is a great bag but I have come to the conclusion that I just prefer backpacks.

I went with the Luminary because at the time my work computer was a desktop and the only thing I needed to carry in it was an iPad which the Luminary is perfect for. Since then my employer switched exclusively to laptops and of course COVID so I have been taking my laptop home with me a lot more.

The thing that I like about the Luminary is that it is compact. I don't carry a ton of stuff and have found with larger backpacks that I tend to clutter them up with junk I don't really need. In a new backpack if I am not hauling around my laptop then I will not have a lot of stuff.

My first choice for a new EDC backpack would be the Synapse 19 but based on the description and what I have read here on the forums it might not be able to accomodate my 14" EliteBook. Similarly I'm not sure that the Synik 22 will either. Does that sort of leave me with the Synapse 25 by default? Again, I am trying to go with something that is not too big.

Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated.

Ray

[raybtwo]

Hi Cristina,

Built-in laptop compartment or rail loops so that the laptop would not just be free floating. If I did go with the Synapse I would pair it with a cache and take advantage of the rail loops which in my mind is just about as good as a dedicated laptop compartment and in some ways better or at least offers more flexibility.

I want my laptop to be secure and not slide around which is the problem with putting it in the Luminary's main pocket.

So it's sounding like I might have to go with Synapse 25 because I don't think the 19 will accommodate a Cache suitable for a 14 inch laptop. I don't think a 14" laptop will fit in the Synik 22's laptop compartment.

Thanks for the advice!

Ray

Hi Ray,

Are you set on using a built-in laptop compartment or are you happy to put your laptop in the main pocket of the bag? The answer to that may mean the difference between bags, since some people would consider a laptop fitting in a bag only if it fit in the laptop pocket. Of course, the Synapse series doesn’t have a dedicated laptop pocket like the Synik series, so that’s something to consider.

I hope you’re able to get your first choice S19!

[Surrealle]

This will sound counterintuitive but you might also consider the Brain Bag. I know it's bigger capacity-wise but it's 2 inches shorter than the S25 and you can cinch it down using the straps so it's never really too big.

I'm pretty petite at 5'2 but it's one of my favorite EDC bags for when I have a lot to carry, and I especially love how flexible it is on size. The design is way better than the Synapses/Syniks (not that they're bad bags, quite the contrary) because it's impossible for the contents of the front pockets to cramp the interior. Plus the ability to carry a water bottle on the outside frees up a lot of space and allows for easier access.

[G42]

+1 to Surrealle suggestion to consider the Brain Bag... I was pleasantly surprised by how useful & adaptable the BB is and the cinch straps are key to keeping the bag snugged to the contents. I'm 5' 4" and the shorter vertical height works way better for me than the S25

[raybtwo]

Surrealle and G42 The Brain Bag is definitely food for thought. It is quite a bit bigger than what I am looking for but I will add it to the list. I am 5'11" so the vertical height should not be a big factor for me. Aesthetically I prefer the Synapse but at the end of the day I am going to go with function over form. The size though may be too much for me.

This will sound counterintuitive but you might also consider the Brain Bag. I know it's bigger capacity-wise but it's 2 inches shorter than the S25 and you can cinch it down using the straps so it's never really too big.

I'm pretty petite at 5'2 but it's one of my favorite EDC bags for when I have a lot to carry, and I especially love how flexible it is on size. The design is way better than the Synapses/Syniks (not that they're bad bags, quite the contrary) because it's impossible for the contents of the front pockets to cramp the interior. Plus the ability to carry a water bottle on the outside frees up a lot of space and allows for easier access.

[Surrealle]

Surrealle and G42 The Brain Bag is definitely food for thought. It is quite a bit bigger than what I am looking for but I will add it to the list. I am 5'11" so the vertical height should not be a big factor for me. Aesthetically I prefer the Synapse but at the end of the day I am going to go with function over form. The size though may be too much for me.

Yeah, the looks on it threw me too but eventually I got used to it (and even started liking it in the darker colors, with the blue being my favorite). The black may be the best option if it really bothers you because the mesh pocket blends in.

Anyway, as much as I like the S25, the layout and design on the BB works better for me personally. Even though the Syn bags are designed to keep the pocket contents from eating interior space, it's not 100% effective. I also find the BB pockets easier to "navigate" (access/fill/etc.) in general. And I like the accessibility of the top pocket over the chin pockets on the Syn bags.

[KathyH]

raybtwo - Don't know if you're still thinking but just in case....I have all three bags. Started with the S25, then added the S19 and finally the S22. My preferred day-to-day carry has become the S22. I found when I carried a bigger bag that I tended to fill it. The S19 was almost a good size but when I carried my HP Elitebook (a little over 13"), lunch plus, it could feel a little cramped.

The S22 was a good compromise for me. My laptop is just a wee tad too long to fit into the padded section so I keep it in a main section, slipped into a thin neoprene sleeve from Amazon. I tried the cache on my S25 and S19 but found it to be more hassle then it's worth, especially since I don't bang my bags around and need extra padding. I use the padded compartment to hold my tablet, which I pull out on the train, my work phone and, at one point, my Bose QC35 earbuds (flat and on a neck collar).