Solo is a popular backpack company that’s bags are made to stand the test of time, all while being functional for whatever you use it for being traveling to work, school, or even going out of town. The company sent over their SOLO Gramercy Collection Lexington Backpack which has become one of my favorite do-all bags at the moment.
Available in a black colorway, the Gramercy Collection Lexington bag by SOLO is inspired by the architecture of the Gramercy itself in New York City. The fully padded bag has enough compartments to fit everything from a battery pack to sunglasses, and of course, your laptop. Carrying around a 15 inch MacBook Pro is no task for the SOLO Gramercy Collection Lexington as the bag itself can fit up to a 15.6-inch laptop in its separate, but fully padded laptop compartment. Here are a few of the highlighted features of the bag itself.
• Solo Lexington Backpack
• Zippered & Padded Compartment Protects Laptops Up To 15.6″
• Deep Secondary Pocket with Dedicated Tablet Pocket
• 2 Mesh Accessory Pockets & File Pocket
• Bottom Front Pocket with Organizers, Quick Access Top Pocket, Key Hook
• Outside Zippered Pocket
• 4 Zippered Side Pockets
• Leatherette Padded Carry Handle
• Trolley Handle Pass-Through
• Padded Back & Padded Adjustable Shoulder Straps
The top loading bag is made of leather and polyester, and ultimately feel absolutely incredible. At only $99.99 it’s extremely affordable, and for someone who’s always loved TUMI bags but could never imagine the price, $99.99 for the Gramercy Solo backpack had the right price, all while pulling off a similar look.
On the front of the bag, you’ll notice SOLO’s signature logo underneath the bags front zippered pocket which can house your cell phone, sunglasses, and smaller items that you don’t want to be damaged. There’s a soft inner lining on the inside of this pocket for added support for those items but will also keep them free of dirt and debris that may be in other compartments in the bag.
Below that, you’ll see a larger pocket featuring two zippers that when open reveal a pocket for items such as pens, a small notepad, you name it. This pocket itself is covered in a leatherette that gives the bag an accented look that honestly looks way more premium that the bag’s price tag would suggest which I like. Solo attempted to make a statement by giving it the look of “from the boardroom to Happy Hour” in a sense, without going too overboard with the fancy leathers and flaps you might see on other bags.
Both sides of the Gramercy SOLO Lexington Bag are pockets, two at the top, two at the bottom that can house pretty much anything you can think of. I didn’t need this many pockets since I felt like four pockets was a bit overkill, but for others, this may be useful. For examples you could place your earphones in one pocket, a charging cable in another, and medicine separate in other which makes for easier direct access. For what it’s worth each of these pockets are great and someone will certainly enjoy. If it were me, however, I would’ve possibly just had three of those pockets, replacing one of the larger bottom ones for a cup or bottle holder, which would functionally get more use from me.
Even though the Gramercy features its own separate pocket for your laptop, the pocket that you can use to house other items such as an iPad, is actually pretty roomy. Now you can put your gym clothes in there and even your shoes and the bag won’t feel bogged down by everything that’s within it. The bag’s weight distribution works out pretty well despite having what I believe are pretty thin arm straps. I would’ve preferred them to be a bit thicker, especially due to the fact the rest of the bag, including the back support itself, have a lot of extra padding.
It just feels as if they got to the straps and went for a thinner idea, but in the case you have 30-40 pounds of things in your bag (which, yes.. is possible), I wonder how the straps will handle that weight. Despite that, if you are carrying that much on a trip, if you have luggage with you, now you can comfortably remove it from your back and use your suitcase’s handle to attach the Gramercy to it courtesy of the handle pass-through.
Overall I really enjoy the Gramercy Collection Lexington by SOLO, and if it were not for the thin padding on the arms, it would without a doubt be my go to bag. At $99.99 it’s an affordable bag that competes with those bigger names that charge hundreds, and there are enough pockets for virtually everything to have its own space on your back.
For more information on the Gramercy SOLO Lexington backpack, you can head over to SOLO’s web page today.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Pockets! Pockets Everywhere! The bag itself feels sturdy and can handle the contents evenly
What Needs Improvement: The shoulder straps are a bit flimsy
