UAG Civilian 20L Backpack Review: Flexible, Stylish Midsize Bag with Some Great Features

Urban Armor Gear (UAG) was founded in Orange County, California in 2012 and offers a line of cases and accessories for smart phones, tablets, laptops, ear buds, smart watches and VR gear. Their product line also includes chargers, cables and power banks and various other everyday carry items, but today we review a product from their line of bags and sleeves, the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack.

The UAG Civilian 20L Backpack appears traditional at first glance, but it has a modern silhouette and a few features that set it apart from many similar products in this segment.

Build Quality and Design

One of the first things that you notice about the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack is its clamshell design, which allows the front of the bag to be completely unzipped, allowing access to everything in the main compartment. I can tell you from experience that this is a nice feature, especially when you need to reach things in confined spaces, such as when sitting in an airline seat with the bag on the floor. Depending on how you pack the bag, you can choose to open just the top or lay it down and open the front completely.

I like the size of this bag, as it is 12.2” wide by 18.9” high and 4.72” deep, and weighing just 1.85 pounds, it is not too bulky or heavy for any trip, yet its twenty-liter capacity is large enough to accommodate your needs for most trips.

According to UAG, the bag is made of “rugged wear-resistant materials.” I recently took the bag on a trip to Brazil, and despite the various legs of the trip, the bag didn’t even get smudged. Best of all, the material is pleasant to the touch, something that cannot be said of all bags made of similar materials.

The front of the bag features the UAG logo on a patch that is attached by hook and loop for easy removability. The entire front of the bag, below the logo, is covered with nylon-stitched loops for attaching all sorts of gear. I found this especially handy when temporarily unpacking gear, such as in airports, when having a place to put a pen or a pair of glasses is desired.

The left side of the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack (when facing the front) has a spot for a standard-sized water bottle. This pocket also easily accepts plastic water bottles of most sizes. On the right side of the bag is a zippered pocket that runs the entire length. Inside the compartment are two pockets, one above the other, suitable for glasses, sunglasses, pens, keys, and other small items. This compartment is lined with a light gray fabric with a hexagonal print.

This same material is used throughout the bag’s internal compartments. All zippers are YKK, with those on the main compartments featuring orange pull strings. The zippers to the secondary compartments are black. All performed without incident.

At the top of the bag is a small, zippered accessory pocket perfect for important papers and documents. This pocket can be accessed from both the inside and the outside via separate zippers, making it the logical place for your passport and boarding pass.

The main compartment features a pocket on each side with a padded slot for laptops of up to 16”. The laptop is held in place with a flap with a hook-and-loop fastener. The padded laptop compartment has thicker padding on the outer wall and a softer, thinner padding on the internal wall. The outer wall padding is thick enough that the bag stands upright even when the front is fully opened.

The interior of the main flap features access to the top accessory pocket with two zippered mesh pockets below. At the bottom of the flap is a subtle compartment for Airtags, a good idea regardless of where you might be headed.

The back of the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack features a padded mesh back panel and shoulder straps. The black mesh is layered over breathable fabric of the same orange accent color, giving the bag its distinctive aesthetic. The back also includes a feature critical to any air traveler, the luggage pass-through, a nylon strap that slides over the handle of your carry-on luggage, making the two act as one.

The straps themselves have ample padding and are adjustable. Each arm strap also has a small strap at about shoulder level that is very convenient for temporarily holding your glasses or perhaps a pen. There is also a sternum strap with a snap for securely attaching the bag to your body. At the top of the arm straps is a handle connecting the two right where they meet the top of the bag. This strap is made of nylon and is not padded.

Performance

As I mentioned earlier, I traveled to Brazil with this bag and found it to be excellent. The straps and padding are comfortable when used over both arms or just thrown over one shoulder. The luggage pass-through holds the bag securely to your carry-on without affecting its balance. The zippered top compartment is very handy and works just as designed.

I especially liked the bag’s versatility with the clamshell design as well as its size, big enough to carry what you need without being bulky or uncomfortable. I also think that it is a sharp-looking backpack whose design aesthetic implies quality without screaming “steal me”.

My only complaint about the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack would be the nylon strap handle, which, while perfectly adequate for hanging the bag on a hook, quickly gets a bit uncomfortable in the hand when the bag is loaded with gear. I noticed this every time I pulled the bag from my carry-on. Certainly not a deal breaker, and also a detail that it seems easy to update.

For $139.95, there are less expensive bags on the market, but if you are looking for a well-designed and well-built bag with the details and flexibility for today’s uses, the UAG Civilian 20L Backpack may be for you.

The UAG Civilian 20L Backpack sells for $139.95; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer-supplied review sample

What I Like: Clever design; Flexibility; Aesthetics

What Needs Improvement: The top handle should be padded