When it comes to modern essentials, few brands do it as well as Everlane.

The Everlane Renew Transit backpack is a unisex bag specifically designed for travel and you can see the travel elements in the number of easy-access zip pockets, roomy main compartment and the welcomed addition of a luggage trolley sleeve.

In this Everlane backpack review we are going to dive deep into every nook and cranny and explore each feature in-depth so that you can decide if the Everlane ReNew Transit is right for you.

Features at a glance:

• Capacity: 27L

• Dimensions: 17.5” H x 12” L x 7.25” D 

• Materials: 100% Recycled Polyester, Recycled Polyester Lining, Metal Hardware

• Padded 15” laptop compartment

• External and internal water bottle pockets

• Internal document sleeves

Video Review

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Materials and Construction

Everlane made a special effort to offer a backpack made out of environmentally conscious materials. The ReNew Transit is made out of 100% recycled polyester with recycled polyester lining. The outside material is also coated with a CO water resistant finish to protect the backpack from rain and moisture.

Everlane doesn’t state what weight polyester they use – but if we had to guess we would say it’s around 500 denier. The fabric feels lightweight yet tough enough to handle daily abuse.

Both the zipper pulls and shoulder strap buckles are made out of metal, although Everlane doesn’t disclose what kind of metal it is. It feels like a lightweight aluminum. 

Everlane did a great job with the shoulder strap buckles. They feel like great quality and will hold up better than the usual plastic buckles that are used in most backpacks. The branding on the metal is also a nice touch.

When it comes to water resistance, the ReNew Transit backpack does a great job of repelling water away from the zippers and internal compartments. This is thanks to it’s CO water repellent finish that allows water to form beads and roll off the fabric.

The overall design of the Everlane ReNew Transit backpack also helps with water repellency as the top lid covers the main compartment entry and each front pocket is designed with a lip over the zippers. It’s small details like these that go a long way for protecting your stuff from getting soaked during a rainfall.

Pockets and Compartments

Let’s start with the pockets and compartments on the outside of the ReNew Transit.

On the front of the backpack you will find two zip pockets. The first is on the bottom front of the backpack and the second is located on the lid. Both pockets are about the same size and can fit bulkier items such as a large pair of headphones and a laptop power brick charger.

The pockets themselves are large open pockets with no further organizers or smaller pockets for things like pens, a phone or passport. This could be a deal-breaker for those of you who need smaller pockets to keep organized.

On the one side of the backpack you will find a water bottle pocket. 

Our one gripe with the side water bottle pocket is that it has no give. This means when the main compartment is full, this water bottle pocket becomes tight and you are going to have a hard time inserting a water bottle inside the pocket. It also means that larger water bottles simply won’t fit.

In the future Everlane should consider adding some elastic banding to help the water bottle pocket stretch as needed.

On the opposite side of the bag is where you will find the vertical laptop compartment zipper. The laptop pocket is said to hold a laptop up to 15-inches. Our 13” Macbook fit just fine with plenty of room to spare.

The laptop pocket entry measures 15-inches and the pocket depth is 12-inches. Slim 15” laptops will have no problem fitting into this laptop compartment but we are weary about bulkier 15” laptops or laptops over 15-inches.

Now let’s talk about laptop protection.

The laptop compartment on the Everlane ReNew Transit backpack is padded on all sides but it’s lacking a false bottom. This means that the laptop pocket reaches all the way down to the bottom of the bag. 

This could be a problem if you drop the bottom of the backpack on a hard surface as the laptop compartment itself has limited padding to protect from that kind of impact.

A false bottom is a small design feature that many backpack companies ignore but it’s still nice feature to have for the extra protection of your expensive tech.

To gain access to the main compartment you will have to open up the lid which is secured with a magnet. This is a nice feature since you don’t have to fiddle with buckles or straps before you can get into the main compartment.

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The inside of the backpack features an incredibly roomy 27-liter main compartment. Inside you will find two slip pockets that are made of the same material as the lining. These slip pockets are pretty thin… but they were designed to hold document papers and magazines and they work well for their intended purpose. Unless we stored documents specifically, we did not find ourselves using these slip pockets all that much.

At the bottom of the main compartment is where you will find a second water bottle pocket. This internal pocket is good for storing a water bottle or umbrella and gives you the option of carrying your water bottle on the inside or outside of the backpack.

Overall, the pocket placement is great and access to every compartment is easy. Our main complaint is the lack of smaller pockets or organizers for little things like a phone, passport or pens. What ends up happening is that all of your smaller items (charging cables, pens, cosmetics, etc) will just float around in one of the two outside zip pockets.

Another common carry feature that Everlane left out is a key clip. Again, you are going to have to rely on the front pockets to store your keys.  This is something else you should keep in mind if you are used to having that kind of organization in your current bag.

Capacity and Design

The Everlane ReNew Transit’s carrying capacity is 27 liters which makes it a versatile backpack that can be used for school, work, travel or the gym.

For college students or professionals, the main compartment is large enough to fit multiple binders and large textbooks with room to spare on top.

The Everlane ReNew Transit also makes a great work to gym backpack as you can comfortably fit a pair of shoes and change of clothes along with some daily essentials inside the main compartment.

As a travel backpack we found that the main compartment can fit both a large and small packing cube just fine. This equates to a few days worth of clothing.

The back of the backpack features a black polyester strip that functions as a trolley sleeve for attaching to rolling luggage. This is a must-have feature for a travel backpack and we are glad Everlane included it.

For frequent flyers, it’s also worth noting that the measurements of the Everlane ReNew Transit backpack fit right under many airline personal item bag size requirements, making it a great backpack to take with you on flights in addition to your carry-on.

Fit and Comfort

When it comes to fit and comfort, the Everlane ReNew Transit backpack is a nice in-between size for most people. It was designed as a unisex backpack and that is reflected in its size. It won’t be too large for most women, but it’s not so tiny that it will look ridiculous on larger people.

The width between the shoulder straps come to 2-3/4 inches which is consistent with most women’s backpacks. This is important to note because if you have very broad shoulders we are not sure how comfortable these shoulder straps are going to be for you since most men’s backpacks have a gap of 3+ inches between the shoulder straps to accommodate a broader frame.

The shoulder straps do have this nice ergonomic curve to them which does add positively to the overall comfort when you wear the backpack. Adjusting the shoulder straps is incredibly easy using the metal buckles.

The shoulder straps themselves are pretty simple and don’t have too much padding, which can spell trouble for anyone looking to use the Everlane ReNew Transit for long hauls where they will be wearing the backpack fully loaded for hours at a time. In those situations, these shoulder straps are not made for that kind of wear and you might be better suited going with a travel backpack specifically designed for long hauls.

As a backpack for casual wear I would say that the Everlane ReNew Transit is a comfortable wear especially when used for commutes or for light traveling.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day we really do enjoy the Everlane ReNew Transit backpack. The design is versatile enough to be used as a commuter, gym or travel backpack. The 27 liter capacity is the perfect size for a small travel backpack and there is plenty of room for shoes, multiple days worth of clothes and even large books and binders. 

It’s modern design gives it a sophisticated touch that really sets Everlane apart from other backpack brands. Everlane really nails this minimalist backpack style and we are excited to see what else they will offer in the future.

Where to Buy: Everlane

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