Hands-on with the Lug Echo Laptop Bag: Pouches in Pouches in Pouches

I’ve used the same messenger bag for the past six years. It’s held up remarkably well, in spite of the abuse I’ve put it through, and while I wouldn’t trade it any time soon, the bag’s size has always been a pet peeve. Like most messenger bags, the main area consists of a single compartment and if it’s overstuffed, the whole bag swells up and becomes unusable.

Thankfully, Lug’s Echo Laptop Bag manages to solve this problem by taking the issue to its logical conclusion. The Echo isn’t much larger than most backpacks, but the sheer number of storage options, along with solid build quality, makes it a great bag for any situation.

The overall design of the sub-pouches feels sensible, with smaller compartments featuring smaller pouches for things like passports or writing utensils and vice versa. The layout of the second compartment—located near the top of the bag—is similarly convenient. The pocket features a felt-lined interior and is perfectly sized for digital cameras or other scratch-prone devices. The bag bears the Frommer’s logo—a la the travel guidebook series—so the traveler-friendly design makes sense.

The backpack’s spine keeps rigid with only minimal flexing, and generous amounts of padding get packed in between each pouch. The Echo comes in four colors (Midnight Black, Taupe Brown, Sage Green and Crimson Red) but visually, it’s somewhat of a mixed bag. The exterior is treated with a waterproof finish, which works exceptionally well—even after dumping a cup of water onto the Echo, there were no signs of lingering dampness. Unfortunately, the finish has the unintended side effect of giving the bag the same sort of unappealing sheen that’s usually seen on bargain-grade backpacks.

The Lug Echo Laptop Bag costs $75 and is available from Luglife.com and Amazon.com.