Aer City Pack 2 Review
We’ve been fans of Aer since their early years when they were crowdfunding to bring bags to market. In fact, some of our earliest reviews were Aer backpacks. So, it’s exciting to see them continue to evolve and release new or updated versions of their backpacks. Today, I’m reviewing the Aer City Pack 2, the updated version of the City Pack, a small work/school EDC backpack.
Disclaimer: Our City Pack 2 was provided to us by Aer. We are hugely grateful for the chance to try it, but we also caveat that we strive to provide our honest opinions in the reviews, both the positives and the negatives.
Overview
Overall, the City Pack 2 is an excellent backpack, and I’d possibly consider it my go-to work bag. The City Pack 2 is a 16L, 2.45-lb. everyday carry backpack that is designed for the office space or school. It’s highly organized and very robustly built, as are all of Aer’s backpacks. It has a main compartment with a laptop sleeve (up to 16"), admin compartment, an external water bottle pocket, and two additional external compartments (one on top, one across the middle of the front panel).
Being on the smaller side, it is better suited for someone who only carries the essentials to the office. But with a partial clamshell opening (the zipper goes all the way down on one side but only halfway down on the other side), it packs well and can carry more than you’d expect. As a work backpack, I’ve been carrying a laptop, charger, a notebook, headphones, a mouse, a wireless keyboard (Keychron K2), glasses with case, some snacks, a water bottle, and other various small items (e.g., keys, pens, lip balm, hand sanitizer, etc.). With all of that gear, there is still some space, and I can fit in a hoodie or light jacket.
Pros
- Very robust construction with 1680D CORDURA ballistic nylon
- Comfortable — great cushioning at all contact points (shoulders, back, grab handles) and contoured straps
- Plenty of organization (like all Aer bags) but not overly restricting
Cons
- Adjacent pockets may start to press into each other, e.g., difficult to put bulky items in the front panel pocket and the bottom half of the admin compartment at the same time
Yeah… not many cons that I’ve found when using the bag.
Organization
I’ve always found Aer bags to have an optimal amount of organization and with an intuitive layout. Plenty of pockets and pouches, but they’re not overly restrictive that I have no flexibility on where to put things.
- Main compartment — The main compartment contains just the laptop sleeve, which is padded on all sides and has a suspended bottom and fits up to 16" laptops, and an adjacent elastic tablet sleeve. I don’t normally carry a tablet, so I just keep my notebook in there. No small pockets on the front wall of the compartment or anything. The rest is just open space for your bigger EDC items, though there are only a few inches of depth in this compartment.
- Admin compartment — The admin compartment is on the front panel and includes 1 very large slip pocket that can fit another small tablet or a large e-reader, a large zipped 9.5 x 6.5-inch pocket, 3 medium-sized elastic slip pockets (I use the bottom 2 for my glasses case and laptop charger), and 3 small elastic slip pockets of various sizes (I use these for random small items like a pen, a AA battery (spare for my mouse), a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and travel-sized pack of ibuprofen (for dealing with the headaches at work). There is some additional space at the bottom of the compartment where you can dump things too.
- Front panel pocket — Midway down the front panel, there is a horizontally zipped pocket. There is a key leash inside, but nothing else. I use it as a snack compartment. You can keep bulky items in here but just keep in mind that it doesn’t have a ton of its own volume, so bulky items will press outward and inward into the admin compartment. So, if you’ve already got bulky items in the bottom half of the admin compartment, space will be very limited in this pocket.
- Top quick-access pocket — On top of the backpack, between the zippers for the main compartment and admin compartment is a 5-inch deep, elastic pocket for your smartphone, wallet, glasses, etc. This pocket’s volume comes directly out of the main compartment. So, if you have something bulky in here, it may start to impede your ability to slide things into the top of the main compartment.
- Water bottle pocket — On the right side of the bag (when facing the front panel) is an elastic and gusseted water bottle pocket. The design helps keep it out of the way when not in use, but the elastic is pretty strong, so it does pull your bottle into the main compartment’s volume a bit. My medium-sized S’well bottle and 18 oz YETI Rambler both fit well. It’s too small for a 1L Nalgene bottle though. The presence of the water bottle holder is why the main compartment is not a full clamshell. The zipper stops where the water bottle pocket starts. Since the backpack’s shape tapers toward the bottom, your water bottle will look like it’s leaning when in this pocket… because it is leaning.
Additional Features
- Dual grab handles — One on top, one on the right side. These are well-padded and very comfortable.
- Luggage passthrough — Across the middle of the back panel. The horizontal orientation lets the bag stay upright when in use and there is a piece of Velcro in the middle to keep it down against the back panel when not in use. You don’t feel it against your back though.
- Lash points — A couple D-rings (on the right shoulder strap and right sidewall of the backpack) and a couple Hypalon lash points (on the shoulder straps) allow a few spots for attachments. But I personally feel like external attachments detract from the clean aesthetic of the bag. So, I don’t normally use them.
- Magnetic sternum strap — Fully adjustable and removable. Attached to webbing straps on the shoulder straps. Includes a strap keeper.
- Pull tabs — Often overlooked, but these are good value-adds. All the external zippers (except the top quick-access pocket) have Hypalon zipper pulls. At times I feel like the zipper pulls are a bit too long and they can start to get in each other’s ways, but it’s definitely an improvement over some of their first-generation backpacks that used plastic pulls on a cord. Those definitely get in each other’s ways. On both sides of the front panel pocket are Hypalon tabs that you can use to keep the bag in place when using the zippers. The zippers are all pretty stiff (at least initially) because they are weather resistant. So, the tabs work well as a counter-pull.
- Smart tracker pocket — Very well hidden at the top of the zipped pocket of the admin compartment. I had to look a long time to find it and if Aer’s description did not mention it, who knows if I would have ever found it at all.
Construction
As mentioned above, the Aer City Pack 2 is 16 L and weighs 2.45 lbs. It measures 18 x 12 x 5.5 inches (H x W x D). As mentioned above, the bottom of the bag tapers slightly. I’m undecided on whether I like that look or would prefer a more natural straight side.
The exterior is 1680D CORDURA ballistic nylon with a lightweight ripstop nylon interior lining. The fabrics are bluesign approved, which we are fans of and indicates that it meets strict environmental and safety requirements. Aer also has X-Pac and Ultra versions available if you want to go with a more technical fabric, but 1680D ballistic nylon is very durable and has good water resistance. The hardware all feels great with YKK #10 RCT for all exterior pockets except the top quick-access pocket, which is a #5 coil zipper. The buckles and adjustors are Duraflex plastic, which is pretty standard for quality backpacks.
Overall, the City Pack 2 is very well built with highly durable materials and components. The craftsmanship is all top quality and there is plenty of reinforced stitching at all the stress points. This is all the norm for Aer bags and what we’ve come to expect and associate with the brand.
Comfort
The City Pack 2 has foam padding over the back panel and under the shoulder straps. It feels like a dual-density foam since one side feels very soft and cushiony while the other feels flexible but stiff enough to provide structure. All the padding is covered with a soft mesh. The back panel also has an airflow channel running down the middle, though it’s not super deep so probably not contributing a ton to the comfort.
The shoulder straps are contoured so they don’t pinch your armpits. They also seem to have some natural convex curve (when facing someone wearing the bag) built in. Even for someone with a broader build, like me, the backpack is quite comfortable.
Additional Notes
The last note I’ll add — though the City Pack 2 can stand on its own, it has a tendency to lean forward a bit. This is especially true when it’s empty or if there are things in the main compartment but no laptop. Of course, how you pack the bag and organize its contents will make a notable difference.
Summary
Overall, the Aer City Pack 2 is aces. There aren’t huge changes from the first-generation City Pack, which was already a solid backpack, but a few tweaks here and there. It’s ideal for a professional setting or even an academic setting if you’re looking for a more subtle style and your carry load is on the smaller side. It is highly organized, comfortable, very robustly built, and has a clean minimal look. It’s definitely going to be a favorite for many people.
