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ssl-3 t1_j0jnay9 wrote

Reply to comment by coursejunkie in 15 Years of almost daily use and still going strong , I present to you the Toyota of Backpacks by TheRealHowardPotts

Apologies for hijacking your thread to ask this, but:

Does anyone have experience with Targus warranty service?

I've got a Targus backpack that I bought from Dell in 2004-ish to carry the first laptop I bought. I still like it just fine and it is holding up quite well aside from one problem. For almost 20 years, I've continued to use it for my present-day laptop and as a carry-on when flying.

The problem is that, lately, the most important zipper (the one nearest the shoulder straps that bears the most weight) has been separating.

It's supposed to have a lifetime warranty, but their website suggests that I need proof of purchase for warranty service -- and that's surely long-gone.

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Eskaminagaga t1_j0jyafu wrote

I purchased a Targus backpack back in around 2005 and had it start to fall apart after daily use around 2015 or so. I looked into their warranty and discovered that they no longer make the type of backpack I initially purchased, instead making a similar one out of much lower quality materials. After that, I just decided to get an Osprey backpack which hasn't failed me yet.

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ssl-3 t1_j0k0eg3 wrote

Which Osprey bag did you end up with, if I may ask? I'm not opposed to buying a new one, and I already assumed that my Targus Matrix backpack is very long-gone in their product line and that a direct replacement is just not possible.

It's just that.... my present bag is failing, and I need to make a move soon.

I'm not yet familiar with the Osprey brand (and most of the BIFL backpacks here are just backpacks, not backpacks that are intended to protect a computer).

Can you fill me in on what you have, and what parts you like and dislike?

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Eskaminagaga t1_j0k1po4 wrote

So, the main reason my Targus bag fell apart was because I always overstuffed it, so I wanted a larger backpack. I think I went a bit overboard with the size of my Ospery, but ended up getting the Osprey Porter 65 with double the carrying capacity of my old Targus bag, but it has a place to put my laptop in it that keeps it safe enough and enough space for a weeks worth of travel clothing with room to spare, great for business trips.

But, I don't use it as an everyday backpack anymore due to the bulkiness of it. If I were to get an everyday Osprey bag with emphasis on Laptop care, maybe the Transporter Laptop Pack would be good, but I haven't tried it. Instead, I had another cheapo off brand bag which only lasted a few years, but after that failed, I went for a Langley Alpha Globetrotter XC. It is actually a camera backpack, but the pouches are just the right size for everything I need to use it for, has a separate laptop/tablet section, and it seems very well put together. I haven't owned it very long, so I don't know how it will hold up over time, but I have been satisfied with it so far.

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coursejunkie t1_j0jr81r wrote

I've never heard of the brand, so don't have any experience.

That's one of the reasons to go for Jansports. They don't ask.

Hope you end up getting it worked out!

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Soggy_Difficulty_361 t1_j0ka97k wrote

Still have mine, mint condition and bought at the same time as you, they're very durable.

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ssl-3 t1_j0kd6hc wrote

They are generally very good bags, I think.

But the most-important zipper on mine is regularly failing to zip, and/or to stay zipped.

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