I wasted $60 on a 'waterproof' commuting backpack that leaked on my laptop

I bought a cheap waterproof backpack off Amazon for $60 six months ago. It worked fine for a month, then during a light rain in Portland last April, water got into the main compartment. My work laptop got wet and I had to pay $200 for a replacement battery. Has anyone else had trouble with those budget waterproof bags?

2 comments

2 Comments

karen_shah562d ago

Actually I've had pretty good luck with a $45 bag from a brand called Venture Ready that I've been using for about 8 months now, even in heavy Seattle downpours. Maybe the issue is that you picked one that wasn't actually seam-taped or tested properly because a lot of those cheap ones claim waterproof but really just have a light coating.

the_nathan1d ago

Is it just me or does it feel like we're all just getting tricked by marketing buzzwords now? I read a study once that said something like 90% of "waterproof" gear fails within the first year because the coating wears off or the seams split. It's the same with phone cases that claim to be "military grade" but crack if you drop them from waist height. Companies throw around these technical terms and we just trust them because they sound official. I swear half the stuff in stores is just labeled with whatever makes it sound tough, not with what it can actually do.