If there’s a bag that can do it all, it’s the Lo & Sons Rowledge convertible backpack. This decidedly grown up backpack is stylish enough for a professional setting, but practical in design.
While I do not personally own this bag, my friend has used one for five years. So I invited her to share her thoughts. Please note that my friend’s bag is the first iteration of the Rowledge while Lo & Sons now offers the updated Rowledge 2. The new Rowledge includes a shoe compartment. Otherwise, the design is pretty much the same.
Materials & Details
The body is made out of a fine-weave, water-resistant nylon. As I noted in this review of the Nouvelle crossbody bag, Lo & Sons’ nylon feels smooth and has a slight sheen. The interior is also nylon — with Lo & Sons’ signature hummingbird print.
Leather accents grace the front pocket, handles, and some of the zipper pulls. The hardware feels substantial and well-made. I am partial to the hardware in gold for that upscale look, but it also comes in silver and gunmetal.
The Rowledge has a nylon body and leather accents. It can be worn as a backpack or carried like a hand tote.
The padded backpack straps have a quilted pattern on the underside. My friend reports they’re “super comfortable.” Should you want to carry the Rowledge by the top handles, you can unhook the the backpack straps at the bottom of the bag and tuck them away inside a back pocket.
The padded straps are comfortable.
How do the materials hold up? Quite well! For several years, my friend biked to work. The back wheel would kick up dirt and debris onto her Rowledge. She regularly had to wipe it down. “As dirty as it’s been with all of the stuff the bike kicks up, it always cleaned up really well.”
Organization
From my experience as the owner of several Lo & Sons bags, I feel that the brand excels at thoughtful organization. The Rowledge, as expected, is full of handy compartments. Let’s start at the top. From here, there are three sets of zippers.
Can you see the “hidden” pocket?
At the back is a padded compartment, measuring 11.5″ wide by 15″ tall that can fit a 13″ laptop.
The laptop compartment. Also peep the jacquard lining. Lo & Sons always uses a lighter color for the lining, which makes it easier to see things in your bag.
There’s a middle zip compartment to stash small items. My friend refers to this as the “hidden” pocket and finds it convenient for stashing her ID.
And then there’s the main compartment, which has a zippered interior pocket.
The main compartment can fit quite a lot!
Like other Lo & Sons backpacks, the Rowledge comes with an organizational insert that can be removed. (See examples of the inserts in this post about the Hanover backpacks, which Lo & Sons no longer makes.) Some people don’t like this feature and would rather these organizational features be incorporated into the inner workings of the bag. My friend felt that the insert took up too much space and immediately took it out.
The interior of the main compartment has a large zippered pocket.
The front of the bag has a 3D pocket, which contains several pockets, including a zippered one, as well as a key leash, which my friend found useful. In the Rowledge 2 there’s also a compartment behind the front pocket that fits a pair of shoes.
Lo & Sons bags almost always include a handy key leash.
There are also two side pockets, which expand with a zipper. It can accommodate a water bottle or umbrella. “I don’t often use the side pockets. But when I do, it’s really convenient,” my friend says. “It’s nice to have the option.”
A zipper allows the side pocket to expand.
Size & Weight
The Rowledge is 12.5″ x 17″ x 6.75″. With the insert (which probably weights 9 to 10 ounces based on other Lo & Sons inserts) it weights 3.2 lb. “I like the size and how lightweight it is,” my friend says.
Here’s how the Rowledge looks on me (5’4″) and my friend (5’11”).
Lo & Sons Rowledge on someone who is a size small & 5’4″ (left) and a size large and 5’11 (right).
Traveling with the Rowledge
My friend attends a lot of conferences for work and has taken the Rowledge on many flights with no problems. As advertised, it fits under any airline seat, even the smaller space beneath aisle seats.
The back features a suitcase handle sleeve.
The handy suitcase handle sleeve on the back panel allows for securely placing the backpack on top of rolling luggage. This makes it so much easier to transit.
Is Lo & Sons’ Rowledge Backpack Worth the Price?
Rowledge Backpack – $498 ($298.80 on sale)
My friend has overwhelmingly positive things to say about the Rowledge, which has held up well after nearly daily use for five years. “I honestly feel that as old as it is, and as much as I use it, it’s in good condition.”
Her only quibble concerns one of the straps. While she uses both straps when biking and driving a scooter, if she walks, she tends to wear it over one shoulder — and the same shoulder at that. “That one strap, because it’s five years later, it’s a little looser,” she says. “I have to tighten it up a lot.”
Retailing for $498, the Rowledge costs a pretty penny, though it goes on sale several times a year. It’s currently marked down by 40%, which puts it at $298.90. Looking quickly at other brands, the going rate for a professional-looking laptop backpack seems to be $200 and up. But I’d argue the Rowledge is one of the best-looking ones with a tasteful and minimalist style.
My friend feels that she’s gotten her money’s worth. The Rowledge is a high-quality, handsome bag that has held up. And importantly, it’s comfortable. “It fits a lot of stuff, and even when it’s full, it’s very easy to carry.”
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