Great birder's bag!

A great bag for birders:1. It's very comfortable and rugged and holds just what I need without becoming a brush-navigation hindrance.2. The strap is very wide, which I was put off by at first glance, but the result is a very comfortable carry when the bag is full. Unlike other bags I tried on, the strap on this bag is plenty long (although, I'm 5'2", so what does that mean?).3. I can carry a midsize camera, field guides, small notebook, snacks, and water in the main compartment. The internal pockets hold a LOT of little stuff (ipod, pens, jots, bug juice, memory sticks, first-aid junk) without cluttering the bottom of the bag. All this gear is right at my fingertips...no more flushing birds while shucking a backpack in the brush.4. It doesn't have TIMBUKTU plastered across the front. The attractive logo is visible, but it doesn't turn me into a human billboard.5. I bought it for birding, but it quickly replaced the pack I (as a good Pacific Northwesterner) have long used as an everyday bag.It loses a star because I hate velcro and this bag comes with two enormous strips of that noisy %#@!. My usual trick of covering the scritchy side with felt fixed that problem. The bag is well balanced when loaded (doesn't tip and spill), so eliminating the velcro hasn't reduced it's performance.This model would NOT be an adequate size for use as a book bag. Try the next size up or stick with a pack to save your back.