This bag is touted as a gear bag for outdoor enthusiasts. With myself being one, one with lots of gear, and a familiar and respectable name like Thule, I jumped at the opportunity to own this bag! The crush proof case is marketed towards ski goggles (even the tag in the pocket is the shape/size of goggles) so I thought this would be a great boot bag. I was disappointed to find that my boarding boots fit in this bag only if the hard casing, which makes it crush proof, was removed from that pocket (meaning that my goggles wouldn't be protectd/nor fit). It was about 1" shy of fitting it all.
That being said, it's still a great bag, just not for my initial intended purpose. I love this bag for a carry on for airline travel. In a way it's the perfect blend between a backpack and a carry on suitcase. The insider liner reminds me of that in a wardrobe bag. It unzips to open all the way, like a suitcase(it lays open on it's own), so it's easy to pack and gives you easy access to it's contents. It has two handles, one on each side so it's easy to zip up again. I love how it fits on my back. The straps are very comfortable without being bulky. I have narrow shoulders and this bag sits so comfortably. The zippers have noticeable blue grips which makes them easy to find, although I did notice it zips easier when full. The material is seemingly durable, yet very light weight, and the entire bag is PVC-free, love that! One small complaint about the material the straps and back pads are made of is that it seems to attract pet hair! Not so lovely considering those parts touch your clothing.
I am glad have this bag, even though it won't hold all my snow boarding gear. I look forward to using this bag as a carry on while flying, for hiking, and just out and about with my kids. Even though the crush proof pocket won't be used for my ski goggles, it'll be useful for my camera, or even for keeping snacks from getting crushed..especially for keeping bananas from making everything in the bag smell like one! ;)