Yeti, most people will know that I promote and constantly talk about Yeti and would know that Yeti is life.
I know the life of a good bag, and I know that's there's some pretty strong contenders like in the wild you see Crumpler, Rains, Bellroy but when was the last time you actually saw a Yeti Crossroads in the wild?
I don't think I ever have seen one in the wild and I am not sure why, I just haven't seen one in the wild, like I understand the concept of a tough as nails backpack, like people will say the backpacks are heavy but they are but I don't think of them as heavy you know what was heavy back in the day? The King Single (Single Pringle) by Crumpler.
Yeti claims the crossroads is designed for a minimalist that needs maximum durability. I think that's where the weight of the backpacks come in to question, most people don't like the look of the crossroads where I don't mind the look of the crossroads lol
I think that the internal drink bottle pocket is something I am down for like, a chicken dinner.
As most of the bags I have in rotation don't have a dedicated spot for a drink bottle and that's a down side for me.
My daily bottle is a Yeti 18oz, and that's usually with a MagDock lid cause that's how I roll.
The QAP (Quick Access Pocket) is definitely a design I like with the breathable mesh, that adds the bonus, the mesh means that sunglasses will remain safe and undamaged in their for the most part, with the key leash that gives you somewhere to chuck your orbitkey if that's how you orbit with your keys. Yeti refer to this as a QAVP - Quick Access Vault Pocket.
I am not sure how I feel about the EVA foam being used for shoulder straps and back padding, I am not sure on a hot summer's day how that will breathe and stop sweat, from acclimating in the back paneling,
The laptop sleeve being suspended off the bottom of the bag is nothing new or innovative but it's a nice quick touch that will protect possibly the most expensive thing in your bag being that laptop.
There's another stash pocket in side of the bag as well which could be good for hard drives or a camera like the Sony ZV-1.
There two exterior zips one accesses the main compartment while the other accesses the rambler ready bottle pocket. These are called side hustle pockets which makes access easy and dynamic.
The bag is really well thought out but is it enough for me?
There's plenty of bags out there in the wild that is usable. Bellroy Transit 20L , Boundary Supply Errant Pack, Civic Half Zip by Evergoods are just a few that comes to mind.
Conclusion: Is the yeti bag a worthy contender for my line up? Maybe, do I think I would use it? Yes, do I think it's worth the price? I am unsure. Hit me up with your thoughts especially if you own one!