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After college, I never thought I’d volunteer to backpack around again. But when my family gathered for a birthday party, I noticed this sleek black backpack hanging over my aunt’s shoulders. She had just come back from work, but it didn’t look like a work bag; however, the bag did its job alongside her chic silk midi skirt and oversized sweater. “What is it and where did you get it from?” I blurted out before I even said hello. My admiration for your Dagne Dover backpack certainly did not go unnoticed: I found it under the tree at Christmas. And now it’s one of my favorite bags.
The Dagne Dover Medium Dakota Backpack is made of soft neoprene and is available in five trendy colors. (I have it down in the all-black Storm that goes with everything by default.) All of the other backpacks I’ve owned have felt stiff, but this one feels so padded on my back and shoulders – there’s even a little extra cushioning where it hits your lower back and you can feel the difference. And the outside is not only super soft, but also water-repellent so that my things stay nice and dry. That was handy when I commuted to New York for work every day, but it’s even more so after I moved to Hawaii, where it rains practically every day.
Whether I’m hiking with the Lanikai Pillbox or jet to a nearby island, the Dagne Dover Dakota is my backpack because it is supportive, offers plenty of space for all my things and can then be thrown into the laundry for any use. Even the muddy waterfall hikes don’t leave permanent stains on this bag – it’s still as slick as the day I got it. And since I have a virtual Reiki and Yoga business, I always travel with my 13-inch Macbook Pro, Reiki board, and crystals for remote sessions, in addition to my usual toiletries and clothing; Fortunately, the backpack comes with so many pockets and compartments to keep all of this organized. I especially like the mesh laptop holder, which is attached with a Velcro fastener. And on the outside you can rely on three pockets that I use for easy access to the headphones, cell phone charger and wallet.
But the padded straps are probably my favorite feature of this backpack. They are so helpful with walking around Honolulu, running errands, hiking up Diamond Head, and navigating the airport to fly back to the east coast to see the family. My shoulders never get sore, no matter how I weighed down the backpack.
It seems like I’m not the only one obsessed with the Dagne Dover. Nordstrom buyers totally agree with my assessment that this is one of the best backpacks you can buy right now. “This bag is perfect – fits my laptop, a large water bottle, lunch, and an extra pair of shoes,” one customer wrote in a review. “The outside pockets and inside organizers are amazing.” Another reviewer simply summed it up and called it “durable, stylish and super functional”.
You really can’t go wrong with the Dagne Dover Medium Dakota Backpack, whether you buy it for yourself or give it away to something else.
