It is made from old truck tires. [wannekes]

If there's an argument to be made, it's one of durability. These vintage Nazi backpacks are rated to last another 50 years (apparently WW2 was meant to go on a long, long time). Retrofitted with solar panels and batteries before being rebranded as KILLA Vintage series #1 bags, I have a feeling that the electronics will fail long before the cloth will wear away.

And while admitting this feels a bit awkward, I'm smitten with the design of the pack itself. It's almost too bad that only 20 bags will be produced yearly for an unspecified price. [Killa via taktomyshirt via therawfeed]

I am not going to lie. What got me excited about HAL wasn't fashion. Besides the Kubrickian name, the allure was a long skinny laptop slot, with its own zipper access, right up against your back. The $120 pack (one size: medium) can hold a 17" MacBook Pro, or any laptop that's 15" wide and 11.5" from front to back. The reason for the separate zippered compartment should be obvious: Airports. No longer do you have to reach into a fully packed piece of luggage and pull out the most buried object. It's not exactly one of those TSA approved bags, but when I flew with HAL, I was pleased by its convenience.

HAL has a lot of pockets, a prerequisite of a gadget guy like me. Besides the laptop slot, there's a spacious main compartment for large objects, plus a nice series of pockets on the back face. One is the traditional "organizer" pocket, with lots of silky subpockets for precious items like checkbooks, passports and portable hard drives. There's an outer pocket—one I typically refer to as the "speed rack"—where I keep all sorts of odds and ends, SD cards, pens, 30-pin iPod cables, Flip cams and guitar picks. They fit.

There's also a funny side pocket, opposite the laptop slot, that I will identify as the "wine pocket" since it's just right for fitting a 750ml bottle of wine. Would you then attach a straw out of the zipper hole and then up over your ear, for quick drinking? I suppose it depends if the wine is white or red. (A 40oz might also fit, but I didn't have one handy.)

If you're more a fan of the wacky tabacky, you'll enjoy the little pocket on the back. It's subtle, but it's not exactly concealed. I mean, cops would probably look there (especially cops who read backpack reviews on Gizmodo), but it's probably a decent way to hide small amounts of contraband from your parents, guidance counselors and parole officers.

What's great about HAL is that it wears the bulk well, but doesn't look empty when it's empty either. I guess what I mean is that I am sick of backpacks that "show" like a pregnant lady, and this one hangs, nice and casual, whether it's empty or fully laden. And, on the fashion tip, it's got skinny straps. Apparently people like Buchanan think fat straps are uncool. I was not aware of this, but now I am.

I do have three complaints, mostly minor. There's no padding on the bottom of the bag itself, so carrying DSLRs and other expensive hardware takes some added caution. It may make sense just throw a rectangle of foam padding in there, to be on the safe side. As I said, the "speed rack" fits all of my fast-access crap, but it has a zipper that runs down the side, so there's a risk of losing said guitar picks and SD cards.

My final complaint may put me back in custody of the fashion police: There's no place to strap an umbrella or bottle of water on the side. Certain crap like that, I want to be able to access fast. I can put a dry umbrella in the side wine pocket (as you see in the pics) but what happens when it's wet? This may be me letting practicality get in the way of good style sense, and I'm willing to concede in order to keep up with the backpackerati—and in Buchanan's good graces. I just thought you should know. [Product Page]

In Brief

Stylish but not over the top; looks good full and empty

Enough variety of pockets to satisfy gadget geeks

Places to put both weed and wine

Not the cheapest backpack on the block, but quality makes up for some cost

Not enough padding in the main compartment

Nowhere to put a wet umbrella

Top photo by the multitalented Chris Mascari

Kind of demeaning for the ol' baddie, no? I mean, turning one of the most celebrated villains in cinema history into some kind of $40 gimpy clinger-on... I mean, it's almost like an out-of-touch filmmaker taking a storied franchise, reshooting key scenes with poorly planned updates and cut footage from 1977, and then selling the resulting schlock back to us as if it were the second coming. I mean, if that actually happened. Did it?

But back on task. If this were an Anakin Skywalker Back Buddy, and it resembled Hayden Christensen, I might not be so critical. It'd be more fitting, is what I'm trying to say.

This Darth is available for pre-order and ships in August. [Star Wars Shop via OhGizmo]

Thanks to the 24-year old Royal Marine's pack and armour, he escaped with nothing more than a bloody nose. The rucksack, however, was not so lucky. Explains Croucher:

"It was blown straight off my back. The blast shunted me a full metre. The lithium battery for my communication equipment took the brunt of the shrapnel—it landed 10 metres away with sparks and flames flying from it. I was completely disorientated. All I could hear was a loud ringing and the faint sound of people shouting 'Are you ok? Are you ok?' Then I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. A minute later someone said 'you were f****** lucky'. They were like 'what are you doing, you nutter?' But you could feel their relief."

Apart from the burst blood vessels in his nose caused by the shockwave from the explosion, Lance-Corporal Croucher was unscathed. His selfless actions have caused him to be nominated for the Victoria Cross, the British army's highest award for bravery. If the committee in charge agrees, he will be only the ninth man since World War II to receive it. [News Of The World]

According to the inventor, this was designed for "college students, high school students, concerned parents, and commuters." In his mind, there's surely someone on your shopping list who could use a little extra protection this holiday season. At only $249, it's a small price to pay to make sure that little Bobby makes it through the mean streets of the biology wing safely. Available now in 10 assorted colors, but you can also customize it with any JPEG just in case you think your ex would make for a good target shield. [BackpackShield]

A blogger in the field is only as good as his (or her) backpack, so I'm keen on seeing how these freaky looking Logitech Kinetik bags turns out. I love ballistic nylon and a polyurethane "exo-shell" as much as the next geek, and the lumbar support on this baby looks nice and cushy, for those multi-meeting running-around-NYC days that I've been having too many of lately. Both will cost $100, shipping in September. Jump for details including, uh, "system requirements". Or just have a look at the pretty pics below. – Wilson Rothman

Press Release Fact Sheet:

Logitech® Kinetik™ 15.4 Backpack
Logitech® Kinetik™ 15.4 Briefcase
Advanced Transport for Notebooks™

Announcement Date: June 20, 2007 Shipping: September 2007

Price: $99.99 Available at: www.logitech.com

Product Description
Logitech's two new premium notebook bags—the Logitech Kinetik 15.4 Backpack and the Logitech Kinetik 15.4 Briefcase—offer a stylish and comfortable take on the traditional notebook bag. Both cases have an exo-shell construction, which protects the laptop from damage, and a unique expanded-access compartment design to provide instant, easy access to the laptop and other equipment. The backpack features a contoured back panel, which conforms to the back, while the briefcase features a cushioned back panel for comfort padding. Made from lightweight, black, durable ballistic nylon and polyurethane, these notebook bags are easy to carry and built to last.

Key Features
• Exo-shell casing protects notebooks without adding extra weight, or hard edges.
• Contoured back panel conforms to your back for supportive, comfortable transport and unencumbered movement.
• Expanded access with a unique fanned compartment design gives you instant, easy access to your notebook and other items. Top-loading notebook and document sleeves ensure that everything stays in place with you're on the go.
• Internal cargo bays provide structured storage to organize and secure key accessories and equipment.
• Padded shoulder straps for comfortable transport.

System Requirements
• Fits most 15.4-inch notebooks (including extended batteries) plus Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro

Warranty
• 5-year limited warranty

Product Page [Via Gizmos for Geeks]

How does the SecurePack keep those prying hands to themselves? First of all, there are no pockets on the outside. The only way you can get into it is via a zipper that's located right next to your back and out of sight. The backpack's big enough for a 17-inch laptop, and has a special pocket for your music player along with a pass-through slot for your headphones. Looks comfy, too, with its ventilated and ergonomically-padded design. Get it in black with yellow trim or urban camouflage for $80. – Charlie White

Product Page [Mobile Edge, via Bios Magazine]

The Ferren backpacks feature a padded laptop slot, MP3 player pocket, detachable cell phone holder, CD/DVD slots, insulated from pocket—for food—and side beverage pockets. It is made out of strong nylon and includes a water-resistant bottom. It is available for $70 through Targus and is available in a rainbow of colors.

Product Page [Targus]

For the nerds it has an internal iPod pocket and an optional hydration routing system. Best of all? They're compatible with Maxpeditions caribiner things, called Grimlocs (GARRRR!). For those who have more serious work to complete, the Monsoon also offers plenty of room for your firearms! $117 for a sturdy bag can't be all that bad. [Thanks, Saleh]

Product Page [Maxpedition]

The backpack's load plate is mounted to the pack and suspended by springs, which allows the load to echo the hip's movement. This drives a rack-and-pinion device, which in turn powers a motor that acts as a generator. The result is a conversion of the body's mechanical energy to electricity.

This could definitely be practical for explorers, hikers, soldiers, etc. Although it could be a bit overkill for Timmy on his first day of kindergarten. Stick to the Spongebob kids, no need to save the earth yet.

Inventors charged up over backpack generator [Global Technology]