Ivar Urban 32, Blue, One Size

It is definitely spacious and holds everything I need with multiple compartments. I was looking for a lot of space and got that, but what I did not think about was size relative to my own height. I am 5'5" and this backpack is a bit too tall for me to be completely ergonomic. With the straps shortened all the way, it has been OK and I have been using every day, walking 4 miles in relative comfort. Straps are cushioned and so far it's been very durable. (I do not use the chest strap because its location is not ideally placed for a woman.) Still, I would not have bought it had I had the chance to try it before buying it because of its length. But it would be great for a taller person.

I'm back on here ordering a third Ivar backpack for my daughter, who is going into the 10th grade and has been carrying an Ivar since 6th grade. I discovered Ivar when she began having back problems during her 6th grade year--the year she began having to carry around a heavy Dell laptop and several books to school. My daughter is tiny (currently 5'3" and 110 lbs), and I was worried at the time that this solution would not work for her even tinier at the time 10-year-old frame. It did the trick. Back pain resolved itself within a month or so of using this back pack. There were two added bonuses: First, the shelving system helped her to quickly do a visual check to see if the backpack is fully loaded before leaving the house. We saw an immediate drop in forgotten books and materials. Second, that backpack lasted her until midway through her freshman year, when the zipper failed. I accidentally replaced that one with the Ivar Urban 20, not realizing that it was smaller than the Urban 32 and would not fit her Meade 5-star zipper binder, so that is the only reason why I am now buying a third one now. The second bag is still going strong, otherwise. This bag has been a lifesaver and a problem solver for us, and we're strong converts.

I so wanted to love this backpack but one important aspect of the design has let it down. I walk for approximately 1 hour & 40 mins as part of my daily commute, so a comfortable good quality backpack is an essential item of kit. An ergonomic backpack sounded brilliant. I got so excited at the prospect, that I shared the link with several of my walking companions.On the positive side, the shelf system is great for distributing the load and keeping things organised. It's a great size and it can easily accomodate a 13" laptop + shoes + lunch etc. On these criteria, the IVAR is 10/10.On the negative side, the all important stabilising chest strap (see photo) is way too short. I am about 5' 4" (pretty standard for your average Western woman) & I cannot position this strap in a comfortable place. The track system that anchors the chest strap is too short to allow it to be placed across my chest i.e. above my breasts. If it move the chest strap to the highest setting, it goes across my breasts, which is incredibly painful. If if move it down, it sits underneath my breasts & it is very tight. The length of the strap would indicate that it is not designed to be worn in this position.It might just be a question of body geometry but I am a pretty standard height & shape. In any event, it looks like the designers have not made a backpack that can easily accommodate different body types. If you are a woman, with frontal accessories be warned. It's not comfortable. I am reduced to using it without the stabilising chest strap, which makes the load feel heavier & it moves around a lot. Less than ideal for an "ergonomic" backpack.

I'm using it for college and I love it. The middle separator with the strap works great for my laptop (ya gotta put it in sideways and strap the strap over it) and then I put all my schoolbooks in the bottom. I've got 7 smaller books in there and there's still room for more, but I would guess only 2 or maybe 3 of these larger calculus books I've seen would fit. Top pocket's good for graphing calculators and writing stuffs. Side pockets are big enough to fit most Gatorade bottles too. I've had it for about half a year now and it's holding up great so far, not that that's really enough time to tell how well it's made (though I have bought one from Wally World that started falling apart basically as soon as I put something in it). And of course the "weight redistribution" whatever works really well, which is good since that's the reason I chose this over others. When you get a good bit of weight in there it still feels a bit like you're leaning foreward, but if you look in a mirror or something, you're standing up almost straight. I haven't noticed any back strain at all, and I've got mine up to probably 25 pounds or so. I'd say for college life this bag's basically the bees knees.

I'm a college student and I usually carry my books, lunch, personals, school supplies, and notebooks/binders around campus for my classes. I'm also 5'2" 110lbs. This backpack does a great job at redistributing the weight of all my supplies and I'm able to CARRY them comfortably; because of my size I have to be careful about picking up the backpack and putting it down, because the weight is the same - only the distribution is different.The backpack is bigger than it looks, larger in height than it is in width and on me sits at the very top of my backside. If you don't carry a lot of books just enough to fill a regular size jansport, get a smaller size IVAR. The space provided in the backpack is more than enough to contain everything I mentioned above and the fabric, zippers, and shoulder straps are very durable and good quality. The extra external pockets as well as the smaller organizational pocket in the interior are perfect for me since I like to stay organized. This backpack is definitely great for college.P.S. the color is not as vibrant, but it's still the same color if that makes sense.