Kenneth Cole Reaction “Relatively Easy” Bag Review
Interesting tidbit — back in 2017 when we first started this blog, this bag was the very first one I reviewed. But we never published the review because it didn’t seem like the type of backpack we wanted to get start building our name on. So it sat in our drafts for all these years. A couple months ago, I started using it again and I’m updating and publishing the review now because it seems like a good follow-up to the Tom Bihn Trinity bag as they are similar in concept. So it will be interesting to compare and contrast, as these shoulder bag / backpacks are pretty common these days.
Overview
The Relatively Easy laptop bag from Kenneth Cole is a versatile bag with great functionality, but is better suited as a shoulder bag / messenger bag than as a backpack. From what I can tell, it is a fairly typical design for a bag of this type. This messenger bag converts into a backpack with shoulder straps that tuck away into the back panel. There are three large compartments, one specifically for a laptop, and the others with various dividers within them for notebooks, documents, and tablets. In addition to these, there are another three smaller compartments — an admin compartment, an additional small front compartment, and another for your smartphone. With it’s 16 pockets/compartments, there are many options for storage.
The compartments and pockets are all oriented for briefcase/shoulder bag carry. The laptop sleeve is a U-shaped zipper, the luggage compartment is a full clamshell opening, and the tech storage compartment and admin compartment are splayed openings. All these compartments work well, but for specific purposes and if you don’t have a need for those purposes, then it’s a bit of wasted space that you won’t use much.
Strengths
- Tons of pockets/compartments
- Well-padded throughput, including the backpack shoulder straps
Weaknesses
- Volume is very limited
- No rubber grip on the shoulder strap, so it slips around a lot
- Lack of water-resistance
Organization
Though there is a ton of organizational features in the Relatively Easy, the actual usable volume is limited. There are so many partitions and they are padded. In my everyday carry, I can carry my laptop and charger, a notebook, wireless mouse, glasses, headsets, a water bottle, documents, and various small items (keys, pens, etc.). There is still some additional space, but not for large bulky items.
- Laptop sleeve — The compartment closest to the back panel is the laptop sleeve, which is padded on all sides. My 14" ThinkPad fits easily with room to spare, so I think you should be able to fit a 16" MBP in. The U-shape zipper opens across the top (when in briefcase orientation) and down a couple inches on either side.
- Luggage compartment — The next compartment (moving toward the front panel) is additional storage space for a thin set of clothes or additional documents, or a tablet. It doesn’t have much volume. While you could squeeze in a set of clothes, you won’t really have space for much else. It could still be useful on a one-night business trip though. The zipper is a full clamshell opening, which is supposed to make passing through TSA easy. But my experience with these type of compartments is that TSA still asks you to take out your laptop (if you’re not TSA pre-check). With my daily carry for work, I did not end up using this pocket at all. There are also two zipped pockets in this compartment that are 7.5" x 7.5" and a third one that is 11" x 15.5" (H x W)
- Tech storage compartment — The next compartment has 2 pockets within it for additional tech, like tablets. I tended to keep notebooks, my laptop charger, wireless mouse, headset, and glasses in here. Since this compartment has dedicated volume, it can store some bulkier items. There is also a partition that splits the compartment in half, but I didn’t really find this partition served any purpose at all.
- Admin compartment — On the front panel is an admin compartment with a 7.5" x 11" (H x W) zipped pocket, 3.5" x 12" (H x W) elastic pouch, 2 other small pockets, pen slots, and card holders. This compartment also has a key leash. The admin compartment has a little bit of its own volume as well.
- Front quick-access pocket — The front of the admin compartment has a flat pocket that is 9.5" x 12.5" (H x W). This mainly became my snack compartment.
- Lined tech pocket — Above the admin compartment is a 5.5" x 9.5" (H x W) pocket lined with micro fleece for your smartphone.
One of my main gripes is that there is nothing to hold a water bottle, though the same applies for most laptop bags. I can lay it on the top of one of the main compartments since the partitions are soft enough to flex, but you’ll have to be absolutely certain that your water bottle is sealed tight and doesn’t leak.
Additional Features
- Convertible carry straps — Since the Relatively Easy converts between shoulder bag and backpack, the straps can be interchanged. The backpack shoulder straps have side release buckles that attach at the bottom of the padded portion of the straps. Once detached, the straps can be tucked under the padding of the back panel. The shoulder bag strap is attached via D-rings on the sides of the bag. One key complaint about the shoulder strap is that though the padding is comfortable, it’s not adjustable (anchored in place) nor does it have any grips on it. So, if I wear certain jackets, the strap keeps slipping off my shoulder.
- Sternum strap — Fully adjustable and attached to the shoulder straps via rails
- Padded grab handles — When in shoulder bag configuration, there are very well-padded and comfortable retractable grab handles on the the top and right side.
Construction and Comfort
The Relatively Easy is 12" x 16" x 6" (H x W x D) on the exterior and I’m estimating its packing capacity is around 10–12 L, though it looks much larger. It weighs about 3.2 lbs, which is on the heavier side for a bag of this volume. The durability seems decent but not extraordinary. The polyester material does the job under typical use, but also isn’t a very dense grade. I’m guessing it’s somewhere around 500–600 D polyester. The bag was not designed to be waterproof or water resistant in any way, so use that umbrella when it rains. The zippers and the adjustable strap sliders and clips for the single shoulder strap are all made of metal and feel very durable. The buckles and adjustable sliders on the backpack straps are made of plastic.
The back panel of the bag is padded but lacks any sort of breathability or air channels, since it was designed as a shoulder bag. That means that the whole back surface area is constantly rubbing against your back when wearing it, building up sweat relatively quickly. To be fair, no matter how well-designed the back face of a backpack is, when walking to the office in the heat of summer, it’s going to be a sweaty ordeal. As mentioned above, the shoulder straps are padded but not with foam that is very supportive. They are slightly contoured though.
Additional Usage Notes
There are FOURTEEN zippers on the exterior of the bag. And as you can imagine, with that many zippers, it’s very noisy. You sound like you’re carrying bells with you, and while that might actually be useful for hiking in bear country, I would advise against using this bag for hiking.
Lastly, the buckles on the shoulder straps come undone very easily. Every time I put on the backpack, the shoulder strap will loosen all the way, so I will need to adjust the straps each time I put the backpack on. It’s a minor nuisance, but a frequent nuisance.
Summary
Overall, having all the pockets and organizers make it a very functional bag, but is much better suited as a messenger bag than a backpack. You might actually find it hard to use because it has so many specifically designed pockets, i.e., the number of pockets is a bit overwhelming and finding uses for them can be a struggle. As it doesn’t have the capacity for much else aside from everyday office items, it’s strictly a work-bag, whether that be on a daily commute or work-related air travels.
Features: 3 of 5 — Nothing interesting in terms of features aside from the convertible configuration between backpack and shoulder bag, which is done pretty well. Everything else is pretty standard.
Organization: 4 of 5 — Tons of organization, but lacks water bottle holder (which is important for me personally). Many of the pockets also lack dedicated volume, so their uses are somewhat limited
Construction: 2 of 5 — Mid-grade fabric for EDC backpacks and no water-resistance. Hardware is a mix of aluminum and plastic.
Aesthetics: 3 of 5 — Minimalist style with all black front, but that is contrasted with the silver-colored zipper pull tabs and there are just too many of them to keep that minimal feel. But it still keeps a very professional look, so it’s appropriate for business settings.
Comfort: 3 of 5 — A bit of padding on shoulder straps and back panel, but no airflow or breathability. Backpack shoulder straps are slightly contoured. Shoulder bag strap has padding as well, but it is anchored in place.
Life Integration: 3 of 5 — Because the Relatively Easy is quite simple, you might wonder why it doesn’t score higher on life integration. The organizational features are pretty restrictive on where I can fit large bulky items (like water bottle or wireless keyboard). So, I had to either stop carrying them or put them in a non-ideal place/orientation (e.g., laying my water bottle on its side in the bag). The conversion between shoulder bag and backpack is pretty simple and intuitive.
X-Factor: 2 of 5 — Kenneth Cole isn’t exactly known for backpacks, but it may still attract some audience who care about carrying a professional or respectable fashion brand.
