u/trouser_mouse

For anyone wondering about dispatch timelines, Rework said this on Instagram: For USA, Canada and Mexico, we ship from our USA warehouse and that will be shipped around early October (tentatively). But for the rest of the world, we'll ship through our HK warehouse.

I'm in the UK and ordered the V2 on launch day. When I placed an order, the parcels were passed to FedEx by the Hong Kong warehouse the same day, and everything arrived within 6 days. No free products for me, unfortunately!

The original Toshi V1 backpack was great. After using a considerable number of bags, the V1 was the backpack I'd generally recommend as the best option for most people, despite I think having room for small improvements. These small improvements were mostly nitpicks which stood out because the bag was so good overall – the coarse shoulder straps and seams, tight water bottle pockets, how the bag stands (or not), the zip pulls, and the narrow access and tightness of some pockets.

I posted a review of the V1 here when it was released, and Rework used multiple quotes from it in their slightly clickbait-titled "You Roasted Our Bags" video. Thanks, I guess! I try to be balanced, and don't think I have ever said anything unfair, and hopefully this review is taken in the spirit it's intended. The actual content of the video was great and, like Greenroom 136, I love to see this kind of interaction and understand the thought process behind the design. Absolute respect to the Rework guys as their product photos, walk-through videos and user guides are fantastic without being tacky or overblown, and they obviously put a huge amount of thought and consideration into everything. Really transparent and clear communication and overall approach. It means a lot for a brand to feel genuine and be so on-point with everything.

It looks like most of the points I felt were issues on the V1 have been addressed in the V2, so I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the V2 and see where it lands.

Nylon vs X-Pac 

Which to get? I asked myself:

• Do you need the additional water resistance of X-Pac, bearing in mind that the zip seams can still let water in?
• Do you want the additional stiffness of X-Pac, which helps with self-standing and makes the straps stiffer, or the more flexible nylon, which has more forgiving pocketing and straps?
• Do you want the slightly lower weight of X-Pac, or the slightly better wear and abrasion resistance of nylon?
• Do you mind the noise X-Pac makes?

I ordered the V2 backpacks in nylon. I don't like the noise X-Pac makes, and I find X21 noisier and more annoying than VX21, VX42 and RX30. I'm also not convinced X21 is the most optimal choice of laminated material. I don't think the potential benefits outweigh the downsides, and I think some of the characteristics of X-Pac may actually take away from the flexibility and durability that make the bag work so well. Some people will prefer the X-Pac!

I already have a 2.5L sling in nylon, but ordered one in X-Pac to try. I've also previously had the 5L and 6L in nylon.

Interior materials

I think it's fantastic Rework did something different with the interior colours, rather than an orange on the X-Pac! I prefer the new grey interior to the white on the V1. Overall, the more consistent colours and material upgrades throughout the bag interiors are really nice.

Backpack changes from V1 to V2

Carry and stability

Note this is me packing out the bags in various ways and carrying around the house etc. I've not yet had a chance to spend a considerable amount of time with them out in the wild. Will update when I have.

• The top of the bag is narrower and the base is wider with a fold and more support at the front bottom, which improves balance and carry. 
• The back panel has been redesigned, and the flexible expansion has gone as a result of the redesigned harness system. The back is straighter, and there is firmer support across the top, making the back feel more supportive.
• The top padding stops slightly lower down from the top and is slightly thinner than the bottom padding, while the bottom padding extends further down which helps prevent the bag potentially digging into your back.
• The shoulder straps are mounted further up, giving a wider fit. They're slightly narrower and more comfortable, although still a bit coarse. The seam rubbing isn't an issue anymore as it is no longer on the side of the strap. The webbing is longer than on the original V1.
• The sternum strap buckle is easier to use but still fiddly, and the strap itself is still very thin and could definitely be longer.
• Overall, the bag feels more solid and robust, and I personally feel the 25 is more comfortable than the 20. The 20 feels like it pulls back more on my shoulders than the 25, which I don't remember the V1 doing. Sure this will be very individual and overall I think people will find the comfort is improved.

Pocketing, zips and handles

• Ambidextrous front pocket – deeper with a wider opening.
• Admin compartment – revised mesh, and the tether loop has been moved so it no longer interferes with the zipped pocket.
• Top pocket – wider opening and slightly more depth.
• Main compartment – the swoop zips are angled slightly differently so they still naturally stop but not as hard, the tracker pocket is larger, and the sleeve is now spandex rather than the previous loose material. The lip on the spandex pocket isn't sewn down so can catch on things. Because the top pocket is larger, it hangs down further and when there are e.g. sunglasses in it this interferes more with opening the internal mesh pocket than on the V1. I think it is probably the most annoying thing interacting with the bag!
• Laptop compartment – deeper false bottom on both areas, with a thicker and more tapered divider.
• Sides – the loops are slightly larger. The water bottle pockets are still awkward, as they don't expand at the bottom and are quite tight.
• Top handle – redesigned and sized-down. It doesn't get in the way, is easy to grab from the top, and comfortable to carry. On the 20L it's tighter and is harder to grab particularly from the bottom going up towards the handle. There are still no side handles.
• Zip pulls – these are much better. The twisted-loop design is easier to grip, and the ambidextrous front-pocket zips have a different texture, making them easy to tell apart from the others. Can still be hard to tell the rest apart. I found the previous Hypalon pulls would fray on both the backpack and slings. I don't think the Hypalon material is as good as some other brands, or perhaps it is finished differently, as I've never had Hypalon pulls fray on any other bags from other brands. So a really good change!

20L vs 25L

• The 25L has an additional zipped pocket on the front of the main compartment.
• The 25L has longer shoulder straps and a larger top handle.
• The capacity is a decent 25L, and the pockets are sized up appropriately. The photo shows the 25 next to a Tom Bihn Synapse 25 for size.
• The 25L collapses on itself more because the admin compartment encourages you to put more into it but doesn't have any more support. Suspect this is less of an issue with X-Pac because it is more stiff than nylon.

Sling changes

• Zip pulls have been updated.

2.5L nylon vs X-Pac

• The nylon is considerably more flexible. X-Pac is much stiffer, which makes it feel tighter. Not a fan, but sure some people will love it.

V3 changes for next iteration

Backpack – the following points I think could be worth considering for the next iteration:

1. Water bottle pockets – Add expansion at the bottom so the pockets can accommodate different bottle sizes more easily. Really consider an ultra mesh or something more flexible for the entire pocket.
2. Sternum strap – Make it longer and slightly thicker, with an easier-to-use buckle. Perhaps consider a more innovative attachment/detachment system.
3. Top pocket / interior zip pocket – Decrease the depth of the top pocket or move the zip of the interior front zip pocket down so they don't catch on each other. It's really annoying.
4. Ambidextrous front pocket – Increase the capacity slightly, it still gets very tight. The tether loops really need moving as they are so hard to access!
5. Front structure – Perhaps slightly more structure or support under the admin compartment to stop it collapsing without making the bag face a hard shell. Could some kind of plastic stays or frame be used etc.
6. Base padding – Slightly more padding on the base as an optional extra (see Greenroom 136). Not by default if it will stop the base folding.
7. Zip pulls – Offer different colour options or make the pulls removable, so they can be changed without having to cut them off. It can still be confusing which zips are which compartment when they are clustered together. Like the top pocket depth, it's needless friction on an otherwise fantastic bag.
8. Side handles – Consider adding side handles, particularly to the 25L where they would be more useful for handling the larger bag. Would be interesting to see how that is done while retaining the sleek profile!
9. Top handle – Make it easier to grab, particularly on the 20L.
10. Back panel pocket – Add a hidden pocket behind the back panel.
11. Material choice – Consider an X-Pac upgrade or switching to EPX400, taking into account how the material affects strap flexibility and the usability of the pockets. For laminated materials, should the pockets be made slightly larger to compensate for the material's reduced flexibility?
12. Admin compartment – Perhaps add a mesh or slip pocket to the front. I suspect it is omitted so you're not encouraged to over pack the top, so this would need to be considered carefully so it doesn't encourage the user to overload the compartment and it collapse downwards.
13. Interior organisation – Sew down the lip on the spandex pocket in the main compartment so it can't catch on things. Add some additional organisation without affecting the bag's ability to support itself and not collapse downwards:

• Main compartment slip pockets that fold flat when not in use, for things such as a bottle, umbrella, glasses case, etc, similar to the Aer Go Pack 2 or Alpaka bags.
• Additional tether loops for the key leash and clipping in pouches. These should be easy to access rather than being buried at the bottom of a pocket. Move the ones in the front slip pocket as they are a nightmare to get to. I'd suggest put those at the top, one on each side at the top of the front and back of the main compartment, a couple at the top of the front slip pocket, and one in each water bottle pocket.
• Double zips on interior zipped pockets.
• Laptop compartment pocket for cables and other accessories.

Sling – the following points I think could be worth considering for the next iteration:

1. Compression Straps – Change how they attach / detach or make the webbing looser so it's easier to add and remove them.
2. Front compression strap pocket – Give it slightly more dimension and full magnetic closure so it can be used for other small items.
3. Material choice – Consider an X-Pac upgrade or switching to EPX400, taking into account how the material affects strap flexibility and the usability of the pockets. For laminated materials, should the pockets be made slightly larger to compensate for the material's reduced flexibility?
4. Zip pulls – Offer different colour options or make the pulls removable, so they can be changed without having to cut them off.

Finally, I guess I am keeping my fingers crossed for:

• A smaller capacity size 14-16 for the backpack and 1.5 for the sling
• The slings in ripstop
• A pouch
• A road map. It would be amazing to have a published road map, even with the caveat that things might change – you guys are really clear and transparent in your replies to questions on social media etc, and it would be really thoughtful to bring that information together in an easy-to-access format. Bellroy has a "coming soon" page, Evergoods and Tom Bihn touch on upcoming plans in newsletters but with a clear road map you would be leading the way in an industry which really needs that kind of customer focus and transparency.

Overall, fantastic upgrades which resolve a lot of the small issues. The main new issue is the top quick access pocket getting in the way of the interior zip pocket which is really frustrating. Apart from that, refined and improved all round and really just the water bottle pockets, sternum strap, and the depth of the top pocket that feel like they need upgrading on the backpack, and the compression strap attachment points on the sling.

Great stuff!