As a gamer, traveling has never been easy. How do you take all of your gaming equipment across the country or to your buddy’s house? If you have ever flown, you know that it can be a hassle to deal with all of TSA’s requirements. Taking out any consoles, headphones, and laptop seems like a chore and makes you question why you even brought them with you. Well, now Astro and Timbuk2 look to solve that problem with new gaming bags. Now let us introduce to you the BP35 Gaming BackPack and the CS03 Crossbody Sling which are available now. Prepare for the Astro bag!
Now, we will start off by saying, the price points for these two bags do seem a bit high before you look into the products; even with being an Astro Bag, it seems high. The CS03 comes in at $79.99 and the BP35 costs $199.99. So what about these two products make them worthwhile? Below is Astro and Timbuk2’s description of these two products.
BP35 Features
- The BP35 features water-resistant fabrics and hardware designed to deliver long-lasting comfort with adjustable air mesh shoulder and sternum straps for a more secure fit.
- A ventilated EVA padded back panel for longer treks and hidden compression straps for better weight distribution.
- Grippy hexagon zipper pulls and a robust handle for quick escapes.
- The BP35 features a veritable host of pockets and storage innovations to securely stow all of your gear, including: a large full clamshell opening, a quick-access front folded magnetic flap pocket, dual 16” laptop sleeves, an expandable side pocket, a top pocket with soft, brushed tricot, a D-ring for quick attachments, front dual-mesh pockets for cords and necessities, dual zip-side water bottle pockets, and a vista loop to secure external equipment.
- Two 16” Laptops Sleeves: The BP35 features both an internal padded sleeve and an external sleeve that can safely secure up to two 16” laptops.
- The BP35 was designed to carry ASTRO equipment and features a unique internal pocket featuring: a vista loop for storing your gaming headset, an expandable padded pocket perfect for an ASTRO MixAmp Pro, and two additional gear pockets for cords and a controller, such as the ASTRO C40 Controller.
- The BP35 features a unique and iconic style featuring tonal reflective branding on the front panel for higher visibility, a branded jacquard webbing that’s subtle, but on-point and customizable shoulder strap Velcro to showcase pins and patches.
CS03 Features
- The CS03 features water-resistant fabrics and hardware designed to deliver long-lasting comfort. Gamers can also wear the CS03 crossbody, featuring a jacquard branded webbing strap and side release buckle, for a more secure fit.
- The CS03 can store up to 14 individual game cartridges or SD cards in a unique interior storage sleeve.
- It features a number of pockets and storage innovations to securely stow all of your mobile gaming gear, including a customized padded pocket with brushed tricot liner to protect your Nintendo Switch and mobile gaming devices, a back zipper pocket with brushed tricot lining to stow most large smartphones, quick access secure magnetic fold over closure on the front pocket, two stretch-mesh pockets for cords and the like, a daisy chain and D-ring on the front for quick attachments, a handy key keeper in front zip pocket, and a vista loop to secure external equipment.
- The CS03 features a unique and iconic style featuring tonal reflective branding on the front pocket for higher visibility; it also features a branded jacquard webbing on the crossbody that’s subtle, but on-point.
Takeaways
After reading about both of these products, the price tags for each seem understandable. If you compare the BP 35 to the Swissgear 3672, it definitely offers more space. Both bags offer similar features but it seems the BP 35 offers newer technology and water resistance. Water bottle pouches are more discreet. The BP35 does not claim to be TSA safe, but could still be a good alternative to most under $50 backpacks. With the bag’s features in mind, could you justify the price tag? Features alone definitely raise our eyebrows. If it does as it claims, then it would be worth the price. If we get to try it out, we will let you know.
Will you pick up the Timbuk2 and Astro bags? Which Astro bag will suit your needs? If not, will you choose a Gaems case instead?
