Review: Thule Enroute Escort Rucksack

If you commute by bike, travel a lot, or just like to keep your gadgets with you, a good quality rucksack is a must. Thule are known for their fantastic roofracks and bike carriers, but the Swedish company also produce some superb bike luggage too, and as an introduction to the range, this review features the largest of their daypacks, the Enroute Escort.

The Escort is a 29 litre pack made to carry kit, laptop, tablet and more; making it ideal for a riding commute, and for general travelling. 

I'm a bit of a bag geek, and love it when you find a good pack; the Enroute Escort is definitely in that category, and I'm using it as my primary kit carrier at the moment. 

A good place to start is the pocketing, as that was a significant reason for me choosing this bag. Closest to the back is the electronics pocket, housing a well padded sleeve for both an iPad and a 15 inch laptop (or 17 inch MacBook). The Swedish quality shows through even on details like this; the soft lining of the sleeves and the quality of the padding should keep your valuables safe.
Padded laptop sleeve and smaller iPad sleeve
Filing compartment
Further towards the front is a large A4 pocket for documents, and then a smaller organiser pocket with plenty of zippered and deep internal pockets for storing smaller items. Perhaps the coolest pocket though, is the SafeZone; a small padded and lined, semi-rigid pocket, on the top of the pack. The SafeZone is perfect for sunglasses, phones or cameras and is a very neat idea for a quick access, well protected place to keep these items. 


Organiser pocket
SafeZone at the front of the pack
The next important feature is the padding and strapping, and the Enroute Escort performs well here too. The shoulder straps are well padded, yet not too bulky or restrictive; they have a movable elasticated chest strap, as well as reflective detailing and plenty of adjustability. The harness is completed by a fairly minimal, but effective hip belt, which helps to take the load off your shoulders if you're well laden.

Padding on the back consists of two high density foam strips, which help to keep your back cool and comfortable, even when riding. 
Soft foam padding, with a hip belt and chest strap
As a complete pack, the Enroute Escort is an extremely well made and thought out bag. The quality is up there with the best, with high end materials, buckles and zippers. The attention to detail in design is also superb; the pocketing (including the soft vault) is well thought out, and the little things like the bottle opener on the outside show that Thule have really thought this bag through from a user's perspective. 

All these details make for a great commuting pack, a light and portable carry-on, and a real go-to bag. It's super to see that the Swedish firm has transferred their attention to detail and quality over from roofracks to packs, and it leaves me keen to see what else they have in the pipeline.

The Thule Enroute Escort has an RRP of £99.99. To find you nearest stockist head to Thule.com

Neat net side pockets for bottles
Strong and comfortable grab handle
Lash points and a light loop on the base of the bag
The quality shows through in details like the zippers and strap buckles


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