RothcoCanvas Backpack - Vintage Rucksack with Star Detail By Rothco

I bought this for my daughter who was going into high school, it has been very well used. She carried all of her school work and everything else that she could need in it. It would have 5 stars but as it aged it started having a few annoying problems. It has traveled to Canada with her twice and holds a special spot in her heart, I don't doubt that she will continue to use this bag but for it's time for a new school bag.Pros:- has been through two years of rigorous use and abuse, and only now is it really showing wear and tear- can carry EVERYTHING in it, at times it carried about 18 lbs or more- very customizable, can decorate with pins and patches or leave plain- has tons of pockets and places to put stuff- has stood up to teenagers, rain, time, face paint, snow, anger, public school, angst, heat, and dirtCons:- easier to just leave the buckles undone versus struggling with them- also the grommets weren't very high quality and needed to be flattened down to keep her from taking her work out and cutting herself (something which she did quite a few times)- the grommets caused the the pull to fray and break eventually, it was pretty easy to replace but still a pain.- she is small and it is easy for her to over fill the bag and make it too heavy- It was very wide on her, she's only about 5' 2", 115 lbsThis bag is still awesome even though it has a few problems, we would still highly recommend the bad and just say watch out for the grommets.

I bought this bag for camping and vacationing. I am not a girly girl so I fell in love with the look. It arrived quick and was bigger than I had expected. It is soft and has no rigid shape which is exactly what I was looking for. It seems sturdy enough for what I intend to use it for. It has been on two camping trips with me and has been great. My only problems with the bag are minor design flaws. First although I love the look of the buckle closures they are a pain to deal with so I am going to add some Velcro under the flaps to take care of it. Second, the two large pockets on the inside do not have any type of closure at all and that is kind of a problem for me. I wish they had some sort of zipper. I use a backpack to put my dslr camera, my wallet, keys and all of the "honey can you hold this for me" stuff in when we are on vacation. I typically do not carry a purse on vacation so my backpack must hold it all and without zippers of some sort everything is "loose" and it kind of bothers me. Having said that my husband has confiscated the bag and it is now his camping backpack. He uses it to carry all of his "shower" supplies and it has plenty of room. All in all I think it is a great bag and I am now searching for me a new backpack.

I wanted a washable, canvas-type backpack that wouldn't require a lot of maintenance or upkeep. As a fan of the `retro' military look and after reading several reviews regarding the `Rothco Army Star backpack', I took a chance and ordered. The under $40.00 price tag is also a keeper as some of the retro canvas items out there are outrageously over priced.I'm pleased with the backpack so far, as it seems to be ideal for a weekend/overnight bag. I've used it once and this is my impression so far:- There is one large interior section (cinched) with an additional small zippered pouch for ID cards or such, two smaller front pockets/pouches, and two smaller pockets to the sides.- There is no structure to the pack, so the more items you have in the bag the more structure and shape it will have and maintain.- The outer flap fasteners and cinch closure of the main section take some getting used to, but are relatively secure.- Unless you throw the bag off a bridge, nothing will fall out of it.The canvas and coverage for interior items is thick enough to protect from moderate rainfall and dirt. The straps are padded just enough to avoid cutting into a shoulder, and the carry handle works as a quick alternative.I'd recommend this as a weekender bag, or a day bag for someone that carries a little or a lot of equipment and or books back and forth to school or work and wants to have some fun with a classic military styled look.

I use it to travel a lot, actually I have two but I’ve had to replace both of the clips on the back straps that connect the strap to the bag. They break immediately. I buy those little things that are like chain links that you can unscrew and Loop those directly into the material on the strap, and then into the little O-ring on the backpack itself. I did that and it’s lasted about two years now. Other than that it’s a great bag.

The only reason i'm giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because the straps latch (the little thing that goes into the eyelet holes on the straps) is the opposite direction. They should point down but they point up. Not a big deal at all. I actually don't want to say this thing is awesome because then more people will buy it and I may see other people with it, which makes me a little less special in this world but it is. Very durable, very solid stitching, PLENTY of room but not huge. There are two more compartments under the main flap. I'm taking 5 classes (16 credits) this semester and this will hold all my books with no issues. It does sit kinda low on your back and the straps will not adjust enough to make it more comfortable for most people but after a few days it felt comfortable just they way it was. I"m prior military and this is just like the duffle bag you get except in a backpack version.Overall I would highly recommend this. Great design and feel. Very durable