Arc'teryx  Mantis 26 Pack

EXCELLENT !every day bag for me especially commuting going to work. Perfectly fits my knife bag and extra shirt on it. I can also put my Arc'teryx jacket inside.. One thing I love the most on these bag are there's a lot compartment features in it that I can put on my some other stuff like head phone and my portable charger. May be soon I'll try to used and try this on a hiking trip. But as of the moment I really like for my work bag. Oh lastly, the strap below is useful for me especially when I'm bringing my work clogs at work I just fine with me. Very ergonomic. Well done ✅👍

After over two years of use I have quite a good idea of the pro’s and con’s of the backpack. Personally I would not buy it again but please see description below (I am a bit picky) Pro’s: it is lightweight and the size is very nice for everyday use. The layout of the different pockets is very useful and the laptop/watersleeve is a good size (I use it for laptop and/or A4 sized documents). Generally seems to be made out of strong material. I really like the bottle sleeves, the are a nice material and good size. Con’s: the chest-strap broke (with normal use) on a weakpoint which I feel was quite easily preventable with a different mechanism. The shoulder straps (and backplate) are not as comfortable to similar sized backpacks which I have used. (minor: the shape of the pack makes a certain part of the pack subject to extra wear compared to the rest (see picture))

Got this for Christmas. The small pocket on the top will flip over and open the main compartment causing everything to spill out. There's also a key hook in the main that has torn the covers of books. Weird overall shape that doesn't allow bigger items to be stored in the bottom.

I’m disappointed with the durability of my Mantis 26. After normal daily use, both bottom corners have worn through, and one shoulder strap has half its stitching blown out while the other is beginning to tear. The white interior liner stains instantly and can’t be cleaned, making the bag look worn out far too quickly. This is not the level of quality I expect from Arc’teryx. I’ve actually gone back to using my 25-year-old Mountain Equipment Co-op pack, which has held up better than this one.

I love the Mantis 26! I used it as a personal item for my week long trip to europe and it worked out so well. For a backpack that was filled with so much, it fit perfectly under the seat in-front of me in the airplane and the compartments made organization very easy. I used it as a weekend backpack as well, and it fit pjs, an extra outfit, toiletries, and a book perfectly. Will be using this for future weekend trips!

I got a blue color (not available anymore) and it is a nice color. the backpack is a good size for travel and has a lot of pockets, which is great (especially the one on the outside for water). However, if you place the backpack on the floor (empty or full), it falls forward or backwards. basically, it seems the bottom of it is not flat enough for it to remain standing. so you need to support it when it is on the floor or let it fall on its side (which is not ideal when you use it as a carry on in an airplane). Also, the compartments are kind of floppy (if that makes sense). the one on the front of the backpack, if there are items in it, and you open to get something, the whole thing flips over and your things just fall out of it. Basically, the weight of the items inside (small items) forces the surface of the compartment to open wide (i attached pics to show what i mean). I used it so obviously i cannot return it, but if i could i would. I would, though, try another arcteryx backpack because i still love the brand.

Great looking bag, but after a year or so the backpack is ripping in multiple places. Disappointing since aesthetically I loved it.

I use the pack daily from 2017. This is my EDC pack for work and everything in the city. I also use it as a carryon for domestic flights. I carry daily a MacBook Air, an Ipad Pro, layers, a bottle of water, and other daily use stuff that fit perfectly in this pack. The fir and comfort are paired to none IMO. The padding of the shoulder straps is the plushest from all packs that I have used in the past. I do believe that the pack makes an awesome day hiking pack for hikes and easy mountain routes that do not require a lot of climbing gear. I personally use it for photography carrying 2-3 lenses with ease. I had to remove the aluminum stay and I just use the plastic panel. I found that it forms on my back better.

advantages: - looks really good - useful two extra big pockets - quality material - sturdy and many straps disadvantages: - uncomfortable pocket that covers big pouch in main section. I know it is hiking gear, but if we want to put any documets there or laptop, it is difficult to access it and you have to all the time move the pocket above, which is especially awkward to do when you have something inside of it. - so much space in main section could be loaded with extra pockets to organize, but there is only one big pocket - easily to get look dirty over any dirt, even sunscreen gets it dirty right away, any dust makes it look dirty

I noticed when trying to stuff a jacket inside the main compartment, the zippers come undo and opened the bag spilling out the content inside. There needs to be some lock mechanism to prevent the zippers from opening all the way or just have zippers go half way down the bag. Right now it’s like you need two hands to hold both zippers on each side and a 3rd hand to stuff the pack. Also, the shoulder strap keeps loosening when there is no pressure. Thus, I have to readjust quit often. Bottle holders could be deeper. Plastic back plate prevents full volume of bag to be utilized. However this can easily be removed and put back but probably also adds to cost.