All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
The Scout Backpack is mandatory gear for the geek on the go.
Created by Astro Gaming, purveyor of high-end gaming headphones, the Scout Backpack is designed with the gamer in mind. From the outside, the bag appears modest. But inside, it is lined with a buttery fabric that softly cradles all your gear.
This weekend, I loaded up the Scout for a brief trip. First, I slid my gaming laptop, a Dell XPS M1330, into the pack's main compartment. A large sleeve accommodates such outsize gear, with room left over in the compartment to store all six volumes of Scott Pilgrim. I could easily have shoved my laptop's power brick in, but since I didn't plan on firing up my PC in the airport, I crammed it into my carry-on.
The Scout's versatile front compartment will make geeks truly happy. When I travel, I usually cram a spaghetti mess of cords, chargers and other electronic junk into a quart-size Ziploc and worry about sorting it all out when I get to my destination.
Thanks to many see-through mesh pockets in the Scout's front compartment, I was able to neatly store my Droid charging cable, iPod cable, Nintendo DS adapter and PSP adapter in their own areas.
A handful of larger pockets stored my handheld gaming devices, and two large pockets built into the bottom of the compartment served as storage for my Razer gaming mouse and iPod. They'd also be ideal for game console controllers.
The bag would have held my Astro Mix Amp, but I didn't bring it because our LAN gaming plans were to play face-to-face Alien Swarm. So I removed the backpack's detachable caddy, which is designed to hold the amplifier inside the main compartment, and used it to store my Astro A30 Headset.
While I moved around airports, the backpack's exterior pockets – one for sunglasses and another ideal for quickly stowing a boarding pass and smartphone – got a lot of use.
My only gripe with the Scout was that the backpack's thick material and profuse padding don't breathe much. I spent most of my travel in air-conditioned airports, but even then my back got a little sweaty while making my way around the terminals.
Still, the Scout's convenient and thoughtful storage solutions have convinced me to permanently ditch the flimsy and uncomfortable shoulder bag I've previously been using to lug my nerd stuff around the country.
Seriously consider this bag for your next geek outing. Penny Arcade Expo is, after all, right around the corner.
$80, Astro Gaming
WIRED Dazzling array of pockets that will hold anything a geek might want; luxurious inner lining protects your investments.
TIRED Thick fabric can get you a bit sweaty during prolonged use.
Rating: 
See Also:
