So Bummed....

Tumi Alpha Compact - great looking pack with classic Tumi lines. It stands up on its own full or empty even with the front flap hanging open. The main pocket is huge and comes with a ballistic file accordion and cable pouch to keep items in place. The issue for me is how poorly the front pockets are layed out. There are plenty of them but none were useful for my needs. They were either too small or the internal contents "pushed" into them making them too small. The side packets are cavernous but what would you really put in them...the occasional water bottle (2-liter). An umbrella? Another wasted space that looks functional.

Briggs & Riley @ Work Medium BackPack - Really sharp pack with the best looks of the three - elegant but understated. Well structured and also stands on its own. The internal pocket is cavernous and separated from the padded computer section. The issue with this pack is that the front pockets have a great layout, good organization slots but do not allow enough internal space to hold anything if zipped. They should be at least 1 inch deeper or have expansion panels flexes open when filled. The side pockets are a really good size and perfect for miscellaneous cables, dongles and do dads. If the front pockets were 1" deeper this would be a perfect backpack...for me.

Tumi Alpha Bravo Knox - rather unique look and more casual than business. Very little structure and falls over full or empty. The organization is fairly poor with little room for my business related items other than the main pocket. The design has a ton of zippers but mostly for looks rather than usefulness. The previous comments about the side pockets are spot on...once the center pocket is filled the contents "push" out into the pockets. I was able to use one of them for misc cables and the other for my cell charger...packed before I filled the main compartment.

So... these 3 are headed back to Zappo's and my search continues.