I feel like this is always the way with this type of product: if you want to get the best version of it, you have to get it relatively early. Once they catch on and become popular, invariably they begin cutting corners and making other manufacturing changes to bring down production costs. It’s unavoidable.

I have one of those Swiss Army backpacks, and you might say so what, those are everywhere. But the thing is, I bought mine in 2002, when it was a brand new product. In fairness, maybe they all hold up this well, but mine essentially looks brand new. The piece of plastic helping to firm up the laptop part has started to disintegrate, but that’s the only sign of wear I can detect, and it’s not a necessary part anyway.