Overview:

CODi Tri-Pack Backpack
Review July 15, 2021

Manufacturers Specs:

Size: 12.5 inches wide x 15.7 inches high x 7 inches deep
Weight: 2.6 pounds
Online Price: $110 US

Limited Lifetime Warranty

I have always loved the Chrome bags for bike riders, and scooter or motorcycle riders.After hearing some good things about the CODi Tri-Pak so I got one in and put it through its paces for about a month. The article that follows is the result of this real world testing.

The Tri-Pak is a backpack style laptop bag with plenty of compartments. Even if you are not carrying a laptop, this bag makes a pretty darn good little day pack.

The CODi Tri-Pack has plenty of pockets for all the common business travel gear. Padded laptop pocket holds a small to medium size laptop reasonably well.  My ancient Acer Ferarri Laptop is a little on the big side for this pack ad as you can see from the photos – this leaves the corners of the laptop a little vulnerable. The pack would be more suitable to most of the MacBooks or Netbook computers. The laptop pouch seems to have ample padding.  Another small gripe is that there is no pouch on the strap to hold a cell phone but there is a pretty good little pouch on the outside of the pack.  This pouch was a little too small to hold my Blackberry World Phone but will hold most smaller cell phones. It would also be a simple matter to get an accessory cell phone holder to attach to the front strap if that was a big deal to you.  We like the little mesh pouch on the side that accommodated a water bottle very well.

The shoulder straps are comfortable and there is a narrow strap across the chest which will keep the pack more stable. Fully loaded, we found the pack very comfortable to carry for long periods, The padded mesh back panel also helped to keep you from getting that clammy feeling on your back.

Our review pack was basic black with a discreet logo – not the type of pack that screams “steal me – I have a computer in me”.  The rounded shape of the exterior pockets give the pack a nice look but do waste some space. However, that shape does make the zipper pulls very smooth without having to go around any corners.

The zippers on the main pockets do not go all the way to the bottom. This is both good and bad. The good is that you can pick the pack up with the zippers partially open and not worry about everything dumping out. The bad is that you cannot lay the pack flat and open it wide open.

We did not give the pack a real soaking to see how it fared in the waterproof department. It was very good in a light rain at keeping our gear high and dry. The Chrome bags with their waterproof liner seem like a bit more of a secure solution if you are planning on being out in a downpour.

Overall impression

The Codi Tri-Pak is a very good pack. We liked the ergonomics and found it very comfortable to carry for long periods even when fully loaded. The zippers worked well and the nylon material and strap construction seem to be of high quality.

A few minor gripes with some of the zipper locations and sizing of exterior pockets.  I still think the Chrome bags  have the edge in waterproofing and I like the Chrome strap ergonomics a bit better since it is so easy to take on and off because of the seat buckle closure design (which seemed gimmicky at first.) The Chrome bags were designed by riders so it makes sense that they may be a bit better suited for this use.

I recommend put both the Chrome and CODi  bags on your shopping list and choose the one that fits your stuff and style the best.

I welcome your comments if you have used either the CODi or the Chrome Bags.