A solid backpack for life’s everyday journeys.
As I sit writing this review, my back and shoulders and completely tensed up from some garage cleaning that took place earlier in the day. Because of these body aches and pains I was somewhat dreading the act of sitting down at my desk to write. Fortunately for me, one of the main features of my writing topic today is a back and shoulder massager. So, while you read this text, know that I’m getting a massage from the Swissdigital Pearl Rose Massage Backpack at the same time.
DETAILS
The Pearl Rose Massage Backpack from Swissdigital is a TSA-Friendly, laptop backpack that doubles as a charging system for your devices. The backpack is pre-wired to accept a standard power bank to power the integrated massager and serve as a charging dock as well. A battery is not included with the backpack – you have to provide your own – and it’s recommended that a power bank with a minimum capacity of 5,000 mAh and two USB-A ports be used (a 10,000 mAh capacity is preferred). The massager will consume approximately 600 mAh of power for every hour it’s used. The massager will automatically shutoff after 15 minutes of continuous use. Users can reinitiate a massaging session by pressing the ON button again. There is a special warning in the instruction manual that reads:
“Do not submerge the product fully into water or wash in washing machine or dishwasher as this will damage the electronics.”
I want to note here that the backpack’s body materials have water-resistant coating applied to them to ensure your valuables stay dry, but the backpack itself isn’t 100% waterproof. In addition to the massager, smart charging function, water-resistance and large amount of storage space, the Pearl Rose Massaging Backpack also offers RFID protection. There are RFID protection pockets available to store items such as your credit cards, passports, and driver’s license to protect them from an RFID scanner. The backpack has a padded laptop pocket that accommodates computers up to 14-inches in size (ideal for MacBook products) as well as a tablet sleeve in the same compartment.
Single group rated current | ≤ 200 mAh |
Double group rated current | ≤ 350 mAh |
Power supply interface | USB 2.0 |
Voltage/Current | DC5V/500 mAh |
Operating temperature | -10ºC ~ 50ºC |
Shoulder drop | 14-inches |
Dimensions | 11 x 5.75 x 16.25 inches |
Weight | 2.69 pounds (empty) |
USER IMPRESSIONS
At first glance the Pearl Rose Massaging Backpack looks like a simple, business-oriented backpack. There are a lot of pockets and compartments, which I love because it makes it easier to organize my belongings. The only downside is that with so many pockets, it can be hard to decide where to start first. Even though the pocket is only designed to fit up to 14” laptops, I did attempt to store my 16” MacBook Pro in it. It did fit, but not well. I think 15” laptops could potentially fit, but to be safe, I would recommend using 14-inch notebooks (or smaller) as recommended. I also loaded my 11-inch iPad Pro into the tablet sleeve. I have the Apple Smart Keyboard that wraps the entire tablet with a case and the iPad still fit into the sleeve.
The backpack seems to have ample room for a day-trip or just as a commuter bag. In the main compartment of the backpack, I was able to store some paperwork, an extra outfit and a sweater and there was still some room left. I wouldn’t say that you could fit that much more than that – especially with a laptop and tablet being stored in the other main storage compartment. The smaller pockets are great for organization, but if you load up the laptop pocket and the main storage compartment, there isn’t much room for those smaller areas to expand. I do love that there is an extra soft ‘secret’ pocket on the top of the back pack that is ideal for a smartphone or sunglasses.
It may sound odd, but when I try out backpacks I always consider the fit and how comfortable it is to wear. Even though most backpacks are considered “one size fits all,” they don’t always wear well on larger people. I happen to be one of those larger people and I was able to get the straps to adjust properly so that the backpack was resting in the middle of my back. I didn’t feel a lot of strain on my back or my shoulders because the shoulder straps are well-padded and the entire bag is well-designed so that it is balanced no matter how many items you store in it.
As far as the massager goes, I was impressed. It’s a gentle vibrating massager that can be focused on your upper shoulders, lower shoulders, or lower back. To activate it, you simply connect battery to the white USB cable that is sticking out of the battery pocket. There is a button on the right-hand waist strap that you press/hold for 3-5 seconds for the massager to turn on. Once it’s on, you can press the power button again to shift the massaging action to your lower shoulders or lower back. There is not a setting for automatically moving through the different massage areas. As I mentioned before, I have been using the massager since I started writing this review to help alleviate tension that as caused by heavy lifting. While I still have some aches, I can say that the tension was eased by the massager. I think that this would be a great traveling companion — even if you are walking to and from your home and office the massager could be beneficial.
One of my major gripes about products is when some accessory is ‘required’ for some of the features to operate, but that accessory isn’t included by the manufacturer. For example, when a wireless charger states it can achieve up to a certain amount of wattage, but only if it uses a certain type of power adapter — and that power adapter is not included — that really disenchants the review process for me. When I first read the specs on this backpack, I thought, “Great! A backpack that can charge, massage, and store all my daily essentials.” I was truly excited to review it. Then I saw that a battery pack was not included. So, at first, it didn’t make sense to me that a battery wouldn’t be included, but then I realized that Swissdigital doesn’t make batteries. With that in mind, I didn’t hold the absence of a battery against the design of the bag. And given the specs they provided, I can recommend the RAVPower 10000mAh Power Bank Dual USB Ports Battery Pack as an option for use with this backpack. I’ve had good luck with RAVPower batteries in the past and it’s a slimmer battery pack so it should fit easily into the storage area for the charger.
CONCLUSION
The Swissdigital Pearl Rose Massaging Backpack is a very complete backpack. There is plenty of storage available and it gives you lots of extra features — like an integrated massager — to enjoy. While I was a little apprehensive at first about the massager, it turns out to be a good asset for the backpack. The backpack is very sturdy and because it’s made with premium materials, it should last
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1 Comment
3.5