I've had a mild obsession with bags since grade school. I really wanted a Jansport backpack. What I got was a generic copy on sale at the local sporting good store—almost a Jansport, but not quite. It wasn't the label, I didn't care who made the bag. It was build quality. The zipper snagged on the generic version. The rear pocket wasn't as big.

I've obsessed over quality bags and backpacks ever since, and it's been worth it. A good day bag or backpack is an investment. My Lowe Alpine backpack lasted over 20 years. My Belstaff shoulder bag was in its second decade when I sold it for more money than I originally paid.

This rarefied category of expensive bags worth owning is currently, in my book, held by GoRuck, Mystery Ranch, Mountainsmith, and the latest entrant: Evergoods. The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L backpack has been my only bag through a series of trips this spring.

GoRuck Heritage

Suppose you love the solid manufacturing, heavy-duty construction, and waist-belt-free design of a GoRuck GR1 (7/10, WIRED Review), but you're less sold on the “tactical” styling and molle webbing? This is where Evergoods comes from. Cofounded by the former head of product at GoRuck and a former Patagonia R&D designer, Evergoods is exactly what those two pedigrees imply: military-inspired, heavy-duty construction and durability, paired with a more outdoorsy-meets-commuter design aesthetic. Throw in the fact that it's made in the US (Bozeman, Montana) and uses an eco-friendly, solution-dyeing process for its black fabric, and you have a bag worthy of consideration.

Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L has a very clean, minimalist design on the outside. This belies the considerable amount of organizational options available, some of which are so well hidden that I didn't discover them until I went to write this review (never noticed the pen loops in the front panel pocket). I rather like this, I am not fond of bags with dozens of zippers jangling and endless pockets festooned all over them.

Photograph: Scott Gilbertson

As the name implies, this is a 24-liter bag. It weighs in at 3.1 pounds (1.4 kilograms), which is on the heavy side for a bag of this size (18 x 7 x 11.5 inches). That weight comes from Evergood's custom heavy-duty 840d ballistic nylon, which is water repellent (though it's worth noting, not fully waterproof), and the aluminum stays. All of which is technical bag-speak for: it's well made, but on the heavy side. The only catch is, you'll probably want to carry some kind of rain cover if you live in the Pacific Northwest or another wet region.

One of the more interesting aspects of the CPL24 is that it's built to function as both a backpack (what I would call upright) and sideways, or as I think of it, briefcase mode. There are handles on the top and the side, so you can carry it whichever way you like. The side handle was great going through airports. What's remarkable about the design is that it really does work well no matter which way you carry it.

Organizational Genius

My favorite part of the Civic Panel Loader 24—hereafter referred to as the CPL24—is the massive main compartment that fully unzips on three sides (with zipper counter-pull tabs at each end). The design allows you to load and unload the CPL24 like it's a suitcase. The interior is lined with a light gray, 420d HT nylon, which makes it easier to see the contents.

Photograph: Scott Gilbertson