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I purchased the Swissgear 1900 Scansmart Backpack from Amazon in January 2017. It states on the Swissgear website that it is a TSA approved Scansmart bag. That means that you should not have to remove a laptop or tablet at airport security. This is due to one of the main features of the bag which is it has the capability to open completely and lay flat, visualizing a laptop and/or tablet, without removing them. In this post I will talk about the specifications as listed on Swissgear’s website. This Swissgear 1900 Scansmart Review will also detail my opinions after having the bag for three years and experiencing the warranty claim process.

Specifications per Swissgear’s Website:

Side Accessory pocket and water bottle holder

According to Swissgear, this backpack comes in six colors: black, black/red, blue, gray, heather gray and urban gray. It is made from 1200D ballistic polyester, and weighs 3.3 lbs and has a volume of 31 liters. The backpack measures 18.5”x13.5”x9”, the laptop compartment is 14.25”x11.5”x1.5” and the tablet pocket is 10”x7”. It does have airflow ventilation technology on the back so that air can flow between your back and the bag. The laptop compartment has Scansmart lay flat technology for laptop-in-case TSA scanning. It can hold a laptop up to 17” in size. These are the main specs listed on the Swissgear website, but certainly not all of them. On Swissgear’s website it does get 4.8 stars out of 5.

Our Experience with the Swissgear 1900 Scansmart Backpack:

Laptop pocket (Top) and tablet pocket (bottom)

I purchased two of these in January 2017 from Amazon, one for myself and one for Marshall. I use mine for everyday use to and from work, but Marshall only uses his while traveling. When we purchased these bags, they were being sold for $54.99 each. We have really enjoyed having this bag for everyday use and for traveling.

Laptop pocket (top) and tablet pocket (bottom), backpack completely flat

Marshall and I discussed what we really like about this backpack:

Compared to a generic backpack, the shoulder straps have more padding and are much more comfortable.
When traveling Marshall likes to hide money deep inside his bag, sometimes in multiple pockets and this bag has enough places for him to be able to do this.
Easy access to side accessory and water bottle pockets and they are big enough to hold several items. This definitely came in handy when we were walking around Rome last year in the heat of summer.
The bag is very durable. I usually store mine under the seat in front of me during flights. It has also endured through all of our travels, including three countries in Europe (in cars, planes, trains) where we wore this bag all day during sightseeing.

It has a flat bottom that allows for the bag to stand up fairly easily on its own.
The cushion on the back is very good and comfortable. It prevents items from poking you in the back or feeling the shape of the items on your back.
The zippers are high quality and it does not feel as if they might break if you do not handle them gingerly.

The only problem that I have experienced with my Swissgear 1900 Scansmart backpack was in Feb. 2020 when the zipper on one of the pockets started to separate from the material. I emailed Swissgear explaining the situation, a picture of the receipt and pictures of the bag and damage. Additionally, they needed me to fill out a warranty form and I had to cut out the Swissgear label to prove authenticity. Without question they sent me a replacement bag in the mail. The whole warranty process took about two weeks total.

I also have yet to try out the laptop-in-case feature when going through security. Taking all electronics out is a hassle so I look forward to trying it and reporting back to see how smoothly it goes.

Overall we have been very happy with our Swissgear 1900 Scansmart backpacks. I was also very happy to experience the customer service of Swissgear and how they stand behind the quality of their products. As a result, we will probably continue to buy and own Swissgear products and if you want a quality product too, Swissgear will have you covered.