EVERGOODS Transit Briefcase 20L (TB20) Review

The EVERGOODS Transit Briefcase 20L (TB20) utilizes the same durable materials we’re used to seeing from EVERGOODS’ travel backpacks and daypacks. We’re curious how it stacks up for commuting to work, traveling, and everything in between. Let’s dive in and find out!

External Components

The shell of the briefcase is crafted from 840D ballistic nylon 6, which is highly durable. We’re used to this fabric by now, as it’s the standard for this era of EVERGOODS bags. Generally, we haven’t had any issues with its durability, which remains true; however, cosmetically, there’s a large scratch on the backside of this bag. We’re unsure what caused it, but it’s noticeable up close (less so from a distance). It doesn’t affect the durability, but it’s essential to note that even the most robust materials can get banged up in certain situations.

The zippers are from YKK, one of the best brands in the business. They’re easy to open and close, and we’ve had no issue with durability. If you read our gear reviews a lot, you’ll know how we feel about these zippers. Seriously, find us a better zipper, and maybe we’ll stop going on about YKK!

The buckle and plastic hardware are from Duraflex, another big player in the hardware game. The buckle is snappy and doesn’t pop open when you don’t want it to, and we’ve had no issues adjusting the strap. So far, so good!

The EVERGOODS logo is on the bottom right corner of the briefcase. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s a black square crafted from a hook-and-loop fastener with a diagonal line running through it. We dig the minimalism it presents and that you can throw your favorite patch onto it if desired.

The bag has two top handles, one on either side of the main compartment zipper. You need to grab both to carry it correctly; however, in a hurry, you can snag one to get started and adjust once you’ve started walking. If you’re using this as a briefcase, it isn’t the most comfortable carry, as the handles offer minimal padding. They aren’t uncomfortable; however, with a lot of tech, they’ll dig in after five minutes or so.

There isn’t a ton going on around the exterior of this bag; however, we dig the look, durability, and sleekness employed by the briefcase. Plus, the inside is where the real party is, but we’ll get to that soon

Fit Notes

As mentioned, you can use this bag with or without the strap. If you aren’t using it in crossbody or shoulder mode, you can secure the ends of the bag to the sides using the buckles. This makes the Transit Briefcase 20L more compact, and it looks more sleek. However, this makes getting into the main compartment more challenging, as the opening isn’t as wide. This isn’t an issue for grabbing items quickly, but we recommend unclipping the sides to get into the nitty-gritty of things for organization.

The strap attaches to the same buckles that secure on the sides. It’s easy to adjust and has enough padding to be comfortable for most uses; however, if you’re overloaded with tech and plan to wear it all day, it’ll start to feel like it’s digging into your shoulder. You can switch shoulders to move the weight around and transition between shoulder, crossbody, and briefcase mode to keep things fresh.

There isn’t a ton of padding on the bag itself; however, it’s flat enough to be comfortable against your body.

Inside The Briefcase

The lining on this bag is 420D nylon 6,6, which is much more lightweight than the exterior but still durable and water resistant.

The pack’s front pocket is somewhat hard to use. It has a red key leash, three medium pockets, and a pen or stylus slider. The zipper opens wide; however, there isn’t a ton of space to get your hands into the area to organize and grab your gear. The pocket goes about halfway down the front of the briefcase, so there’s some room for extra goodies in here; however, flat gear does the best in this space due to size restraints.

The back pocket doubles as a luggage pass-through, which is handy if you frequently travel with rolling luggage. There are zippers on both sides, so you can keep the bottom closed to use as a pocket or open them both to slide over your suitcase. There’s no organization, which makes sense, as you’d have to remove all the gear from here to ensure it didn’t get damaged by the telescopic handle. Still, it’s a handy place to stow a book or documents when you aren’t using rolling luggage.

The main compartment has an internal metal frame along the top, which adds structure to the pack. You can remove it if you want; however, we feel it makes the pack feel more durable. On the front side, there’s a zippered pocket on the top that works well for a phone or wallet but not much else. This is also a solid place to stow pens, pencils, and similar-sized items.

Between that and the laptop compartment is a large open area, which can be used to stow bulky items like a Nintendo Switch, over-ear headphones, or a tech pouch. On the sides of this area are two water bottle pockets. These are crafted from a thin material, so you can push them out of the way if you don’t want to use them.

The laptop compartment is a divider, so there’s space on either side. It is well padded and has a red strap that secures with a hook-and-loop fastener to hold a device in place. On the exterior of the compartment, there are one large and two smaller pockets, which are handy for laptop or tech accessories.

On the opposite side of the laptop compartment is another space to stow gear; however, only flat items do well here because of the room remaining and how little depth it has when a laptop is stowed inside. This is a good spot to leave paperwork for your job, a book for pleasure reading, or a tablet. There’s space under the laptop compartment, so things can slide underneath, but larger items will stay put.

The main compartment on the EVERGOODS Transit Briefcase 20L (TB20) doesn’t feel as “anything goes” as other EVERGOODS bags, so it isn’t as versatile as we’re used to seeing from the company. Still, a briefcase is a niche piece of gear, so we can’t be upset that it functions like a briefcase. You can still stow some larger items inside, which is good considering this is only a 20L pack.