A Trick to Help with the Loose Buckles :)
I really like this backpack and I'm looking forward to it relaxing and softening up over time.  The smell isn't overwhelming to me and it will fade to nothing.  I had a very similar backpack (out of the same material and same fabric inside) I bought a couple of years ago and it just got better with time.  I stupidly left it behind on a trip so I've been on a hunt for a replacement.<br /><br />That said, the buckles ARE an issue with ALL these bags here on Amazon.  They tend to shift around and not stay straight so the straps easily become unbuckled.  Bad to begin with, but even worse when your backpack doubles as a camera bag!!!!!<br /><br />I took my former backpack in to have the buckles replaced, but I still wasn't happy.  However, I found a solution that works for me.  It's not perfect and it would be a huge hassle if you're switching from messenger bag to backpack frequently, but it does the trick for me.  I did this with my old bag too.<br /><br />My solution is simple, but kind of hard to explain so I took pics as I fixed one of the straps to help.  Also, the first strap's buckle was looser and this second strap was a struggle (as can be seen by the state of the strap itself at the end), but hopefully this will help some of you that love the bag, but hate the back buckles.<br /><br />Step 1 (pic 1) - Buckle the strap like normal.  Step 2 (pics 2, 3, & 4) - Loop the strap end back up under the bottom bar making sure to fasten the post through one of the holes a second time and then under the top bar (pic 5).  Step 3 (pics 6 & 7) - Ignoring the post this time, thread the strap back under the bottom bar and pull until it's snug.  This is the hardest part and you may have to patiently work the strap in place.  And you're done (pic 8)!<br /><br />So that was far too many pics for such a simple task, but maybe this will help someone who is struggling with the buckles!<br /><br />All in all, I love the backpack and I'm back in business and on the go once more.
Rating: 5 stars