A couple of months ago P and I were sent this bright and cheerful backpack from the folk at The Board Basement. They’re an online snowboarding store which stock quality gear for lots of different sports at affordable prices. They’re a UK based business in Devon and if you’ve been reading Prettygreentea for a while you’ll know that I love supporting independent businesses.
We were both a fan of the blue and orange combo so we agreed to try out the backpack. We knew it would be good for all the travelling we do, especially the monthly trips down to Cambridge. We’ve also both recently got into skateboarding, which is so fun and hopefully we’ll be taking snowboarding lessons later this year. So I was keen to use the bag to take the board away with us.
We’ve been using the backpack for a few months now so I thought it was about time to let you know how we got along with it. It’s currently on offer for £24.50 so if you like the sound of it make sure you check it out.
This backpack is the Dakine Pivot and it’s designed to be able to carry a skateboard. We’ve tried it with both my Penny board (which is also blue and orange) and Phil’s skateboard. It fits both in neatly and securely. You simply clip your board into place with the buckle at the front of the bag. Very simple! We’ve started taking a skateboard out with us more often and although we’re both still new to it it’s something we’re enjoying learning together.
We’ve been using the bag for our regular trips to Cambridge and as a casual day trip bag. I have my lovely Knomo backpack that I use on a day to day basis but I don’t tend to take it when we go out walking. It’s a little to smart for that. This one is much more suitable for that sort of thing. It’s been really useful to have an extra backpack which we can both use to carry around camera equipment on day trips, clothes on a weekend adventure or for the gym.
We’ve both found the bag comfortable to carry. Even when it’s heavy the wide shoulder straps help to balance out the weight. I also like that it has 2 pouches to pop. your water bottles in, particularly useful for when we’re doing lots of walking or sightseeing.
The bag is padded which means you could carry a laptop inside but as it’s not a separate compartment I would put the laptop in a sleeve first. There’s lots of space within the main compartment of the bag you can easily pack enough for a weekend away long with an extra pair of Converse.
The front pocket has lots of extra pockets inside which I think is essential for any bag. You can easily slot your phone, purse, spare phone charger and snacks inside. This is also easy to access so you don’t need to scramble around trying to find your bank card at short notice.
If you’re looking for a casual backpack with the bonus of being able to carry your board then this is a winner. It’s spacious, comfortable to carry and comes in a variety of colour combinations. You can find it here and if like me you’re a fan of Vans make sure you check out the fab collection they have at The Board basement.
Leave a comment below and let me know what sport you’d like to get into – if any!