Rick Steves Civita Day Pack

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Category: Apparel
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Apparel Details

Brand: Rick Steves
Model: RSK-40
Product features:

Made of microfiber
Measures 13" x 10" x 7"
Three zippered compartments
Two side mesh water bottle pockets
Adjustable padded shoulder strap

Accessories:

Apparel reviews of Rick Steves Civita Day Pack

Customer Review: Nice fabric, good size, padded straps
Rating: 5 Stars

I got one of these daypacks as part of a "membership benefits" package for contributing to public television. I wasn't all that impressed with it when I pulled it out of the package, but I decided it would be easy enough to stick into my suitcase when I went to the UK on vacation last year. (I did spray it with silicone waterproofing spray when it was new, which I usually do with new bags and shoes.) It was useful on that trip, so I took it when I went back to London last month. It's, as advertised, a good bag for a day trip. I was able to carry, unobtrusively, a point and shoot digital camera, a DSLR, some travel information copied from guidebooks, and the other stuff one needs or wants to have along when out and about. At one point I rolled up my coat and stuffed it into the bag too. I had no problems with the exterior mesh water bottle holders; I had a water bottle in one of them, and used the other one for my UK cell phone.

The shoulder straps are padded. Although I prefer to carry bags like this more like a shoulder bag, using one of the shoulder straps, I briefly carried it in conventional backpack style. It wouldn't have done for a day's hiking, but for sightseeing it was fine. The bag is also small enough that on a crowded Tube train or sidewalk, I could easily swing it around when carrying it by one shoulder strap, and carry it in front of my body.

The bag is so unstructured that it sagged and bagged a bit too much for my taste with just a few things in it. I cut a piece of light cardboard (basically it was the top off a shoe box) to fit and slipped it into the back of the main compartment. That helped give the bag some shape while I carried it. I didn't go so far as to try to fasten the cardboard in place, just slipped it in and it worked OK for me.

Also, if you search around inside the main compartment, you will find a heavy plastic D ring on a fabric tag, sewn into one of the bottom seams. It's intended to be used with a "Rick Steves security pouch," which is a small black fabric pouch with a clip at one end. I don't have one of those, but I have a small black Eagle Creek Travel Gear X-Small Pack-It Sac Organizer which can be clipped on to that D ring. I wouldn't use it for serious cash or my passport, but once it's clipped to the D-ring and lying at the bottom of the bag, it's hard for any "snoopers" to see and it will not fall out of the bag accidentally. So it's a discreet way to stash and secure documents and small items you'd like to keep out of sight when you're rummaging around in the daypack on the go.

I love the feel of the microfiber fabric, and as mine is black it doesn't show much dirt. However, a few days ago, I found that my (small) dog had dragged the empty bag off a chair and had chewed to bits both of the plastic spring-loaded "cord stops" that tighten the mesh water bottle pockets. At a fabric/hobby store I bought two replacement cord stops for a few bucks, and easily replaced the chewed-up ones. After its overseas excursions and dog-chomping, I figured the bag needed a bath. I put it in my front-loading washer on a "casual" but not "delicate" cycle, and it came through just fine, and after line drying it looks like new.

This isn't a heavy-duty all-the-time bag meant to carry heavy loads, but it's been a handy and useful bag for day trips.

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Description of Rick Steves Civita Day Pack

'Soft and Light: Made from ultra-soft microfiber, our light-duty little city Civita Day Pack (featured on Rick's TV series won't weigh you down. It has plenty of room, has two handy mesh water bottle pouches and padded, adjustable straps. It rolls up into practically nothing when not in use. Stuff a jacket inside and it's a soft travel pillow.