Herschel Little America Classic 25L Backpack

Herschel’s Useful Everyday Backpack

The Herschel Little America is a spacious backpack with a classic look and a comfortable build. It will fit your nicknacks to work or school and hold a laptop securely in place in its padded sleeve with a soft and velvety internal lining.

This is not a technical backpack. Rather, it is a casual bag with a retro style: it has a less traditional closure for its main compartment that uses a toggle spring and a string to keep your items securely tucked in.

The distinctive Herschel’s internal lining in its white and red stripes, gives it a less contemporary yet familiar look that puts us in the mood for candy.

Details & External Features

Its resemblance to a classic mountaineer bag is one of the things that makes this bag popular and loved. But this long-established design is reinvented and packed with eco-friendly materials, making it a modern item with a highly sustainable profile.

There are faux-leather straps with metal buckles both on the main compartment and the front pocket flaps but the buckles are merely decorative.

Underneath the flap, there are magnetic clips for fast opening and closing, making it easy and quick to access the interior and pocket.

There is a toggle spring with a string to cinch the main compartment securely shut, which we don’t see often.

Don’t pull the cinch string too hard or one end of the string can get pulled into the cinch lining. It happened to us, and–once we fished it out–we needed to tie an even larger knot to prevent it from happening again.

True to its mountaineer profile, Little America keeps several attachment loops featured on the padded shoulder straps for carrying gear externally if you care to venture on a hike and breathe in the fresh mountain air.

We see a lot of daisy chains on backpacks these days. Mostly it seems like they’re placed there for style and the Little America probably does this too.

There is a carry handle at the top for easy grabbing on the go. We like the upgrade that brings strap loops into the equation, no one likes dangling straps that get caught easily when moving about or trying to get on a bike.

Construction & Water Resistance

A cool fact about the Herschel Little America is its eco-friendly construction. The EcoSystem™ 600D fabric & tonal stripe liner are made from 100% recycled post-consumer water bottles, making it a sustainable and durable bag with a focus on longevity. Maybe one of the water bottles you tossed in the recycling bin is now in the very bag you are wearing.

Herschel backpacks usually stay with their owners for years, not just as a fashion statement but because they can withstand everyday use. It is also a very popular choice for school and university students due to its spacious interior that can fit books, laptops and things for any occasion.

The back padding is comfortable for carrying heavier loads, a laptop, or groceries and the shoulder straps are EVA-padded for better support.

It is water-resistant but not waterproof so you might want to invest in a rain cover. If you are wondering about the differences in weatherproofing properties, have a look at our waterproof backpack guide.

Capacity & Pockets

We have the Little America everyday backpack in its 25-liter version, but there are smaller and larger options to choose from. Its main compartment is spacious and houses a well-padded laptop sleeve with a nice soft texture to protect it from scratches.

It fits a lot, no doubt. It’ll easily fit a laptop, workout gear like sneakers and a towel, an extra t-shirt and two bulky yoga blocks, with plenty of room to spare.

Organization and the Little America Backpack

Compared to a hyper-organized backpack like the Timbuk2 Spire 2.0 or some TNF packs like the Jester or the Vault, the Little America is more simple. Inside the main compartment, there are two internal side pockets with velcro straps closing for sunglasses, keys and smaller items.

The larger front pocket has both a zipper and a flap cover with magnetic snap clasps, both features protect items from falling out and uninvited hands on the train or street.

There is also an easy-to-spot bright red key clip in the front pocket, so you don’t have to constantly look for your keys in the main compartment.

A Valuable Herschel Backpack

As we mentioned earlier, Herschel bag owners praise their longevity and durability.

They carry well even when you load them with books and heavier items.

Their sustainability profile adds to their value, in our opinion. It is a plus to know that a product you invest in is eco-friendly. It is valued fairly in its category and it is a durable timeless choice of a bag.

Comparing Everyday Backpacks

We think that Herschel Little America measures well against many other brands. The TNF Jester features more supportive and ergonomic back paneling and shoulder straps and has more organizing options but it comes at a slightly higher price.

The Patagonia Refugio has a more outdoorsy character, with space for a water bottle, which is something we missed in Little America. It is a durable choice if you aim for longevity and has a padded laptop sleeve for those commuting to work. They come within the same price range.

The style of the Refugio is different too, if you are into the classic Herschel style and you like the retro feel, then you might be looking for something less contemporary.

If you are going for a classic, Fjallraven Kanken features another timeless and much-loved design with its canvas fabric, variety of colorways and square shape, they are easy to spot. They are another durable choice at a slightly higher price.

The harness system is a big difference here, with Little America providing decent padding and Fjallraven featuring its signature and plain shoulder straps. If you still need a few more alternatives before choosing, take a look at our everyday backpack guide.

Do We Recommend It?

We recommend Little America for everyday use. It is a versatile bag that packs well and can follow along to work, everyday commutes to school and weekend outings or short trips.

It has a very specific look and if you are a fan of the mountaineer-style bag, even better.

We like the durability of Herschel products and despite the lack of water bottle pockets, we think it is worth the investment.

If you are a fan of the mountain or trekking and camping in the wild, you might need a hiking backpack to complement your gear.