The STM Myth Backpack 18L might just be the ultimate tech-heavy commuter laptop pack. Loaded with pockets, clips and cable routing holes and catches, a lot is going on in such a compact package. STM markets itself as being Smarter Than Most - but is the Myth too clever for its own good? What’s The Best resident tech writer William Lobley took the Myth for a spin to find out.
The Outside
The SMT Myth 18L is designed with clean lines, sharp panelling and contemporary colour pallets, sitting somewhere between geek-chic and modern business wear. The pack I’m testing is the Windsor Wine colourway, which is primarily a Marl Grey (which is water repellent) with burgundy detailing and padding. It certainly looks the part, but I worry that after a few weeks of use it would start to look pretty dirty - but this isn’t a problem for those who opt for the Graphite Black or Slate Blue options.
Even for prolonged periods, the Myth is a comfortable pack to wear. The pack's straps are curved to sit high on the shoulders, while the angle at which they attach to the bottom of the pack helps to pull the load in against the mid-to-lower back. Though easy to miss, the well-thought-out ergonomics found here really help the Myth to stay in position on the back. Even under heavy loads, the straps never drag down on and strain the shoulders, and the close back-fit helps to keep the weight spread evenly.
There’s a chest strap too, and though I didn’t find much call for it during the test, the webbing and buckle seem quite robust and are certainly a high enough standard for commuters and students.
Reinforcing the straps’ ergonomics is the rigid back panel of the Myth, which spreads the pack’s load across the back and away from the shoulders, and even helps hold a good shape even when it isn’t fully loaded. The padding across both the shoulder straps and back panel is generous, and a deep gully between the back padding helps to promote airflow. SMT has opted for a firm foam that, much like everything else here, supports the overall shape and position.
Luggage Slip
There’s a rigid, reinforced slip hidden on the back panel, too. It does nothing to impede the Myth comfort, simply coming into its own when travelling with a wheeled suitcase by slipping over said suitcase’s handle. A small and discreet feature that will only occasionally be used by most, but it sure is handy.
Outer-pockets
There are two discreet pockets on the outside of the Myth. The topmost is small and softly lined, which is ideal for smaller tech devices. I used it mostly for my smartphone and sunglasses and travelled happily in the knowledge that both were in a scratch-free environment.
The lower pocket is a bit of an odd one. It’s wide and deep, but very thin and slightly inflexible due to the Myth’s shaped exterior. Inside, a lanyard clip sits near a metal-rimmed, CableReady hole, that passes through into the main inner-compartment. As the hole suggests, this pocket is for charging devices, allowing a USB cable to pass to a tablet or smartphone (the lanyard is an anchor for some extra security). It's a nifty idea for discreetly charging a device, and I recommend that you do use it for the intended purpose. It’s pretty deep, so, if like myself, you mostly use it for folded paperwork, keys and wallet, you’ll end up blindly fishing whenever you need them.
The Inside
Access to the Myth’s main compartment is via the reverse-zip, designed and lined to fend off grime and rain. The zips reach down the sides to the bottom of the pack, providing unrestricted access to the main compartment. Two material hinges stop it from flopping open completely.
Unlike its conservative exterior, the interior of the Myth is almost complicated. 12 pockets line the 18-litre compartment, coming in all shapes and sizes. The largest of these pockets is the plush-lined laptop sleeve, capable of housing a 15-inch laptop. It’s certainly a safe place for a laptop to be, as it benefits from the protection of the back panels padding and rigidity, in addition to further internal side padding and lining.
Surprisingly, a strange feature hiding down in the laptop pocket: a small, soft folded ridge lies towards its bottom. I can’t quite work out the reasoning behind this, but I have my theories. Either it’s to slow down your laptop’s descent if it accidentally slips through your hand, protecting it from any hard surfaces that the pack may be resting on, or it’s there as a kind of shelf for a large tablet to sit alongside the laptop. It’s probably a nice touch, but in truth, it’s a little lost on me.
After this, the pockets are all about organisation. There are: two large slip pockets suitable for notebooks or tablets, one for thicker, small items like an AirPod case, and a couple more miscellaneous sized options. These are ideal for pens, USBs or any other paraphernalia you tend to cart around with you on a day-to-day basis. There are also two cable tidies, which allow you to neatly route a device charging cable around the edge of the pack.
On the inside of the outer shell are two pouches and a zippered pocket, a cable tidy and the inlet for the CableReady hole leading to the slim outer-pocket (are you still with me? If not, see image above). Here you can tuck an external battery pack, or yet more paraphernalia if you have it.
The Verdict
Pros: Comfortable, abundant features and high quality materials. Cons: A little pricey for an 18L pack, especially if you're not one for organisation.
The SMT Myth 18L is a well-engineered and thoughtful backpack. Though unassuming the pack is well constructed and boasts a plethora of features. While an abundance of pockets and hideaways can be a little overwhelming at first, their presence offers a great amount of choice in the way you load and utilise the pack. I’m sure everyone who comes to the Myth will have their own way of doing things.
For the tech-heavy commuter with a penchant for being prepared, I can think of nothing short of a toolbox that’s going to offer the same level of organisation.
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