I have a HIgh Sierra backpack that I don't think is in production anymore and that I picked up at Costco ... the "Business Elite" model. This thing is great - I use it every day and it is effectively my travel suticase too ... well made, and was priced extremely well at Costco. Bought one for my girlfriend too way back and she loves hers.
Problem is they discontinued it, and the new models of High Sierra packs are all poorly made and to make matters worse the patterns and colors reek of cheapness and/or childishness (reference the pics above). I grant the $20 packs above are probably made for kids, but High Sierra and Costco seem to have abandoned the adult backpacks.
It would be great if Costco found another supplier of great quality professional backpacks targeted at a professional/adult demographic. In IT where I work no one carries a case - only backpacks - and most of us use it as our primary travel pack too, and Costco has unfortunately given up on the market and instead is selling the embarrassing packs above. No professional would want to be seen with the packs above.
