The SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart is a 31 liter laptop backpack made from 1200D ballistic polyester. It suits a traveler or a commuter who carries a laptop up to 17 inches. Its ScanSmart compartment lays flat, so the laptop can stay in the bag on a TSA X-ray belt SWISSGEAR.
SwissGear 1900 at a glance
31liters
Capacity
UP TO
17inches
Laptop compartment
3.3lbs
Weight
18.5 x 13.25 x 9in
Dimensions
SwissGear lists these specs on its 1900 ScanSmart Laptop Backpack page, model 1900454411 in Grey Ballistic SWISSGEAR.
Capacity
31 liters
Laptop compartment
Up to 17 inches, 14.25 x 11.5 x 1.5 in
Weight
3.3 lbs
Dimensions
18.5 x 13.25 x 9 in
Material
Ballistic Fabric, 1200D ballistic polyester
Tablet pocket
10 x 7 in, floating TabletSafe pocket
Model number
1900454411 (Grey Ballistic)
Back panel
Padded Airflow panel with mesh fabric
Shoulder straps
Contoured and padded, built-in suspension, mesh fabric, thumb ring adjusters
Organizer
Organizer compartment with removable key and fob clip, plus divider pockets
Card security
RFID scan blocking pocket
Water bottle pockets
Two, one on each side
Luggage carry
Add-a-bag panel or trolley strap
Warranty
3 year limited, 6 years when bought on SWISSGEAR.com SWISSGEAR
How big is the SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart backpack?
SwissGear lists the bag at 18.5 x 13.25 x 9 inches SWISSGEAR. In centimetres that is 47 x 33.7 x 22.9, by our maths. It holds 31 liters and weighs 3.3 lbs empty, which is about 1.5 kg.
Does the SwissGear 1900 fit a 17 inch laptop?
Yes, SwissGear lists a dedicated laptop compartment with an adjustable divider for computers up to 17 inches SWISSGEAR. The compartment itself measures 14.25 x 11.5 x 1.5 inches, or 36.2 x 29.2 x 3.8 cm. Measure the width, height and thickness of your own laptop against those three numbers.
SwissGear 1900 or Mini 1900?
Pick the 1900 for 31 liters and a 17 inch laptop compartment. Pick the Mini 1900 for a smaller pack of 23.4 liters with padded 13 inch laptop and tablet sleeves, plus a tracking device pocket SWISSGEAR.
SwissGear says the TSA keeps the right to ask you to take the laptop out. Keep pens, files, keys, earphones, cables and other electronics away from the laptop. That keeps the X-ray view clear and makes a second scan less likely SWISSGEAR.
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The laptop compartment measures 14.25 x 11.5 x 1.5 inches. "Up to 17 inches" describes the screen size, not the body of the machine. Measure your laptop in all three directions first SWISSGEAR.
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SwissGear lists Ballistic Fabric as the material and gives no water resistance rating for the 1900. Plan for a dry-weather carry, and put a liner around anything that must stay dry. The care guidance also says not to saturate the fabric SWISSGEARproduct information.
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Backpacks carry a 3 year limited warranty, which doubles to 6 years on SWISSGEAR.com. It covers defects such as jammed zippers, broken zipper pulls and detached straps. Normal wear, scuffs and fading sit outside it SWISSGEAR.
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The warranty covers products from SWISSGEAR.com or an authorized retailer. SwissGear names eBay and Facebook Marketplace resellers as outside the cover. Keep your receipt or order confirmation email, because a claim needs it SWISSGEAR.
How the SwissGear 1900 compares
SwissGear 1900 vs Stride ScanSmart
Both take a laptop up to 17 inches, so room and extra pockets split them. The 1900 holds 3 more liters in 1200D ballistic polyester. The Stride holds 28 liters in 900D polyester and adds a separate collapsible bottom compartment for shoes SWISSGEAR.
The 1900 adds 3 liters for 0.5 lbs more empty weight, about 11 percent more room, by our maths. The Stride compartment is the longer of the two at 15.25 inches, and the 1900 compartment is the wider one at 11.5 inches.
SwissGear 1900 vs 5358 USB ScanSmart
Both sit near 31 liters, so the laptop size and the USB port decide it. The 1900 takes a 17 inch laptop and has no port. The Travel Tech Elite USB ScanSmart, model 5358, takes a 16 inch laptop and adds a USB outlet port and a side-access shoe bag SWISSGEAR.
SwissGear says the USB port on the 5358 ships without a battery pack, so you supply your own power bank SWISSGEAR.
Does the laptop stay in the bag at airport security?
Yes, that is what ScanSmart is built for. SwissGear says the lay-flat design speeds you through airport security by allowing laptop-in-case scanning through TSA X-ray machines SWISSGEAR. The computer compartment opens completely and lies flat on the belt.
SwissGear states that its ScanSmart backpacks meet all TSA checkpoint guidelines for laptop in-case scanning SWISSGEAR. The protected compartment has to open fully for that to work. So unzip it before you reach the belt, not after.
Before you start
SwissGear says the TSA keeps the right to re-scan a bag or ask you to remove the laptop SWISSGEAR.
What fits inside the 31 liters
SwissGear splits the 31 liters across a large main compartment and a set of named pockets SWISSGEAR. The main compartment has a large opening with oversize zippers. An accordion file holder sits inside it for papers and folders.
The organizer compartment holds a removable key and fob clip plus divider pockets for pens, a phone, an ID card and a memory stick. A padded media pocket stores the phone and the laptop cords. A quick-access front zippered pocket takes the things you reach for most.
Outside, the bag carries two side water bottle pockets, two side zippered accessory pockets and a front carabiner on a webbing daisy chain. Adjustable compression straps pull the load in so the contents stop shifting.
Is the SwissGear 1900 good for school and work?
SwissGear aims it at both. The brand describes an extra-roomy, full-featured laptop backpack with a large opening main compartment SWISSGEAR. The accordion file holder takes notebooks and folders, and the organizer panel keeps the small items in order.
For work travel, SwissGear lists an add-a-bag panel and trolley strap. The bag slides over a suitcase telescopic handle, so you can roll both together. A molded, reinforced top handle lets you lift it out of a trunk or an overhead bin.
The RFID scan blocking pocket is the other travel feature SwissGear names. It shields the chip in a card from a reader nearby. Cards you want read as normal stay outside that pocket.
What the Airflow back panel and straps do
The Airflow back panel is the ventilation part. SwissGear lists a heavily padded back panel with Airflow ventilation technology and mesh fabric, for back ventilation and support SWISSGEAR. The multi-panel shape holds channels open against your back.
The shoulder straps are ergonomically contoured and padded, with built-in suspension and breathable mesh. Thumb ring adjuster pulls let you tighten or loosen them in one movement. Reflective accent material is built into the straps for darker streets.
Unzip the laptop compartment and open the bag flat on a table.
Slide the laptop in behind the adjustable divider.
Set the divider so the machine sits snug and stops sliding.
Put the tablet in the floating TabletSafe pocket, not beside the laptop.
Move pens, keys, earphones, cables and other electronics into the organizer compartment.
Clip your keys to the removable key and fob clip.
Load books and folders into the main compartment, and papers into the accordion file holder.
Put the phone and the laptop cords in the padded media pocket.
Drop a bottle into each side water bottle pocket.
Pull the side compression straps in until the load stops moving.
Set the shoulder straps with the thumb ring adjusters, then hook your sunglasses to the strap loop.
At the checkpoint, open the ScanSmart compartment flat on the X-ray belt.
Step 5 is the one that saves time. SwissGear says a clear space around the laptop is what lets the X-ray read it in the case SWISSGEAR.
Care and quick fixes from the manual
How to clean a SwissGear ScanSmart backpack
SwissGear sets out spot cleaning for soft side bags and backpacks SWISSGEAR.
Brush the soiled area with a cloth or a soft nylon-bristle brush.
Mix mild soap with warm water for marks that stay.
Work the mix in with a cloth or the soft brush.
Keep the fabric from getting fully soaked, and keep the mix off any leather trim.
Dab the area dry with a clean, dry cloth.
Hang the bag or lay it flat to air dry.
Before you start
SwissGear says not to dry clean the bag, not to use an automated washer or dryer, not to dry it with heat, and not to use benzene or alcohol based cleaners SWISSGEAR.
If a zipper jams or a strap comes away
SwissGear covers jammed or misaligned zippers, broken zipper pulls and broken or detached handles and straps under its limited warranty SWISSGEAR.
Find your order confirmation or receipt, because a claim needs proof of purchase.
Photograph the part that failed.
Open the SwissGear warranty portal from the warranty page and start a claim.
Upload the photos with a short description of the problem.
Wait for the answer, which SwissGear says comes within 30 days.
Failing or unraveling seams, stitching and fabric sit inside the same cover. Scuffs, scratches, fading and overstuffing beyond capacity sit outside it SWISSGEAR.
SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart FAQ
What is the SwissGear 1900 made of?
Ballistic Fabric. SwissGear lists the material as 1200D ballistic polyester, engineered for durability and abrasion resistance SWISSGEAR. The D stands for denier, a measure of how thick the yarn is.
Is the SwissGear ScanSmart backpack waterproof?
SwissGear lists no water resistance rating for the 1900 SWISSGEAR. The spec sheet names Ballistic Fabric and nothing about rain. The care guidance also says not to saturate the fabric, so treat it as a dry-weather bag SWISSGEAR.
Can the 1900 go in a washing machine?
No. SwissGear says not to clean or dry a soft side bag in an automated washer or dryer SWISSGEAR. Spot cleaning by hand is the method the brand gives.
How heavy is the SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart backpack?
SwissGear lists 3.3 lbs empty, which is about 1.5 kg, by our maths SWISSGEAR. That is 1.3 lbs above the Mini 1900 at 2 lbs SWISSGEAR.
How much is the SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart backpack?
See today's price with the link above.
The verdict
4/4 PASS
No. 078 · SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart Backpack
Flying with a big laptop.
The SwissGear 1900 ScanSmart suits a frequent flyer or a commuter who carries a laptop up to 17 inches. SwissGear pairs 31 liters and a 1200D ballistic polyester shell with a lay-flat compartment for laptop-in-case TSA scanning. The organizer panel, accordion file holder and add-a-bag strap handle the rest of a work trip. There is no water resistance rating, so pack a liner if rain is likely.
4/4 PASS
