Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I wanted a new backpack for school that could fit more than my current (very flat) messenger bag since I've begun packing coffee/lunch and layers for unpredictable weather. I scoured the reviews and photos trying to determine if I needed the regular size or the XL. I ordered both because I wasn't sure. Since other reviews are pretty accurate about the materials, etc., I will mostly talk about size. (Side note though, the people who thought the zippers were broken on arrival... some of those people are wrong I think. You just need to zip it each direction once and it will right itself.) The regular size fits plenty of stuff!! I have a Surface Pro 4 so I don't need to pack anything larger in length/width than a folder/binder that holds 8.5x11 inch paper. The regular size does that comfortably! (I always thought the Kanken backpacks looked too small for that, but I haven't owned one myself so idk.) My photos show: A standard folder plus each backpack empty/flat; The two sizes stacked on top of each other (this understates the difference if you ask me, the XL is HUGE); The two sizes' depth side by side (approximately the same); and the smaller size filled with pretty much everything I would want to bring on a given day. It has two folders, two smallish textbooks, a paperback book, a food container in front of those, my hydroflask and laptop charger in the inner bottle holders, a travel mug in one of the outer bottle holders (naturally if you put anything in the inner bottle holder, the outer one becomes pretty restricted), plus a bunch of school/beauty supplies in the smaller pockets. There's still easily enough room for me to roll up a hoodie and put it in there. And, importantly, when I (5'1") wear it, I don't look dwarfed compared to it. (Style is important to me!!) It feels pretty comfortable when I wear it even with all the weight. (Maybe I will update after I've owned it for longer.) Basically, the smaller size is exactly what I wanted! I would only get the XL for like a week+ long trip, or if I had a laptop bigger than 15ish inches. Even high school me, who had a giant binder and several full size textbooks, would probably still have been okay with the smaller size. I'm super happy with this purchase and plan on keeping and using the smaller size!