I orginally bought this bag as a school backpack. It can hold the insane weight of calculus and genetics books and make it feel reasonable. There is also a padded pocket at the top that is the perfect size for a CD player and two pockets designed for nalgene style bottles. The bag also works well for one night backpacking trips, with plenty of room, organization, and straps to hold on a sleepingbag. I find the place for a water bladder particularly useful. I've had it for years and it's still in amazing shape. As a note, the chest strap is not designed for women, but it's dealable, just not ideal.