REVIEW – A phone and a laptop never stop talking to the world around them, and on a trip they’re doing it in airports, hotels, and convention halls full of strangers. My day job is in cybersecurity, so I know how easily a device can be compromised, and I like having a way to cut them off completely when I choose to. The SLNT E3 Faraday Backpack is a 23 liter travel pack with a Faraday laptop sleeve and a Faraday phone sleeve built in, both lined to block cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC signals, plus more than 15 compartments for everything else. It’s the bag I’m packing for my trip to cover New York Comic Con this month, and it swallows my camera gear, my laptop and my daily carry with room to spare. It’s $339.95 in black and $349.95 in multicam black.
Note: This SLNT E3 Faraday Backpack was sent to me by SLNT at no cost. They had no editorial input and did not see this review before it published.
Photos and video by Gregory Morley.
The Basics
The E3 looks like a sleek, clean, black travel backpack. Inside, two removable sleeves use SLNT’s Faraday lining. Seal a phone or a laptop inside with the magnetic closure, and it drops off every network until you take it back out. Around those sleeves, SLNT built out a full travel pack with a packing cube, hidden pockets, a luggage pass-through and Molle loops on the outside.
What You Get
- SLNT E3 Faraday Backpack
- Removable Faraday laptop sleeve with magnetic closure
- Faraday phone sleeve (medium) with magnetic closure
- Removable packing cube (not signal blocking)
- Dust bag that doubles as a laundry bag
By the Numbers
- Price: $339.95 (Black), $349.95 (Multicam Black)
- Capacity: 23 L
- Dimensions: 20.5 x 12.2 x 7.1 in (52 x 31 x 18 cm)
- Weight: 4.6 lbs (2.07 kg)
- Laptop sleeve: Fits up to 16 in laptops
- Phone sleeve: Medium, 4.5 x 7.2 in (11.4 x 18.3 cm) inside
- Signals blocked: Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, RFID, NFC and key fob, per SLNT
- Shielding: 100 dB+, MIL-STD-188-125-2 compliant and exceeds IEEE 299-2006 (1 to 40 GHz), per SLNT
- Exterior: 100% recycled Challenge ECOPAK Sailcloth
- Hardware: Duraflex buckles, YKK weather-resistant zippers
- Compartments: 15+
- Colors: Black, Multicam Black
The Faraday Sleeves
Both sleeves close with magnets, so there’s no zipper or roll-top to wrestle with. The laptop sleeve lives in the backmost compartment, and my 16 inch Razer laptop slides into it with no trouble.
The sleeve comes out of the bag, so it can go through airport security or sit on a hotel desk on its own. A locking nub on the back of the laptop sleeve, and on the phone sleeve, seat into slots inside the bag, which keeps each sleeve in its spot.
I tested the phone sleeve before trusting it with anything, and it works exactly the way SLNT says it does. What I care about most is that a phone that can’t reach any network can’t be tracked or poked at over one either.
The sleeves have a second use too. When I’m traveling for fun, dropping the phone in the sleeve shuts off the endless stream of notifications without me having to trust a do not disturb setting. For me that stream is mostly shipping updates for useless things I ordered for dog, but it’s nice to turn it all off anyway.
Packing for New York
All of my camera gear, the laptop in its Faraday sleeve and my daily carry for New York Comic Con fit in the E3, with room left over. I can’t usually say that about a 23 liter bag packed for two weeks away.
The removable packing cube makes the biggest difference, since anything packed in it comes out of the bag in one piece and goes back in the same way.
After the cube, it’s the sheer number of separate pockets that I love. Headphones have their own zippered spot, and two quick-access pockets on the front hold the things I reach for all day.
A hidden pocket in the shoulder strap holds anything I don’t want to dig for, and a concealed RFID blocking stash pocket for my wallet sits on the back panel, under the side handle.
Carrying It
Fully loaded, the E3 carries well, and the shoulder straps stay comfortable.
The side grab handle gets more use than anything else on the bag. I can pull it off the floor or out of the truck without putting the whole pack on.
There’s a magnetic sternum strap, and I never use it, because sternum straps are uncomfortable on me no matter whose bag they’re on. It’s removable, so it can stay off.
The luggage pass-through on the back slides over a rolling suitcase handle.
An expandable side pocket holds a water bottle, and the webbing loops on the front are great for attaching random gear.
What Could Be Better
At $339.95, the E3 is expensive for a 23 liter backpack. The Faraday sleeves are what you’re paying for, and they’re not something most backpacks have at any price, but if you’ll never use them, there are cheaper travel packs. I’m also not crazy about the tan accents. I run black on black for all of my gear, and I’d like to see other color options for the accents and the interior, although it isn’t a deal breaker. The main compartment also doesn’t open completely flat, which would make packing and unpacking gear a little easier.
Watch the Review
Video review coming soon. The companion video is still in edit, and it will be embedded right here as soon as it goes up.
Quick Questions
Q: What size laptop fits in the Faraday sleeve?
A: Up to 16 inches. My 16 inch Razer fits with no trouble, and the sleeve comes out of the bag.
Q: Does the packing cube block signals?
A: No. Only the laptop and phone sleeves are Faraday lined, and the stash pocket on the back panel blocks RFID. The packing cube is a regular organizer.
Q: How big is the E3?
A: It’s 23 liters, 20.5 by 12.2 by 7.1 inches (52 x 31 x 18 cm), and weighs 4.6 pounds (2.07 kg) empty.
Q: What colors does it come in?
A: Black for $339.95 and Multicam Black for $349.95.
Final Thoughts
The SLNT E3 Faraday Backpack is a well-organized travel pack with a feature few others offer. The Faraday sleeves work, and they’re useful for both security and for getting some quiet on a trip. The packing cube and all those separate pockets keep everything organized, and the side handle makes it easy to grab. The price is high, the tan accents aren’t my taste, and I wish it opened flat. If you care about keeping your devices off the grid when you choose to, it’s worth the money. If you’d never seal your phone in the sleeve, a cheaper travel pack will do the rest of the job.
Price: $339.95 (Black), $349.95 (Multicam Black)
Where to buy: Direct from SLNT
What I like: The Faraday sleeves work as advertised, the removable packing cube, lots of separate pockets for organization, fits camera gear, a laptop and daily carry at once, the side grab handle, comfortable straps when fully loaded
What I don’t: Expensive, the tan accents with no other accent color options, the main compartment doesn’t open fully flat
