Targus Cypress Hero review: A decent sized backpack with Apple’s “Find My” tech

Backpacks are not complicated things, at least they shouldn’t be. What they need to be is functional, spacious, easy to carry, and maybe have something up the sleeve to impress. I will be upfront here, I’ve yet to find the absolute perfect backpack. There’s always something missing that one backpack has, but the other doesn’t, and vice versa. I don’t think I will ever find the holy grail of backpacks, but the Targus Cypress Hero sure gave it an excellent shot.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Targus has been making backpacks and other such gear for a very long time. The company has been doing this since 1983, and they’ve kept pace with current trends and styles. Although I will say that there was a brief time when I thought the company might have been stuck in a rut, they managed to get past that and start making relevant gear again. The Targus Cypress Hero is an excellent representation of this, as it keeps a stylish look with an added tech feature that is sought after by many Apple users.

The Quick Take

The Targus Cypress Hero backpack is an excellent bag with plenty of room, pockets, and an outstanding build quality. Its premier feature is the Find My locator integrated into the backpack. This is super handy for Apple users who want to track their backpack with their Find My App on their iOS device. Even if you’re not an Apple user and aren’t interested in the Find My feature, this is an excellent bag. My only complaint is there is no top compartment for sunglasses and other small items. But that is minor, and it’s just something I’ve come to always want in a backpack. Other than that, this is one of the better backpacks I’ve used in a while. I have no problem recommending it.

Specifications

The Targus Cypress Hero has the following features and specif cations:

• Works With: 15.6″ Laptops and Under
• Color: Grey
• Style: Backpack
• Protection Level: Good
• Capacity: 20L
• Dimensions: 12.01” x 5.30” x 19.69”
• Weight: 2.31 lb
• Laptop Compartment (W x H): 15.35″ x 10.55″
• Find My Capable: Yes
• Warranty: Bag: Limited Lifetime Warranty / Components: Limited 2-Year Warranty
• TAA Compliant: No
• UPC: 092636363512

What’s In The Box

• Targus Cypress Hero Backpack
• Instructions and Documentation
• Location Module
• Location Module Removal Tool

Design

The look of the Targus Cypress Hero is simple, reserved, and does not draw attention to itself. I actually think this is a good thing. Toting around a backpack that might have some design elements that are more eye-catching, could result in you being noticed and making your backpack a target. Its basic grey and black color scheme is simple and understated, again, not a bad thing.

The build quality is outstanding, especially the zippers. I’m uncertain if these are YKK zippers, but they are robust, heavy, and smooth in operation. They are branded with Targus on them, but they are some of the nicest zippers I’ve seen on a backpack. And if you’re wondering why I am going on about zippers, it’s because good zippers are a must on any backpack, cheap zippers lead to broken zippers. These zippers are top-notch.

One of Targus’s big selling points is that each Targus Cypress Hero is made from 26 recycled PET water bottles. Not a huge deal to me, but for some, that might mean something. So there it is. The Targus Cypress Hero is made to fit laptops up to 15.6″ but I was able to fit my 16″ MacBook Pro inside of it without any issues. So this will vary by the size of your laptop’s chassis, not so much the screen size. I could also fit my 12.9″ iPad Pro in the tablet pocket, with no issue.

Let’s walk around the Targus Cypress Hero, starting on the back. There’s nothing special here, typical straps and shoulder pads with decent padding, not super thick but also not paltry. The pads and the back of the pack have a ventilating mesh material that is supposed to help keep you cool, most backpacks have this nowadays. It does not work for me, I still sweat with it on, so I tend to always carry my packs with one strap over one shoulder. I think this will vary from person to person. There’s also a carry-on strap that allows you to slip the pack over the handle of a roller bag, typical stuff.

The top of the bag is where you will find the location module, more on that later. The handle is also here and is just OK. I wish the handle had more padding on it, as it can get uncomfortable and dig into your hand if you carry it for too long this way. The Targus Cypress Hero is also missing a top sunglasses and knick-knack compartment. I love having a top zippered compartment for small items, and I wish this had that.

There are four zippered compartments. The one in the very back fits a 16″ MacBook Pro and other items like notebooks and paperwork. There is a pouch slot for the laptop to sit in, and the back is padded nicely to help cushion it all. The second compartment has a pouch slot that fits my 12.9″ iPad Pro into it just fine, and the rest of that area is pretty large for bigger items. There is also a mesh zippered pouch for small items, here is where you will find the tools needed to remove the locator, if it needs to be returned for warranty purposes.

The third compartment has the typical mesh pouch and assorted spaces to store pens, keys, documents and other smaller things. There is also plenty more space for various other things to be stored. Finally, the fourth and front compartment is a small front zipper area where you can store wallets, passports, and other things you may want to get to quickly.

The bottom of the Targus Cypress Hero is water-resistant, not waterproof, but I like this. This means, if you accidentally put your bag down in some water, your things inside should be just fine. Unless you leave the bag there for hours. The structured build of the Targus Cypress Hero helps to keep the pack upright when putting it on the floor. Another great feature as sometimes you just need to put it down on the floor and having it flop all over is not very fun.

Finally, the sides have pockets that are held down with elastic, making them stretchable to fit water bottles and other items. Typical side pockets here, though the added elastic is nice to have.

Overall, the design of this backpack is straightforward. I like the simplicity of the look as it does not draw attention. I do wish there was a top accessible pouch and that the handle was padded for more comfort when carrying. But other than those two things, this is a solid bag.

Protection

I would say that the Targus Cypress Hero provides adequate overall protection. It’s not rugged by any means, but its protection level is good for everyday use to commute. Hiking and camping, you might be OK, but a more rugged pack may be better for those use cases.

The water-resistant bottom is great to see and that is super helpful. Overall, the protection level here is adequate and inline with the competition in this segment of backpacks.

Find My

The Find My location module is built into the backpack and does take a special tool to remove, which is included. Targus says this separates it from the competition, making it harder for thieves to easily remove the locator. I agree, it is a deterrent, but I suspect a thief will take the pack, empty the contents and leave the pack, if they know there is a locator on it. Which, hopefully, they don’t.

It’s important to note that the locator module is not an Air Tag, this module only works with Apple’s Find My software. Set up is simple, here are the steps.

• Unzip the compartment the module is located in.
• Pull the plastic tab so that the battery can make contact.
• Open the Find My app on your iPhone
• Tap the + icon and then tap Add Other Item
• Hold the button on the top of the backpack down for 5-seconds
• The App will locate the backpack module and a prompt will appear
• Tap the backpack name once Find My shows it to you
• The backpack is now in your Find My list and can be located on the map

The Find My module works perfectly well. I was able to locate the backpack within feet of its location. It pretty much works identical to finding your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Macs. Overall, the system works. Of course, if you’re concerned with privacy and not giving Apple your location, you shouldn’t even be considering a backpack with a locator.

Price/Value

The Targus Cypress Hero is priced at $129.99. This is a reasonable price, though I think $119.99 would have been a better price point. I’m sure the extra $10 is due to the locator being integrated into this pack, so that is understandable. Still, a good deal for a good pack.

Wrap Up

The Cypress Hero with Find My is a great backpack with a few things I wish it had that it doesn’t. But I think the things I would change, aren’t a big deal for others, so in that case, this is an excellent pack to consider buying. The big value here is the integrated Find My locator, which is nicely secure and discreet. I have no problem recommending this pack.

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Last Updated on March 13, 2024.