Note: I'm upping it to FOUR STARS. I think 3 is too low for this product. (I can't change the rating so have had to write it here)
For regular, everyday use, this bag will serve its purpose. It's solidly built and utilitarian. It's also nice and compact, given it's capacity to hold a 15" laptop. The zip-away water bottle holder is a smart and useful touch. And it even has a nice slot in the back so you can thread it onto the extended handle of the carry-on suitcase you are rolling along at the airport.
Having said that, if you do take this puppy on a business trip, watch out.
The main flap is held down by magnets which take, at best, a tenuous hold. They work fine upside-up. But sling that bag in an overhead baggage compartment and you'd better be careful when you pull it out or that copy of Playboy you bought at the airport may wind up in the lap of the 82 year old grandmother sitting next to you.
These magnets are my main beef. I like them for normal use because they provide quick access, but there are times, especially when traveling, when you need to just KNOW the flap is going to stay secure. I understand that the magnets can only be so strong so that they don't wreak havoc on the hard drives of laptops inside the bag. However, I've never understood why bag makers who use magnets don't provide a basic fastener or clip, out of view, under the flap, that you can optionally secure for those times when the bag may get knocked around a bit. It wouldn't impact style, and for a bag that lists for about a hundred and eighty green ones (of course it's available much cheaper), you'd expect a bit of ingenuity.
If you're not worried about having an absolutely securely fastened main flap and if the 'sensible-shoe' sensibility of it's design don't bug you then go for it. Style-wise, it doesn't really have any of the hipness that you'd expect from something calling itself a messenger bag. It just looks too 'luggagy' for that. For me, it's fine for business meetings where a more conservative look is appropriate, but for weekends at a cool cafe, I'd shoot for something a tad more urban.
For regular, everyday use, this bag will serve its purpose. It's solidly built and utilitarian. It's also nice and compact, given it's capacity to hold a 15" laptop. The zip-away water bottle holder is a smart and useful touch. And it even has a nice slot in the back so you can thread it onto the extended handle of the carry-on suitcase you are rolling along at the airport.
Having said that, if you do take this puppy on a business trip, watch out.
The main flap is held down by magnets which take, at best, a tenuous hold. They work fine upside-up. But sling that bag in an overhead baggage compartment and you'd better be careful when you pull it out or that copy of Playboy you bought at the airport may wind up in the lap of the 82 year old grandmother sitting next to you.
These magnets are my main beef. I like them for normal use because they provide quick access, but there are times, especially when traveling, when you need to just KNOW the flap is going to stay secure. I understand that the magnets can only be so strong so that they don't wreak havoc on the hard drives of laptops inside the bag. However, I've never understood why bag makers who use magnets don't provide a basic fastener or clip, out of view, under the flap, that you can optionally secure for those times when the bag may get knocked around a bit. It wouldn't impact style, and for a bag that lists for about a hundred and eighty green ones (of course it's available much cheaper), you'd expect a bit of ingenuity.
If you're not worried about having an absolutely securely fastened main flap and if the 'sensible-shoe' sensibility of it's design don't bug you then go for it. Style-wise, it doesn't really have any of the hipness that you'd expect from something calling itself a messenger bag. It just looks too 'luggagy' for that. For me, it's fine for business meetings where a more conservative look is appropriate, but for weekends at a cool cafe, I'd shoot for something a tad more urban.
No comments:
Post a Comment