I have to admit, I am a bit of a laptop bag junkie.? I have had pretty much every type of bag, I think I have tried them all.? Most of the bags I?ve used I can say I didn?t like for one reason or another.
I don?t like backpacks because I feel like I am back in High School heading to Chemistry class.? Messenger bags, don?t like them either, I look like I am trying to be hipper than I actually am.? Maybe if I was 20 years younger I could pull off a messenger but that?s not the case.
I started my quest for a new bag recently, going for the professional look but still remaining functional.? I don?t think showing up at a business meeting with a backpack or messenger will ever work for me.? I want to be able to carry my 15? MacBook Pro, power adapter, cables, mouse, pens, file folders and a notebook.
Much of my search led me to so many backpacks and messenger bags that I thought I may have reached the end until stumbling upon Waterfield Designs.
Waterfield Designs
I came across Waterfield Designs’ bags from a blog post by Dan Benjamin of Hivelogic when he was looking for a new bag.? The company was mentioned in the comments of the post, but only once.? They are located in San Francisco and founded by Gary Waterfield.
The company sells a variety of products from laptop bags, laptop sleeves, to iPhone and iPad cases and many others.
The Cargo
I decided the Cargo bag from Waterfield was worth a try.?? Yes, the bag is a bit pricey but it is NOT one of those bags mass produced.
The picture here is from the Waterfield site and it hard to get an idea of the size and construction of this bag.? The bag pictured here is the model of bag I ordered, the medium Cargo.
The Waterfield web site does a really nice job of showing off their products with great product descriptions, photos and reviews.? I was torn between ordering the medium or large cargo, the large appeared too big and I feared the medium would be too small.? All of the comments I had read about the company raved about their customer service.
I was pleasantly surprised when I call the company and the phone was answered by Gary himself.? I find it particularly comforting when you can call a company and the founder is not too important to answer the phone.? I explained the bag I was looking for and my dilemma with trying to choose between a medium and large bag.? After hearing what I planned to do with the bag and the type things I wanted to carry, Gary just said the large bag was ?big? and I would probably better off with the medium.
The single phone call and the way I was help choose the bag sold me right away.? I set off to order the bag online, placed the order and began the wait.? I received a call a few minutes later from Gary letting me know the bag I wanted in the colors I chose utilizing the standard buckle would take a bit longer to receive but he did have the upgraded bag with the buckles in-stock.? It was a no-brainer, just add the $10 extra and get the better buckle and get the bag sooner.
The Bag
I had ordered the bag via FedEx 2-day deliver.? It came in packaged very well, almost like a presentation.? The bag itself is really a thing of beauty built with very heavy nylon, the bag feels indestructible.
The paratrooper buckle is a great upgrade, especially for $10.? You can see here how nice it is:
The main compartment is pretty large and fits my MacBook Pro inside of my Marware sleeve with no problem.? The inside of the bag is a nice yellow-orange color which lets me see inside even in dim lighting.
The outside pocket has a nice zip closure with plenty of room for the MacBook Pro power supply, mouse and my headset.
Even the small details like the pad for the fully-adjustable shoulder strap are well-thought-out.? The padding is a gel and extremely comfortable, unlike so many other shoulder straps.
Conclusion
This is a really nice bag and is not too flashy and hip but hip enough to have a different look than the other bags you see you there.? I think this is the perfect bag for the professional who doesn?t want to carry a huge bag around and one that looks professional going to a client site.
I have been using this bag for over a month now while visiting client sites, it travels really well.? I have used it to haul everything I need and everything fits perfectly with plenty of room for extra items like magazines, notepads and client documents.
One common complaint I have with most bags that have a shoulder strap is the fact they are all uncomfortable, except for this one.? The strap comes with a gel-padded strap and it is a really nice touch to a perfect bag.? I will be buying more from Waterfield for my future iPad and other gadgets.