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North Face's Access Pack was made for obsessive gadget lovers
A lot of backpacks and messenger bags now come standard with padded laptop sleeves. Whether that's due to most people taking a notebook or tablet with them, I don't know, but laptop bags are a thing, with an increasingly wide range of prices, shapes and styles. The North Face Access Pack caught my attention for a couple of reasons. First, it's an established bag and apparel maker that's made something for people like me. The company already has several backpack designs with laptop sleeves -- and even battery packs -- built-in.) Then there's the fact that it's been sold out for a while (despite the $235 asking price) on the company's retail site. It's in demand. So I demanded to try one.
How I nearly became hooked on a $335 laptop bag
When I was first approached about checking out the WaterField Designs $335 Rough Rider messenger bag, it occurred to me that I've never written about something as decidedly non-technical before. Let's face it: When I plop down my case and begin unloading my work stuff, my focus has always been on the contents, not the vessel. But once the bag arrived, I realized this San Francisco outfit doesn't just peddle any old type of gear; its handmade leather goods (crafted in the US, to boot) are something truly special. Still, coming from a world of ultra-padded messengers, I was worried if it would be quite good enough to do the job. So I broke up with my cushy day-to-day bag and switched to this all-leather interloper to see how I'd fare.
IRL: The Phorce Freedom is a bag that trades space for versatility
At CES -- the world's largest tech show -- the intrepid reporter faces many challenges. Most of them involve sleep (lack of), nutrition (lack of), human beings (abundance of) and coffee (usually lack of, but often, taste of). As such, it's very important that you don't go and add to that list of problems with some form of self-sabotage: the wrong cables, poor coffee choices, no backup power and, crucially, a P.O.S. bag. You and your bag are going to become close friends over the week, so it pays to get one that'll do the job, with a minimum of fuss.
ECBC Harpoon Daypack carries gear in a compact package
The slim Harpoon Daypack from ECBC carries your gear in a compact, easily portable package. The black version with red accent stitching I tested includes water-resistant YKK zippers with rubber coated metal pull tabs. The durable 840D HD nylon construction and its seams are finished well, and no stray threads appeared during use. The Harpoon also comes in grey. The back panel on the backpack strap side includes medium filled protective material, and the inside is divided into pockets for your devices. The Harpoon Daypack includes a laptop pocket with a small overflap suitable for any sized MacBook. In front of the laptop sleeve lies a pocket with a velcro closure for an iPad or other tablet. Another zippered net pocket above the tablet sleeve holds cables, chargers, or any other small miscellaneous items. A three-quarter outer zipper compartment also includes a zipper net pocket with a plastic carabiner clip for keys. There are also two Velcro closure compartments and a variety of slip pockets for pens, notebooks or other items. The inside is a silver rip-stop nylon, also with red accent stitching. At the top of the compartment is another zippered closure that runs the length of the compartment. The Harpoon's nicely padded adjustable shoulder straps are attached to the pack a little too close to each other, but are wider than I've seen on other backpacks. I found, even on my small back, that they chafed slightly under my arms. However, the pack sits securely on the top of my back, so it made carrying a full load comfortable and it didn't drag on my lower back. I don't usually recommend a pack without a waist strap, but didn't miss it on this daypack. The top of the pack sports another small padded zippered pocket with a fleece lining, suitable for a phone or other item that needs scratch protection. A handle for a quick bag grab sits behind that pocket and above the backpack straps. Two water bottle zippered pockets grace the lower sides of the pack. The elastic pockets expand nicely and are so deep that a 20oz bottle sits inside securely. I appreciate that my water bottles didn't fall out and roll away every time I picked up and put down the pack. All in all the build quality and design of the Harpoon Daypack (model B7101) is impressive and its US$99 price matches other packs of similar size. I doubt this pack is suitable for a six-foot man, but is perfect for my five-foot plus frame, except where noted above. My only complaint is that the bottom of bag is soft, even though the base is 1680D HD nylon, it includes no flat surface upon which it can stand. That means when you put it down, it immediately falls over and gets dirty. I expect that the Harpoon Daypack will last a long time and withstand most abuse that we make our packs suffer through. Specifications External dimensions: 18.5″ x 12.1″ x 6.2″ (47cm x 30.7cm x 15.7cm) 840D HD nylon body with water repellent coating 1680D HD nylon base Air mesh back panel for comfort Fits 17" laptop Weight not specified
Zero Trace gadget bags dodge 'digital exploitation,' schadenfreude
Faraday bags? Oh, yeah. For the sleuthing shyster in your life, Escape the Wolf has a new range of gadget cases that are engineered with one primary purpose: to avoid technical surveillance, mobile phone tracking and remote digital exploitation. As it turns out, these guys have been lurking undercover for just over a month now, but it looks as if they're now on sale to the masses -- civilians included. The Zero Traces line can hold both laptops and phones alike, with each piece capable of shielding GSM / CDMA, WiFi and Bluetooth devices from being "remotely exploited." The pain? Between $24.99 and $199.99, and you can part ways with varying levels of cash right there in the source link.
Ask Engadget: Best sub-$100 camera/laptop bag?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Joseph (he's from Atlanta) who needs a camera bag for his semi-professional photography enterprise. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I've recently gotten into semi-pro photography and I've come to the problem of how to transport all my gear. I'm looking for a camera / laptop bag that has enough space for a DSLR body (Nikon D90), a 15-inch laptop, 3 or 4 lenses and a speedlight or two. My budget can't stretch beyond $100 and I need it to be durable and weather-proof. I don't have any preferences with style (backpack, messenger bag etc), I just need a large, affordable bag to carry all of my gear. Thanks for the help and keep the gadget passion guys!"We don't think you should scrimp too much on a bag, given it'll be carrying $3,000 worth of kit. Your host uses a Lowepro Fastpack 250, costing $99.95, its only drawback that it has no space for a tripod or cables, so you have to sacrifice a couple of lens slots just to tote your power lead. Other staffers suggested using a standard bag with individual Crumpler pouches (a suitable Crumpler like the "7 Million Dollar Home" is $150) or the KataKTD, which sadly doesn't pack a laptop sleeve. How about you, commenters? What's the budget bag you wouldn't let your DSLR venture away from? Together, we can work it out.
IRL: the Kindle Touch, a repurposed Army bag and a non-user replaceable laptop battery
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Hi there, folks. It's that time of the week where we share our close and very personal experiences with various gadget paraphernalia. This week, Brian makes the switch from the Nook Simple Touch to the Kindle Touch, Ben explains why he'd rather replace his own laptop battery, thank you very much, and Don makes the case for a laptop bag that looks anything but.
Tom Bihn Cadet laptop / iPad bag organizes your belongings in style
Seattle-based Tom Bihn has been creating impressive travel bags since 1972, and I've had the pleasure of using and reviewing some of their laptop bags for TUAW over the past few years. In response to advent of smaller MacBook models and the iPad, the company recently unveiled the new Cadet laptop and iPad bag (US$170 base price). Read along as I provide a hands-on review of this well-constructed and durable case that is perfect for the MacBook Air and other Apple devices. Design While the external design of the Cadet is rather utilitarian, it's the details that make this bag so attractive. It's not an oversized bag; rather, it's designed to take your laptop, a few paper files, your power supplies and some other small accessories. There are two sizes: 15/13, which fits the 15" and 13" MacBook Pro, the no-longer-available 13" MacBook, and the 13" MacBook Air, and the 11/iPad that is designed for the 11" MacBook Air and the iPad. I reviewed the 11/iPad case, perfect for my 11" MacBook Air. The Cadet, like every Bihn bag I've reviewed, is built to take the abuse of daily life in stride. The exterior is covered with 1050d ballistic nylon. Another Bihn bag that I own has been literally dragged, dropped, and stepped on for five years, yet looks like it was just delivered from the factory. The inside lining of the Cadet uses a Japanese nylon ripstop fabric to keep pointy things and sharp edges from causing damage. There is a quarter-inch of foam padding all around to protect your equipment from bumps, and the zippers are splash-proof to keep the bag interior dry in wet situations. The handles on the Cadet are padded, which is nice when you choose to carry it like a briefcase. There are also shoulder straps available: the standard strap is included, while the Absolute Shoulder Strap sells for an additional $30. That strap uses an internal control-stretch system that makes carrying a heavy bag a more pleasant experience. With a strap installed on the Delrin eye-loops on either side of the Cadet, it can be carried either on one should or like a messenger bag. %Gallery-144840% I found myself in awe of the number of pockets on the Cadet. On the front of the bag are two zippered pockets for little goodies, while the back has an open-top pocket perfect for magazines. The smallest zippered pocket is lined with Ultrasuede and is the perfect spot to hide your iPhone while going through airport security. The next pocket unzips to reveal a space large enough for several power adapters, has a key strap for holding onto your car and house keys while you're on a trip, and adds five open top pockets -- two for mice or small notebooks, two for pens/pencils, and one for markers. The key strap clicks onto an O-ring, which is an O-shaped plastic ring for securely attaching accessories. There are two of these O-rings in the larger exterior pocket. But the most amazing part of the Cadet is the main pocket. Once again, there are two O-rings onto which various Bihn accessories can be clipped. But there are also two thick straps that are on one side of the case. These area used to secure a Cadet Cache to the case. What's a Cadet Cache? It's a padded sleeve (made for either a laptop or an iPad) with what are called Gatekeeper clips on the bottom. When you pass through a TSA checkpoint, you just slide the Cadet Cache out of your case with your iPad or laptop securely stowed within. It's still attached to the rest of the case so nothing is going to be separated as the assembly goes through the X-ray machine. There's one more great feature. That magazine pocket on the back of the case? It has a zipper near the bottom -- not so you can lose your magazine, but you can unzip it to create a wide "strap" and slide the bag onto the handle of a rolling suitcase for hands-free carrying. Sweet! The bag comes in a variety of color choices, so if you don't like the forest green of the review model (which I loved), you can select from five other schemes. That, in a very large nutshell, is the Cadet case. How does it work in actual use? Read on. Functionality I wanted to test out the Cadet with all of my mobile gear -- iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and 11" MacBook Air. Tom Bihn thoughtfully provided both the Cadet Caches padded sleeves for the iPad and 11" MBA, so I was able to try both. In additional, I loaded the bag up with most of the adapters, cables, and accessories that I normally take with me on trips. As you can see from some of the gallery photos (above), I was able to put all of that equipment, plus cables, power adapters, keys, and more into the Cadet ... and this is the small version! It's like this bag expands into another dimension, magically adding space when you need it. Fortunately the weight of the equipment wasn't overwhelming, but the Absolute Shoulder Strap did make carrying it quite comfortable. I could have easily placed my podcasting headphones into the bag as well, and I'm betting that my Canon PowerShot SX30IS -- not a svelte camera -- would have made it into the Cadet as well. I'd love to try packing all of my tech gear into this bag for Macworld | iWorld next week, but we're going to be giving away the Cadet and its accessories at a TUAW meetup the night of January 26. Conclusion Tom Bihn bags are not the most inexpensive computer bags around; in fact, with all of the add-ons in this Cadet, the price tag was about $245. But if you're planning on keeping the bag for a number of years, you can rest assured that the Cadet is going to stand up to a lot of abuse and keep looking good. Tom Bihn does an amazing job of building functional, durable bags for your consumer electronics. If you're in the market for a bag to keep your MacBook Air and iPad protected and at your fingertips, be sure to give the Cadet your full attention.
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: bags and cases
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Santa may be able to toss a few thousand laptops in his bright red sack with nary a scratch to be seen -- but you sure can't. You'll want to keep those goods sparkly and new for as long as possible, and that's what today's gift selections are all about - getting your tech from A to B in the safest, most stylish way possible. There's plenty of choice for transporting your goodies, ranging from the bland to the bizarre, from rucksacks to courier bags, silicone to silk -- there is literally something for everyone. Finding a one-size-fits-all solution is going to be nigh-on impossible, but we're hopeful that what we've got here will be just the ticket to re-wrap what you just unboxed.
Ona Camps Bay DSLR / laptop backpack review
Look, when it comes to hunting down a pack for your gadget collection, you've got options. Plenty of options. But not too many options like this. Ona -- a high-end purveyor of handcrafted camera bags -- first caught our eye last year with the markedly functional Union Street, but at the time, we felt that there was an even bigger gap in this universe that could only be filled with a like-minded backpack. So, here it is. The Camps Bay is the outfit's first full-on, back-worn pack designed to carry both a laptop (up to 17-inches, no less), a DSLR and a plethora of lenses and accessories. %Gallery-138241% In fact, this here bag holds a downright astonishing amount of kit, while looking decidedly unlike every other backpack that you've ever laid eyes on. For quite some time, Kata's brilliantly constructed 3N1-33 (review) was our go-to multi-mode bag; it's largely a perfect combination of laptop sack and camera organizer. But we always found ourselves hung up on a couple of issues. For one, it wasn't capable of swallowing 17-inch multimedia rigs. Secondly, shoving a full-frame body in there (Nikon's D3S comes to mind) isn't exactly easy when you're also toting a 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 -- two (huge) hunks of glass that any self-respecting pro almost certainly has access to. Read on for more of our thoughts.
Diffus Solar Handbag charges your cell during the day, may actually leave the closet
Sure, solar-paneled bags are occasionally practical and always geeky, but the women in our lives wouldn't dream of letting us walk around with one, let alone using one themselves. That soon may change. The Solar Handbag from Diffus, a Danish design studio, integrates 100 "solar sequins" in a pattern that ladies may actually find socially acceptable, perhaps even attractive. During the day, the bag is capable of generating 2 watts of power, enough to charge many portable gadgets. After the sun sets, however, any leftover energy is redirected to a set of optical fibers, which glow whenever you open the bag to search for mascara, ABC gum stuffed in crumbled receipts, or whatever else you've decided may never leave your side. There's no word on whether the bag will actually come to market, but if it does go to production, it may just end up being affordable, given that many handbag budgets far exceed the amount we set aside for gadgets.
Ona Union Street DSLR / laptop messenger bag review
Ever heard of Ona? Up until last week, we hadn't either. Turns out, Ona's a purveyor of "fine" camera bags and accessories, and given that it's the holiday season, we figured it prudent to have a gander at the outfit's latest and greatest -- you know, just in case you've a camera lover in your family who you've yet to buy for. The all-new Union Street ($279) is quite clearly an upscale messenger bag on the outside, but the internals are arranged in a way that the amateur photog / gadget lover would appreciate. There's room for a few pens (of the lens and / or ink variety), a smartphone, a navigation system, a 15-inch (or smaller) laptop and -- according to Ona -- a DSLR along with three lenses. The other notable aspect is the waxed canvas exterior (dubbed Waxwear), which is generally more rugged and weather resistant than your average patch of suede or leather. How's it all shake out? Join us after the break for our pair of pennies. %Gallery-109233%
Engadget's back to school guide: Laptop bags
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have laptop bags in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. By now you should have had enough time to decide what on our laptop buying guide takes your fancy, but, as Apple will tell you, the protective case is sometimes as important as the precious hardware itself. You'll notice that this year we have a good number of bags that include padded camera sections as well -- to the point of perhaps being described as camera bags with laptop compartments -- but we feel that's justified by the massive proliferation of DSLRs into the mainstream market. Entry-level interchangeable lens shooters have grown cheap enough even for non-photography students to consider owning one, but we can think of no good reason why they should require a separate bag of their own. So, on with the recommendations.
Ask Engadget HD: Best Laptop HTPC?
We're pretty used to wondering about what kind of computer is best suited for connecting to your HDTV, but what if it also has to pull double duty as an on the go workhorse? That's the dilemma of our friend Scott: "'I've been looking to buy a nettop PC with an Atom/ION to use as my HTPC, like the Acer Aspire Revo R3610, and hook it up to my home network, but I would also like to have a laptop for portability. I can't afford both so I need to make the best choice. I mainly watch recorded TV from my Windows 7 Media Center PC, DVDs, surf the internet and play an occasional 3D game. I'll be hooking this up to my 60" LG plasma TV. I don't need Blu-ray playback as I use my PS3 for this. Are there any laptops that aren't too bulky/heavy, have enough power to handle 1080p playback through HDMI output and have a large enough screen to watch movies when in the go? I was looking at the HP dv4-2165dx. What would you recommend? A few of you must have similar requirements for your mobile computing, so we're wondering what you've found to fit your needs. Moving beyond even Scott's situation, is Blu-ray playback a major issue in laptop purchasing these days, or are you comfortable with portable copies and rips when you leave the house? Feel free to drop all advice and notes in the comments below. Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Ask Engadget: best backpack for holding a laptop and textbooks?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Eric, who is just about ready to ship off to the "best years of his life." If he can find a backpack, that is. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I am going to be attending college in the fall and am l looking for a good backpack that not only provides protection for my 15-inch laptop but also has space for accessories and books. I don't care about brand; I want something that will last and I don't have to replace for a while. Thanks for your suggestions!" Look, this guy doesn't need yet another thing on his plate when it comes time to get ready for college. The least you can do is provide him a name and model of a solid backpack for carrying around his LAN party rig and [Insert Course Here] 101 books. Bone throwing is encouraged in comments below.
Ask Engadget: Best TSA-approved laptop bag?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Addison, who now needs a shiny new laptop bag to house that shiny new laptop that arrived for Christmas. The kicker? TSA approval is passionately desired. "I was lucky enough to receive a new Laptop (ASUS UL80Vt-A1) this Christmahanukwanzaakah. Hurray! The only problem is, my old LL Bean Messenger bag just isn't going to cut it anymore now that I'll be carrying around my precious laptop along with school books and a whole gaggle of cables. Perhaps your readers could suggest to me a replacement? I would prefer a messenger / shoulder style bag, but if there is an especially cool backpack out there, I wouldn't turn my nose up at it. TSA compliance would be an added bonus since I have to fly quite a bit nowadays. What do you think, could you and the hive-mind give me a hand?" Air travel just gets worse and worse these days, so we're emphasizing that "TSA-approved" bit for Addison's own good. We know the bulk of 'em ain't that pretty, but for the jetsetters out there who have had a chance to weed through and pick the best, we're hoping they'll share their secrets down below.
EVERKI Camber is a netbook bag with a degree in ergonomics
The EVERKI Camber netbook case must have an inferiority complex. Why else, when every other netbook sleeve is designed to take up minimal space, does the Camber sport a large, bulging protrusion from one side? Well, you might say, it's designed to raise your netbook or ultraportable up to a more ergonomic 30 degree angle away from horizontality, but when was the last time you really regretted not owning a CushionSpeaker or a CushDesk? The more useful feature here, for us, is the space that bulge provides for storing your charger and AC plug (which can be horrifically huge in the UK), though whether the $49.99 price is justifiable, we leave up to you. Video demonstration awaits after the break.
Engadget's recession antidote: win a be.ez LAbesace LIME DROP laptop case!
This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery -- including today's news from Toshiba and Sony Ericsson -- without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got delightful LAbesace LIME DROP messenger bag for 15-inch laptops, complete with a rugged nylon exterior, plenty of room for your smaller gizmos and a sign that says "Kiss Me, I'm Famous." Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!Big thanks to be.ez for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) be.ez LAbesace LIME DROP case for 15-inch laptops. Approximate retail value is $89.99. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Friday, April 17th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
TSA-approved Solo CheckFast messenger bag caters to netbooks
So, you're tired of removing and replacing your netbook each and every time you waltz through an airport (or a different terminal at Sky Harbor International -- great planning there, Phoenix), but the current crop of TSA-friendly bags are simply too large for your tastes. Clearly, Solo has felt your pain, as the CheckFast Netbook messenger bag is only big enough to handle netbooks 11-inchers or smaller. Our good pals over at Gadling were able to take it for a spin, and even being avid travelers, they were mighty impressed. The build quality was top-shelf, there was plenty of extra storage room and the $35 price tag was found to be downright delectable. Still in need of a last-minute gift? You may have just found it.
Solar-powered Voltaic Generator laptop bag gets reviewed
Voltaic's Generator solar bag first hit the scene at CES 2008, and it has just now begun to filter out to deep-pocketed, environmentally-friendly laptop owners. The crew over at Laptop Mag was able to take it for a spin, and overall, they seemed a bit perturbed by the whole thing. It was not particularly ergonomic, it always fell over on itself when sitting idly on the floor and it was just too heavy to be lugged around with any level of comfort. Furthermore, there aren't enough options for laptop connectivity, meaning that lots of people will probably be left in the cold due to the limited support for notebook models. Reviewers felt that $499 was simply too much to ask for such a cumbersome device, and if two hours of extra life is worth that much to you, you're probably better off buying another battery and donating the rest to a green cause.
