I got tired of lugging around a briefcase AND a carry-on bag for my clothes--so I did a lot of research looking for a bag that had the durability, thoughtful design, and value that I wanted. This bag fits the bill for all those things--and allows me to bring everything I need for a one or two night business trip with just one bag.
Pros:
1) This bag fits under most airline seats. Yes, I know that we would rather not put a bag under the seat in front of us because we lose the leg-room, but if you need the bag near you--it's really nice that it fits under the seat. In fact, this bag fits so perfectly it looks like the engineers did their homework and actually measured that little space under the seat to ensure that it fits. Many other bags like this are a few inches to wide to fit.
2) Thoughtful sections and pockets. This bag has a section for clothes that includes compression straps to keep them compact. It's enough space for a pair of pants and an extra shirt or two--and your 1 quart bag of toiletries. It also has a padded laptop section (with velcro security strap to hold your laptop in place) with 3 large pockets for things like a GPS, sunglasses, portable hard drive, etc. The next section is a file section with one divider in the middle. Then there is a large zippered pocket for gadgets, cables, pens, business cards, etc. Lastly, there is one smaller pocket for boarding passes, papers, etc.
2) Great build quality. I've had a Samsonite briefcase that is very similar to this bag for years. I can vouch for Samsonite's quality. Their zippers are heavy duty and last--even after daily use for years. The material used in these bags is a tough Cordura-like material that stands up to daily abuse. Samsonite has also reinforced this bag in all the right places. Though this bag is relatively new to me, I expect that it will demonstrate the same durability as my other Samsonite bag.
3) Thoughtful Design. The bag has one pair of quality in-line skate wheels that, when paired with the telescoping pull handle make a biomechanically perfect way to roll the bag--with very little effort. I'm sure you've seen the bags that have 4 casters on the bottom. In my opinion those bags are more of a trend than anything. With 4 casters those bags can roll in any direction--which really isn't always desirable--and when you tip them so you can walk fast, you've got the other two casters hanging in the air. This Samsonite bag has the more sensible design of only two in-line skate wheels which is frankly, a more practical and usable design. When standing upright, the bag also has a long "foot" that keeps it standing perfectly upright with no worry that the bag is going to fall over. There are also plenty of hard plastic guards to protect the bag when you bump up a staircase or curb. The telescoping handle also stows away completely under a zippered cover for use as a briefcase.
Cons:
1) Like some other reviewers have mentioned, this bag has two handles for use when picking it up like a briefcase. You simply grab the handles, hold them together and pick it up. While the handles are comfortable and work fine, they also flop over to each side when not in use. There is a certain un-aesthetic quality about that two handled design--along with a certain, slight inconvenience to it. But I give it pass because the bag is such a great value.
2) The bag is not designed to be "checkpoint friendly". A checkpoint friendly bag is a bag that you do not have to remove your laptop from when you're in the security line. Checkpoint friendly bags are typically designed to open like a clamshell to allow an easy x-ray scan during the security check. Bags that are not designed that way (like this one) make it necessary for you to pull out your laptop and place it in a bin. Not a huge deal--because it's really quite easy to to that...but it's one one less convenience during the security process.
When you combine the design and quality with the price, this bag is an excellent value.
Let me know if this review has helpful in making your decision :)
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