If you have a notebook computer, most likely you use (or have been looking for) something of quality to tote said portable. If you’re like me, you want something well-designed, with convenient pockets in all the right places, and a sturdy construction which protects your investment.
If you happen to be in the market, I’d like to give an unsolicited plug for Gary Waterfield and the products he and his team create and sell under Waterfield Designs. The paragraph above describes his products perfectly. Great designs, convenient access, protective, durable, and stylish without looking like a Nike cross-trainer shoe.
I discovered Waterfield a few years ago, while looking for something to lug around the 7.5-pound PowerBook G3 Wired provided for me. With the abundance of bike messengers here in the city, Timbuk2 has always been an extremely popular choice. But I wanted something a little more sturdy, and found a flood of positive reviews of Waterfield’s products with a little research. After I ordered a green-front (um, “celeste”, whatever…) large Cargo bag from them, I found out why everyone spoke of them so highly. Not only did it arrive quickly (they’re based here in San Francisco), and with a hand-written thank-you note on the packing slip from Gary himself (their service is excellent), the bag was a beautifully designed specimen which held everything I wanted it to.
A year later, I purchased my own PowerBook G4. At the time, Waterfield was one of the only companies producing “sleeve cases” large enough to fit the wider Titanium notebook. Soft neoprene insides wrapped in the same Ballistic shell which made their bags so sturdy. These sleeve cases are great for adding that extra level of protection for any laptop. They’ve been so popular, Waterfield now produces them in a wide variety of sizes. The large Cargo bag I already owned featured an inside pocket which holds a G4 PowerBook-sized computer (including the sleeve case) snugly against the back of the bag.
![[thumbnail image: Waterfield Designs' small Cargo bag]](/log/img/200309/bag.jpg)
It took me several years to drop down in size, but now that I’m using a tiny 3-pound 10-inch Vaio as a primary machine, I finally switched to an all-black small-size Cargo bag. [Mostly the] same features, but in a much smaller package, and a new sleeve case to match the size of the smaller notebook. The feature which always elicits an unexpected comment from a friend or stranger is the brushed aluminum aircraft seatbelt-style buckle on the front of the bag.
If you’re looking for a bag to protect a newly-purchased laptop, or want a replacement for your current bag/briefcase, like other current customers, I have no hesitation recommending Waterfield hands down, and can’t speak highly enough of them and their products. Excellent value for their slightly higher-than-average cost. They have other cool products too, including a popular iPod case, camera cases, and miscellaneous small gear pouches to hold power cords, external drives, or whatever else you like to keep in your bag of tricks.
Update: The way I originally stated something above is not entirely accurate. I should clarify that there are some differences in features between each size Cargo bag — they’re not exactly alike. The most important being that medium and small Cargo bags don’t have the same extra-protective hard-foam shell the large Cargo bags have. This is a significant factor if protection is a high priority. While I was using the large Cargo, I didn’t see as much need for a separate sleeve case, as it also had a rear pocket that held the laptop securely against the hard foam. The sleeve case is extra protection with the large Cargo. However, since the small Cargo (and medium size as well) has no extra hard-foam padding, I wouldn’t use it without the extra protection of a custom-sized sleeve case. I leave the sleeve case inserted in the bag as sort of a “liner” which my laptop can easily slide into or be pulled back out. I’m also searching for a piece of this hard foam to cut to the right size and place in the bottom of my small bag, primarily for shock absorption when I set it down. Technically, Gary and team may not recommend the small and medium Cargo bags for carrying laptops because of this difference. Just wanted to highlight the difference, especially since I might be using the small Cargo bag beyond its intended purpose and design.
35 comments (Comments closed)
I’m quite happy with my Endo bag. It’s $80 and has a nice padded bag inside the bag to snuggly protect my 15" powerbook. Try coupon code: SPCST1 for a 15% discount. And if that code is no longer valid, email sales@spireusa.com and ask for a new coupon code and they’ll probably give you one (that’s how I got the above code).
I would second that recommendation. Waterfield is a classy company with classy products.
The only laptop bag I’ve ever owned is a large Cargo from Waterfield, and I’ve had it for years (through 3 PowerBooks). I recommend them to everyone I know.
I’ve never had any piece of luggage hold up so well, and I use this bag almost daily. I still can’t believe the amount of stuff I can fit in all the compartments, and it never becomes uncomfortable to wear on the shoulder (thanks to the terrific shoulder strap pads they make).
I like the look of their all-black case (mine is of the Blueball variety), and I might just have to start buying a few of their accessory cases…
I’ve never owned on but Chrome bags has a nice option. I personally have a Timbuk2 I am not entirely thrilled with since the velcro is wearing out after less than a year and I almost never carry a laptop in it.
My Waterfield bag is not only one of the finest products I’ve ever purchased, but the experience and customer service are second to none.
I’m sorry Doug, but you must be kidding: ~$200 for a bag? Who would want to buy that when the first iPod is only another $99 away?
I’ve personally never liked the whole “cargo bag” thing, every kid at my college seemed to have one and I always thought they looked funny tilting over sideways to support the weight of their books. I much prefer a nice, sturdy, double strapped backpack. I mean, honestly, we have a pair of shoulders, why not use them? So, like Simon, I chose Spire, except I got the larger Icon bag (which, after going to their site just now, they seem to have discontinued). The protective boot is great (the laptop sleeve actually holds the computer about 2 inches above the bottom of the bag, so you don’t have to worry about bumping it) and it, too, has all the pockets you could ask for. I highly recommend it to anyone who prefers to stand up straight while carting around their valuables :)
10 inch Vaio as your primary machine?
Out of curiosity, how do you do any design work? Or are you primarily doing only coding now?
Just curious, in that I’m in the market for a machine and had been looking at 12” PC and Macs, but was recommended that I move up to a 15” or 17” lest I go completly nuts trying to view Dreamweaver or whatnot on a dinky screen.
Am wondering if there’s hope for small machines everywhere…
Antonio: That’s a pretty wacky comparison. Can you carry your laptop and everything else inside an iPod? Isn’t the person who would pay $300-$500 for a tiny device that basically only plays music the same person who could afford $150-$200 for a high-quality bag to protect their laptop? As I stated before, I stand behind the value you get for the cost of a Waterfield bag.
Anthony: Yep, primary machine, and I love it so far. When at the office or at home, it’s plugged into an 18-inch monitor and a full-size keyboard. I just have the advantage of an extremely light laptop. It supports 1280x768 natively, and 1600x1200 when plugged into an external monitor. That’s more than enough for designing. The only time I find myself working on the laptop screen directly is when I’m working remotely at cafes, etc.
If you lug your hardware around a lot, I do not recommend a bag but a backpack. Even a few pounds on one side or the other side of the body can do terrible things to your body after a while.
This was brought to my attention in 1985 while riding a train from the north of Africa to the Netherlands, my birthplace, as I was talking with a doctor dealing with the problem that in Holland, all kids carry their books in an attache case, and as a result have a number of spine, neck and posture problems whereas kids in Germany who more often than not wear backpacks were not affected by these problems. The conversation went into all kinds of interesting details about what it was like living in a german concentration camp and coming out of it alive, as I had originally noticed that she had a tattoo on her arm, but that story is for another time.
I of course forgot about the conversation and purchased a bag I could carry on my shoulder, and after half a year or so had all kinds of problems with my neck. Because there was this delay of about half a year before the symptoms began to show up, I was not aware that the problem was caused by my carrying the computer in an attache case styled bag, and it was not until I remembered the conversation with the dutch doctor that I purchased a backpack for my Pismo (both bags are from spire, and I have been happy with both bags). The problems with my neck disappeared within a week or so.
Great looking bags, and I probably wouldn’t have found them otherwise. Thanks.
If anyone is looking a great quality, straight-up courier bag, Courier Ware makes some great ones. And they’re made in Vermont. Which is good.
Thanks onno de jong,
I’ve been looking for a bag and you totally convinced me to get a backpack… I’ve owned a “attache?” style bag for years and should know better… they really are bad for you… going back to the days of the Jr. High backpack on one shoulder, have always noticed that it’s not quite so comfortable and xrays at the chiropractor have confirmed (leaning towards the shoulder I use for the bag)… But seems everyone is getting these “cargo bags” for the style since oh, maybe 8 years ago or so? Especially with my 10 lbs. notebook + accessories, etc. backpacks hold much more too… anyone have experience with the swiss army backpacks? quite pricey, and I don’t know if they are “laptop compliant” like the 2” buffer someone talked about..
I’m looking for something a little more “substantial/rugged” than the spire stuff… I’ll always have my Domke bag for photography where quick access is a must but laptops are a different story…
Out of curiosity, what made you switch from a Mac to a PC? I’m not a Mac user, I’m just wondering.
I had one of their first cases for the iPod which I absolutely loved. The one thing that was a little “off” was the seams on the inside. Kinda rough. Just sold it with the iPod and bought one of the new cases for the new 40GB. They’ve really improved the design and the seams are very nicely redone! A stellar product and very nice to do business with. Plus, the actually make the bags right here in SF! Waterfield rocks!!!
myself, I make a switched back to Mac after a 18 years gap and got a “backoffice” from shaun jackson design
Very well design and suitable for the mobile crowd.
Agreed! I have a sleevecase and a large Cozmo bag from WaterField. Sturdy, good looking and excellent shoulder strap (much better than those found on other products, either Samsonite or Delsey). No trouble with delivery in France. Top notch service. Also have a Timbuk2 sleevecase but it’s not as good as the one designed by SFbags.com
Keep up the good work!
I my self prefer quality. I really don´t care to wait more (to collect the money necessary) and receive a nice product and good service.
Just now, I was looking for the new Apple PowerBook G4 17”, I am going to get him. It cost a fortune to me, but I know I will save in time, efficiency and so… money.
Off toppic suggestion to Doug:
Redesign their (WaterField Designs) web site, make in standard and semantically correct ;)
I’m another very happy Waterfield bag and sleeve case owner. Had mine for about 2.5 years and both are still in excellent condition - as is my laptop - scratch free and good as new. And I love the Airplane belt buckle fastener. Plus I never see anybody else with one, even in London, so I feel all special and warm inside…
And they only took 4 days to ship from US to UK, which was nice.
After the strap of my original laptop bag broke, some of us “little people” can’t afford a $200 bag.
So I bought a messenger bag at Old Navy. It works for me fine, and it matches my ringer T-Shirts [sold separately]
Try the Australian made Crumpler bags lots of options.
I have a small cozmo which is an awesome bag. The large is way too big, the small is just slightly too small, they really need a medium…
Their straps are awesome as well, I replaced my Tumi bags strap with the one for my sleevecase, much more comfortable…
Great discussion. I’ve been set on a Timbuk2 bag for awhile, but from this posting I’ve seen many others that catch my eye. Thanks!
i, too, swear by spire bags. for those who care about such things, they’re check of full of pockets and pouches, they look great, and they’re made in the USA. i’ve used my endo every day for more than three years now, and it’s still in near-perfect condition! spire’s customer support is great — they both answered all of my questions thoroughly before i bought my bag, and continue to respond to my questions and comments as if i am their best customer.
i got a case for my 12” powerbook at in case. i love the fabric on the one i got, the soft tech case. plus, it is small enough to put inside another bag if i need to. i also like that the handles fold into the pockets if i’m using the shoulder strap. everything about it looks so minimal.
I’m quite fond of my Tamarac Turbo Messenger, and it’s the envy of all the kids. The turbotop is especially cool, so you have the option of opening the top completely, or just unzipping. They make good stuff.
When I go on vacation, I have space for the iBook, two novels, a GameBoy, an MP3 player (which is not yet an iPod), battery charger, and a few magazines.
I’m the proud and satisfied owner of a Waterford Racer-X (Taxi colored) for my 15” Tibook and it’s the best laptop bag I’ve ever owned. The size and weighting is absolutely perfect and the rubber “mountain bike” grip is a really nice touch (no pun intended) My service from Gary, Rommel and the SFbags group was exactly as described… superb. I had to wait a few weeks for a new 15” since they had discontined them to get ready for the 15.2” that Apple was supposed to release months ago, but they restocked and sent me my bag Fedex the day after I ordered. Superb product and service. The Racer-X is the best bag for 15” & 17” Powerbooks period.
Hi ! I don’t know if you’re interested in the back bags, but just to say that I have a Bobble Bee bag ( http://www.boblbee.com/ ) since 1 year now. It is a bag with a hard shell, so it is a very good protection for your laptop (I have a 15” tiBook). For me it is the best bag !
I use a Lapdog…made by Shaun Jackson Designs to lug my Dell Latitude around in.
Even after two years I get people coming up to me in offices and on planes asking ‘where I got my bag’… it’s as good as new - and is a great way to help you learn to travel light…a tiny package when its all folded up - I carry Laptop, PSU, CD’s, Moleskine, Pens, earbuds, IPOD and mouse round in mine….deceptively big.
Add mine to a long list of Waterfield Design’s bags. I’ve had their Racer-X for my home iBook and it is without a doubt the most smartly designed and as over protective of my computer as I am. Yes they cost more than the cheapies you see everwhere else, but when you see the padding, the clever pockets, the rugged zippers… why put thousands of dollars of equipment and your most important work inside a plastic bag?
However, the real gem was getting individual attention from the folks at SFBags, not to answer complaints— I got a personal email after an order just asking me how I liked my bag.
I will be back to get another for my TiBook for work.
I must admit it looks and sounds like a great bag - it was hard to avoid the “Buy it” button ..
Personally, I’m using Tom Bihn’s ID bag along with the Brain Cell to secure my TiPB. I am very happy with it. On the downside, once the Brain Cell is fitted in it, there’s not that much space left for your accessories, books, etc.
I also own the Brain Bag, a double strapped backpack, which is great to go off on a weekend with your computer, books and papers, t-shirts and toothbrush (it is designed to host the Brain Cell too).
Well, I just had to comment on this one. While I think that these all look good, it’s still just another bag to have to lug around.
I solved my wireless device portability problem by recently ordering a eVest. The best solution I’ve ever seen. You can fit a GPS systems, PDA’s, laptop, books, magazines, all your car kits + batterys and AC chargers, SD/CF cards, ID badge, water bottles, hats and just about anything else you could think to put in it.
It’s got 38 pockets. o_O heh. They make some very good points on the site, like the fact that it doesn’t count as a carry on when you’re flyin.
Check it out - http://www.scottevest.com
First read about it a couple weeks ago on Wired News.
Damon: Thanks for the info on eVests. Interesting jacket. But after reading about them on their site and on Wired News, I don’t see how this is a good option for toting around a normal-size laptop computer, as was the original purpose of this entry. Even my tiny Vaio wouldn’t fit in any of those pockets. So unless you’re carrying an oversized PDA as a “computer”, this jacket would be horrible for carrying a laptop. There’s no protection at all for what you carry inside if you bump into anything hard, fall down onto concrete, or accidently throw your jacket against something as you’re taking it off. Not to mention the extra awkward weight it would add to the jacket even if you could fit a normal laptop inside. And the jacket would always need to be zipped up to keep the weight close to your body.
Nice to see someone think to add so many convenient pockets to a jacket, and even the conduits for mobile phone and portable music device headsets. But as a replacement for a laptop bag — I think not.
For reference, the Wired News article Damon refers to is here.
Well, it doesn’t really help if you’re going a long distance. In that case you’d still need a bag of some sort.
It does however hold a laptop in the back pocket. I think you need to merge a few pockets to get one to fit but they _can_ fit. Good for just having it while strolling down town imo.
For the weight problem, it has a sort of built in weight distribution functionality. It claims to evenly distribute the weight to all sides of the jacket.
I haven’t recieved mine yet because I pre-ordered but I’ll try and let you know how the weight system works.
I am deciding between the bihn empire builder and the Waterfield racer-X. One thing that I don’t like (in general about bag makers) are the obtrusive logos, I need something more low profile.
Waterfield seems fine, except the shoulder strap has a big WF. Are people OK with this massive logo on the shoulder strap?
I love the Wakefield bags, however, I felt Timbuk2’s new Commuter bag had more to offer. Although it does look like a Nike cross-trainer it’s incredibly sturdy, heavily padded, riddled with useable compartments, and under $120. The adjustable strap and water bottle side pockets sealed the deal for me.
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