MBP Waterfield sleevecase
Here’s what I ordered:
- Horizontal Sleevecase, size 15-2
- flap (see below for the bonus)
- d-rings and suspension strap
- horizontal piggyback
The short version is that this thing is bullet-proof, carries just enough beyond the MBP itself to be useful as my sole commuting bag 90% of the time, and the attention to detail is impressive.
The first thing I can say that I liked about my new Waterfield sleevecase is that I ordered it on Monday and it arrived on Wednesday, and I didn’t have to pay for extravagant shipping. That was just USPS Priority, which was one of the lesser expensive shipping options (USPS Priority is underrated, IMHO, but that’s another blog post).
The overall design, and as far as I can tell, the materials, have not changed, and that is a good thing, as it should be as bullet-proof as my tibook sleevecase. The case fits my MBP like an Assos jersey. That’d probably be “like an Armani suit”, but since I’ve never actually worn one, I figured I’d go with the cycling reference. Once again, the interior neoprene suspension design is genius.
The d-rings, shoulder strap clips, and piggyback clips are all metal. The ones on the shoulder strap and sleevecase are quite beefy. The piggyback clips are less so. I’d bet money that they sturdier than equivalently sized plastic clips, though. They also have nice release levers to help you open them since they are so small—very nice attention to detail.
The suspension strap is a very interesting design. I couldn’t find many pictures or a detailed description of it on the site before buying, but I decided to give it a go anyway, betting that if I wasn’t happy with it, I could try to exchange it for a regular strap.
The strap has 3 sections that are sewn together. The two ends where the clips are attached are standard heavy duty shoulder strap stuff. The key is the center section. The underside is made of a very soft and grippy rubber that really does keep it from sliding around. Second, the pad is stretchy, but has another strap sewn onto it that acts like a damper. That’s probably impossible to visualize, so think of the springs and shocks on your car. The first is for absorbing impact, the second for keeping the springs under control. It’s a clever design. I can’t really say how much it changes the dynamic of carrying the bag, but I can say that overall the shoulder strap is very comfortable.
It is also adjustable in two places, instead of just one, which allows you to position the pad correctly no matter how long or short you make the strap. Attention to detail.
The piggyback is my favorite part of the package. It lets me carry the extra bits that I need, which makes the sleevecase usable as my daily commuter. It clips to the same d-rings as the shoulder strap, and it holds more than I thought it would. I’ve carried the following without having to cram: MBP power brick, ipod and headphones, small moleskine and pen, cell phone charger, and a Balance Bar. The inside is lined with some super-soft alien material, and has one large main compartment and two smaller pockets. The zipper is metal (a good thing, imho) and has a zipper pull tab that I can easily grab while wearing gloves. The piggyback also has a small rain flap (details, I say!). It’s a lot of usefulness wrapped up into a svelte little package.
The shoulder strap can be attached to the piggyback, so you can carry just the piggyback by itself if you’re so inclined.
In my experience so far, the case and piggyback work together very well. I was afraid that the piggyback would bounce around while carrying the bag, but it doesn’t. The on problem I’ve found with using them together is that the piggyback actually covers the flap on the sleevecase in a way that makes it difficult to open the flap. This hasn’t been a big annoyance so far, and it might be possible to work around it by attaching the piggyback on the back side of the sleevecase and carrying the case with the flap facing toward your body. I may give that a try if the interference becomes annoying.
My only other gripe so far is that I wish the sleevecase had some sort of small carry handle (also one of my complaints about my Timbuk2 messenger), but I knew that before I bought it, so I can’t complain too much.
One bonus that my previous sleevecase did not have is the slash pocket on the back. I’m guessing that you get this when you order the flap. Regardless, I’ve found it to be extremely useful so far. It is the perfect size for my aluminum clipboard, or any of several music books.
Conclusion
All in all, I am very happy with my purchase, and I think it’s gonna just right for my daily commute. It’s more streamlined than my Timbuk2, and still holds the few extra things I need.
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