RoadWired's Skooba Satchel

 Store Productimages Skooba Satchel Olive Lg
In a dozen years of carrying a laptop computer, I've probably gone through an equal number of laptop bags. Backpacks, messenger bags, man-purses… I've tried them all. Thing is, I'm very picky. Last year, Cory turned me on to the joys of RoadWired products and on short outings I started carrying my 12" Powerbook in one of their excellent Compact Skooba Sleeves. At least once a week, someone asks me who makes it. That sounds like hype, but it's the truth. And I'm not sure why. Sure, it's a great bag, but it's pretty darn minimalist in terms of design. Maybe that's why it grabs people's attention.

Several weeks ago, I swapped out my deteriorating messenger bag that I carry on longer trips for the new larger Skooba Satchel, a beefed-up version of the minimalist Skooba Sleeve. I spent a week plus a weekend on the road with it and I didn't miss my trusty messenger bag once. Like the Sleeve, the Satchel's laptop pouch is lined with Air Squares for protection if when you drop it. In fact, the $99.95 Satchel is basically the Sleeve impregnated with a dozen more pockets. The main laptop compartment can hold 17-inch laptops, making it a bit oversized for my 12" Powerbook. If you also have a small laptop, you might first put it in a simple sleeve or one of the RoadWired RAPS diapers to keep things tight and tidy once it's in the Satchel. That also comes in handy so you can transport your laptop around a conference or to a cafe when you don't need the whole Satchel. (Think of the extra sleeve or RAPS as a shuttle craft.) Now if only the Satchel wasn't so heavy. But that's not RoadWired's problem–the Satchel weighs 44 ounces empty. Time to put my gear on a diet again.
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