Booq Python XM System review

I recently purchased the Booq Python XM System and would like to post my thoughts on it. The Python XM System comes with the backpack, the Viper L notebook sleeve and a Venom Pulse accessory bag, I will review each item separately as you can purchase them as such. I apologize I am still kinda new to adding pics and all so I added the thumbnails but not thier bigger pics. I have a gallery on this forum with all of the pictures in this post.

Viper L
The Viper L is the 15 inch notebook sleeve. As my notebook is a 15.4 I was a little worried. The sleeve is made of a rigid nylon exterior with a foam interior. The interior form fits and the foam feels very rigid as well, there are 3 grooves on the top and bottom, unsure if they have any practical purpose or are just for looks.


I have a IFL90 with 9v battery. It fits snugly w/o the battery, I could close it with the battery but it was alot of trouble so I take it out when I use. Prior to this I used the Shinza Zero Shock, it was a slimmer case with a memory type foam, it fit like a glove but was not rigid. I decided to try this one out because I was unsure if a shinza would fit in the backpack, where as the Viper L should since its sold as a combo.

4/5 Looks - The Viper L looks nice.
3/5 Design - Part of a sleeves function is to protect against bumps and small drops. The grooves in the top and bottom may help in this regard, but only when/if dropped from the top or bottom. There is alot of space even with my notebook inside, a memory foam would have given me a little more piece of mind and just seems like it would be better, I could be off base here.
3/5 Functionality - It should do the job, but I have seen better, if this was form fitting I could even have lived with the rigid foam interior more.

Viper L - 3.3/5


Venom Pulse
At first I thought this was meant primarily as a cell phone pouch, though the design is wierd. It can be used as such but I already have a holster for mine so use it for USB cables and the such. It has 2 velcro pieces in the back, so you can slide it into/onto something and secure it, and use the second piece to secure the first.


I put my Razer next to it for comparison, it is slightly larger. It has a smaller opening then the bottom. My razer could slide in without stretching it and had plenty of room once inside.

3/5 Looks - Nothing special about the look of this.
3/5 Design - Again nothing special.
4/5 Functionality - It can be put many places, and is very well padded, you could even use it for a MP3 player or such with no issue. Nothing special but this is the most noteworty feature.

Venom Pulse - 3.3/5


Python XM

The XM is designed for the 15 inch notebook, they have a X-something that is for 17 inchers. It is designed with MANY pockets, a separate slot for your notebook, and 2 side pockets. As advertised, it will stand up, even when poorly balanced. I could have the notebook in by itself, or the front stuffed and no notebook and it will stand tall. Obviously this is not an absolute, if stacked top heavy it will lean and probably fall. The bag is made of a durable water resistant material. Drops would roll off rather then be absorbed, the zippers are fairly well protected as well.


There are 2 pockets on the sides, 2 in the front and 1 in the very back. In the second picture I attached the Venom Pulse to one of the shoulder straps when i was using it for my phone. I have since put it elsewhere. There is a chest strap as well as a waist strap. The weight and balance are very good and I felt no strain after walking around with it for the day with only using the chest strap. The waist strap is fully adjustable with buckles on both sides, you can completely remove the strap part if you wish, or adjust one side more then the other. At first I thought the grooves in the back were just for show but after a while you do feel them, it was not unenjoyable, though I cannot say wether or not it made any significant difference.

Notebook Component

The slot for the notebook is separate from the rest of the backpack. It has its own zipper and additional padding on both sides. This also has a rigid foam feel like the Viper L, but it feels thicker as well. The second picture shows the Viper L fitting perfectly along the sides, and when completely in gives just enough room to zip up, with no room for movement. Without a sleeve a notebook may move around a bit in there, and i am unsure if a Shinza would fit. The zipper and surrounding area are fairly water resistant, the drops would roll off the sides or down the back rather then be absorbed, even roll off the zipper rather then in.

Exterior

There is a long pocket on each side of the bag. I used my 9v battery for comparison. The zippers go about 2/3 the way down both sides of the bag so you can open them pretty widely. They also have a exposed pocket on the outside from the middle to the bottom.


On the top are 2 pockets, at first I was a very disappointed in these as they seemed very small. I accidently discovered that they go much deeper as my second picture shows. They each go as deep as half of the top.


Along the back is the last exterior pocket. It runs along the entire back but has no depth. I put random pieces of paper there, maybe magazines but nothing more.

5/5 Looks - The bag looks great. I have recieved many compliments on it already.
5/5 Design - The exterior is very well designed, alot of pockets and places to put things and plenty of room. I love being able to access my notebook without having to open my bag up and the bag feels comfortable when worn.
4.5/5 Functionality - The bag is heavy, you probably will not be doing a 1 shoulder sling in order to reach anything. I feel the side pockets open a little too much and really could think of nothing that would fit in the outer most exposed pockets at all.

Exterior - 4.8/5

Interior

The interior is roomy, but deceptivly so. There are 5 pockets with flaps, 1 mesh pocket and a final wide pocket along the back. The backpack also opens like a fan making accessing items fairly easy. The deceptive part is that its all sharing the same space. It takes a little work and organization in order to utilize all the pockets, as well as the space, and then close the sucker. The review I had read talks about fitting 5 inches of books as well as ones lunch. I suppose so IF you use none of the pockets surrounding the books. For college use, I could fit 1 textbook and my binder at most, the lunch could fit on top of them, depending on the size of the bag, it may comprimise some of those pockets as well.


Along the front of the bag, the part that will open out, are 2 velcro pockets, a mesh pocket, and a compartment for your MP3 player.

I use the 2 pockets on the top for some general use tools and a calculator. I do not use the mesh pocket.

The MP3 slot is smug, it would fit my Creative Zen Vision M without its rubber glove on, with it no go. It is located on the very top of the bag and has a exterior rubber slit for you to put headphones through to listen. Personally I ended up using my Venom Pulse bag for the player with its rubber glove on, and carried it wherever I felt and had easier access too. Its a good idea, however if this bag was packed, I would NOT want to sling it to one shoulder or off, just to access my MP3 player.


Inside the back of the backpack are 3 velcro pockets and 1 large one.

The first through third picture are the top 2 pockets as well as the large one. The orange line you see is the opening and it goes all the way to the bottom. My issue with this one is it shares with the 3rd velcro pocket, as well as the community space with the rest of the bag, limiting what you could put in it.

The left most pocket I slipped my mouse into, the right most I put CD's, it probably would not fit a book of CD's, but it can carry a few CD cases. My prime issue with these 2 pockets is how difficult they are to access. the lip of the backpack goes at a downward angle, so these are partially covered. In order to remove items you have to pull them forward, while pushing the lip back, and finally the item out. You cannot quickly access these, neither through the normal zipper or the quick access zipper.

The final pocket is at the bottom and has 2 velcro pieces to close it. All the items you see in the final picture have since been relocated. Whatever fits in here will have to be able to endure the crushing pressure of whatever you fit into your bag and finally seal it. I will probably put my calculator and tools in there, i would not put anything expensive (it had my mp3 player and X-Fi sound card as well as headphones at time of picture.


This picture is with what I currently had in it. For comparison, you should have no problem closing the bag with something the size of the Babylon 5 box in it, the camera though took a little work to close and it was a very snug fit. There are nothing in the bottom pockets at this time, so as you can see 3 pockets would be competing with space with the main area.


Finally we come to the last zipper of this bag. It is located in the front top of the bag and is a quick access opening to the main part of your bag, the top pockets, as well as the MP3 pocket.

The small rubber slit you see int he first picture as well as the zipper on the top of the second picture are the MP3 player area. As you can see in the second picture the 2 pockets on the front of the bag are easily accessable, the 2 in the back are not so much. In the third picture I am pulling my Babylon 5 box out with no issues, the camera bag though would not budge and probably would not fit through the hole anyways.

3/5 Looks - The interior looks nice, but nothing special.
3/5 Design - The pockets fail. There is a decent amount of room inside even without, I can carry all of my tech in it and not feel cramped, but I dont utilize alot of the pockets.
4/5 Functionality - I give this a 4, despite its drawbacks it does everything I want it to do. It comfortably has a place for everything I want without being crushed. It just tries too hard with the pockets, if you overlook those your good. The quick access zipper is a nice feature especailly with how the main bag opens.

Interior - 3.3/5

Overall Python XM Bag - 4/5
Overall Python XM System - 3.5/5

I purchased the system because it was cheaper then getting the bag and sleeve separately. The sleeve was only ok, the pouch nothing special. I do not know if a Shinza would fit in the Python XM or not. The bag itself is nice, I have no regrets purchasing it. Its more a matter of preference to me about the interior pockets. There is adequate space for all of my needs, I just dont use the bottom pockets.

If you are looking for a very good looking, functional bag the Booq Python XM is not a bad choice. It has alot of nice features, some you may use that I would not. For those who need alot of organizing pockets this bag would not do you wrong. However if you need to fit larger objects to carry this may not be the bag for you. Prior to this I used a targus with a shinza for my 17 incher and it was huge and annoying to carry. This one has very good balance and comfort. Though i will not test it I believe it offers protection from bumps and small falls which is all it really should expect.

This is my first review so thank you for reading through it, if you notice any mistakes, have any questions or suggestions I am pleased to hear them.

 

Thanks for the review. Any larger pictures you can share?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=514 is the gallery I was using. I was having trouble using thumbnails with links to show bigger pics.