Review of Waterfield Cargo Mambo Combo

Review of Waterfield Cargo Mambo Combo

So I ordered the Cargo Mambo Combo from Waterfield Designs ( Need a case or bag for your laptop, tablet, mobile device, or gadget? We've got you covered - WaterField Design - Made in USA) and since there are very few reviews for these bags I thought I would write one. I ordered the medium Cargo Mambo Combo with the optional paragliding buckle in black ballistic nylon. This combination came with a SleeveCase which I left as is. You can add optional extras such as flap, leather trim and strap. It also came with a gear case that you can customize with different trims.
The sleeve is custom based on the dimensions of your laptop. Im using this for the Lenovo X220T and this laptop is not listed on their website. I contacted Waterfield Designs with the dimensions of my laptop, a real person replied to me and helped choose a sleeve that would fit my laptop.

Initial Impressions
This case is not like any case that you would see in electronics shops and specialty luggage shops. You get what you pay for, while at $249 this combo was at the higher end, it was worth every penny. I have seen bags that cost $300+, the Waterfield Designs bag feels much better made than all of them. I should also note that shipping charges to Canada were $20, which given the size of the package is a bargain.
First thing you notice is that the ballistic nylon used is high grade and incredibly thick. This gives the bag a rigidity without the need for cardboard inserts. All zippers, velcro, clasps are of exceptionally high quality. The optional paragliding buckle is a nice touch to the laptop and worth the upgrade.

Sleeve
The sleeve is made of ~7mm thick wetsuit material and on the inside feels silky smooth. The outside is protected with the same high grade ballistic nylon used throughout the Waterfield bag. As the sleeve is custom to my laptop it fits perfectly and laptop feels incredibly well protected.



Gear Bag
This gear bag is a nice addition to the combo and is ideal for storing things like AC adapters, computer mice, etc. It is made from the same high quality material used throughout the Waterfield bags.


Laptop Bag
The quality is amazing on this bag. The bag does not appear to have any cardboard inserts for rigidity but rather relies on the rigidity of the fabric itself to maintain the shape. The shoulder strap is fully adjustable and has nice comfy pad to minimize stress on shoulder when carrying the bag.
The main laptop compartment is quite large and has several pockets for accessories (business cards, usb drives). The sleeve fits perfectly within this compartment and with the combination of the two I have no concern that my laptop is very well protected. You can buy the case on its own, but I would highly recommend getting a sleeve for extra protection. The front compartment under the flap is ideally suited for larger items such as the gear bag. The bag is very deceptive, it can hold far more than what you would think at first.





Conclusions
While this bag is expensive, it is well worth the money. You can definitely tell this bag is built with attention to detail and from the highest quality material.This bag is made in the USA and makes mass produced bags look like cheap junk. The only criticism I would have is that the bag will last so long I won’t have a chance to order another for many years. When you upgrade laptops you can simply replace the sleeve with one that custom fits the new laptop.

If people want any more details Im happy to provide.

 

Thanks for posting your review/pics of the bag. You can tell that it's very well constructed & a good product.

I really like the looks of that sleeve & gear bag That's also great customer service from a company when someone contacts you to help "you" out in sizing choices, etc.

 

Nice review. +rep for that. Nice to see that this product is made in the USA, too.

Question: Do you happen to know if the sleeve is TSA compliant?

 

Im not 100% sure, the sleeve would provide an unobscured view of the laptop so I would guess yes but cannot say for certain.