SFBags WaterField Designs Laptop Cargo Bag Review (pics)

SFBags WaterField DesignsLaptop Cargo Bag Review

by Charles P. Jefferies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Completely based and manufactured in San Francisco, WaterField Designs is a unique company, mainly manufacturing one of-a-kind bags for notebook computers, but also cases for iPods and other similar devices. What sets apart their products from any other on the market is clearly evident in the design, materials, and craftsmanship put into each product. Industrial strength materials, such as ballistic nylon -- the same material used in bulletproof vests - show the dedication and quality in every bag. Not withstanding, these bags are far from cheap, but if you have a very nice notebook and want a bag to match, then these should be at the top of your list.

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Overview and First Impressions:

WaterField's signature bag, the Cargo, is what I will be evaluating today, and in two different configurations-- I will show the strengths and weaknesses of each one, in addition to their durability and everyday practicality.

The two bags I have are the Medium and Large Cargo bags. These particular configurations are the Cargo Mambo Combos', meaning that they include the sleeve for your notebook as well. The sleeve fits right into the bag. The Medium Cargo bag will fit up to 15.4" notebooks. But, if you have a bulky 15.4" as I do (mine is 1.5" thick and weighs a clunky 7.5lbs) or an even larger computer, then you are best off going with the Large Cargo bag, which has an increased amount volume, and is lengthened horizontally. Both are the same height.

Each bag is customizable with a variety of different materials and colors for the flap, and you also have a choice between two different buckles, which secure the flap to the bag itself. My Medium Cargo bag has the Lead Indium flap and the paragliding buckle, while the Large has the Cardinal Leather flap and the aluminum aircraft buckle. Let's have a look.

Medium Cargo Bag:

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Large Cargo Bag:

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The above pictures of the bags don't do them justice. The very first thought that came to my mind when I saw them was simply wow'. The quality is simply extraordinary. The ballistic nylon and indium materials used on the exterior of the Medium bag are very tough and can definitely take a beating. Adding to the durability factor is how the bags are put together -- the seams are either recessed or overlapped by another piece of material, which prevents wear and tear, and in addition, adds to the cleanliness of the design. The Large Combo isn't as durable due to its Leather flap, which, although it looks luxurious, isn't all that practical if you are rough with your bags. I would hate to get that scratched or ripped. Don't forget though -- you can order it with whatever flap you want, doesn't have to be leather.

Too often, a bag has cheap zippers, and if anything says a lot about the quality of a bag, it is the zippers. The Cargo bag has beefy, solid zippers, which hold strong and don't sound cheap when closed. These are not your typical zippers.

The Buckles:

You have a couple of choices as to what type of buckle you want on your Cargo bag when configuring it.

The Paragliding Buckle -- it has a small profile, and is quite impossible to pull apart. The small physical size is a big plus, adding to the overall look and feel of the bag as a whole. Very solid.

Paragliding Buckle:

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The aluminum aircraft buckle -- considerably larger than the paragliding. And yes, this is the buckle you strap yourself in with in an airplane. This adds to the bulk of the bag, and although it looks very cool, I would not recommend it if you are a frequent traveler -- it gets caught on too many things, especially if you store it under a seat or in front of something. While pulling the bag out, the buckle gets caught and opens. Gets pretty annoying. I would suggest spending the extra few dollars for the paragliding buckle.

Aluminum Aircraft Buckle:

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Cargo Bag Design and Compartments:

The saffron colored interior of the Cargo bag contrasts perfectly with the gray and black exterior of my Medium bag, as well as the Cardinal leather and black nylon large bag. Not only does it look nice, but also adds to the practicality -- it is very easy to locate items within the bag due to the lighter color.

Main Compartment of Medium Cargo Bag:

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The main compartment is obviously dedicated to the sleeve, which slides in very comfortably, and also features a slim flap that has three pouches -- two of which are large enough for CD's, and the third, center compartment is best suited for a few smaller items, such as memory keys and pens. However, in the large bag, there is an additional sleeve-like area within the main compartment, where you could probably fit another slim notebook computer, such as an HP dv4000. This area is ideal for a textbook or documents.

Main Compartment of Large Cargo Bag:

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Just anote -- with the large bag, there is considerably more interior volume, and in addition, it has a supported bottom and sides -- there is a piece of stiff material spanning across the bottom, and up the front and back, all the way to the top of the bag -- kind of a liner. This is both a plus and minus, because while the bag is more protective, and will accommodate your notebook and other items easier (you won't have to push it apart to stuff items in there), it also adds to the bulk of it. The pluses outweigh the minuses here, in my opinion. Unlike the medium bag, the supportive liner, in addition, helps the large bag to stand up on its own. The medium bag you must lay on the floor unless you have something to prop it up against.

Main flap raised:

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Zippered Compartment:

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Under the main flap on the exterior of the bag is a zippered compartment, which extends all the way down to the bottom. There is a surprising amount of space in there -- I fit my external mouse, power adapter, and four other large cables in there with ease. In the Medium bag, two other slim pouches are also located under the flap side by side, behind the zippered compartment. These also extend to the bottom of the bag. This is one aspect of the Medium bag I do not care for -- with the space divided in half, what you can place in each pouch, as slim as they are, is very limited. Each one is one and two thirds the diameter of a CD. If the middle divider were eliminated, the space would be far more practical, and you could fit a magazine or two, a mouse pad, or other larger but slim items. This is the case for the large bag -- you get the full space, not just two halves, and it is secured by a small piece of Velcro in the middle. A much more practical approach.

In the flap itself, there is a single zippered compartment. I fit in four issues of LAPTOP magazine easily, and could have probably fit in another two if I wanted to.

On the back of the Cargo bag, there is one large but slim compartment, secured by Velcro. At first, I did not know it was there -- concealed very well. This is the largest compartment on the bag with the exception of the main compartment. In the Medium bag, you couldn't quite fit another 15.4" laptop in there, but in the large that would be possible.

Back Velcro Compartment:

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Handles and Straps

This bag has two handles on the top of the bag. They are securely anchored to it, and are, like the rest of the bag, extremely durable and well made. You would never feel as if they were being strained. They feel solid in your hands. Now, I know a lot of people are thinking, "Why isn't there some sort of connector that would hold the two handles together?" Good question. I had thought about this myself at first as well. I figured out that it would very uncomfortable, especially if you had a lot of weighty items in the bag, to have a connector, or small Velcro strap, to hold them together. It would distract from the overall design as well as ergonomics. I suppose you could always make a connector if you wanted to do so.

Handles:

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The main strap itself is, of course, top-notch, and easily adjustable -- to fix it to your liking, simply lift a flap on the left side of the bag, and you can extend or shorten the length of the strap. Just flip the flap back and push it down when you have the right setting. Both bags come with a pad that you can put on the strap -- it attaches very securely, and is able to move up and down the length of the strap -- adds to the comfort factor. It is very thick -- the bottom is a rubber material. That helps it stay in one place on your shoulder, and distribute weight more evenly.

Adjustable Flap for Shoulder:

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Notebook Sleeves

The Medium bag came with the vertical sleeve-- where the laptop goes in front or bottom first. This I did not like nearly as much as the horizontal- which was included in the Large Mambo Combo. Now, my laptop is a bit thicker than your average notebook, but nonetheless, I had considerable trouble fitting my laptop into the vertical sleeve. I would definitely recommend the horizontal. My laptop did not feel squeezed' in the horizontal, and had plenty of room. You have a choice of either configuration when you order yours. Remember, these bags are almost completely customizable. The sleeves themselves are very protective -- the neoprene is very flexible, and is about a third of an inch thick. They have the same materials as the bags do on the outside -- ballistic nylon, with indium across the bottom, which gives it a smart look.

Sleeve:

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In order to test the full practicality of these bags, I spent two days with each bag, toting around my laptop, and all my accessories, including the AC adapter, mouse, cell phone charger, external 2.5" hard drive, and a few CD's. All in all, it totaled about twelve and a half pounds for the equipment itself, and then the weight of the bags. The Large bag weighs 4.3 pounds, and the small coming in at 2.9. So, there is about one a half pounds difference, which is reasonable, considering that the large bag has a lot more material, in addition to the stiff sides and bottom.

For the sleeves, I walked around with them for one day. Each sleeve can be ordered with a shoulder strap (includes a very comfortable pad as well), and I recommend doing that. If you just need to grab the laptop and go, slipping it in the sleeve and clasping on the strap is very easy. And, who says you can't take your power adapter with you? You can order the sleeves with a piggyback', which is basically a small pouch that attaches onto the sleeve. Very easy to do and secure. I fit my power adapter, mouse, external 2.5" hard drive, and a few smaller items into there easily. I found the sleeves very easy to carry, and I could tell that, even though it was a sleeve, my laptop was getting good protection. Strap and shoulder pad provided excellent comfort.

Sleeve with Accessories attached:

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Medium Cargo Bag Overall Impressions:

Medium Cargo Bag:

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I found this bag to be considerably smaller and lighter than the large bag. I could sling this around my back easily, and the indium material felt very durable. This felt like a true traveler's bag, easy to transport. The padded shoulder strap really helped with comfort and weight distribution. With the Medium bag, it is very easy to just load up your computer and go. The buckle did not impede my travel at all, and didn't catch on anything.

Large Cargo Bag Overall Impressions:

Large Cargo Bag:

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Compared to the Medium bag, this was considerably heavier and felt a lot more bulky -- but, considering that this is a much larger and more accommodating bag, it is expected. I could not sling this bag around my back as I could with the Medium. This basically hung at my side, and I could rest my arm on it. Still very comfortable due to the well designed shoulder strap and pad. However, I was a good amount more careful -- as in, not brushing against anything -- with this bag, because of the leather material used for the flap. The aircraft buckle, while I received nice compliments, is not practical as I mentioned earlier, especially for frequent travelers -- it just gets caught on too many objects, and occasionally opens.

Pros and Cons section:

I am not going to base either bag on its materials or buckle, as those are customizable. Merely the bag and it's practicality will be assessed.

Medium Bag

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Excellent for travel, durable
• Comfortable strap and pad
• Flexible
• Surprising amount of room

Cons:

• Doesn't stand up on its own
• Under main flap, secondary storage is divided into two sections rather than one big one -- limits capacity and usefulness of those
• Could be a tight fit if you have a very large 15.4" notebook

Large Bag

Pros:

• Large interior volume, more compartments
• Single section secondary compartment under flap, rather than split in two
• Supported bottom and sides
• Stands on its own
• Fits sleeve easily

Cons:

• Not as flexible

Side by Side:

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A Word on Materials and Options:

To reiterate, I would recommend the indium material for the flap if you are traveling, or tend to be rough on your bags. It is much more durable than leather. If you like leather though, then go for it.

As for the buckles, definitely go for the paragliding one-- unbelievably strong, doesn't get in the way. The aircraft buckle is more for looks than anything, not very practical for reasons I have mentioned.

You may have already noticed, but I have not mentioned anything about pricing. As I said before -- these are far from cheap. The large Cargo bag with the leather flap and aircraft buckle goes for $249, and the Medium with the Indium flap and paragliding buckle totals $199. If you want the combos I have reviewed, with the bag, sleeve, piggyback pouch, and strap for the sleeve - that will run you $319 for the large bag, sleeve, and accessories, and $269 for the Medium with the same options. They are priced at what they are not only due to the industrial strength materials and how they are put together, but also because they are made in the United States, where labor and production costs are considerably higher.

I've been saying this throughout the review, and I'll say it again -- you can customize these pretty much any way you like, in terms of flap material, sleeve orientation (horizontal or vertical), buckles, and sleeve accessories.

Conclusion

What do I leave you with overall? As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. If you want quality, then you are going to get it, and these bags are worth every penny from my point of view.

Link to SFBags Waterfield Designs Cargo Bag Configuration and Purchase Site:

http://www.sfbags.com/products/cargo/cargo.htm

 

Some mighty fine pictures there, thanks for the great review Chaz. As you say, there's a major difference between a $30 bag you pick up in say a Best Buy and this type of bag where you're paying $200 for customization, high quality material, flexible use bag and a unique style. There's a few members of the forums that I know have shopped with SFBags and recommended them, indeed it was somebody from this forum that asked a review be done and endorsed them. I know they offer great customer service and will be very personable with you if you want to have a better experience with buying.

 

Chaz -
Amazing review! I love your writing style and your pictures are very nice! Great Job!

 

I've been eyeing the bags myself. Good review. Nice quality bags and sleeves. Hope to get one myself but they are quite expensive. Wish I had a review sample like yourself

 

One suggestion though, which should be mensioned regarding the notebook sleeves; 'vertical' orientation is best for standard screens (non-widescreen) as the top or bottom will be going in first (but a widescreen laptop would be going in sideways) and horizontal is best for widescreen style notebooks as you will have the spine or front going in first (laptop not going in sideways). In my opinion that would be ideal for carrying and removing with one hand.

 

Great review Chaz

 

FYI, we'll also be posting a review soon for their Cosmo or Cozmo line, can't remember the spelling

 

I couldn't agree more

 

a great alternative to a bag like that is a bag from Chrome, ( www.chromebags.com) i just got the shuttle bag for 17inch laptops and it is great, it is made out of Ballistic nylon and kevlar ^_^ and you can also get it with carbon fiber/kevlar and ballistic nylon,

i got this one http://www.chromebags.com/shuttle.php

highly recommended

 

Very nice review, you provided more info than i would expect on just a bag

The bags are very nice too.

 

Excellent review, Chaz. I'm jealous - the large Cargo is very tempting to me, since I have to lug some books around most of the time, too.

 

I just ordered the medium cargo 3 days ago. Should be here later next week. I wished this review was up before I bought mine. Anyway, I got the medium cargo, black ballastic. Can you tell me what the depth of the main compartment is? 3 inches doesn't seem like much room at all. Can I fit some books in the the medium cargo?

 

I found the depth to be about 3.5". You could probably fit a slim book in the main compartment along with the notebook + sleeve. If you don't have the sleeve, then you will be able to fit a book - not a huge one, but an average-sized one.

In the compartment in the main flap, I managed to fit four magazines, and could have put in another two. So, a book would fit in there most likely. On the back of the bag, there's a velcro-secured compartment. A book should fit in there as well.

Congrats on your purchase.

 

thanks. been searching for a new bag after my Timbuk2 commute fell apart. (I did get a voucher for a replacement, though).

The SF bag is of great construction. I currently have the small cargo for my Fujitsu P7010 which fits just fine. I have two small books in there also. It seems like the small cargo is thicker than the medium. I didn't want the large because I thought it would be too big for an ultraportable. I do appreciate your comment on how the medium is much more portable, i.e., easily thrown over the shoulder. Besides the thickness is there any other difference in the other dimensions?

Does the large cargo's thickness collapse if the entire bag is not used? i.e, becomes more portable and comfortable over the shoulder if only a small notebook and a few other items are left inside.

 

Actually, no, the Large cargo bag has those solid pieces in there - one runs the entire length across the bottom, and up the back + front are two other pieces, inbetween the material. Even if you don't have anything in there, it still does not change in width. The top can be pushed together since it is flexible, but the bottom prevents the whole bag from doing so.

You're right - the Large is overkill in my opinion as well for anything under 15.4" (and a very big 15.4" at that).

I still couldn't sling the Large bag over my back without anything in there.

Unless you have a 17", the Med. bag is the way to go.

 

Very nice review! I have some questions though:

Are the bags water impermeable?

Are the sleeve and the bag solid? Like a solid piece of material keeping the thing stiff?

Thanks!