Written by dgoldring on Saturday, March 28, 2009

Review: Mobile Edge Netbook Briefcase

I knew, as soon as my MSI Wind arrived, that I was going to have to completely rethink my commuting bag. Until then, I had been carrying a giant backpack designed for my 15.4 inch laptop. When I reviewed the Wind, I documented my move to a standard briefcase, which I used along with a padded case I received with the Wind. This worked fine. But to be honest, the case I got with the Wind was not particularly stylish. It offered some protection, but not as much as I would have liked. I needed a new bag with a padded compartment for my Wind. Well, good luck finding that. Very few laptop bags actually are designed to hold something as small as a 10 inch netbook. Put this in a standard laptop bag and watch your poor netbook slide around in there, swimming through the padding, which might as well not be there at all.

Enter Mobile Edge, a company which sent us an email not long ago advertising the very thing I had been seeking…computer bags designed to hold my tiny netbook. So, we dispatched Sue to meet with them and see if we could get our hands on a few bags to review. And boy did she do a great job. Before long, I was transferring all of my normal commuting necessities from my seven year old unpadded briefcase to a shiny, new Mobile Edge briefcase, designed specifically for my netbook. Hit the jump to see how the bag fared on my daily commute.

I feel like ever since I got my MSI Wind, I have been downsizing everything, and this is no exception. I went from my giant laptop bag to a standard sized briefcase, to this incredibly compact briefcase. How small is it, well, as you can see above, it is small enough to fit completely inside my old briefcase (while it was packed full). As small as it was, though, it can hold an impressive array of items in those four small pockets.

The main pocket zips open to reveal two sections. The rear is the real main attraction. This is a padded compartment specifically sized to fit your 10 inch screen (or smaller) netbook. A small velcro divider is also included on one side, allowing you to firmly secure your netbook, while also creating a compartment for your power cable. Perfect.

The rest of the main compartment is a large open space. Use this for anything you need to carry. I used it to carry my notebook, a few folders, and my kindle 2. During the week, when I ride the train, you might also find the latest Washington Post in here.

I really liked this main compartment. It was maybe a tiny spec smaller than I would have liked (sometimes the paper really got crammed in there) but it worked well. I would have liked some small accessory pockets in here as well. I have a number of gadgets and accessories (as you might imagine) which ended up floating around inside this compartment. It would have been nice to have had a more permanent home for them. I also wish this compartment could have been expandable. Most briefcases allow you to open a zipper and expand the compartment, allowing it to be filled with a few extra items. As it was, I thought this compartment offered a good solution for carrying everything I needed. But it fell a few small modifications short of being great!

Behind the main pocket is a fairly standard magazine pocket. I really did not use this much. I’ve never had much use for these rear pockets. I was surprised, however, not to find a strap or opening to slide the briefcase over the handle of my rolling suitcase. That seems to be pretty standard these days.

In front of the main compartment are two smaller pockets. First is a nice pocket, which actually opens on three sides, giving you fantastic access. In addition to the large (much larger than it looks from the outside) compartment, there are also three pen slots and two open pockets behind this zipper. I found these spaces were perfect for all of those items which I need to carry on a regular basis, but do not need regular access to. Things like tissues, cough drops, and even my umbrella.

Finally, in front of this is a fairly large sized velcro pocket. This is a nice place for accessories. Just be forewarned that although it has a huge flap to help the rain run off, there is also an opening in the flap (presumably for a headphone cord) so it is not water tight. Still, I really liked this pocket, which I used to carry my Clearpoint Portable Hotspot.

One side of the bag also contains a mesh water bottle pocket, while the other is empty. I wish there had been another small pocket on this side which could be used for cables or other small accessories.

The other thing I need to mention here is the construction of the bag. Mobile Edge did a fantastic job with this one. The whole bag is constructed from extremely durable ballistic nylon, which really gives it a very sturdy feel.

Unlike some bags I have tested, the zippers are extremely thick, and just glide open and shut. In lieu of the zipper pulls, the bag features nylon ties on each zipper, branded with the Mobile Edge logo.

The handles and shoulder strap are also well constructed and sturdy, with plastic handgrips ensuring the bag will not slip from your hand. The shoulder strap also features an ergonomic pad, which stretches to conform to the shape of your shoulder, ensuring the weight is always evenly distributed.

I have to admit that I was not sure what to expect from this bag. I had never heard of Mobile Edge before and I have reviewed plenty of bags which were all talk and no substance; and plenty of others which more than lived up to their own hype. This one really impressed me. From its sturdy ballistic nylon construction to its four versatile pockets, this is one bag which will literally lighten your load. I know it certainly left an impression (or less of one) on my shoulder since I switched to it. Simply put, you will look great while protecting your investment. Who could ask for anything more?

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