I have a handful of bags and have been rotating between the Hard Case by Waterfield Designs and a 15-inch Thule Stravan Case. The thing is that I don’t carry around my 15-inch Retina Macbook Pro that much anymore ever since I got the 12-inch Macbook Retina so those two bags, although they do an excellent job regardless, are a little too big.
Carrying around a messenger bag is convenient going from home to office, or mainly anywhere local but for those who need to take their gear global from airport to airport, it can be a pain. So I was in the market for a good quality backpack that:
- Could take a beating
- Not weigh a ton
- Look good
It was a toss-up between Thule’s Crossover Backpack and the Waterfield Staad Backpack. I went with Waterfield because they had the thinner Slim version and I really liked the look of it.
Here’s what I carry:
- MacBook Retina 2015 1.2Ghz/8GB/512GB/Space Gray
- Grid-It
- Mini USB Cable
- Lightning Cable
- iClever Dual USB Wall Charger
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- Business Cards
- Free Pen
- USB-C to USB-A Adaptor
- USB Thumbdrive
- Chromecast
- Verizon MiFi HotSpot (Not Shown)
The bag is made of really high quality materials. The body itself is made of a waterproof black ballistic nylon and the flap is made of premium leather which you can choose between black, “chocolate” brown and grizzly. I went with the black ballistic nylon with the chocolate leather flap.
This vintage WWII-era buckle, though such a simple concept, is extremely well thought out in making it very easy to open the flap, but keeping everything secure at the same time.
It perfectly fits everything I need to carry. The Grid It and the 12-inch Retina Macbook. The inside is bright making it easy to find your stuff.
There are two of these pockets in the inside so you can put in pens, charging cables, power brick, etc. Oh, it’s also proudly made in San Francisco.
There’s also a clip to hold your keys
Here’s a look at all the important things I have inside. I can fit more. As you can see there are 2 outside pockets in the body where you can put in your wallet, passport, airline ticket, or whatever you need quick access to when you’re on the go.
This is going to be my mobile setup for now, loving it so far. I am ready to world domination.
If you are looking for a backpack and can afford the $320, definitely consider the Staad from Waterfield Designs. It definitely suits my mobile lifestyle and yes everyone has different needs but this one is a winner in my book.
Pros:
- Beautiful design, excellent quality and best of all… Made in the USA
- Well balanced, lots of room for accessories, lightweight
- Lifetime Warranty, responsive customer support
Cons:
- Might be too expensive for some
Overall Rating: 5/5
Thanks for the great review. I'm thinking of purchasing the same for my 12" MacBook. Which version/size of the Grid-It are you using in the Slim backpack? Also, I would probably pack my iPad Air 2 in this. Do you think there's room in the Slim for 12" MacBook, iPad, and Grid-It or better to go with the Stout? Thanks!
Absolutely!
I am using the medium 12×8 Grid-It
Here's a photo of all 3 in the backpack! http://i.imgur.com/1uRqISU.jpg
Hope this helps!
I am also having the same bag for carrying all my stuff that I have to use when I am having my laptop to carry along. It sure is a good idea when you are having quality bag to carry your laptop.