Gadget Lovers Looking For a Bag–Your Search Ends Here

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for a good bag. Whether it’s a nice piece of luggage or a carrier for your laptop and tech gear, a good bag can last you years–usually much longer than whatever you’re carrying inside of it. Over the past few months, my hunt for the perfect Laptop/Gadget bag has taken a few casualties–most notably, my wife’s patience. I’ve found great cases for my laptop, but they really weren’t good for holding much else; then I’d find the perfect gear bag, but it wouldn’t offer suitable protection for my laptop. Too big, too small, too much room, not enough–I’d basically turned into Goldilocks, desperately searching for that one bag that was “just right.” Just when I had lost all hope of ever finding it, the folks at Booq sent me the Mamba Catch…and I’ve been smiling ever since.

In case you’re not familiar with them, Booq makes some outstanding laptop and gear bags, and their appeal (in my opinion) boils down to 2 simple words: quality and versatility–and everything Booq makes is rich in both. Now because my idea of the perfect bag may not match yours, I thought we should start off with what I like to have with me on a daily basis–this may give you a better idea of not only how the Mamba Catch may be used, but also how it could fit into your life. For starters, my travel computer of choice is the 11.6″ Macbook Air; for this reason, the folks at Booq were kind enough to send the Mamba Catch S, made for 13” laptops (there’s also a Catch L, for those of you who travel with 15″ computers). I typically also have my iPad with me at all times, my iPhone, Samsung Vibrant, cables, AC adapter, and occasionally, a Galaxy Tab. Granted, I do carry around more tech than the average Joe, but a proper gadget bag should give you enough room to carry all of the little things you never knew you needed–and that’s exactly what Booq bags are designed to do.

Though sporting more of a messenger or courier bag design, this is far from your typical messenger bag. For starters, typical messenger bags are known for their rectangular design and narrow, flat dimensions–not really conducive to carrying much more than your computer. The Mamba Catch, however, is different. You’ll notice in the profile shot that the Catch, while tapered at the top and bottom, is more spacious in the middle; this extra space means that the Catch is made to carry much more than your notebook. In fact, I’ve never seen a bag that offered more storage compartments, while still managing to make excellent use of its space–if you can think of a clever place or way to store something, I guarantee you that Booq has already thought of it and put it in one of their products. Starting with the exterior, the ballistic nylon is the sturdiest I’ve ever seen in a travel bag; this means it will not only stand up to whatever you may throw at it, it also means it will retain its shape–something most bags in this category can’t say. The exterior is further protected by a water-resistant treatment–something I wish ALL manufacturers would do, considering the value of the items that are being carried inside of these bags.

Since we’re on the inside of the bag, let’s get back to those compartments. Along with the laptop compartment (lined in a plush material to protect your precious cargo) you get numerous other pockets, sections, zippered pouches, lined nooks and crannies, and the list goes on. The funny thing is, just when you might think that these compartments are random or even extraneous, you end up finding the perfect use for them–in other words, this bag is extremely well thought out; whoever designed this bag is obviously a traveler, and designed the Mamba Catch for the traveller. Other design cues of note are the passthrough on the back of the bag (to allow you to attach the bag to the extended handle of your rolling luggage), the most comfortable padded shoulder strap I’ve ever used (which is also removable), extra pockets on the side and front of the bag, and zippers that are actually well made and functional. There is one last feature worth mentioning: Every Booq bag has a unique ID tag. Once you purchase your bag, you register online with Booq’s Terralinq service; this allows Booq to get your bag back to you, without you having to put personal info such as your name, address or phone number on your bag–very clever and very appreciated.

What can I say? I love the Mamba Catch; I’ve never seen a bag with such attention to detail, that started with its design and continued straight through to its brilliant execution. It’s truly rare that companies take the time to make something of this quality, and clearly want you to have it for years to come–this is especially impressive when you think about the number of expensive products being put out today that are made to be disposable. I’ve had to kiss a lot of frogs to find the perfect bag, but now that I’ve found the Mamba Catch, the journey was well worth it.

The Mamba Catch S retails for $129.99 and can be found at BooqBags.com as well as many other online retailers.

 

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