There are a few Gadgeteer reviewers who have liked Waterfield bags, myself included. For years, Waterfield has made bags of all sizes and uses—and they are made in the good ole U.S.A. My first Waterfield product was a small, zippered pouch to hold my iPod (remember those?) along with earphones and necessary wiring. Last year, I reviewed one of their  backpacks—the Bolt. Recently, I decided to downsize to a smaller bag, mainly because I was accumulating too much stuff and downsizing would force me to make hard choices. Waterfield’s timing was perfect when I was given the chance to review their new Maverick messenger bag, a svelte, full leather bag that is as tough as it looks, maybe even tougher.

When I receive a product (usually audio related) to review, I either photograph it right out of the box, treat it with kid gloves or photoshop out scratches, nicks and whatever can happen during daily use. Not so with the Waterfield Maverick. Since it was advertised to get only better with age, I decided to wait and not photograph it until is was aged by my daily use—which included a business trip to New York City. And now, it’s time to review and you know what? Waterfield was right, The Maverick is scratched, scarred and stained yet it does look better than new!

One interesting aspect about the Maverick messenger bag is that it’s made from a single hide. This ensures that the whole bag will have a uniform look. As someone who hand-made leather purses and belts years ago, I can tell you that different hides accept dyes differently, have varying thicknesses and can be as individual as the cow it came from.

There are three colors available: Black, Chocolate, and Grizzly. The reviewed bag is the lighter Grizzly, which has a more casual, western look.

The Maverick bag comes in two sizes—Full and Compact. The Full size will hold: A larger MacBook Pro, larger PC laptop, 12.9″ iPad Pro (and smaller) and other similarly-sized tablets. The Compact will hold: A 13” MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, 9.7” iPad and similarly-sized tablets and even a 12.9″ iPad Pro—only in the laptop compartment. I do not own a laptop but since my 12.9″ iPad Pro fits into the laptop compartment, I opted for the compact-sized bag. It’s the one mistake I made. True, the 12.9″ iPad Pro easily fits into the compact-sized bag, but that’s without a case. I have a case and while it still fits, it’s a much tighter fit. My advice is that if you have any doubt if your laptop or tablet will fit, go for the full-sized Maverick bag.

Despite the size issue, I have enjoyed using the Maverick bag. As I said before, the outer part is scarred—a lot after use. The interior is made of heavy-duty canvas with heavy-duty finished seams. There are two large open pockets that run the length of the bag for holding a laptop and tablet separately. Each is padded to help prevent scratching. The middle is an open area for dumping whatever will fit. The inside front of the bag has two (unlined) smaller canvas pockets—one open and the other zippered. After using the bag for a couple of months, I now wish both pockets were zippered. If I either pocket left open, I would then have the choice to leave it unzipped.

That’s it for the interior. There are no hidden or side pockets, no bottle holders, no built-in charger—just simple, effective design.

The front flap has two holes cut into a leather tab that fits offer a sewn on stud. Which hole you use largely depends on how much stuff has been crammed into the bag. I worry about the holes cut into the leather tab becoming stretched with repeated usage, but it hasn’t happened yet, so it’s probably me being paranoid.

As I said before, using the Maverick messenger bag has forced me to edit my stuff and that’s been a (mostly) good experience. Previously in my other backpack, I had a few chargers, way too many cables and other junk that I have since put in a drawer for when I really need them—not if I need them. My shoulder now thanks me.

Speaking of shoulders, the Maverick has a 1.5 in. wide nylon shoulder strap for carrying. Thankfully, Waterfield has included a removable non-slip leather shoulder pad that keeps the strap from digging into your shoulder which makes it much more comfortable to carry. Since it’s removable, it can be infinitely adjusted up or down the strap.

The strap itself is sewn into the bag at a vertical angle. It’s easier to look at the photos than have me explain it. I understand Waterfield’s reasoning, but I still haven’t gotten used to it. One thing that bothers me is that the strap seems to get twisted a lot after repeated use. It’s easy to untwist, but it’s still something I have to do before throwing it over my shoulder.

There is a leather handle sewn into the upper back of the bag’s flap rather than at the top. Again, Waterfield has a design reason for this. I’m not sure I agree, but I hardly use this handle, so I don’t think about it too much.

Despite me being picky about certain aspects, the Maverick is a handy bag that’s a pleasure to use. I’ve come to appreciate it more and more each day. True, I wish I had chosen the full-sized version, but that’s my fault. If you’re looking to buy a messenger bag, you can learn from my judgment error in sizing.

Waterfield has—once again—made a product that should give years of use. The leather Maverick messenger bag should last long enough to hand down to a new generation should you want to get a new bag or backpack later. I would only caution those who like their bag to look new as long as possible because it will get scarred. As I said though, I think it’s aging quite beautifully.

The Maverick messenger bag sells for $289.00 or $319.00 US.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Waterfield. Please visit www.sfbags.com for more info.

Filed in categories: Bags, Reviews

Tagged: Messenger bag

Maverick Laptop Messenger Bag review originally appeared on on April 16, 2017 at 8:15 am.

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I prefer leather messenger bags to carry my gear around with me. Many of the bags I review are large enough to lug around all of my EDC gear and my 15″ MacBook as well. But when a bag is that big and made from extra thick cowhide they are heavy, many four to five pounds or more. Add in the weight of my gear and five pound laptop and the total burden is nearly twelve pounds. Julie calls me crazy, but we both agree it is a first world issue. That said, the Kobe from Knomo London is big, spacious, made from high quality leather, nicely constructed, and best of all…surprisingly light. 

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

The Kobe is a soft leather messenger bag designed to carry up to a 15″ laptop in addition to a good amount of gear. To achieve its lightweight status, the Kobe is a nice mix of relatively thin full grain leather, rugged nylon weave canvas, and soft microfiber lining.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Materials:

• Inbuilt RFID signal blocker lining
• Crafted from full grain leather
• Adjustable, durable PET weave shoulder strap
• Leather ‘dust flaps’ to protect inside from dirt
• Back slip band for sliding over a larger trolley

Size:

• Dimensions: H11.8″ x W16″ x D3.5″
• Fits laptops up to 15″
• Weight: 2.6 lb

The messenger bag flap and a majority of the front is made from a high quality leather that is nicely stitched, stained, and finished. But compared to a Saddleback or Colonel Littleton bag the Knomo leather is a fraction of their thickness/ruggedness. But that thinness is how the softness of the leather and the bags overall lightweight is achieved. The dark brown leather and nylon stitching are highlighted by polished metal hardware. The main flap is held securely closed by an integrated magnetic closure system stitched into the lining.

The back is a man-made (I’m pretty sure it is a nylon-based) material that is soft yet durable. There is an easy access slipper pocket built into the back.

Knomo also engineered a slip band into the back for sliding the Kobe over your luggage handle for more convenient, secure transport while rushing thru the airport. When not in use, there is a zipper at the bottom of the slipper pocket enabling the access point to be closed.

The quality of the bag is excellent — the leather, fabric, and metal hardware are all very nicely done and work well together. In this closeup you can see the attention to detail of the materials, stitching, and finish.

Knomo lines the interior of the Kobe with a microfiber material. The lining is a bright blue that is pretty vibrant but grows on you. The lining is very soft and will not mar your gear. The Kobe is a spacious bag with ample room for all your EDC stuff.

The Kobe easily holds all of my gear. The interior of the bag is divided into two primary sections: the main compartment is padded and meant for laptops with the front compartment for tablets and your bits and pieces. Here you see the bag containing my 15″ MacBook Pro, 9.7″ iPad Air, identification, James Chapter knife, bag of cables and adapters, Surefire Pen 3, permanent marker, a couple of thumb drives, sunglasses, etc…you get the point. Even with all my stuff there us still room for more.

Knomo does a great job “combining ‘unstructured’ design with premium organization”. The Kobe’s compartmentalized design (molded shape and flexible structure) gives everything its own place which is very in line with my AR tech-loving lifestyle. A design I find far superior to a messenger bag that is simply a big massive cavern where everything is dumped into to be bumped around and/or buried, never to be seen again.

On the face of the main compartment are 2 front pockets. The right one zips closed and has RFID lining – “perfect for cards, passport, and phones” with the one on the left open for easy access.

Knomo stitches a unique identifier into the inside of the Kobe’s main closure flap, enabling you to register your bag and if it’s lost, some good samaritan can return it to you through the Knomo website.

I have never been a fan of nylon shoulder straps for many reasons. But the Kobe’s adjustable PET weave strap is durable, (surprisingly) comfortable, and rides very well on my shoulder. It is attached to the bag via metal hard points. You can wear the bag over a shoulder or cross body. The strap is fully adjustable but not removable.

The Kobe is also available in black leather/weave with yellow interior.

Overall the Kobe 15″ soft leather messenger is a great bag. Knomo has created a very well made carryall with a professional, polished look. For its size, the Kobe is lightweight but large enough to carry all your gear and then some. Its full grain leather and soft, padded microfiber interior do an excellent job of gingerly transporting your gear while the flap and magnetic closer keep items securely within.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Knomo Bags. Please visit their site for more info.  Check prices and order on Amazon.

Filed in categories: Bags, Reviews

Tagged: Messenger bag

Knomo Kobe 15″ Soft Leather Messenger Bag review originally appeared on on April 4, 2017 at 7:07 am.

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