bbp bag Giveaway: Leave a comment to win this ergonomic hybrid laptop bag
giveaways, Great Finds, Mobile ComputingWritten By Amy
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Win the Lime Medium Tango Flow bag above! Leave a comment at the bottom of this review.
It dawned on me recently that I almost never go anywhere without my laptop and all its associated gear. I’m like a jockey (a very large jockey): I basically have to weigh in with my 15-pound saddle. I take it to the bookstore, the coffee shop, to our favorite local pub that has free wifi, on trips, and anywhere I know I’ll be able to do some work. And boy, does my back pay the price.
A few months ago, back and shoulder pains sent me searching for an ergonomic replacement for my bulky Synergy Laptop Bag by Wenger. After reading dozens of reviews, I settled on the medium bbp bag, an innovative hybrid messenger bag which rides low and feels about half as heavy as a traditional laptop backpack.
It has a lot of cool features:
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Low center of gravity makes it very comfortable.
The straps can be reconfigured to work like a traditional over-the-shoulder messenger bag, or as a backpack-style 2-strap bag. I always use mine in the 2-strap mode, even when throwing it over one shoulder to walk short distances. Wearing it over 2 shoulders is much easier on your back and I recommend keeping it in backpack mode. When you wear it as a backpack, it sits on your bottom, which is a little disconcerting at first, but is actually quite comfortable thanks to the big, cushy pads on the bag (and my butt). I’m 5’7″, and I find the length of the straps perfect. It feels very different than a regular bag– it almost pulls you to a more upright position because of the weight distribution.
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Good arrangement of pockets.
I carry my keys in the solid side pocket (easy to reach without taking the bag off my back), a water bottle in the side mesh pocket, 4 pens in pen holders, my blackberry USB cable in the small vertical zippered pocket, personal stuff in the smallest zippered outer pocket, a Wacom Bamboo and Moleskine pocket sketchbook in the large zippered pocket, and my cables, digital camera, portable drive, papers and books in the big main compartment. There’s also a small zippered pocket inside the main compartment, where I keep my thumb drive and a couple of microfiber cloths to clean the screen. There are also two velcro loops underneath the main flap, intended for a rolled-up newspaper (how quaint) or an umbrella, but I never use that because I don’t read paper newspapers and I don’t walk around in the rain.
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Airport-friendly outer zippered pocket for the laptop.
Unlike traditional messenger bags that require you to lift the flap to access the laptop, the bbp laptop compartment is actually behind the flap, secured with its own waterproof zipper. This is very handy when taking your laptop out to go through security checks. The pocket will fit a 15″ laptop (my 15″ Macbook Pro fits snugly), and also comes with some velcroed spacers if you have a smaller laptop. The compartment has plenty of padding and is covered with a soft cloth.
There’s also a zipper on the bottom of the bag which will allow you to slide your bag over a suitcase handle.
I really love this bag, and I think you will too. To win the Lime Medium Tango Flow bag pictured above, leave a comment below by March 1, 2009. (You can leave more than 1 comment, but I will only count 1 entry per person.)
15% off any bbp product for all readers of Stewart Design Doodles
through March 31, 2009:
Readers of this blog can get 15% off any product at bbpbags.com.
Enter code at checkout: 15offsdw. Expires 3/31/09
Winner Announced…
Congratulations, Angela! I’ll be sending you your bag this week. Thanks to everyone else for participating, and if you still would like to purchase any bag in the BBP line, be sure to use the discount code above for 15% off.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:40 pm
I hope I win it, looks like a nice Lime bag for my Macbook!
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:52 am
Very nice bag. Looks like it would hold everything I lug around.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:39 am
I’ve been using my BBP bag for over a year now. It’s the only bag that fits a 17″ macbook pro (and can be used as a backpack). Best feature in my opinion is that a travel umbrella fits perfectly in the end pocket. So far, my bag has flown nearly 100,000 miles with me without a tear, rip or broken clasp. Great bags
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 am
Lime Medium Tango Flow
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Rose’s Lime Juice
juice of 1 fresh lime
half ounce of fresh squeezed orange juice (no pulp)
3 sections of mandarin orange
serve over crushed ice w/fresh mint accent
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
David: No wonder this bag always made me so thirsty!
Kurt: I love my bag too. My first one came with a rip in the mesh, but bbp replaced it without fuss.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Very interesting! – Certainly better than the huge rolling bag I am using now!
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I love the outside zipper compartment that holds the laptop. As a business traveler, I despise traditional bags which place the laptop compartment under a flap. When I’m rushing through security, I don’t have time (or the patience) to deal with a flap!
My current laptop bag is also seriously deficient in the pocket department. As a woman, I’m looking for pockets not just for my power cords, pens and notepads, but someplace to carry my wallet, my lipstick and sunglasses! This is expecially important given that we’re restricted to two carry-ons when flying. Not to mention, I just hate lugging aroound two “shoulder” bags.
I love the idea of the backpack-style bag that looks more professional than a real backpack, but provides the support of a backpack. My current bag provides straps, but no support leaving the bag to sag.
I hope that I win this great bag!
February 4th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Nice bag! I’d love a new laptop to go with it, too, hehe.
February 5th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Hm I have never used a bag like this. I normally use a BIG laptop purse! I have a netbook that I carry with me now for consults to help take the strain off my shoulders.
Appreciate demo of the bag!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Hot diggity! Count me in.
February 16th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
While in physical therapy for injuries from a concussion a few years ago, the therapist admonished me about the heavy messenger-type bag I carried daily to my workplace as a librarian. She said that *any* bag, when carried on one shoulder, is hazardous to the user’s health, injured or not. She required that I get a backpack immediately!
I found that using a backpack encourages keeping my shoulders back and spine straight, and is almost relaxing.
I’d think that the lower placement of the bbp bag would be even more comfortable than the standard backpack.
I hope you’ll send it to me so I can confirm that!
In any case, thanks for the informative review.
Angela
February 17th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
A colleague of mine speaks highly of his BBP bag and I would welcome the opportunity to give it a try!
February 21st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Hiya Amy…
Darn… Your writeup of your bag is pretty mouthwatering!
My current setup is extremely unwieldy, and I’ve been pondering on my options.
As a visual facilitator, I’ve got quite a lot of gear to carry around in addition to my tablet pc. I’ve got a fold-up easel, and a modified tripod to mount it on. Plus a trillion different cables to keep me self-sufficient.
It would be EXTREMELY awesome if I won this bag. It sounds like it fulfills at least three-quarters of my needs! AND it’s ergonomic!
Thanks for the writeup and the giveaway! And viva le Moleskine!
Blue skies
Love
Roy
February 27th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Very cool bag. Looks like it would hold my Mac book nicely.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
That bag looks awesome! Your brother suggested I follow you on twitter – I enjoy your updates!
February 27th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Thanks for following me on Twitter, Emily! What is your Twitter name?
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:30 pm
@emsteratx
March 6th, 2009 at 12:04 am
Hello, Amy;
My bbp bag bag arrived today. Thanks so much!
It’s been a very long day (I just arrived at home a short while ago) and I haven’t had a chance to load it yet, but it’ll get a workout tomorrow.
Thank you again,
Angela
July 4th, 2009 at 2:15 am
Hey AMY! Nice bag…