In the never-ending quest to find the perfect bag of gadget holding here at Gearlog HQ, things can get a little dull. After all, comfort, price, and durability are all important, and a plenty of pockets are always a plus. But after a while, staring at and writing up laptop bag reviews can be a bit dul, especially when most bags are either all black, or a two-toned variation involving boring primary colors.
For those who like a laptop bag with a little personality, Skooba's Skreener shoulder bag might just shake things up a bit. Apparently, Skooba's designers snapped some "x-ray" images of the kinds of things most people carry in their bags --like a phone, paper clips, and keys-- and decided to slap the images on the outside of a bag. The design choice might not fit everyone's fashion taste, but if the blue model above isn't doing it for you, the company sells two variations with different photos, one black, and one purple.
But don't think the value of the Skooba Skreener is only in its looks, or the looks you'll get carrying it. The bag has an abundance of meshed pockets, and one of the poshest internal laptop compartments I've ever seen. A series of air-cushioned, egg crate-looking bumps line both sides of the main compartment. Skooba calls the system "Air Square," but I'd just call it a good place for your laptop to feel safe. An easily adjustable snap strap will hold your lappie (up to 17 inches) snug and secure.
Up top, Skooba's placed not one, but two audio pockets with grommets for headphones to poke through. According to the web site, one pocket is for a music player, and the other's for a phone. That's a very helpful explanation, which saved me from making another lame Zaphod Beeblebrox joke.
Last, though certainly not least, is the Skooba Skreener's strap. As we saw back at the end of October, Skooba knows a thing or two about making comfortable shoulder straps. The strap included with the Skreener doesn't have the shock absorbers that Skooba's Superbungee Strap does. But that doesn't make it much less comfortable. In fact, with a section of rubberized, air-filled bumps, and enough size to keep it from rolling off your shoulder, the strap made this rather large bag a pleasure to carry, even when stuffed to the zippers with two laptops, various books, and enough small gadgets to almost open my own electronics store.
If you're constantly lugging around a largish laptop, lots of accessories, and still need plenty of room left over for files and books, the Skooba Skreener is certainly a bag to consider. And if you don't dig the X-ray print, head on over to the company's site to check out some similarly specced satchels that offer comparable comfort and storage, in a more traditional two-tone color scheme.
The Skooba Skreener is available now, direct from Skooba Design, for $99.95.
Post by Matt Safford
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