CRUMPLER VM008 Very Busy Man Extra Large Laptop Case - Black / Gray

Rating:
Summary: A really great, well constructed, laptop messenger bag!
Review: When you live and work in New York City, You carry a lot of gear. Everyday you pile on to the crowded subway carrying your daily essentials. Often, you need a bag that is brutally tough, well organized and all the while, making a fashion statement. Crumpler has taken the concept of a messenger bag to a new level. They have managed to take the basic concept of the messenger bag -known for its ruggedness and space - and refined it. They have done quite well.

The "Very Busy Man" is a messenger laptop bag. The layout and design of the interior space is what is really good. The Laptop section is located in the main compartment of the bag in a separate, large padded pocket that is secured with Velcro. It is has enough room for the large screen laptops, and any addition padding you might want to add. The larger, open main compartment provides enough room for several of your schoolbooks, and even your lunch. What I valued most was the way the zippered compartment was laid out. You opened the main zipper, which revealed a good sized, open pocket with an organizational panel on the front. There are two Velcro pockets with enough room for a PDA a calculator; cell phone or whatever suits your fancy. There are three slots for pens right in the middle, separating these two Velcro pockets. Directly behind the organizational panel, is another zippered pocket, which, for women is great!! You can keep your wallet, makeup, checkbook, mints, comb, Metrocard or any other small to medium sized object safely here. What Crumpler very cleverly did appears on the opposite side of this pocket. They added two LARGER Velcro pockets, located in the larger main section of the bag. Here, you can keep a CD player, laptop accessories or, a paperback book neatly stored. I put these two pockets to a test. I was able to put my 8 1/4 inch x 7-inch Miquel Rius notebook in the pocket along with my "Franny and Zooey" paperback. They fit; but with about an inch of the tops of both books sticking out, over the top so you could not close them in. That was fine, as far as I was concerned because I wanted to see just how wide the pockets were and how much they could confortably hold. I was able to keep my sunglasses, lotion, and work ID in the other with plenty of room to spare. These features sold me. As much as I love the space that one finds in messenger bags as a rule, I DO NOT like rummaging around a large bag looking for items that I need to put my hand on FAST. If that is not enough compartment space, there is yet another zippered pocket directly behind the laptop pocket that I love to use for files, magazines, documents, smaller paperback books, train/plane tickets, or any other item. The outside flap is secured with two well-designed strips of Velcro, then the two strap buckles that finally secure and close the bag. Opening the bag can be an issue because of the noise the Velcro makes every time you open the bag. However, it is in a sense, a design plus because of the extra security it affords. The material is tough as well. It is called Chicken Tex. I put it to the test during an early spring snowstorm here, and the water beaded up on the material and quickly rolled off. Thankfully, the contents of the bag stayed bone dry.I also noticed a large, sewed-on fabric loop, that, I am told is for bike chains. I simply ignore that feature, and while clever is not necessary. There are some design issues that Crumpler needs to sort out, refine, and improve however. The strap is attached directly on to the bag, and gives me the blues when I try to adjust it. When you finally figure out how to adjust it, there is no way to neatly adjust the excess slack strap. As a result you have an inelegant "curling" of it. The stabilizing strap could be longer. The shoulder pad is all right, but tends to slip slide away along the strap. There are no outside side pockets on the bag, which many people favor for a water bottle or a cell phone, although Crumpler sells a separate Velcro Nad sack for your cell that you can attach to the shoulder strap, nor is there a handle on the top which would give you the option of carrying the bag as a briefcase. For messenger bag purists, this may not be necessary; but others may value the option. Even with these "flaws" I would certainly buy their bags again. Hopefully, they will make some additions to the bag.

There is just one final note concerning the Australian web site. Some may find it irreverent, even offensive. My only wish is that the company understands that some things, which are culturally acceptable down under, do not translate quite the same way here in the U.S. It is very easy to misinterpret what they mean. I am sure they mean well.

Still, if you are looking for a good, solid bag that can handle the rigors of your daily travels, with your gear well organized and well protected, you would be hard pressed to do better than Crumpler bags.