The Hunt for the Perfect Laptop Bag

Before I left for Korea this spring I went scouring the internet for a cool, stylish laptop bag. I would mainly be working from home but I also knew I’d become a coffee shop hobo at least a few times. I found some really cute bags but in the end I got cheap and decided I could make due with a messenger bag that I already had. It was a bit of a mistake. I had to fit my laptop, massive charger, mouse, notebook, pens, wallet and phone into the bag. It was a challenge and getting at my wallet while the laptop was in the bag was no easy feat. Thankfully I didn’t knock over that nail polish display at Etude House while wrestling with it.

Fast forward to TBEX in Toronto. I was there with a dedicated laptop bag this time but it was a pretty cheap one and it has similar space issues to my messenger bag, not to mention it was killing my shoulder. The guys from STM Bags noticed my struggle and mercifully suggested I give their Velo 2 laptop bag a go. I’m so glad they did.

When the bag arrived my initial thought was “Whoa! It’s big!” but then, I have a 15” laptop so it was never going to be a petite bag. The size is what will make this the perfect carry-on bag for me. It’s big enough to hold all my usual in flight items like my headphones, tablet, blow-up travel pillow, etc. I suspect it’s even large enough to use as an overnight bag if you pack light.

I was really impressed with how many pockets and compartments this bag has. There’s a spot for everything. A handy side pocket on each side strap means easy access to whatever you need most, no matter whether you wear it over your right or left shoulder.

If you’re a cycle commuter there’s a waist strap to keep the bag from flapping around on you. I can only imagine that having a bag spin around could be potentially dangerous while in traffic. Having a sleeve on the back so that a bag can slide over the handle of a suitcase isn’t new, but having that same sleeve zipper across the bottom so that it becomes a pocket is a nice touch.

This bag will make it a breeze going through airport security as well since the laptop compartment is at the back and separate from the rest of your contents. You can pop the laptop out without disturbing anything else. What is it about airport security that makes it feel like a race? I hate tying up the line while I take everything out of my bag just to have to put it all back.

The Velo 2 still isn’t that super stylish bag I’ve been looking for but it’s a lot nicer than most of what I’ve seen and I love that it doesn’t scream laptop case. What’s holding me back on the style is the fabric, which gives the bag a sporty feel to it. Make that sucker out of leather and I’m completely sold.

All in all, while it doesn’t have that fashionable flair I’m ultimately looking for, this laptop bag from STM checks all the other boxes when it comes to what I’d want from a laptop case.

What’s the most important feature you look for in a laptop bag?

Note: I received the laptop bag free in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own…and yes, it’s a pretty awesome bag.