Booq Mamba Daypack

A versatile method of transporting your stuff to and from work or school can easily be the deciding factor between a good commute and a miserable morning. I've been using messenger bags for some time now, but I'm an old-school backpacker at heart. That's why I was immediately digging the Booq Mamba Daypack ($100 list) as soon as I saw it. It's a durable backpack with a simple yet handsome streamlined design and a roomy interior volume that can hold up to a 15-inch laptop. At $100, the Daypack is one of the more affordable laptop backpacks on the market. It's an excellent choice for those looking for a bag that's handsome for work and stylish for post-work jaunts, and a no-brainer for our Editors' Choice for laptop backpacks.

Design and Features
Backpacks for workers face an interesting conundrum: They feel great but don't come off as particularly professional, unlike, say, messenger bags. The Daypack, however, offers that rare mix of cool and professional. Measuring 15.5 by 11.5 by 6.5 inches (HWD), it's neither too big nor small and sports a slightly rigid posture that prevents it from sagging like a typical backpack. It is available in black, gray, and sand colors (my review unit was the latter), and sports an exterior constructed from durable water-repellant fiber that's complemented by thick YKK zippers. The fiber gives the exterior a reassuringly rugged feel, while the interior is made of soft nylon.

The main compartment has plenty of space. In addition to the padded laptop compartment, there are three generously-sized pockets designed to accommodate other devices, like tablets and smartphones. There's also a dangling keychain ring and two pockets for holding pens. Aside from the roomy external zippered pocket, there aren't any additional pockets, nets, or Velcro straps all over the place. The result is an attractively simple and streamlined aesthetic that generated an inordinate amount of compliments from friends and colleagues alike. The padded shoulder straps fit comfortably, as does the airmesh back padding. It sounds simple, and it is?the Daypack is a proudly old-school style backpack that doesn't make any bold stylistic declarations like the Crumpler Nhill Heist Laptop Bag , whose shoulder straps wrap over the bag's main compartment for a slightly off-kilter look.

Closer inspection of the Mamba Daypack's rear padding reveals what is perhaps its only curious feature: a metal-framed Terralinq serial tag. The idea behind this is that Daypack owners can register the unique serial number on the Booq website so that, in the event of losing the bag, the finder can enter said number on the same site. In turn, Booq will contact the original owner and assist in its eventual return.

Performance
I decided to put the Mamba Daypack to the test with two weeks of commuting to work . I also took the Mamba Daypack on a weekend drive to Montreal. In both instances, my 13-inch MacBook fit perfectly into the dedicated padded compartment while feeling sturdy enough for me to forego the laptop case I always carry on the go. Whether on a crowded train or in my passenger seat, the Mamba Daypack never lost its shape or sagged. Moreover, it always maintained its cool, low-key profile, in contrast to the slightly more pronounced Chrome Citadel Laptop Bag . Still, it's worth noting that the Mamba Daypack can purportedly hold up to a 15-inch laptop, so users with a larger laptop would be better off with either the Chrome Citadel or the Crumpler Nhill Heist.

During my two weeks of using the Mamba Daypack, it never once felt uncomfortable or burdensome to lug around, thanks to its thick contoured straps and back padding. Moreover, the judiciously designed interior naturally lent itself to less clutter, even when I used it to bike through the hitherto unfamiliar streets of Montreal. The size, meanwhile, was perfect. In addition to my 13-inch MacBook, I was able to stick in all my usual necessities, like a bottle of water, a hoodie, an umbrella, and one of Jonathan Franzen's typically thick hardcover books. There was still plenty of room to spare, so I could've feasibly carried around a more sizable tome along the lines of, say, Infinite Jest. Regardless of which book you carry, the interior of the Mamba Daypack remains accessible, requiring minimum effort for taking stuff out as well and tossing it back in.

In the end, the Booq Mamba Daypack is an excellent choice for students and commuters alike. It's everything a real backpacker could ever want in a bag, boasting versatility, loads of style, and a price tag significantly below its peers'. For these reasons, it's a shoo-in as our Editors' Choice for laptop backpacks, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a backpack that can stash a laptop under 15 inches.

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