Rainebrooke Metro-Traveler Laptop Bag

Rainebrooke Metro-Traveler Laptop Bag

Published December 29, 2008 at 08:23:38 PM, by Blair Mathis

Overview
Rainebrooke was started by Steve Fronek as a company that offers easy to use, thin, and stylish laptop bags for women. Launching their first bag in 2005, Rainebrooke has become a success, and currently offers eleven bags. The Metro-Traveler is Rainebrooke's most inexpensive laptop case, and is intended for everyday use with it's thin design, light weight, and durable fabric.

Feminine in design and featuring three sleeves and eight pockets, the Metro-Traveler aims to offer a spot for all your needs. It can hold laptops up to 17" and features a removable shoulder strap, a rubber-grip handle, and Velcro flap. The bag's regular price is $89, but it's currently on sale for $59.95.

Design

External
The Metro-Traveler measures in at 17" x 12.5" x 3.75" and weighs 1.7lbs. The large-yet-lightweight design is durable - the material feels thick and rugged without appearing like an adventure bag. The entire case has foam padding between the fabric ranging from 1/8" - 1/4" thick, offering ample protection for your laptop and peripherals.

The case is available in four colors: pink, magenta, blue, and purple. There are two pockets on the front of the case - neither cushioned - and one magazine or paper pocket on the back. The two front pockets, as well as the flap, are secured by large pieces of Velcro. The back pocket is accessible via Velcro at the top, or a zipper along the bottom.

The front pockets aren't very large - one pocket is just large enough to slip an HTC smartphone and Sansa mp3 player into it; the other, a Western Digital Passport external hard drive and thin Axim just barely fit. Unfortunately, those pockets are not padded, so your gadgets won't have any protection against bumps or drops.

The back pocket is very thin, and just large enough to fit standard 8.5" x 11" paper. Most of the magazines I tried couldn't fit in the pocket. Also, there is a zipper slot at the bottom to - theoretically - make it easier to retrieve your papersUPDATE: This zipper is actually for securing the laptop bag onto rolling backpacks, briefcases, or luggage with extending handles by unzipping the pocket and sliding the handle through the bottom and out the top. Testing it on a standard wheeled backpack with an extended handle, the Rainebrooke case fit well and was secured tightly into place by the Velcro above the zipper. The slot, however, is too small to remove or insert paper without tearing it.

Internal
Inside the bag, there's a main compartment with a thick separator for your laptop and power cord. The padding is thick, and surrounds all sides of the laptop, but not the bottom corners.

The laptop area is large - it fits a very large, thick Dell Precision 17" laptop. The smaller 14" Dell Latitude also fit, and it didn't seem to slide around in the large area. The smallest laptop I tried, a 10" VAIO, was lost in the case, however, and slid around with every movement - the bag seems ideal for 15" - 17" laptops, and is overkill for smaller notebooks.

The second area - intended for a power cord and other peripherals, isn't large enough for larger power supplies without causing a bulge in the center of the case.

The final pocket on the case is also the only one featuring a zipper. It is long, but thin, and offers three pencil slots, an ID slot, and a couple of thin pockets that could hold some USB cables, CDs, or flash drives.

Features
Thick Padding
The Metro-Traveler features thick padding around the laptop and entire main compartment- your laptop will be more than protected from bumps, drops, smacks.

Removable Shoulder Strap
The shoulder strap attaches to the case with two large plastic buckles. When the strap is detached, the buckles can be placed inside the case, where they fit nicely and aren't visible from the outside. Unfortunately, the strap is not cushioned very well - I only realized it had a bit of cushion after playing with it for awhile - and it can become uncomfortable to carry for an extended period of time.

Rubber Grip
There's a rubber grip on the top of the bag - it can be carried like a briefcase if shoulder straps aren't your thing. The grip flexes, and is comfortable.

Storage
Storage is one of the deciding factors to consider when purchasing a laptop case - can you fit all your gadgets and peripherals comfortably? For someone who carries only a laptop and little else, the Metro-Traveler offers adequate space.

There's only three larger pockets in the case - two on the front and one inside the main area. The front pockets held my external hard drive, Pocket PC, cell phone, and Sansa mp3 player. The inside pocket was large enough for a wireless travel mouse and point and shoot camera. Inside the case, my 14" laptop and power supply fit, though the power supply caused a bulge in the middle of the bag. I tried to place my over-the-ear headphones in there as well, but the fit was tight, and it seemed they would break if the case was bumped.

Durability
When carried in the snow and rain, the water brushed off the fabric. It is not waterproof, but very weather resistant - the fabric is non-absorbent, and even if some water made it through, it would have to go through thick foam and another piece of fabric before reaching your gear.

The shoulder strap is strong enough to handle the case without issue. The plastic buckles show no signs of stress marks after being carried under heavy loads.

Stitching is solid and has thus far held up without issue. My attempts at pulling the seams were uneventful - the stitching held tight, and showed no signs pulling apart.

Conclusion
This is a basic laptop case, and is meant to be used by those who carry only the basics. The laptop is well protected by thick padding, but anything placed in the front or back pockets are not. The shoulder strap is thick and durable, but lacks adequate padding and is uncomfortable to wear after awhile.

The flaps are held in place by large hook and loop strips, which makes an equally loud riiiiiiip when opened. After using this bag for awhile, the sound is becoming bothersome. I find myself slipping the outer flap inside of the bag instead of sealing it just to avoid the noise pollution it makes. Zippers or buckles would have been preferable in this regard.

If you're looking for a feminine, durable, light bag to haul your laptop, a few peripherals, and a (small) book or two across campus, on the train, or through the airport, the Metro-Traveler laptop carrying case will meet your needs.

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Technical Specifications

• Processor: NA
• Mamory: NA
• Harddrive: NA
• OS: NA
• Weight: NA
• Screen: 17 inches
• Battery Life: NA