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  #1  
Old 05-30-2007, 04:03 PM
Ashley Dunn
Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 47
Default Vaja's 15" Messenger Bag: The Biggest, Most Luxurious Pocket PC Carrying Case Ever?



Product Category: Laptop/shoulder bag
Manufacturer: Vaja
Where to Buy: Vaja [Affiliate]
Price: $380 USD base, $420 as configured in this review
Specifications: External size: W: 13.78" / 35 cm, H: 12.2" / 31 cm, D: 5.12'' / 13 cm. Internal size: W: 13" / 33 cm, H: 10.2" / 26 cm, D: 3.9'' / 10 cm. Weight: 2.64 lbs / 1.2 kg.

Pros:
  • Luxurious, high-quality leather;
  • Wears well even after months of use;
  • Stunning colour combinations.
    Cons:
  • Expensive;
  • Laptop sleeve is an added extra for some models and not available at all for others;
  • Shoulder strap isn't the most comfortable when the bag is loaded.
    Summary:
    Vaja's messenger bag is a luxurious leather bag for laptops, gadgets, or general purse-use, if that's your thing. The quality and workmanship is unmatched, but so is the pricetag - so is it worth it?

    Read on for the full review!

    Before We Get Started
    Vaja, a company well known and highly respected in the world of device cases, came out with a line of laptop bags late last year, and I was fortunate enough to receive one for review at Christmas time. As the Copy Editor at Thoughts Media, I'm usually behind the scenes editing reviews, but Jason (my husband for those that don't know) knew he wasn't the best person to review a product like this, so he offered it to me for review. Lucky me! It's been several years (ok, six!) since I've written a review, so I'm a bit rusty, but here goes...

    Vaja Quality, Vaja Style
    Anyone who knows me, knows that I�m a bit of a handbag �collector�, shall we say�. I love handbags! A good friend of mine introduced me to the world of high-end, name brand bags (much to Jason�s chagrin!), and ever since, I�ve been hooked. It�s an investment, right? Buy a good bag, it�ll last you forever. Buy a few, and you just have more variety to choose from.

    Well, Vaja definitely falls into the category of high-end with this bag. Vaja has been producing excellent products of the highest quality since they started up - I've seen case after case come into our office for Jason to review, and the quality is always excellent. Using the same Argentinean leather as with their mobile device cases, this bag is beautiful, durable and filled our house with the wonderful smell of fresh leather for quite a few days after Christmas (don't you just love that smell?).

    While I�m not using it as a laptop bag, rather as a shoulder bag, it serves its purpose well. I carry my wallet, phone and Pocket PC, along with a few assorted goodies in my bag. Some may think it�s a bit big for just those few things, but it serves as a great multi-purpose bag as I also tuck my lunch and water bottle in with the regular bits, and it saves me the hassle of having to carry multiple bags, plus it looks good too. And lest anyone think that this is a bag only for women, Vaja offers an assortment of manly colour combinations that will please just about anyone.

    The best way to explore a bag like this is through photos (taken by Jason), so let's just dive right in...


    Figure 1: A front view of the bag, this nicely shows the rich colour of the bag.

    As you can see, Jason chose the Caterina Ruby Wine with Caterina Dark Citron colour pattern, which I think is fabulous � and not just because of the unique colour names! It�s contemporary and fun, and were I to use it as a laptop bag, I�m certain I wouldn�t stand out as a �geek� with my modern leather bag. Even the colour names demonstrate Vaja�s focus on quality. They are always striving to set themselves apart from other case manufacturers, and these details are certainly not lost on me.


    Figure 2: The left side of the bag has a leather flap where the Rivet tab option would go (allowing for quick snap-release of mobile phones and whatnot) - I didn't get that option on this bag.


    Figure 3: The back pouch is a simple affair, with a single zipper closing and opening it. It's big enough to hold two paperback books, but not quite big enough to fit 8.5 x 11" papers.


    Figure 4: Here's an example of the exquisite attention to detail: the word Vaja imprinted on the underside of the top flap.


    Figure 5: A view of the bag with the flap open. From a few feet away the hundreds of tiny "Vaja" printed words look like a pattern.


    Figure 6: A front view of the bag, this nicely shows the rich colour of the bag.


    Figure 7: The interior is stamped with the Vaja logo, and lined with a yellow and red durable liner. It's impressively robust, with nary a scratch or tear after six months of use. There's one zippered compartment on the inside that's a great place to throw my phone and a stack of envelopes on my way to the post office.


    Figure 8: The left front pouch is an open-topped affair, with enough space for an average laptop power supply or assorted accessories. Not shown is the right pouch which has a smaller zippered pouch inside it, and below that a tiny pouch with a snap closure, perfect for hiding a key a valuable because no one would find it unless they knew it was there - or they read this article. Whoops!


    Figure 9: I have the size large detachable gadget pocket for my Pocket PC (an iPAQ 1950), as well as the metal key hook (shown below, a GREAT way to keep track of your keys!). More on the pouch and what kinds of Pocket PCs it fits below.


    Figure 10: A top-down view of the bag - lots of open space in the middle for a laptop or whatever else you'd want to carry in it.


    Figure 11: Just to prove that you really can fit a laptop in here, there's my Toshiba M50, a 14.1 inch wide screen notebook. It's a tight fit - if you want to carry a notebook in the Vaja bag that's in the 14" range, you're better off getting the Messenger 15" Wide version of this bag.


    Figure 12: The bag, down and open. It's a bit hard to see, but inside the main pouch is my Toshiba M50 laptop inside a neoprene sleeve - so you can still fit a laptop inside the Vaja bag with a neoprene sleeve on it.


    Figure 13: Every now and then I'll borrow Jason's Fujitsu P7010 laptop, a small 10.6" screen affair. In this photo the small laptop is in a black neoprene sleeve, and you can see it fits vertically, allowing me quite a bit of space to put other things in the main storage compartment.


    Figure 14: Here's an i-Mate Jasjar fitting in the size large gadget pocket (a $25 option). Since the Jasjar is the biggest Pocket PC I've seen, it seems reasonable that pretty much any Pocket PC would fit in there.


    Figure 15: A Dell Axim X51v also fits without a problem!


    Figure 16: The pouch is easily detached, meaning you can take your Pocket PC with you in this case if you need to. Now that's what I call a clever design!


    Figure 17: Here's another, better, photo of the small Fujitsu laptop fitting in the bag.


    Figure 18: There are five small metal feet that help keep the bag upright (assuming there's not too much weight in it).


    Figure 19: It's just gorgeous - the subtle Vaja insignia on the front adds a touch of class.


    Figure 20: I'm no leather expert, but the grain on the leather is amazing. It's flawless - there are no rough patches or splotchy discolourations - I wouldn't expect anything less of a Vaja bag, but you really do see the quality that you're paying for.


    Figure 21: Here's a close-up of the strap, and one of my few concerns with this bag. As a purse strap, it's fine and pretty standard. But as a laptop bag strap, it offers no padding to make it more comfortable. If you were carrying a six pound laptop, a power adaptor, and a few other things - suddenly 10 pounds of weight might make this bag a bit uncomfortable to wear. I sympathize with Vaja's designers though, because you don't design a beautiful bag like this and then put a big puffy strap on it.


    Figure 22: Text personalization with my name engraved in a leather flap inside the bag. Yet another way to make this bag your very own. And, yes, this means that Vaja offered to let me keep the bag after the review - I was thrilled to say yes!


    Figure 23: A close-up of the key holder - it works well.

    A Word About Durability
    The quality of my new Messenger Bag is unsurpassed. I wouldn�t say I abuse it, but I take it everywhere with me, and it has yet to show any signs of wear and tear. The stitching is solid, and the strap is secure. The zippers are strong, and the lining is sturdy � certainly capable of supporting a laptop and all its various accessories. I never worry about a strap coming loose or a zipper breaking on me. This is a bag designed with the highest of standards in mind, and it is wonderfully apparent that the attention to detail Vaja has always prided itself on is once again of the utmost importance with this new line of Messenger Bags.

    A Variety of Uses
    This bag has so many great uses. It would serve as a perfect carry-on bag for a long trip. Throw a good book, your Pocket PC and a snack or two and you�d be set. If you�re a mom, you could even use it as a diaper bag (I haven't tested that scenario yet though). You�d be the talk of the playground with your chic, funky bag for sure! As I said, I use it as a shoulder bag, and I love it. Those of you corporate types would certainly find it useful as a laptop bag, replacing your briefcase or backpack. With such versatility, this bag just keeps getting better and better.

    One word about laptops: Vaja offers their Messenger Bag in a few different versions, but there are no options for laptop sleeves with the 15" Messenger Bag I reviewed. If you order the 15" Wide Messenger Bag, you have the option of a neoprene jacket ($65) or a leather jacket ($130). Given how expensive this bag is, the inclusion of a neoprene sleeve would have been a nice bonus - and given that neoprene isn't an expensive material, I'm a bit shocked at the price of $65. The leather laptop sleeve is likely exquisite, so the $130 price tag makes a bit more sense.

    You can also choose from a variety of colour combinations to suit your personality. For the business professional, perhaps something more subdued like a black or brown. For a mom, perhaps some fun colours like pinks and blues; for a young 20-something woman like myself, anything goes! I love that Vaja can let your personality shine through with the fantastic colour choices, and make the bag your very own in every way.

    Conclusion: A Winner
    Vaja definitely hit another winner with this bag. I have no complaints with it whatsoever beyond the aforementioned nits (price, the strap, and the lack of a laptop sleeve), and enjoy showing it off to my friends every chance I get. I can hardly wait to use it as a travel companion on our next trip!

    Ashley Dunn is the Copy Editor at Thoughts Media Inc. She is married to Jason Dunn, and enjoys spending evenings out at dinner and a movie with him...and her new Vaja bag.
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      #2  
    Old 06-11-2007, 02:16 PM
    Mattitude
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    Join Date: Feb 2007
    Posts: 21
    Default Bag Lady / Manpurse

    Yeah, I think it's pretty neat, too, and if you're interested in that sort of thing, check out Tausche and Freitag, two companies from my neck of the woods who make really cool products. They're even recycled!
    8)
     
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