ECBC's Poseidon Messenger Bag for 13-inch notebooks, part of their K7 series, has a casual look, but hidden inside are a number of features that make this bag a workhorse for busy people who need both their computers and their iPads at the ready.
There is a lot to like about this bag. The outside, which is available in five colors, is made from light weight 1000d Kodra abrasion resistance material with waterproof coating. Kodra is defined as an "air treated" Nylon fabric. It looks and feels like fine canvas.
Poseidon Messenger Bag - front view
There are multiple interior pockets for storing chargers, power cords, memory devices, and small electronic devices. There is a zippered side pocket that opens wide to hold a water bottle or cell phone, although there is a special pocket inside the case that also holds a cell phone.
There is a carry handle, a shoulder strap with one of the neatest adjustment fasteners I have yet to see, and a luggage trolley pass-through feature.
View with strap
Strap adjustor
The case is offered in black, blue, berry, linen, and green. The black and blue versions have already been featured. The berry and linen follow, but the green was not available for viewing at the time of this review.
Berry version
Linen version
Two primary inside pockets, one lined with soft fleece will hold a laptop and an iPad. There is a removable modular foam block included that allows users to adjust the space accommodations within one of the pockets. There are additional large zip pockets on the front and back of the bag and the fold-over flap fastens with two large strips of heavy duty velcro plus two snap-lock fasteners.
Modular foam block helps adjust size
The bag measures 14.5 x 12.2 x 3.5-in (36.8 x 31 x 8.9 cm).
Using the product.
I was able to put both my 13-inch Macbook Pro and my iPad 3 dressed in a Kensington KeyFolio Pro2 case with removable keyboard in the bag with room to spare. I also included work folders, connectors, my iPhone 5, passport, and other items necessary for travel. Items that I would usually carry in a purse also had places without creating any extra bulge or bulk.
Inside pockets view
The strap is very comfortable, even when loaded with all my stuff, and I am very impressed with the strap adjustment fastener. It works more like a seat belt fastener than anything else and once an adjustment is made, it stays put.
Although there are two designated spots for smart phones, neither is easy to get to when a phone rings and I would not use either unless I had my phone turned off.
Another feature that impressed me is the fastening process for the front flap. The two velcro strips are exceptionally strong and when you combine that with the snap-locks, there is no way your expensive equipment is going to fall out of this bag. You don’t want to pull open those industrial strength velcro strips anywhere where quiet is important. I opened the flap and woke a sleeping baby in the next room.
Do I Recommend it?
I do. This bag is sturdy, securely holds everything most of us would need when away from our desks, is nice looking, and comfortable to carry. Since my personal computer is a 13-inch MacBook Pro, I am looking forward to using this as my own notebook bag for the foreseeable future.