OK, I’ll be the one to step up and admit it: Some of us here at Cult of Mac have a… little problem with bags. We’re bagaholics — and I’m the worst. I even have a bag to hold all my bags. So when I say that Osprey’s Flap Jack Courier is hands-down the best laptop bike bag I’ve ever slung over my back, it’s a big deal.
Hit the jump to find out what exactly makes this bag so stupefyingly fantastic.
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Osprey’s bags are are so superbly designed, space-agey and just plain ahead of their time, I’ve often suspected that their designers are escapees from the aerospace industry. The Flap Jack does nothing to diminish my suspicions. Like most of Osprey’s creations, the Flap Jack is very light, feathery to the point of having made me wonder about the bag’s sturdiness — but after a month of heavy use, the Flap Jack is yet to show any signs of wear. The exterior is treated with a water-repellent finish that did a great job of shedding water through a light sprinkling; pity the bag isn’t waterproof though.
Getting into the bag couldn’t be easier. Osprey’s signature zipper pulls — and even the arcs the zippers travel in — are ergonomically perfect.
How does the Flap Jack work as an all-purpose laptop bag? Wickedly. It’s hot looks — check out the pimp cross-hatch design on the shell material — and user-friendly size made it an excellent carry-on during a recent flight. But the Flap Jack really shines (literally) when slung over a shoulder and taken for a spin; I’ve been a cycling fanatic for years, and this is the best commuter bag I’ve spent time with.
Throw in your junk, add a MacBook and haul ass down the road — the Flap Jack remains unflappably stable, in part thanks to the bag being just the right size. The back padding is also the perfect thickness: thin enough to wrap to the contours of my body, but thick enough to insulate from any sharp edges. Other thoughtful nods to cyclists include a light attachment slot, wads of reflective hits and a well-placed side pocket that remains easily accessible even with the bag strapped on.
UPDATE: The Flap Jack Courier handles 17″ MBPs just fine, and isn’t limited to 15″ laptops, as previously stated.
Here’s a visual walk-through of the bag’s clever features:
