Booq, makers of stylish, timeless and understated computer bags often named after snakes, is shedding some of its skin.
A new line of backpacks that debuted Thursday carries a simple name, Daypack. The line also carries color, unusual because booq typically likes to work mostly in gray and black.
But booq stayed true to the clean lines, functionality and a low profile in creating the four Daypacks that can take a place alongside bags and cases named Viper, Boa, Cobra, Python and Mamba.
Just the men’s share of the U.S. accessory bag market is worth $2.3 billion annually, according to the NPD Group. Let’s face it, our pockets don’t have the room for all of our devices, the laptops, tablets, even phones, are getting so big that they need to be carried another way.
Booq has earned high marks for its designs among creative professionals and it tends to target the Apple fan, with MacBook bags, sleeves for iPads and cases for the iPhone.
The Daypack acknowledges that some of us have to carry more than what stealthy messenger bags or slim backpacks will carry.
It has a slip pocket for a 17-inch lap and leaves plenty of room in its main compartment for other items, such as books or clothes. It looks like it would be a reliable bag for an airplane carry-on. There are side pockets for a water bottle or umbrella and a front zipper pocket for a phone, wallet and documents.
Of course, there is a stealthy black Dayback, but the gray model has flourishes of red, including an interior lining of red polkadots. There is also a blue and aqua pack and an earth brown canvas.
There is also booq’s hallmark Terralinq feature, a serial number on a metal label you can register in case you lose the bag and its finder reports the loss to the company.
Booq’s prices are competitive but still tend to be north of $100. Lead designer, Kema Subsomboon, said the company wanted to keep the cost down on the Dayback. Each one retails on the booq website for $90.