Although you never know when Covid-19 lockdowns may keep you on the ground, WaterField Designs’ new Air Travel Backpack may make you want to take flight asap. Use it to pack up a couple of laptops, cables and accessories — and maybe a change of clothes or two — and go.
WaterField calls its new Air Travel Backpack “a sophisticated, highly portable carry-on luggage option for personal and professional travel.” And it certainly looks the part.
“We designed a travel backpack that’s professional-looking, well-organized, and comfortable. I like wheelies, but I feel most nimble with my belongings on my back and my hands free,” said company owner Gary Waterfield. “The Air Backpack is ideal for vacations when you need your Apple devices along and for the work-from-anywhere lifestyle.”
WaterField Air Travel Backpack
WaterField designed the Air Travel Backpack to be as large as possible while staying just under the max size for a carry-on bag, per airline industry regulations.
It features lots of compartments for your stuff and it straps onto your back. The compartments easily separate your technology from the rest of your packed items. Strapping it onto your back keeps your hands free as you trudge through airports and elsewhere.
Bring along much of your technology
The Backpack comes in water-resistant ballistic nylon or waxed canvas with full-grain leather details. It features a “TSA-friendly office compartment for two MacBook Pros” and other work necessities. It also offers additional details, like lockable zippers and multiple carry options in the form of different handles and straps.
Various carry options
The versatile Air Backpack offers multiple carry options. Foam and neoprene-padded backpack straps lined with breathable mesh wick away moisture and prevent clothing from wrinkling. A removable, height-adjustable sternum strap attaches discreetly to the straps to balance heavier loads.
For more formal settings, straps tuck away to convert the backpack into a suitcase-style bag. You can carry it by a top or side leather-lined handle. When used as a secondary bag, the back panel slides over a wheeled suitcase’s handle.
A spacious clamshell-style compartment opens like a suitcase with dual zipper pulls, making it easy to pack. A gold, water-resistant, nylon ripstop liner lights up the interior and wipes clean easily. Two compression straps prevent clothing and other contents from sliding around. Two large mesh pockets separate smaller items and keep them visible.
Protect the gear
A dedicated office compartment incorporates two raised, padded pockets to protect two laptops or a laptop and a tablet. It lies flat for TSA screening. Positioned in the rear of the bag, the devices remain secure with their weight balanced for comfort.
Corner cut-outs permit laptop charging while the MacBook Pro remains protected inside its padded compartment, A mesh zippered pocket above the devices, easily accessible when the backpack stands upright on the ground, holds a power supply, cords and other accessories off the bottom of the bag.
Include the little things
On the opposite side of the bag, a deep pocket stores Apple AirPods Max in a WaterField Shield Case or the optional WaterField Air Caddy. The caddy is a zippered pouch sized to fit an airline seat-back pocket. Additional pockets hold pens and other smaller items.
A full-length front panel divides into large and small pockets for frequently needed items, such as an iPhone, glasses and tickets. A zippered pocket accessible from the top of the bag keeps a passport, ID or other items secure and easy to reach.
A water bottle pocket lies flat when empty and expands to fit a bottle up to a 3.5 inches in diameter. For added security, the metal zipper can be locked to a loop on the bag with a TSA-approved lock (not included).
The bag’s dimensions are 22.5 x 16 x 7.5 inches. It weighs 3.9 pounds in ballistic nylon and 4.6 pounds in canvas. Its volume is 35 liters (9.25 gallons).
Price: Preorder now at $419; shipping begins August 6
Where to buy: WaterField Designs
