‘Book Mystique Review - Targus Velos Messenger Laptop Case
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
by Charles W. Moore
I have been reviewing a laptop bags and cases for nearly 10 years now, and consistently some of the most innovative, intelligent, functional, and thoughtful designs have come from targus, which is sort of the General Motors, or perhaps Toyota, of the computer luggage world.
Targus manufactures and markets a mind-boggling array of different laptop case models, and one of the newest and most appealing from their fall selection is the Velos Messenger Laptop Case, which is one of the most intelligently thought-out messenger bags I’ve ever tested and its functional practicality gives up nothing in the looks and flair department.
I’ll get to all that good practical stuff in a moment, but the Velos Messenger Case’s marquee styling feature is that it is designed to provide two distinct looks with one case and comes with two shoulder straps; one in an avant garde contrasting color and the other matching the case in shade. The straps are easy to change, just unlock the closures on each side of the bag to release the strap, insert a different colored strap and then lock the closures back into place.
The case body is skinned with durable polyester twill in a variety of color combinations. The test unit arrived in a rich chocolate shade, with the default contrasting strap in aqua. It’s not a combo that would have occurred to me, but it works, and I think it looks great, giving the the Velos case a distinctive and strikingly jaunty appearance without being garish or gimmicky. However, for those who prefer a more subdued and conservative look, a second shoulder strap is provided in matching chocolate brown.
You can also purchased different shoulder straps separately if you wish to have a greater selection of color themes for your Velos. Available color combinations include our chocolate case with chocolate and aqua straps; charcoal case with black and lime green straps; and a wheat case with mushroom and orange straps.
The styling of the case itself is tastefully understated, with the large fold-over closure flap forming the outside front surface and faced with an asymmetrical double-layered styling motif. At the back of the case is a full-width slip pocket with a central Velcro closure patch that can be used to carry papers, file folders, magazines, and so forth.
The Velos Messenger Laptop Case can accommodate pretty well any laptop up to 15.4-inch widescreen models, which covers the entire Apple portable lineup except for the 17-inch MacBook Pro.
Still on the outside, that shoulders strap isn’t just a fashion accent, but is also very strong, being made of two-inch nylon webbing and girdling the perimeter of the case on three sides, which should be both extremely secure and very durable. The strap is adaptable for length, and has a Velcro-fastened movable shoulder pad for comfort.
You can also tuck the strap inside the case’s flap and carry the Velos briefcase-style with the retractable handle that recedes flush against the top of the case when it’s not in use. This is neat and convenient, but I found the carry-handle not especially comfortable, being flat with fairly hard edges with the elastic that retracts the handle a bit stiff, and since the handle is accessed through an open aperture in the closure flap, the edges of which tend to chafe your knuckles. It’s a question of a clean, uncluttered appearance vs functional comfort, and an arguably reasonable trade-off, but it is my least favorite feature of the Velos.
Moving inside the case, the aforementioned fold-over flap his padded with what feels like a thin layer of closed-cell foam, and faced on its inner surface with a smooth nylon taffeta material in contrasting color - a medium beige on our test unit. With the flap open and folded back, you are presented with three open pockets on the lower half of the case body’s front face, ideal for carrying cables, hubs, an iPod or iPhone, and possibly a laptop mouse.
Immediately behind these open pockets is a full-width, zipper closure accessory pocket, also lined with contrasting-shade nylon taffeta and with a couple of handy inner pockets for business cards-a thoughtful touch. This pocket is big enough to handle larger peripherals and small (or even not so small) books, and so forth, and it’s still just an outside pocket, so to speak.
The cavernous interior of the main case is accessed by opening a second, inner fold-over flap, which has a hefty Velcro-closure patch measuring about 8” x 1.5” and which should be very secure. The computer compartment is at the back of the case, with a thick layer of foam padding behind two mesh fabric panels, and separated from the rest of the inner compartment with a “sling” of what feels like “wetsuit” type Neoprene material. The second, frontmost inner compartment is the full width and depth of the case, protected at the front and sides with foam padding and lined with nylon taffeta. It is extremely commodious, and actually, you could carry a second laptop in this compartment quite easily if you ever had occasion to. An interesting and practical design touch is “rain flaps” at the other ends of the inner compartment to help prevent protect against water and dust ingress.
The Velos messenger is a unisex case that includes plenty of storage space for school supplies or mobile accessories, and will look appropriately smart in both campus lounges and corporate offices. Quality of materials and workmanship appear to be first-rate, and I have no hesitation giving this case a five-out-of-five rating.
The Velos Messenger can accommodate laptops measuring up to 14.33” x 1.69” x 11.81”, measures 14.57” x 3.54” x 12.01”, weighs 3.17 pounds and has an estimated street price of $69.99.
For more information, visit:
http://wwwtargus.com
or
http://www.targus.com/us/CategorySearch.asp?SearchedTerms=Velos+Messenger&Action=Go
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