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November 1, 2007
Higher Ground Shuttle Review
Many months ago, a soft goods company called Higher Ground sent me their Shuttle Bag to review. At the time I was using a Booq Folee XS for my 13" Macbook. I saw no reason to switch plus the Booq bag was aesthetically more pleasing to me. Unfortunately one of the zippers broke so I switched to the Shuttle Bag. Here's my review.
I received the green colored Shuttle bag and when I say green, I mean it. It's almost a highlighter green with a hint of pine. You can also get it in pink, blue, and black. The bag is nicely padded and wrapped in what looks to be rip-stop nylon tho I'm not going to test if it is. Overall it feels solid light.
There's a rubberized hand strap on the left side of the bag which is what I use most. It also has a shoulder strap attachment that I found just as comfortable but I'm not a shoulder bag type of guy unless it's from Bottega Veneta. The velcro-fastened front flap is big enough to shove magazines and paper work in but it's not as nicely constructed as my Booq bag. Tho adequate I never used it.
The real advantage the Shuttle had over my Booq Folee was the ability to use my laptop in the bag open. Made specifically for this purpose, four rubber mats elevate my laptop just enough for heat to dissipate and there's a myriad of slots and compartments to store memory cards and discs. The interior is also heavily padded so any bumps and even drops should leave your laptop unscathed.
I found only two faults with the bag. There are no compartments to hold my a/c adapter. Using the front flap is sorta cheating since that's the only unpadded area plus it makes the bag uncomfortably bulge. My other complaint is the backpack strap attachment. Thru a series of snaps and loops you can transform the Shuttle into a backpack. I don't know who's back they measured as a template but it doesn't fit me and I'm only 5'9", 170 lbs. Fortunately the backpack strap is sold separately and definitely something you can do without.
The best part about the Shuttle is the price. $40 gets you a bag perfect for a Macbook or any other 13 incher. You can also get the bag in 15 and 17 inch varieties for slightly more. I can't say that I prefer the Shuttle over my Booq Folee but in the 4 months of using it, not once has anything popped off or ripped and in reality that's the most important thing when shopping for a laptop bag. It needs to be durable so your very expensive investment inside is well protected.
Posted by tranism at 11:07 AM | Permalink