Customer Tip: Personalize your Pro Backpack — Etch a meaningful design
From the HeyGary customer mailbag on the Pro Executive Laptop Backpack:
Hello, Gary,
I wanted to show a modification I did to your bag. I took the bag on its maiden trip from New York to Amsterdam this week. In honor of the trip, I had it engraved with a scene from the city. The original design had "Amsterdam" on it originally but since the bag was designed in San Francisco, I didn't want it to be so conflicting. I dropped the "Amsterdam" and replaced it with XXX, the symbol of their flag. Everything else was very similar to San Francisco and I thought it looked great.
It lived up to everything you said it would. 10/10 will recommend. It's changed the way I travel.
- Sean R., New York
Sean's more detailed review:
My business partner and I travel a lot and on a recent trip to Denver he was touting how awesome his new bag from Waterfield was. This alone was curious since I thought a bag is a bag, how can one be excited about such a thing, let alone be compelled to convince another person to buy one.
As he droned on about the bag, I checked out the Waterfield Web site and later watched a video with Gary explaining how much research and consideration for the customer’s use went into the design. I was convinced enough to try. It turned out that a week after he ordered his bag, the new exec bag was released. I had to one up him so I order one on the spot. Now I’d have the latest and greatest.
The bag was included in one of the first shipments so I received it just one week ago. I opened it up and was immediately impressed with how is stood up straight, kept its shape, and just looked sharp. Next I opened up each section to lay out in my head where I would put each of the primary items I travel with. I was trying to get a general feel of how I would use the bag. The material is a rugged study nylon stitched from the inside so it’s hidden from view. The zippers are covered with a material that blends into the bag which keeps the zippers themselves hidden. Small details like this add to the sheer beauty of the bag with no loss of functionality. On appearance alone, this bag does not look strange with a suit or sports coat, whatsoever.
Looks are fine but functionality is still king when it comes to bags and this one delivers. For me, the best pocket is the top front one above the leather. On and off, I keep my passport, wallet, and any small items I need to access very quickly. This came in handy when boarding planes, trains, and passing through customs. The next most convenient pocket is the laptop compartment. It’s lined with super soft material and separately has bag length pockets for power cords, a notebook, and other accessories. Everything fits naturally and no space is wasted. I wasn’t sure if I would get much use of of the side pockets until I was holding my travel headphones in one hand and a can of soda in the other. Perfect fit and it didn’t create a bulge on the bag. Lastly, the main compartment is confusingly large for such a compact bag. Without jamming, I fit more clothes in there than I thought possible. All loaded, the bag looked great and when I put it on, it felt great. I could walk for miles wearing it, and I did. I walked all over Amsterdam and never felt uncomfortable. In the last week, I took the bag to New York City, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Geneva and put a lot of miles on it. I love this bag and now I see why someone would be excited about “just” a bag.
As he droned on about the bag, I checked out the Waterfield Web site and later watched a video with Gary explaining how much research and consideration for the customer’s use went into the design. I was convinced enough to try. It turned out that a week after he ordered his bag, the new exec bag was released. I had to one up him so I order one on the spot. Now I’d have the latest and greatest.
The bag was included in one of the first shipments so I received it just one week ago. I opened it up and was immediately impressed with how is stood up straight, kept its shape, and just looked sharp. Next I opened up each section to lay out in my head where I would put each of the primary items I travel with. I was trying to get a general feel of how I would use the bag. The material is a rugged study nylon stitched from the inside so it’s hidden from view. The zippers are covered with a material that blends into the bag which keeps the zippers themselves hidden. Small details like this add to the sheer beauty of the bag with no loss of functionality. On appearance alone, this bag does not look strange with a suit or sports coat, whatsoever.
Looks are fine but functionality is still king when it comes to bags and this one delivers. For me, the best pocket is the top front one above the leather. On and off, I keep my passport, wallet, and any small items I need to access very quickly. This came in handy when boarding planes, trains, and passing through customs. The next most convenient pocket is the laptop compartment. It’s lined with super soft material and separately has bag length pockets for power cords, a notebook, and other accessories. Everything fits naturally and no space is wasted. I wasn’t sure if I would get much use of of the side pockets until I was holding my travel headphones in one hand and a can of soda in the other. Perfect fit and it didn’t create a bulge on the bag. Lastly, the main compartment is confusingly large for such a compact bag. Without jamming, I fit more clothes in there than I thought possible. All loaded, the bag looked great and when I put it on, it felt great. I could walk for miles wearing it, and I did. I walked all over Amsterdam and never felt uncomfortable. In the last week, I took the bag to New York City, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Geneva and put a lot of miles on it. I love this bag and now I see why someone would be excited about “just” a bag.
Thank you, Sean, for making the bag your very own one-of-a-kind.
