Tech Folio Brief

I had been using a tote my old job gave me for getting the covid shot. An enormous upgrade, really liking it.

I set out to find the BEST laptop bag that would fit a 16" MacBook Pro and ALL of my accessories, cables, adapters, etc. (I am also a video producer and photographer.) After weeks of research, I narrowed down my selections and tried seven (7) different brands and models that fit all of my criteria. THIS is the ONLY BAG that I did not send back. It checks off each and every box on my list of necessities ... and more. The quality is superb. Top notch. And the strap is amazingly comfortable. Thank you for making the best bag on the market! (This is actually my second Waterfield Bag. I purchased a satchel model for a different device a few years ago.) Blessings, Chris

I purchased the 16” Slim Bag in black ballistic nylon with chocolate leather. The bag is perfectly designed to accommodate all my tech and office gear, and the quality is exceptionally impressive. More importantly, I included special instructions during my order, requesting a handwritten "Happy Birthday" note. The team put significant effort into crafting the note beautifully. I'm completely satisfied with both the bag and the outstanding customer service.

Have been using the bag as daily driver for 6 months. I do like the bag, but it's quite a bit off from endgame for me.

Typical carry for context:
- Main compartment: 16' Macbook Pro, charger, keys, pencil case, some game console, and a laptop stand.
- Tech area: Extra cords incl' some I rarely use, cloths and sprays to clean devices, usb converters, a small first aid kit, tools for small electronics, external battery, magic touchpad, and low profile Corne keyboard.
- Total weight incl' bag ends up being 16-20lbs, pretty hefty

Pros:
- Magnetic front pocket is great, large enough for phone, wallet, a couple pens and breath mints, very easy to access
- Large main compartment can carry an entire office setup and a game console with room to spare.
- Not comfortable to carry for long stretches when you have 20 pounds packed, but the strap is comfortable enough to go from car to office no problem.
Good looking bag
- The felt pockets that don't have zippers are easy to reach into to grab items when bag is at your side

Cons:
- The zipper for the main compartment is at the very back, which makes it difficult to access when it’s against your body generally, and almost impossible when you don't have a rigid body in the bag.. I realize they did this to make your laptop immediately accessible, but I don't think moving zipper forward slightly would impact accessibility that much.
- The mesh pockets in the tech area are good for cords, but are too fragile for tech tools. My screwdriver and spudgel tools have both punctured it.
- I wish the zippers on the main compartment would pull down more. With the 6 inch model, I can’t open the main compartment wide enough to see contents of the bag with a ceiling light and have to carry a small flashlight to rummage in the bag. This is problematic for my mobile office, because I can’t throw small items into it freely, I must always use a secondary inner bag (typically an Evergoods access pouch).
- The three small zipper sections are too small to fit your whole hand in there (I wear a medium glove), and don’t lend themselves to small usb adapters and dongles very well. My usb-c to usb mini adapter also punctured the mesh. I wish these were full size like the pockets at the front.
- The rear being just a luggage strap feels like a bit of a waste. If they put a magnetic pocket in the back, it could be the perfect place for cords and writing instruments, I have a feeling they'll implement this in the v2.
- There is enough space to carry a ton of stuff, but a crossbody is never going to be comfortable with the weight you can fit in here.
- My bag came with some frayed threads and poor stitching in places that I had to snip. It functions just fine despite this though, and unless this is a common complaint I might have gotten unlucky

Personal cons that are too personal or specific that get me but didn’t factor into my score:
- The padding on the front is too thick to reliably put on enamel pins. I've been able to force it with locking pins, but even those sometimes snap off.
- I wish that there was a loop or a hidden pocket for a pen or a tool at the side. Pens flop around in the front pouch and can sometimes fall to the bottom making them difficult to access, having a small space on the side would save me pocket space.

I prefer compact, minimalistic laptop bags. I carry my laptop everywhere and dislike bulky cases. I loved my Waterfield Outback Duo Laptop Brief, which I had for years, but I eventually outgrew it.

I needed something compact but with more room. Since nothing beats a Waterfield bag, I checked out their options and found the Tech Folio Brief to be perfect. It features the same waxed canvas and chocolate leather I adored in the Outback. I ordered it, and it’s become my new daily driver. It’s built to last for years.