April 23, 2009 Reader review: A man bag, man
A most universal daypack/computer briefcase - the Briggs & Riley BB107 – by OBOW uberposter Till
Inspired by my recent purchase of a Briggs and Riley BR235x carry-on bag, and fueled by my desire for a carry-everywhere bag, I scoured the web. I looked near and far, and certainly checked out half a dozen models (out of 50), before I decided. I ended up with what - I think - is about the most universally usable bag out there. But to put things into context, let me first say which other similar bags I own and who the runner-ups were.
I already have the wonderful Tenba Small Messenger Satchel. It is a perfect casual everyday bag and great as a daypack and personal item when traveling. I should write a review about it, too. What I miss in it, is a certain stylishness or elegance. It is not a bag that would go with a suit. It simply has a very laid back student or reporter look to it. It also works as a camera bag, and as such is very inconspicuous. It is incredibly practical and lightweight, too. Unfortunately, I find it not elegant enough and perhaps a tad too big for certain situations. It also doesn’t stand up well on its own without the photo insert.
;)
Moreover, I have the Tumi 26141 expandable briefcase. I find it is the perfect briefcase/gadget case. I just love that thing. But it looks, well, just like a briefcase. And it is 35 linear inches big, just like the Tenba.
The idea was to have a case that I can take with me to an art opening at a museum or a fancy dinner party with friends, be it at their house or a restaurant. In a way, I was looking for a “man bag”. A bag where I could put a camera, a note block, pens, some tech gadgets, some cigar or pipe accessories and other items a man needs. If I put this stuff into my trousers and jacket pockets, I look like the Marshmallow man. Hardly a much better option compared to the man bag guys. The usual men’s handbag is really not my cup of tea. It might be supremely practical but the kind of guy I associate with this kind of handbag makes me shudder. I am too vain.
This little man’s tote would also be too small for my needs. So, I needed something a bit bigger. The messenger/satchel style was not really a consideration because a) it was too informal, b) I already had such a bag and c) the access was not quick enough because I would have to open the flap. The Tenba is different in that regard because it has a flap and a zipper but it isn’t formal enough. So I looked at Rick Steve’s stuff, Eagle Creek, Bagallini, Pacsafe and Tumi. The Tumi Medium Travel Tote looked like it would fit the bill perfectly in terms of size. It would fit my 13” Macbook if necessary, it would fit an ordinary sheet of paper or magazine without folding it. Bags in this size yet less than 35” linear are really rare. The Tumi also had carry handles and a shoulder strap, which I liked. Some smaller daypacks didn’t have the handles. Those were out right away. Access was good, too, with all pockets accessible by zip from the exterior. The problem was that at $195 I found it really a bit pricey. The even smaller Travel Tote is the same price, by the way. Tandi makes a knock-off in leather and one in ballistic nylon that is very nice and cheaper than the Tumi. Still, the design was a bit too “man-baggy” for me.
But then I found the BB107 Vertical Organizer/Briefcase, online for $160 shipped. I will take the cons out right away. At 34” linear it is basically just as big as my Tumi and Tenba bags. It is also quite heavy because it is so well structured. It weighs 5lb but that includes the computer sleeve, the backpack straps and the excellent shoulder strap. I weighed all the items except for the bag itself. The backpack straps weigh only 130g; the shoulder strap weighs 230g and the computer sleeve 400g. That means you can easily subtract a pound or more if you don’t carry all these items at the same time. Given the extraordinarily luxurious and well thought out build of this bag, 4lb doesn’t seem bad at all.
The bag comes in BR’s standard heavy black ballistic nylon. I have a black ballistic nylon fetish, so this is convenient. ;) What sets it apart, is that it looks very simple. Looking at the bag frontally, there are basically no zips or seams visible. They are all on top and all very easily accessible while the bag is on your shoulder or at your feet when seated. There are three main compartments and an orange-lined speed-through pocket for tickets and passport etc. that are directly accessible by zip.
On the very back, there are also 1 to 2 flat compartments for quickly stowing a magazine or file folder. I say “1 to 2” because one of these compartments zips open at the bottom to allow for the bag to be passed over the telescope handles of rolling luggage. This type of slip compartment is something I look for in any bag I buy because I use this feature all the time both for the magazines and for the handle slip.
The main compartment closest to your body is a tri-partite file compartment. The file separations are not removable. It folds open coal chute style and gives really easy access.
The second compartment in the center is for a laptop up to 15”. It has no interior features or sub-compartment besides a zip where the laptop sleeve can be attached. It opens coal chute style, too. This would be roomy enough to put two bottles of wine. You could also put a light jacket or a pair of pants and a shirt in there.
;)
The third compartment is not as tall as the others. It is the front organizer compartment. This is VERY complex. There are so many pockets that BR actually puts a little manual in each bag on how to use them. I particularly enjoy trying out which one of my necessities will get which little pocket, so this was fun. There’s a place for the notepad, the pens, the business cards, camera, office supplies… for everything! It has almost as many compartments as the Tenba, probably around 20 but I didn’t count. If you don’t find a good configuration with this bag, you might never find one.
But not only the layout makes this bag versatile, also the carrying options contribute to its universal usability: backpack, shoulder bag or hand carry. Few other bags offer similar functionality. One is the Architect series from Victorinox but it is more expensive, doesn’t look that good, and has an inferior warranty.
That’s why I think this is really the most universal bag out there. It is stylish enough to carry to official functions but also discreet (not flashy), hardy enough to carry everyday and laid out to work as a briefcase/computer bag or as a daypack. It really combines the best of both worlds from the Tumi and the Tenba, and it adds backpack straps as well as a simple look that can pass muster anywhere. For my personal use it could have been 3 inches lower, two inches narrower and one inch less deep. It would then come in at around 29 linear inches. One should be modest, and this is probably as close as I will get to the perfect everyday-every-situation gear bag. If I weren’t so afraid of forgetting it somewhere or having it stolen, I would put my wallet, keys, IPod, cell phone and glasses in there and be done with shifting those essential items everyday into a different jacket and into different pants. However, I believe that the risk of having all of these items in one place is too great. If somebody gets the bag, they know where you live, have access to your car and your credit cards and perhaps even to your photos, passwords and documents. It must be really stressful for women to carry the responsibility for their handbags. Yet as far as “man bags” go, this is the tom-cat’s meow.
From the B&R site:
“Our vertical packing option allows this brief to be used as a backpack or as a traditional computer brief.”
- SpeedThruTM pocket for hassle-free airport security checks
- Three section design: (a) organizer(b) computer and (c) fan file section
- TechGuardTM computer pocket with dual-density foam base and fleece lining
- Checkpoint friendly computer sleeve fits most 15.4” laptop screens
| dims: | 15 x 12.5 x 6.3 in. |
| 38.1 x 31.8 x 16.0 cm |
Reader Comments (9)
I forgot to add that due to the format and the zippers being bi-directional and accessible from the top, it is possible to put the BB107 into an overhead bin standing on its long side with the zips facing forward. This means that a) it take very little room and is very space efficient, and b) you can access the contents without taking the bag out of the bin and without anything falling out. I think that's a great bonus after reading one of the recent posts at FT where one guy got miffed because another passenger wedged in his briefcase so he couldn't access it anymore. People are sooo sensitive. ;) Anyways, the BB107 will prevent this sort of ennui.
That's a really good looking bag. Nice clean lines. I have been thinking of finding a bag that's a little more business like, a little more elegant looking, than my current canvas and leather one. I might have to have a look at this model.
Looks like you're thinking exactly along the same lines as I. Check it out if you have a local store. I mean this piece is so nice you could perhaps even order it online and return it if you don't like it. Mine came very well packed. Would be no problem to return it. Bergman Luggage I believe is where I got it.
Just reporting bag. I have used the bag practically daily for more than two weeks now. It works just as I hoped it would, so I'm quite happy. I use the backpack straps so far because they are lighter. What I find very good in daily use is how the bag stands on its own and how easy it is to operate the zips with one hand. The vertical layout makes it also easy to find stuff which comes as somewhat of a surprise. It's probably because the compartments can open really wide if you need them to, since they are gusseted.
kingalien from FT pointed out to me that the bag is now on sale at BR website for $160. Great price.
Just a little price update. Fink's luggage has it on sale for $140. This is an absolutely great price for this bag which in my humble opinion is as good as my beloved Tumi 26141 but more versatile thanks to the layout and the backpack straps.
If this further reduction means that the bag is going to be discontinued, I'd grab one while it's still on the market.
http://www.finksluggage.com/bb107.html
Till,
Did you get a chance to compare the BB107 with the Victorinox Acropolis CS2, which is currently heavily discounted as well? Thoughts?
Yes, I looked at the photos of both before I made a purchase decision. By the way, the BB107 can be had for around $100 from luggagepro now. Look at the thread on FT to see how. The Acropolis is a very nice bag and a great knock-off of the BB107. I say that because I believe the Acropolis was really modeled after the BB107. Not sure though.
Even at the same price I found the BB107 to be preferable.
1. Even better, cleaner looks.
2. Nicer material.
3. Better warranty.
4. Lighter weight.
5. Two grab handles give better weight distribution than one.
6. You can take out the laptop without taking out the sleeve on the BR.
7. Much more elaborate organization panel on the BR. I wanted that.
Possibly the CS2 has a better shoulder strap. The backpack straps do look more comfortable on the CS2.
Finally, I somehow just don't feel Victorinox. The Architecture and Tourbach lines are the only remotely interesting thing. The rest... shrug! Leaves me utterly cold. I also prefer specialized luggage brands to label shoot offs. I'd not buy a Ralph Lauren bag unless I found it eminently sexy and fashionable and I wouldn't have great expectations to perform well in the luggage criteria. For my "all the time bag" I wanted a serious tool with clean looks. Basically, the BB107 does the same thing as my beloved Tenba Satchel but looks more stylish doing so and can thus go to more places. If you don't need the style the Tenba is hard to beat. Right now the Tenba and the BB 107 are at about the same price. If I didn't have both bags, I'd buy them now.
I'd like to add a little usage note. As you have understood, I am a sucker for little pockets for all my gadgets. Some people don't like all those little pockets because they find that they restrict the organization more than they facilitate it or because they don't find anything anymore (Which pocket did I put those paper clips in?).
With the Tenba satchel, the latter has been a problem because the sub division and zippers are spread out everywhere. Almost every compartment has another compartment inside of it. It can get a bit confusing. You need to come up with a system and stick to it, or you'll get panicked that you lost your Ipod even though you only put it into a different pocket - I speak from experience.
With the BB107 this is not the case. You know that all the little compartments are in the front panel. So that's where you look and it is easy to find a system for what goes where in the front panel. The two other compartments are for files or computer/open use but they have no sub-pockets.
Till