The heavy 1970s seat belt buckle can also be used to knock out muggers.
You’ve gotta carry your laptop in something. But—let’s face it—there are a lot of ugly laptop bags out there. If you’re looking for something with a little more style, options can be limited. Then there’s the question of function. Plenty of briefcase-style bags offer loads of storage capacity for cables, peripherals, and other gear you need to get work done, but anyone who’s tried to lug around 15 pounds of gear in a poorly designed bag with a skimpy shoulder strap quickly learns how much thoughtful design counts when it comes to bags. For computer-toting road warriors, Chrome’s single-strap Soma bag succeeds where many other bags fall short. While the two-tone color scheme is not the grooviest we’ve ever seen, Chrome’s street style is evident, and the bag is easy and comfortable to carry, even when loaded up with our MacBook and a ton of extras.
The first thing we noticed about Soma was Chrome’s signature seat belt–buckle closure. Inserting the tab into the buckle makes a satisfying metallic click, a sound familiar to anyone who’s ever ridden in the backseat of a large American station wagon. The buckle closure makes for quick on-and-off, but the buckle can be somewhat cumbersome because of its heft. If you’re used to just tossing your bag down at home, be warned that doing so with the Soma can result in divots in wood floors and angry looks from significant others.
Inside, the Soma features a padded compartment for your laptop, along with an open compartment with several pockets. Your laptop fits in vertically, and the bag will fit up to a 15-inch MacBook Pro. There are pockets of varying sizes, although most are fairly shallow. A single pocket on the wall of the bag offers a zipper closure. Overall, the bag offers plenty of storage for everyday use, and we were even able to pack for an overnight trip—laptop included—with the Soma.
The Soma closes via a large flap over the top, fastened with plastic buckles. The strap is worn across your chest, messenger-style. It is easy to adjust while you’re wearing the bag, which is useful for making quick getaways—or in our case, sprinting after a bus. The Soma also features a small second chest strap to stabilize the bag when riding a bike, but we didn’t use it, and unfortunately it is permanently attached to the bag. The carry handle, on the other hand, proved quite useful.
The Soma is comfortable to wear, and slicker than a lot of other laptop bags.
Wide strap is comfortable for prolonged use. Seat belt–style buckle looks cool and is easy
to use.
Only one large zippered pocket inside. No key loop. Small stabilizer strap isn’t detachable.
StoneCRM114
February 26, 2009 at 10:35am
I love my Chrome bag. My wife got it for me over 4 years ago, and even though my laptop is more or less chained up at home, it's a great bag that I still use for travel.
The only problem I've had is that if I use it as my carry on, it gets hand searched every time. Even if there is nothing in it except clothing. The only thing I can figure is that the belt buckle must look threatening under x-ray.
