Yes, messenger bags are stylish. But after several years of schlepping our MacBooks and their accoutrement around in one, we were ready for something easier to carry. Backpacks--and laptop versions in particular--certainly aren’t known for being particularly fashion-forward, but we are pleased with Evolution’s sporty good looks, as well as its full complement of pockets.

STM sells the Evolution in two sizes, built to fit 13- or 15-inch MacBooks. The outdoorsy styling strikes us as somewhere between one of those ubiquitous hydration backpacks and a trail-running shoe. It’s not necessarily our favorite look, but we have to give STM credit for breaking out of the plain-black-computer-bag mold that reminds us of conventioneers and/or The Man. There are a couple of extra straps on the bag for both compression and stabilization across your chest, but we found them to be more aesthetic than useful or necessary, and they tended to snag on things as we hauled the Evolution around.

Evolution offers some heavy-duty protection for your trusty sidekick(s).

The bag’s main compartment is divided into two sections: a padded sleeve-like cubby for your laptop and a larger section for books, file folders, and the like. There’s also a large-ish rear compartment subdivided into different-sized pockets for power adapters, business cards, pens, and other small items. On the outside are two mesh pockets meant to hold water bottles, newspapers, or umbrellas. And speaking of umbrellas, the Evolution features a rain shell that stows away in a hidden zipper compartment in the bag’s base. While it doesn’t really rain enough where we live for that to be necessary, residents of wetter climes (cough, cough, Seattle) will certainly appreciate it.

The shoulder straps are fairly well padded, and there’s a waist strap that can be stowed away, although the bag’s modest size only allows for a certain amount of extra gear anyway, making the strap somewhat superfluous. That said, the bag’s construction is durable, and it doesn’t scream “Hey! There’s a laptop in here!” which is useful for avoiding muggings on the street. There’s plenty of padding, both in the laptop section and on the panel that rests against your back, but the trade-off is that the bag itself doesn’t compress much when it’s empty.