A streamlined bag as attractive as your Mac

Until recently, my ideal bag was big enough for my laptop, iPad, iPhone, chargers and cables, plus a sweatshirt, a sandwich--anything I could shove inside. And the more space I had, the more I shoved.

So what changed? I had a kid. Now when I leave the house I’ve got not only my laptop bag, but also a baby strapped into a bulky car seat, plus his giant diaper bag. When I got desperate to shave some of that weight, my own oversized bag had to go.

Slim, light, and well designed--just like your laptop.

Tom Bihn’s bags are top-notch quality, thoughtfully designed to be as useful as they are handsome. The Cadet is the company’s slimmest briefcase-style bag, a natural fit for Apple’s slender, attractive hardware. I tested the smaller version, the 11/iPad size, and it fit my 11-inch MacBook Air, two iPads, and a charger in the main compartment. My iPhone rides in the soft suede-lined pocket out front. An organizer pocket holds my mouse, pens, wallet, and keys. The unzipped pocket on the back is perfect for a couple of file folders and a legal pad.

The included Cadet Cache sleeve comes sized for an iPad, 11-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook or MacBook Pro, or 15-inch MacBook Pro. Most days the sleeve stays inside the Cadet and I just pull out the laptop. But to go through an airport checkpoint, the whole Cadet Cache slides out to go through the X-ray machine--while staying attached to the rest of the bag with two removable straps. Genius! Speaking of travel, the optional $30 Absolute Shoulder Strap’s generous width, ergonomic curve, and stretch makes the bag comfortable to carry, and never once slipped off my shoulder.

The bottom line. The Cadet is dripping with quality, but doesn’t come cheap: it’s $170, and $30 more for the Absolute Shoulder Strap. Of course, Apple fans should know you’ll get everything you pay for.