Top: The Skiivy (medium)Today Crumpler makes all sorts of bags for your stuff, including bags for cameras and notebooks, ranging in styles like messenger bags and backpacks. We're going to take a good look at three notebook bags from Crumpler: The Skivvy, The Dreadful Embarrassment, and The Horseman. As you can see, the names of the bags are very unusual... but that's what gives Crumpler their personality. It just doesn't feel like you're getting another bag, rather it feels like your adopting a new pet into your family.
How We Review Bags
I know that testing a bag is fairly subjective, which is why I strongly recommend you to go out and try these bags on and see if it's enough for your needs. However, we don't always have that luxury so it is our hope to provide you with enough detail to make an informed decision.To ensure that we give the bags a fair chance, we used all three Crumpler bags extensively for two months traveling on the subway, in a car, walking, and shopping. Wherever we went, the bags came along.
What the heck is a Skivvy anyway and what does that have to do with a bag? For those who don't know (don't be embarrassed if you don't!), *skivvy* is slang for underwear. Yep. That's right; Crumpler has named this bag underwear. So let me ask you this, do you wear your underwear on the inside or on the outside?The Skivvy comes in three different sizes (small for a 12" notebook, medium for 14" or a compact 15", and large for 15" and slim 17"), and a wide variety of colours. Between the three sizes, you can choose from 5 to 7 different colour coordinations to suit your personality. The medium sized Skivvy we have here today comes in 5 schemes, red being the one we received.
The Asus Z96J I use regularly is a beefy 15.4" notebook similar to a Dell Inspiron or an HP Pavilion. Though the Skivvy is advertised to accommodate a 15" notebook, and The Skivvy barely fit the Z96J. It was very snug leaving no slack for any accessories inside the main compartment. A 15" standard 4:3 aspect notebook would probably be fine in this bag, but not 15.4" which are more popular these days.It should accommodate slimmer 15" notebooks like a MacBook Pro or a Sony VAIO, and it handled my 14.1" Compaq with no problems. Regardless of which notebook you put into the Skivvy, there isn't much room for other items. I guess with a name like "Skivvy" you'll be carrying just the bare essentials.
The Asus Z96J barely fits into the medium Skiivy.The Skivvy has a simple compartment design with no pockets or zippers aside from the one for the outer-most compartment. Very basic design for someone looking to travel light and quickly.
Skivvy Specifications (from the Crumpler website)- Compact padded laptop sleeve tailored for 14 & 15" laptops and a few accessories.
- Water resistant 900D Nylon shell & 420D Ripstop Nylon lining
- Padded laptop compartment
- Large external gusseted zip pocket
- Adjustable & removable main strap
- Carry handle
- Velcro release flap
- Fits most 14 & 15" laptops (14" or compact 15" laptop, also fits 13" & 15" MacBook Pro, power supply and mouse)
- It's also a versatile equipment bag due its 'tennis ball' seam, easily masking the shape of bulky objects carried within
Physical Dimensions:
- 35 x 34 x 7cm / 14" x 13.5" x 2.5"
- vol 4 litres
- Laptop size: 32.5x30x5cm / 12.8x11.8x2"
Our next bag is called the Dreadful Embarrassment and is a much larger bag compared to the Skivvy. The Dreadful Embarrassment is a fair sized bag able to hold your 15.4" notebook, accessories, and your belongings.
On the outside of the bag, you will not find any exterior pockets which is a common thing on Crumpler bags. Crumpler prefers to keep their contents concealed inside the bag rather on the outside where thieves can grab it, also and it makes the bag look a lot tidier.
The strap on the Dreadful Embarrassment is adjustable and comes with a thick shoulder pad for comfort. This is great because nothing sucks more than a strap digging into your shoulder while you're waiting for a plane or running to an appointment.
The cover is held in place with two very large Velcro pads and by two adjustable plastic clips. I found the Velcro is enough to keep everything secure, though the clips do add some extra security.
The front of the bag also has an interesting pleat which at a first glance is just for style, but actually conceals thoughtful design. Taking a cue from luggage, the pleat (which Crumpler calls the "Tennis Ball Seam") is actually an accordion pouch which expands and extra 2 inches if needed. So if you're loading up the Dreadful Embarrassment with a large amount of stuff, the compartment inside actually expands a bit to give you extra space.There are three main compartments inside The Dreadful Embarrassment: the padded notebook compartment, the middle compartment, and the front compartment.
Unlike other computer bag companies who pad the entire bag, Crumpler only pads the notebook compartment which is roughly 1/3 of the space. This may seem a bit odd, but it makes the bag lighter and more flexible so it can carry odd-sized objects. Is there a need to pad the entire interior of a bag when the only valuable and breakable component is the computer itself?
The computer compartment is just a simple sleeve with a Velcro strap to keep it snug.
The middle compartment is the largest area capable of carrying another notebook if you choose, and the power adapters for both systems. There are pouches and pockets on the inside panels to hold pens, a small MP3 player (like a Nano), keys and other small objects.
The outer compartment is just another place to put more stuff and has a nice meaty zipper to keep it shut. The zipper is worth focusing on because it feels very well designed - the fabric, the teeth, and the tab all feel sturdy and strong.My only beef with The Dreadful Embarrassment is that it does not have a carrying handle of any sort. A handle would be very useful in helping you navigate through tight spots like through a crowded place or when exiting a car, instead this bag requires you to have it over your shoulder at all times.
The Dreadful Embarrassment Specs (from Crumpler's website)
- Water resistant 900D Nylon shell & 420D Ripstop Nylon lining
- Padded laptop compartment with 6 pocket organizer
- External zip pocket
- 3x internal front pockets
- Adjustable main strap & shoulder pad
- Clip & Velcro release flap
- 15" and compact 17" laptops and A4/Letter-size documents & magazines, plus accessories. Works with the 15" PowerBook & MacBook Pro, and the 17" PowerBook & MacBook Pro.
- Converts to photo/video equipment bag with optional extra Bucket BU-02A insert.
Physical dimensions
- approx. 45x30x17cm / approx. 17x12x7"
- vol 16 litres
- Laptop Sleeve: 39x26x4cm / 15.4x10.2x1.6"
The last Crumpler bag we are looking at today is the largest of the three. The Horseman is a legendary sack that is capable of carrying all your stuff and more. Like all the bags we've looked at so far the Horseman is simple in design which carries with it the same pros and cons. The advantage is that you get a bag that's functional and simple, but on the other hand, you compromise a bit by not having any readily accessible exterior pockets.The shoulder strap is a little different from the other bags because it uses a locking buckle-like mechanism, called a Quick Flick buckle, in which you pull the excess strap through like an airplane seatbelt. It makes adjustments a bit easier to do.
The Horseman also has something called a 3rd Leg (yep, you heard that right) which is an extra strap you can attach to give extra stability when having the bag slung across your body. The following image demonstrates its purpose.
I found that the 3rd Leg did help a lot in distributing the weight across the body instead of just across one shoulder. However, the buckle would dig into my ribs, which isn't so pleasant.
Unlike the Skivvy and the Dreadful Embarrassment, the Horseman has loops on the exterior in which you can use to attach other things. In this case, I have a Crumpler Thirsty Al add on which straps on nicely.
The cover is held in place using two large Velcro areas and two buckles. On the inside of the cover, you will find a zippered mesh pocket. I found this pocket useful to hold keys, packs of gum, and other objects. But because this pocket is on the inside of the cover, if you open the bag and the mesh pocket is unzippered, your contents can spill out. I think it would have been more useful if this pocket were zippered on both sides so you can access its contents regardless of how you access the bag.On the inside of the Horseman, you have plenty of warehousing space to place all your belongings. In all the compartments, I managed to cram a lot of junk including my notebook into its compartments.
There is a padded compartment for a notebook computer. It had absolutely no problems fitting a 15.4" notebook, but there isn't enough room for a 17" notebook like the Dell XPS M1710.Unlike other bags in this review, The Horseman has the entire middle compartment as well as the notebook sleeve padded for security. In the middle compartment there are two velcroed pockets which are useful for holding a mouse and small cables.
In the outer most compartment there are two medium sized pockets, pen holders, and a larger zippered pocket. The outer compartment also uses the same "Tennis Ball Seam" which helps you fit odd-sized objects.
The Horseman Specifications (from the Crumpler website)
- Water resistant 1000D Nylon shell & 420D Ripstop Nylon lining
- Fully padded main & laptop compartments
- 1x external gusseted zip pocket w/ 6 pocket organizer
- 3x internal front pockets
- Adjustable main strap with Quick Flick (TM) buckle
- Removable shoulder pad with "Third Leg" stability strap
- Clip & Velcro release flap
- Compact 17" laptop & accessories, A4/Letter-size documents & magazines as well as daily essentials. Works with 17" PowerBook & MacBook Pro
- Use the main or side strap to attach an optional extra Thirsty Al mobile phone holder.
Physical Dimensions:
- 45x38.x15cm
- vol 14 litres
- Laptop Sleeve: 39x30x4cm / 15.4x11.8x1.6"
I had a chance to speak to David Rose, the co-founder and CEO of Crumpler, and discussed various topics from the inspiration of their unique product names, to their unusual designs.
The vision for the company's products comes from Stewart Crumpler the artist turned bag designer who likes working with metal and industrial styles. Today you can see this translate into their bags with big heavy zippers, mesh pockets, and large buckles.
Dave Rose describes Crumpler's bags as being "over engineered" and I would have to agree. Crumpler uses very good materials and construction to ensure that their products are as tough as they are attractive. The nylon used on the exterior is extremely resistant to rips and wear, and the material is also naturally water resistant. The liner is made from a lighter nylon that other bag companies would use as their exterior material. Overall the material used is overkill - you really don't need material this tough for most every day situations, but it's all about providing a bag that is resilient and unique.
The nylon on Crumpler bags are naturally water resistant.This photo was taken after 5 minutes of putting water on the bag.
I personally own a Crumpler bag (a Karachi Outpost) that I have used extensively for the past year carrying 30 lbs. worth of computer and camera equipment. My Crumpler hasn't shown any obvious signs of wear and tear aside from a stubborn mark during a 10 day trip in Nicaragua. From personal experience I can say that these bags are strong. In contrast, I own another notebook bag from a popular peripheral/bag company whose metal strap fastener broke on the 2nd day of carrying 10 lbs of gear (my laptop and some papers).My only recommendations to Crumpler would be to consider adding some exterior pockets, pad the bottom of their bags to protect contents, and to add a handle to their bags so you can carry them differently.
Comfort
I find the comfort of these messenger bags very subjective because it really depends a lot on posture, the weight of the contents inside your bag, and your physique. From personally testing these bags over a 2 month period, I can say that they are comfortable as long as you use them within reason. In all cases, I felt back and shoulder tension when I put too much inside the bag or carried it for too long without a break. You're going to experience that with any shoulder bag, not just the ones from Crumpler.
Interestingly, The Horseman and the Dreadful Embarrassment are both designed to be slung across the body rather than hanging off one shoulder. Both bags feel a lot more comfortable being carried this way because the bags curve slightly to hug your side or back... making it easy to lug around.
Personally, I like the feel of The Horseman because of its large thick shoulder pad and the 3rd leg makes it a lot easier to carry.
Crumpler manufactures bags at a various price points and styles. The chances are there is a notebook bag that will fit within your budget. However, Crumpler bags are generally not cheap, nor are they supposed to be - you do pay a little extra, but you get a bit more in terms of design, durability, and style. Perhaps Crumpler's biggest challenge is convincing the money-conscious buyer that Crumpler's more expensive bag is worth the investment over your typical (and probably cheaper) bag from the competitor.Crumpler makes some of the most unique and attractive bags for notebook computers. While other companies are just warming up to colours other than black, Crumpler has embraced the full spectrum of colours in all their products. The selection of colours, clean designs, and durable quality really makes these bags worthy of daily use while managing to make you stand out.
Ironically, the thing which makes Crumpler so lovable is also one of the reasons you'd hate them. Because the company is so obsessed with simple and effective designs, their bags often lack things you've come to use and love on other bags like karabiner loops and outside pockets. I guess that would make Crumpler similar to the Apple Computers of the bag world.Without a doubt, Crumpler is different from your traditional notebook bag manufacturer. While other companies are content in selling you a product, Crumpler seems to want you to make a fashion statement with their accessories. You will be happy with this Aussie blend of fashionable design, strength, and functionality; just as long as you are willing to pay a little extra and can tolerate the little quirks in their designs.
Beer for Bags Sale (June 2 - 10, 2007)
Coincidentally, the publishing of this article coincides with the first annual Beer for Bags sale at the Crumpler store in Toronto, and the second one in New York.
If you go to the Crumpler Canada website (http://www.crumpler.ca/) you will see a link on how you can exchange beer (like Alexander Keith's and Steam Whistle) for a great Crumpler product!
In New York, you can find the information at the Crumpler USA site (http://www.crumplerbags.com/b4b/) . There are two locations in NY, so if there's a line up at one, try the other!I'll be taking advantage of this sale besides, when was the last time you gave beer to someone and got something decent in return?
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