Crumpler Sophisticator laptop bag review

Laptop bag

6 September 2006 0:10 GMT / By Stuart Miles

So you think your current laptop bag is tough then? Well you will until you see the Crumpler Sophisticator.

Renowned for being the bag of choice for the bike courier set, the company has broadened its offering of bags to now include the business traveller set. With it comes the launch of the Crumpler Sophisticator, a mean lean heavyweight bag that promises to be tougher than a bit of overcooked steak.

The Sophisticator is tough in all areas and is made from a material Crumpler refers to as a Chicken Tex Supreme outer shell. A 1000d nylon thread (not polyester) Crumpler, we are told, call it Chicken Tex not because it's made with real chickens, but because it looks like chicken skin.

Combine that with a waterproof lining, Nylon stitching and an external super strong zip that locks your kit inside and you know that this bag is going to be able to take a beating. Our only complaint is that the zips can't lock offering complete security.

Inside the bag offers eight internal pockets made up of four zip mesh pockets, one flap velcro closure mesh pocket and three further velcro closure pockets for storing everything you can think of, but unless you've got a photographic memory, you'll soon forgot what's in where.

Other features include an adjustable padded shoulder strap that will comfortably take all the weight of everything you are going to pile in this bag and a further two external gadget pockets for a mobile phone, or quick-to-hand documents.

Verdict

Where the Crumpler Sophisticator wins out is its toughness, and if you are looking for a bag you can literary throw (with force) on the floor when you get home this will fulfil your needs amply, the same will go for checking the bag at the airport.

It's dimensions (outside W42cm x H32cm x D15.5cm) also mean that it fits within current BAA requirements for hand luggage, however we aren't so sure that security would be too happy searching there way through all those internal pouches.

Our main concern is that while we love the internal pouches for storing everything and anything, with so many of them, you'll probably end up losing stuff never to see it again for a couple of years.

Great, but not for faint hearted.

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Review Recap

Made by: Crumpler
Price as reviewed: £110
The good: More pockets than you can shake a stick at, tough, padded
The bad: So many pockets and compartments you'll bound to lose stuff, when fully loaded it gets very heavy
Quick verdict: Tough with plenty of pockets, this is not for faint hearted
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