Company: SFBags
Price: $209-$289 (Depending on size and configuration)
URL: www.sfbags.com
When you invest over $2000 in a piece of technology, one of the most important accessories is the one you'll use to carry it around. When I got my MacBook Pro, the first thing I did was throw it in a sleeve; the next thing was throw out my old bag and search for a new one. The choice was broad, ranging from full-size back packs to business carry-alls to small sleeves with few pockets. One of the brightest stars of the bunch came from Mambo Cargo by WaterField Designs.
The Cargo Mambo Combo came well equipped. The Combo featured the Cargo Sleeve Bag, a Laptop Sleeve, Shoulder Strap and accessory pouch.
The Bag
The Mambo bag was immediately impressive, taking quite some time to find every little pocket. One thing most bag makers seem to forget is the importance of pockets. The Mambo is a really great example of a bag that utilizes its real-estate to provide exceptionally useful storage space, without compromising the overall look. The Mambo uses its flap, front-side, body, backside and one of the sides for storage. Many of the pockets have extra organizers in them for such things as business cards, pens and pencils and media devices. It was really refreshing to see the attention to detail put into this product. Whether it's the unique clipping strap on the front of the flap, the way the shoulder strap is easily stored on the side of the bag, or the protective lips on the top of the main storage compartment, this bag shows-off quality and detail at every corner.
When you first look at this bag, you may be surprised to realize that unbuckling and lifting the front flap does not reveal the main storage compartment. Instead, the main storage pocket is always accessible from a zipper on the top of the bag. While this certainly represents an interesting paradigm shift in the design of carrier bags, this is certainly an improvement I was quite happy with. This makes accessing your most important stuff extremely easy, while maintaining a traditional look.
The actual design of the bag is interesting as well. The unit I had a Silver-Black design on the front, as well as on the computer sleeve. While I generally like the design, I did get mixed reviews from people. While some really liked modern and somewhat flashy look, others felt it was a bit too flashy. If you don't want to stand out much, this bag may not be for you.
The overall build of the bag is extremely impressive. The Cargo Mambo screams quality. Everything form the material used to the zippers and inside compartments. The only thing lacking inside the main compartment is more padding for laptop protection. While the sleeve is great, it is optional and I would not recommend using this bag for your laptop without some additional protection, whether it be the Mambo Sleeve or an alternate choice.
The Accessories
The Cargo Mambo Combo comes with some great additions. The padding for the shoulder strap
makes using the bag much more comfortable and much more usable, while the well thought-out computer sleeve gives your notebook the added protection lacking in the bag itself.The sleeve was really impressive, fitting my 15" MacBook Pro perfectly. The velcro strap on one end helps keeps your computer safely inside the sleeve, while the pull-tab strap on the opposite side greatly aids while removing your computer. Highlights of the sleeve include the paper-sized (and extremely useful sleeve) and the incredible build quality, succeeded only by the bag itself.
The Cargo Mambo Combo comes with the choice of a "Gear Pouch" or "Cable Guy".
Both cases are similar and come in the choice of three different sizes and multiple colour patterns. While both cases are similar, the "Gear Pouch" is likely more appropriate for some smaller items and accessories, especially a student, carrying pens, pencils, a calculator and an iPod. I would recommend a "Cable Guy" to anyone carrying around some larger items, like a mouse, cables (duh!), and even small hard-drives.Conclusions
The Cargo Mambo Combo is one of the best laptop/bag combinations I have ever used. Right out of that packaging I was immediately impressed with the design, while the build impressed me equally as much as soon as I started using it. Functionally, the bag provides almost everything a user might need, including tons of easy access to pockets, lots of real-estate for all types of items, many compartments for smaller items, along with some of the most thought-out and detailed design considerations you could ask for. The Mambo Combo might not be perfect for everyone; it wasn't always perfect for me. But if you're looking for a laptop bag for casual use, the Cargo Mambo Combo delivers the perfect combinations of style and functionality at a fairly reasonable price.
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