I was impressed by the Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3. (Read our review.) The $89.95 bag is Skooba Design’s first north/south bag, is a great way to carry your tablet, a keyboard and a few extras. It offers great organization and will last a lifetime. I had one major complaint and with Rev2 of the bag it has been addressed.
Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3 Video Look
The Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3 Features:
- Super-sleek, incredibly light, yet tough as a tank. Carries and protects any tablet or reader, with all its accessories, plus room for papers and more.
- Quick-access top zipper lets you get to tablet without putting the bag down or opening the main flap
- Wide strap with non-slip pad stays put comfortably on your shoulder, or slide the pad off the strap and wear as a cross-body messenger.
- Feature-packed, yet weighs only 20 ounces — yes, 20 ounces — that’s not a typo.
I like and use the Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3 constantly these days but did find one major flaw with it that has continued to bug me. As I put it in the initial review
The shoulder strap connects to the bag using real metal hardware. It will last the lifetime of the bag (and beyond) and, while removable, it’s designed to come off only when you consciously choose to remove it. But since there is no grab handle on the top of the bag, there really isn’t any reason you would ever WANT to remove the shoulder strap, since doing so would leave you with what is basically a big heavy tablet sleeve. There’s no way to grab hold of it when the strap is removed. To me that is, as I mention in our video look, a mistake.
Yes, while the shoulder strap is important, having a grab handle makes carrying a bag like this much easier. And while I understand the decision to keep the lines of the bag a bit cleaner I simply disagreed with it and would have preferred Skooba include the handle. Thankfully in Rev2 of the Skooba Design iPad Tablet Courier V.3 the handle has been added.
The grab handle is simply a piece of webbing attached to the upper rear portion of the bag. It is simple in design and certainly not ideal as the main way to carry this bag. If, however, you need to grab the bag and get moving it is a great addition. In the two days I have been carrying the bag I have already found it helpful more than a few times.
With the addition of the grab handle I can change my initial review summary to now look like this…
MSRP: $89.95
What I Like: Great materials, design and build; Holds a tablet and enough extras for a day of work without weighing you down; Quick access to contents of the front external pocket; Tablet compartment acts as a sling and prevents the tablet from touching the bottom of the bag; Can indeed hold an 11? MacBook air
What Needs Improvement: Nothing now that it has a grab handle on the top
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
Learn more and order your Skooba Design iPad Tablet Courier V.3 here.