I’m a huge fan of WaterField products and use them pretty much every day. So, when I write that the new WaterField Air Porter and Air Caddy are among the best products they have delivered, I mean it. Still, I can’t help but wonder if WaterField Waterfield isn’t making a mistake with these latest offerings.
We’ll get into Waterfield’s “mistake” in a bit. First, let’s dig into the Air Porter and Air Caddy a bit.
As with all WaterField products, the Air Porter is crafted in their own San Fransisco-based workshop. The pride Waterfield takes in their US-made offerings is evident in every one of their products. The Air Porter and Air Caddy are no exceptions. For simplicity, I’ll simply refer to the Air Porter for now and then return to the optional Air Caddy.
The Air Porter is available in your choice of a black nylon or waxed canvas base with naturally tanned leather accents. I opted for the waxed canvas. Both are great, but for me, Waterfield’s waxed canvas bags always seem to win.
The bag is fairly large measuring in at 15” x 10.25” x 4.5” and weighing in at 2.4 lbs. It’s not a heavy bag, but it is substantial. It is also built in as uncompromising way as you will find. The fit and finish are precise. There are no loose threads, and each piece of this rather complex bag fits perfectly with all the others. Waterfield uses splash-proof YKK zippers, has a water-protective material on either side of the zipper and a water-resistant lining, so items you place inside are nicely protected. No, this is not a waterproof bag, but it gets as close as possible for a bag such as this. Waterfield also employs hidden magnetic closures, so the flap stays closed without the need for unsightly straps or snaps. In all, this is a bag whose every detail was thoughtfully determined, and it shows!
The top of that bag has two handles —one on either side of the main zippers — so you can carry it like a briefcase.
The company also includes a removable suspension strap that connects to the D-Rings on either side of the bag.
This means you can choose how you carry the Air Porter and, if you aren’t using the shoulder strap, you can remove it and leave it at home to save some weight.
