I’ve reviewed numerous offerings from Waterfield. Their bags are always well-made, always look great, and are a pleasure to carry. The new Waterfield Travel Folio is one of the simpler Waterfield products I have used, but that’s not to say it isn’t impressive. Its clean design makes it look professional when you walk into a meeting. You’re going to love it.
Waterfield describes the Travel Folio this way:
The elegant Travel Folio is the ultimate catch-all for travel docs, passports, visas, small electronics, and other travel necessities that otherwise tend to get scattered. Take it to business meetings straight from the airport.
As is always the case with Waterfield products, the Travel Folio is designed in house and crafted in the company’s San Francisco workshop by their skilled sewing team.
The Travel Folio measures 13.5” by 9.75”. The product page lists its weight at 6 ounces, but I suspect that will vary a bit depending on which material you choose. Those materials include your choice of full-grain leather, waxed canvas (always a great choice when ordering Waterfield products), ballistic nylon and Forza, a high-performance Italian textile. I opted for the black ballistic nylon since I wanted to get the lightest Travel Folio possible. It weighs next to nothing.
The outside of the Travel Folio is as understated as it could be. Other than a small label with the Waterfield name at the lower right corner, there is no decoration or identifying marks on it.
A single YKK self-locking zipper with a small, hard plastic pull-tab to facilitate unzipping sits about a quarter of an inch from the top edges of the folio.
That keeps the zipper and the pull below the edge when closed and helps prevent it from being snagged on clothing to accidentally opening. It also adds to the clean and professional lines of the Travel Folio.
As we have come to expect from Waterfield, the interior of the Travel Folio is lined with their gold, water-resistant liner. The bright color not only looks great, but it also makes it easier to see the contents of the folio. The large interior is spacious but not padded. That’s important if you are thinking about using this to carry an iPad. (If that is your goal Waterfield has other solutions that offer more protection.)
On one side, there are three pen slots, an open pocket for an item you frequently need to grab and a zippered pocket for small items you want to keep safe.
That’s the extent of the organization offered by the Travel Folio. And while it certainly isn’t the kind of storage and organization my other Waterfield products have… that’s the point. This is for traveling light with just a few key items you’ll need when you walk into your next meeting or take on your next flight. Waterfield is quite clear about the limited storage and organization options noting:
The Travel Folio holds a passport, foreign bills, phone, up to three pens, coins plus other travel documents
It’s designed for a specific purpose and, as it showed during a trip I was on last week, it does that job quite well.
Features:
- Premium full-grain leather, sophisticated Italian Forza textile, rugged waxed canvas or durable ballistic nylon.
- Gold, water-resistant liner lights up the interior for increased visibility.
- Three pen slots for ballpoints, Apple Pencil, or Surface Pen.
- One zippered pocket for coins or small valuables.
- One open-topped pocket for phone, earbuds or cords.
- Fits size A4 papers.
- YKK self-locking zippers.
- Small pull-tab to facilitate unzipping.
The Waterfield Travel Folio is a great new addition to Waterfield’s lineup. It won’t replace your backpack or messenger bag. I don’t offer the same organizations prowess of products like the Waterfield Tech Folio (read our review) or the new Waterfield Developer’s Gear Case (read our review.)
The Waterfield Travel Folio serves a specific purpose, and it does it quite well. I’m happy I requested the black nylon version and expect I’ll be using it for years to come. It starts at just $69, but the leather versions are $20 more at $89. Check it out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Waterfield’s typical quality materials and construction; Zipper sits below the “lip” of the Travel Folio so it won’t get snagged when putting it into your bag; Just enough organization inside; Available in a variety of colors and materials
What Needs Improvement: No padded protection for items inside; Limited organization compared to other Waterfield products