Julie wrote:

gslusher:

But the Stanley Traveler bag is shiny leather. Even in Black, it would be shiny. I thought shiny was a no-no for guys

Actually, it’s not shiny. Click on the “zoom” button and the “More Photos” button. The Stanley Traveler is made from full-grain pebbled leather, not smooth leather. The “shiny” appearance comes from the high-intensity lights used in the photos. The photographer would use several lights (check the shadows and highlights in some of the photos, especially the zoom view. Those would be impossible with a single light source. (The “highlights” show that there is a high-intensity source above and slightly to the left of the camera position. However, the shadows/reflections show that there are other sources, almost surely diffused.) Some parts of the bag will reflect more light than others and appear shiny.

Another thing: notice that, when you click on the swatches to change the color, NOTHING else changes. The two photos have the bags in EXACTLY the same configuration, down to the smallest detail. That makes me wonder if the photo of the black bag was “Photoshopped” from the original photo of the brown bag. (That is often done with clothing.) If you compare the upper-left photo of the black bag on the “More Photos” page with the “zoom” photo, you’ll see the same thing–the bags are “posed” identically, again down to the smallest detail that I can see.

As for the Vaja bag (and I have had 4 Vaja cases, myself–3G and 5G iPods, Nokia phone and Handspring Visor Deluxe), check the color choices. Most are rather “outstanding”–only a few are muted (e.g., Friar Brown & Butterum, Black and Steel Grey).

Sure, a lot of messenger bags are bright colors (e.g., the Timbuk2 line)–and they’re even carried by guy-people. However, they’re not leather and they’re not $400. If I were to pay $400 for a bag, it had better be useful for business, as well as casual situations. Only a few of the Vaja color choices would fit that requirement and even they are iffy because of the accent stripe and contrasting interior. The Stanley Traveler is not “formal” (Levenger sells bags that are), but it would fit with a lot of business people, even attorneys who don’t wear three-piece pinstriped suits.

The Vaja photos do show that their bag has a smooth satin/matte finish. That’s typical of the Caterina leathers Vaja uses (my iPod cases use Caterina leather). (Go here and click on the Caterina link.) It’s quite different from the Stanley Traveler’s pebbled leather. Smooth matte finish leather can be OK for “guy” bags–attache cases are supposed to look smooth and the Levenger Cambridge Briefbag and others have smooth leather. However, note that their leather briefcases are brown, black, or British tan and don’t have accent stripes. (The same is true for many of the Levenger briefcases for women; it depends upon their personality and profession.)

A local store that carries medium-to-high quality briefcases and the like had (last time I checked, overa year ago) some very nice-looking cases in grey, navy, deep red, and a sort of French blue. They were all “women’s” cases. (One can tell, in part, because they’re usually slimmer than the “men’s” or “unisex” cases, which are all brown, black, or tan. They have brown, tan, and black “women’s” cases, too.) According to the manager of that store, who’s been selling quality bags for 20+ years, women will buy “women’s” OR “men’s” cases, but men almost never buy the “women’s” cases for themselves.

But the Stanley Traveler bag is shiny leather. Even in Black, it would be shiny. I thought shiny was a no-no for guys

This Vaja bag isn’t ‘shiny’ in my opinion. I would say it has a more satin finish.

isobutane wrote:

Julie: it’s the glossiness of the bag that makes it less masculine. Don’t ask me to explain it, I really couldn’t. Men’s bags should be made of a flat leather or ballistic nylon.

Meredyth…when I go on to Ebags to search for a decent gearbag, the vast majority of the designs are for women. Same with the vast majority of the colors. Man-bag colors should be dark…dark earth-tones. Not red, yellow, pink, teal, or any other bright color. or even multi-colored. I have no idea why. It’s an instinctual thing, I guess. Most of Ebags’ offerings include a pink variety (contributions made towards research into curing breast cancer), but strangely enough, no deep earth color for men dedicated towards prostate cancer research.

When I look for a gear bag, I look for the following things:

1) Compact- no larger than 13 X 10 X 5
2) Nice, non-glossy dark tones- navy blue, dark green, black, dark brown (like my Ellington bag)
3) Lots of pocket options, intelligently laid out. This is the hardest quality for me to find in any bag. I want the main compartment to be padded with plenty of external accessory pockets. If the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack was a tad bit larger in the main compartment and had a padded interior, it would be the perfect bag for me. The Europa bag I use is not padded in the main compartment, but it does allow room for a mouse pad to help protect my mininote. The Europa is the best bag I have used yet, but it is not my be-all end-all solution. I am still searching for the ultimate solution.

I agree, though I’d add (personal taste) military-style bags of olive/black/British tan canvas & leather.

To see the contrast, go to Levenger’s site and check the bags there–men’s briefcases, women’s briefcases, and the totes and bags. The difference should be pretty obvious. The Stanley Traveler in black would just about fit Mark’s criteria, except that it doesn’t have a lot of pockets. Their Saddlebag Sling is another that’s maybe not quite wide enough for Mark.

For a mini-gearbag for my PDA, cell phone, reading glasses, pen/pencil, medications, small gadgets, note cards, checkbook, etc.–i.e., a “guy-purse,” I like the Lewis N. Clark Travel Organizer. It’s hard to find the Bicentenial version now (and mine is actually darker than the pictures), but there is a cheaper “Frontier” version (may be made of less sturdy fabric). It has a multitude of pockets and can be worn on the waist or over the shoulder or, as I do, just grab the shoulder strap in my hand.

I’ve tried lots of laptop bags and “personal” bags by Waterford, Traeger, Brenthaven, eBags, Ameribag, Timbuk2, Eagle Creek, Lewis N. Clark, Ogio, Kensington and others. For a roomy, well-organized laptop/carry-on bag, I like the Kensington Contour series–I have the notebook bag, the roller bag and the overnight bag from that series.

Meredyth…when I go on to Ebags to search for a decent gearbag, the vast majority of the designs are for women. Same with the vast majority of the colors. Man-bag colors should be dark…dark earth-tones. Not red, yellow, pink, teal, or any other bright color. or even multi-colored. I have no idea why. It’s an instinctual thing, I guess. Most of Ebags’ offerings include a pink variety (contributions made towards research into curing breast cancer), but strangely enough, no deep earth color for men dedicated towards prostate cancer research.

When I look for a gear bag, I look for the following things:

1) Compact- no larger than 13 X 10 X 5
2) Nice, non-glossy dark tones- navy blue, dark green, black, dark brown (like my Ellington bag)
3) Lots of pocket options, intelligently laid out. This is the hardest quality for me to find in any bag. I want the main compartment to be padded with plenty of external accessory pockets. If the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack was a tad bit larger in the main compartment and had a padded interior, it would be the perfect bag for me. The Europa bag I use is not padded in the main compartment, but it does allow room for a mouse pad to help protect my mininote. The Europa is the best bag I have used yet, but it is not my be-all end-all solution. I am still searching for the ultimate solution.

isobutane wrote:

. Alas, it seems that the vast majority of bags (and clothes) are directed at women, and men have a somewhat more restricted field of choices.

Mark

Really? I’ve always felt that the vast majority of gearbags are made for men… Until recently, it’s been hard for me to find something feminine enough for me.

Having lots of Vaja cases over the years for various Palm’s and Treo’s well this is one bag that I’m confident of the quality but lacking in masculine appeal.

Great review otherwise!

Julie wrote:

I like a bag with lots of open storage, but with at least a few strategically placed pockets. I’m so used to using Waterfield pouches, that pockets are no longer a big selling point for me. That’s why I’m a big fan of messenger bags.

On another note, I’d like to hear from my male readers. Do you guys think the Vaja bag looks too feminine? I don’t think it does… but have read elsewhere that some people do.

Just looking at it threatens my masculinity! Seriously, though…shiny leather in a bag not especially stylin’ for a man. Muted tones are better…maybe with a little manly texture to it. I agree with your lament for exterior pockets…it would make it a most excellent bag. Alas, it seems that the vast majority of bags (and clothes) are directed at women, and men have a somewhat more restricted field of choices.

Mark

On another note, I’d like to hear from my male readers. Do you guys think the Vaja bag looks too feminine? I don’t think it does… but have read elsewhere that some people do.

Mark

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/vaja_15_messenger_bag

Just click the POST REPLY button on this page.