REVIEW – WaterField Designs, under their eponymous founder, Gary WaterField, is a San Francisco-based shop that has been around for decades. I have had several of their bags and have lusted for more. Each time I go out with one, I get comments from strangers and coworkers alike on the designs. So I was excited to be chosen as the one to review their new Vitesse Backpack. They recently expanded this collection, and the Backpack was the first out of the gate. Let’s take a closer look.
What is it?
The Waterfield Designs Vitesse is a water-resistant large backpack made from waxed canvas.
What’s included?
Just the bag.
Tech specs
Click to expand
Material:
15-oz. Waxed Canvas
Full-grain leather trim pieces
Dimensions & Weight:
12″ (l) x 8″ (w) x 15.5″ (h); 1.7 lbs.
30.48 cm (l) x 20.32 cm (w) x 39.37 cm(h); .77 kg
Volume – 24.4 liters
Premium 15-oz. rugged waxed canvas, YKK® waterproof zipper, metal paragliding-inspired buckle.
Expandable top opens wide for easy access and can be secured by G-hooks on either side.
Includes separate laptop pocket (fits up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro) and organizational pockets for accessories.
Pleated front pocket stores easy-to-access items, like phone, wallet, AirPods, etc.
Rear wheeled suitcase passthrough with Velcro middle patch secures bag in place for easy airport navigation.
Ergonomic, neoprene-padded, moisture-wicking straps keep users comfortable and dry.
Comfortable leather-wrapped handle.
Design and features
The Vitesse series from Waterfield Designs is a continuation of a bag series they introduced several years ago with their Vitesse Cycling Musette. This led naturally to larger ones and eventually to a messenger bag in the same style. Due to the changes in average portable computer sizes, I guess Waterfield felt they should revisit the line. Since my largest traveling computer is a 13” iPad Pro, the cycling musette is fine for me, but I rarely just leave home with my iPad and a few other items. I usually need a shirt for work, an umbrella, my medications, and other items in my “never want to need it, always want to have it” pouch. The large main pocket of this bag accommodates all this miscellany without missing a beat. The rear pocket is plenty large enough for an iPad Pro, even in a thick neoprene zipper pouch.
There are sleeves along the front of this divider for pens or penlights, business card-shaped items, etc. The left side is a single large flat pocket, just perfect for my iClever fold-up keyboard for my iPad mini. It could probably hold a CD in a jewel case, just to give you an idea of the size. (Does anyone have a CD/DVD player in their current laptop? Turn in your Gadgeteer card at the front desk.) That keeps these things from drifting to the bottom of the bag.
On the front of the unit is a flap-covered pocket that also has a bit of internal organization. It is secured with a paraglide-type buckle, which is easily unbuckled with one hand.
There are two CD-sized pockets that are much tighter than the internal one on the back wall, but the pocket itself has a good bit of dimension to it. It will hold a lot of loose ends.
The top is secured by a double-pull YKK zipper over a weather-resistant coil. Both ends can be secured to a sewn-in webbing tether to present a more aerodynamic shape. If I were taking it on a plane, I’d use that, but just for daily use, it’s not necessary, in my opinion. But it’s nice that it’s there.
Behind the zipper is a sewn-in leather-covered seatbelt webbing haul loop. It’s the same as the one I had retrofitted to my Sutter Tech sling. It is sewn in along with the cushioned, breathable straps. These are attached at the bottom with an angled tab. There is a nice sliding loop to keep the extra strap material from getting in the way.
Finally, there is a one-inch webbing strap across the back with a Velcro patch in the center to let you place this over a roll-aboard handle. The Velcro keeps it out of the way when not in use and secures it if you have a dual-pole handle on your suitcase.
Performance
We are in the middle of hurricane season here in the SouthEast US. It has rained almost every day for the entire month. So if you’re taking your gear out, having a water-resistant bag is a must!! This thing worked like a champ! It fits easily in my locker, but I can get into the pockets for all the things I need easily. It doesn’t have Waterfield’s customary golden liner for visibility, which is sad. Feeling around in the bag after using something with that lining is a step backward.
There is no padding at all in this bag. It’s a single thick layer of waxed canvas between your gear and the outside world. Fortunately, this serves to protect things from water and dirt, but not so much from the slings and arrows of life. For this, I found a neoprene zipper case online and it gives the iPad more padding. After using a padded ripstop bag, it’s a bit of a jolt to go to a single thickness. But I really like the feel and the look. We’ll see how it wears with the internal protection.
“We use heavy-duty 15-oz. waxed canvas. It has a naturally rugged, distressed look and can be re-waxed to freshen it up.
The canvas comes from a reputable mill that has produced these waxed fabrics since 1930. It comes coated with a special original wax that won’t require much cleaning. Stains can be wiped off with a damp cloth.”
I have another bag in the Vitesse line that I purchased with personal funds several years ago. It needs a bit of a refresh, so I bought their $5 tin of wax to do it. Their website has clear, easy instructions in words and a video to assist with this. Now my old bag can look and function as well as my new one!
What I like about the Waterfield Designs Vitesse backpack
- Weather resistant
- Good use of internal spaces
- Haul loop is amazing!!
What I’d change
- Golden internal lining for visibility.
- Even with the small pockets, it’s still easy for smaller items to drift down to the bottom of the bag. Maybe a net pocket up higher?
Final thoughts
Most Gadgeteers have way more bags and packs than we need. Some have more than they want. Well, maybe not. But we all wind up trying a bag, changing our equipment, and then buying a different bag to haul around this new configuration.
Most of the bags folks use day to day are great for holding and protecting from general dust and dirt, but few of them are water-resistant. If you live where it gets rainy for long periods, I recommend getting a water-resistant bag. It’s not gonna protect you in a flood, but most rain is gonna be repelled or slowed considerably. The waxed canvas of the Vitesse line from Waterfield all are made to survive this kind of use. I’m happy to have it in my lineup.
Price: $219.00
Where to buy: Store website
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Waterfield Designs. Waterfield did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
