I was somewhat uncertain about this bag at first. You should know that I'm quite a "bag nut" and have carried a man bag ever since I got my first iPad because I wanted it with me always. I'm a photographer so I also carry a digital camera (the Sony RX100 with case that I got on Amazon of course). Then there's the chargers, for my iPad (with the excellent Apple iPad case), iPhone, Sony camera, and even a USB cable for friends with an Android device. The stuff adds up.I have several bags. Sometimes I switch them out as I get tired of the same bag all the time. Guess I've noticed ladies do this and probably picked up the trait from my wife and daughter as they filled the closet with their bags. Well, mine are functional, not necessarily stylist, which is what this bag really is -functional.
Some stats that may help you decide about this bag: Closed and empty it is 13 1/4" long, 10 1/2" side to side, 5" wide at the bottom and 4" wide at the top. These are outside dimensions. Subtract maybe an inch for inside dimensions. Also if you open up the zippered expander, add 3" to the width dimensions. Expanded, this is a big bag. Empty it weighs in at 2 pounds, 9 ounces. The strap is a good quality nylon and is 1 1/2" wide by 57" long fully lengthened. Plenty of strap for cross-carry, which is how I usually carry it. But being nylon, it will easily slip off from and side carry. The strap also does not have padding. Tumi should have equipted this otherwise excellent bag with one of their padded straps they use for their other bags. I have several Tumi bags and those straps are much better if you are planning to use this bag and fill it with stuff as it will get heavy and the padding will be necessary. I'd recommend the Victorinox Comfort Fit Shoulder Strap, Black, which is an 1 1/2" wide strap and long enough for cross carry also. Also available on Amazon of course. The Tumi strap is removable, making this substitution easy (by the way, I don't get anything from Amazon for these "plugs." I just find what I want there and love the Prime shipping and instant video so I use it a lot). I subtracted one star for the strap deficiency.
Inside the main compartment is a voluminous cavern of space to stow mucho stuff. It begs to be packed into. You can carry your iPad (the larger one, or the mini) in the separate compartment or use one of the outer compartments for quicker retrieval. Interestingly, and conveniently, Tumi put a compartment that runs the entire length of the bag on the inside of each handle (there are two, one on each outside where the handles are). They are lined, but not zippered. Also on the outside of the bag, facing front like the picture, are two zippered compartments. These are very much like those found on other Tumi carriers, although, as another reviewer mentioned, they are not very wide and do not intrude into the main compartment much (I, as that other reviewer, would like more room here, even it it intrudes into the main compartment). The top, u-shaped, zippered compartment opens up to another zippered compartment that runs down to the bottom of the bag, as does the u-shaped compartment it is contained in. Nice for doubling up on the secure storing of important items. There is also a key fob in the u-shaped compartment and two open pockets for pens and things. The pocket on the right fits my iPhone 4S with Pong case. It is 3 3/4" wide and does not extent to the bottom of the bag, but contains the iPhone completely as it is 4" deep. It should fit the iPhone 5 as well, since the iPhone 5 is thinner. The left pocket is an inch less in width and does not fit the iPhone 4S unless you squeeze it in. Between them is a pocket for a pen. On the other side of the bag is a "compartment" that is zippered on the top and bottom so you can use this to slide the bag onto your rolling luggage handle -really useful for a bag this size especially if fully loaded. But be careful not to put stuff in there and then open up the bottom zipper. I intend to use this "compartment" only for luggage carry.
I've put a great deal of effort and information in this review as this is an expensive bag and, if you're like me, you like to read Amazon reviews and be totally informed before buying. Even though Amazon has a speedy and reasonable return process, you don't want to use this unnecessarily. Hope you enjoyed this review and will benefit from it. I'm keeping the bag and, as it is Tumi quality, expect to have this for a long, long time. I've used Tumi for decades and have never wore one out in my many travels around the globe.
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good bag . have large room and a lot of pocketsmy macbook air 11 fit very well but not fit macbook pro 15 retina
have little pain when i load it with my stuff like laptop 2 small bags 2 phones charger .. but i order now pad for the strap and it come better than before
finally .. good bag .. happy with it .. good company
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I bought this because I commute between the U.S. and Ukraine. In the Ukraine, I carry a "man-bag" which is more the custom and much less in my pockets. I bought this to augment my Tumi Alpha Bravo Lemoore Wheeled Backpack. I had tried using more of a briefcase but wanted some a little smaller for my flights. It is harder and harder to put two bags in the overheads in economy class. This works perfect since it fits under the seat nicely even when fully expanded and leaves me a little room for my feet. Fully expanded, it holds quite a bit of stuff and it stores everything that I want inflight in it then some. Compressed, it holds everything that I want to carry around as well.As a man-bag/purse (compressed), it is a little heavier than my prior levi's bag but it is made of much higher quality materials and is more versatile. Also, I find the pockets for storing my credentials/checkbooks to be flatter than I would have liked and I can barely squeeze in the minimum that I wanted to carry in them. I do wish that Tumi had provided for more than a centimeter in depth of those pockets even if they were to expand back into the main pocket. I would have given 5 stars if the pockets were more to my liking.
However, my two complaints are not stopping me from using and enjoying the bag. It is certainly made to Tumi's high standards and works quite well in conjunction with my Tumi Alpha Bravo Lemoore Wheeled Backpack.
It has been a while since I wrote this review. This bag is still wonderful and traveled with me to the Ukraine and back. Everything worked great. Just wanted to add that I bought a couple of Eagle Creek Travel Gear Pack-It Tube Cube to help me organize my stuff inside. They fit perfectly side by side and make it so that everything is not just on the bottom of the bag.
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