Sling bags are somewhat of an anomaly currently for the techies out there looking to get the best portability combined with strict space requirements to fit their gadgets. I've been hunting for the right sling bag for four years now, having gone through four separate bags and after receiving this Ogio I have to say I might finally be satisfied.
First, I'm a college student. So the best bag for me may not be the best for you. But I need to be able to carry my 15.6" laptop on some days and others I would rather simply take my tablet. This Ogio bag has enough room for me to take both, while I admit with my extended battery and large laptop it is a tight fit, causing the zipper to bulge ever so slightly (we'll see how it holds up long term) I am overall amazed they accommodated my laptop, even if inadvertently.
4/5 due to not having the foresight to slightly extend the bag and make a 15.6" fit comfortably.
Second, I need a bag which can easily be taken on and off frequently, sometimes in the smallest of spaces such as the subway. It can easily pivot on my body and let me open up the front compartments for a pencil, my charger, calculator, etc. It also comes on and off easily with one arm. The back is padded well for comfort and the strap can be adjusted to fit your size easily.
5/5 for portability and comfort.
Finally, I needed something which would not only allow me to store my computer and a single notebook, but more than that. Amazingly, I can fit my laptop, tablet, one textbook (hardcover, 800 pages) and a thin notebook in the two main compartments without hassle. Then I get a third compartment in the front, which is practically unheard of in quality sling bags, that can fit my pens, calculator, chargers and smaller assorted items.
5/5 for storage
Overall I really like this bag so far, moreso than the Belkin sling which I acquired on Amazon or the two other slings I've tried from other stores.
A few notes, it has a key ring, a zippered pouch in the front compartment and a couple small pockets there. It also has a small zippered pocket near the waist that has a headphone port in it, this pocket is lined with what feels like a microfiber material, the same material found in both the laptop and tablet pouches. The back padding is a cheap foam, but relatively thick at probably a quarter inch and the bag material is a weatherproof nylon.
I chose this bag over a powerbag sling bag, specifically due to the lack of space in that bag. Hopefully one day a manufacturer will find that right blend in a sling bag that I've been searching for, until then this Ogio has got me covered..
Oh, and kudos to the supplier AV House for a quick two day delivery for free.
This is a good looking bag to carry your gadgets and paperwork around in. It's a little smaller than I had hoped so there won't be space for much else if you're carrying both a laptop, tablet, chargers and I guess a book or a notebook but that should make it kind of perfect if you're using it for classes. It does have lots of smaller pockets to hold whatever little stuff you might need to store and the pocket which seems perfectly made for a cell phone is a great addition. The strap that adjusts the should strap is kind of ridiculously long; I rolled mine up and secured it with a velcro cable tie. This bag has a really slim profile and great back padding. I just wish it had a little more internal space so it would make a better weekend bag. But it's perfect for school or going to the library or if you have work to do in a coffee shop or something and is probably nice enough looking that you could get away with taking it in to most offices.
Buy Ogio Newt II Mono Laptop/Tablet Backpack Now
Love this bag at the airport! Keeps my phone and wallet tucked undermy arm. Allows me to keep iPad and laptop safely next to by back, not the furthest pocket out. Style and size and weight are the best.
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I was previously using an InCase Compact Backpack. I bought this to go to a Sling design and I really thought the pocket on the side would be handy for cell phone and passport retrieval without removing the backpack.
The good: The build on this bag is excellent and very high quality. The styling is nice and the bag looks very professional. The weight distribution is also very good.
The bad: It simply is too small and cramped. I thought my InCase bag was on the smallish side but the pockets on this bag are far from generous and poorly designed. The most sizable pocket, for the laptop and tablet, is very adequate and leaves some room to spare with a 15" laptop but the way it is designed, you cannot put anything in there except your laptop and tablet. The storage pocket was barely able to accomdate the cable and capacitor from my HP laptop, and cables for my phone and tablet plus some minor odds and ends such as international plug adapter, laser pointer, etc. When loaded it bulged significantly which comes to the next problem. The admin pouch is virtually unusable. When the storage pocket is loaded, it puts too much bulging into this area to use it effectively and the zipper design does not allow you to fully access the pocket. It barely zips down on one side which means you will have to fish around with your hand in a very tight pocket to find anything. Even the little side pocket I was so excited about can barely fit a passport and cannot fit both a passport and your cell phone without being too tight to zip.
Conclusion: It might be a good bag if all you were going to carry is a tablet and no laptop. It is very marginal for carrying a laptop and if used for that purpose is useless to carry much of anything else. For Road Warriors or Students that require a bit more space than this bag can provide, I would suggest looking elsewhere.
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I've been big on sling bags ever since I got an injury to my neck, herniating some cervical discs. It was tough to wear backpacks since the strap would pull down on the part of my neck that hurt a lot, so I ended up getting a single-strap sling backpack that went over my left shoulder. As a righty, I've actually found this configuration to be a lot easier than most other sling bags but much, MUCH harder to find.
When my beloved High Sierra Crush was showing its age and smelling funny beyond Febreze's help, I started looking around and ordered the Newt II Mono from Amazon. I pre-ordered and was quite surprised to get word that it arrived about a month ahead of time back when it was new.
This bag is a wonder of a commuter bag. It's got enough space for the essentials: a 13" ultrabook laptop (but it's held my 15" Dell laptop just fine), power adapter, tablet (any size fits perfect in the faux-fur-lined tablet pouch in the main compartment), and any extra bulky flat cargo in the main part. In the secondary part, you can fit a collapsible umbrella (although I wish there was under-bag straps for it, I can live with it), some multitools and other things, and bulkier cargo. The farthest front pocket fits keys, a checkbook, cables, wireless aircards, and other stuff. There's even a little zipper pouch at the base of the strap I use it for a small digital camera, transit passes, and even bottles of water.
The bag comes off and goes on in zero space, which is great for crowded trains or subways: sit down, unbuckle the clasp, and pull it around. Just loop, swoop, buckle and go for the reverse. Best of all, it's very comfortable to wear even when it gets hot out the padded back has enough room to circulate air well. The grab handle is extremely sturdy as is the main strap.
I really wish there was more external storage for water bottles or umbrellas, and the compression straps were a feature I do miss but I get around without just fine. It's not too heavy on its own, sturdy, easy to clean, and comfortable.
I wish they made more bags like this so I could do a better comparison, but it's so hard to find sling backpacks that are worn on either shoulder these days it's a dying product. The Newt II Mono is among the best in class and is worth the money.
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I recently had the entire Molle 2 pack and went camping with it for the first time, hiked up 1,500 feet and back and am here to tell you that i have had WW2 surplus packs that are more comfortable than the Molle 2 pack, it was only used for a short time and the plastic frame cracks very easily. I served in the Army and used Alice packs that were more suitable than the Molle 2. I also used to have the first Molle rucksack and it was much better off than the Molle 2. I would suggest not buying this pack and getting either a Alice pack or the first Molle rucksack, even a civilian padded pack is more comfortable. Dont let the looks fool you, brutal pack that has zero balance with any load and is only comfortable with less than 5 lbs of cargo. Hope this helps someone since i just went through this transition.
