By TJ Regno

In the past I have owned Booq’s sleeves, now came the opportunity to rock one of their newest laptop backpacks: the Boa 3M. Toted as their best backpack to date (this is the third generation of the Boa), this backpack is definitely geared towards the “road warrior” or traveling computer user, whatever label you prefer. The bag is a little heavy itself, this is probably because of its size and padding.

What the Boa 3M offers is a spacious backpack that can carry your 13”-17” Mac notebook of choice or 13”-15” PC notebook 13”-15”. Adding any of these sized notebooks will just add to the weight of the Boa which weighs in at almost four and a half pounds. This might not sound like much, but add a three to seven pound computer and it’s AC adapter, accessories, your keys and a bottle of water and you are getting nearly 20 pounds on your back. This is where the “road warrior” suggestion comes into play.

In NYC, we utilize mass transit for getting around and climbing in out of trains and their stations. It is not fun during rush hour with a bulging heavy bag on your back. But this what the Boa allows: the capacity to carry your desk on your back. If this applies to you then keep reading.

The Boa’s padded area is more than sufficient to use for an iBook or MacBook without a sleeve (these notebooks have polycarbonate bodies, stronger than the thin metals used on other notebooks). The bag offers style with more than enough pockets (maybe too many?) to carry anything you would need to keep your office mobile.

Total counted pockets: 12 (seven external, five internal). What could be bad about pockets? Too many places to put accessories making it difficult to locate your items and the additional weight of filling those pockets. Having less internal space forces traveling computer users to sacrifice the accessories they carry, therefore making them more efficient, carrying only essentials.

As for value, the Boa 3M is listed on Booq’s website for US$215. With this price tag, it should come with a sleeve for the metallic bodied notebooks (e.g. MacBook Pros and PowerBook G4s). For an additional US$30, Booq offers the same Boa 3M with their Vyper sleeve and a new accessory case by the name of Venom Pulse. This is referred to as the Boa 3M system. Also included in the price of the Boa 3M is a 5-year warranty and Booq’s bag tracking service - Terralinq™. Once the bag is bought and the purchaser registers the unique number attached to the Booq bag, the bag is in Terralinq’s database with the purchaser's information. If it is lost and Terralinq is contacted, then you may get your bag back. This is basically a more advanced version of “if this bag is lost please return to...” There are no guarantees but it is a nice touch for the cost of the bag, and your life (computer, that is).

Overall, the Booq Boa 3M is a good bag to carry everything you have on your desk. It offers good protection, styling and decent comfort. But unless you need to carry everything in your digital arsenal, a slimmer, lighter, and less expensive bag may be a better choice. As an alternative, there is the Brenthaven Duo II BP, which retails for US$149, weighs one pound less than the Booq Boa 3M and has a lifetime warranty.

Pros: Stylish, well padded, spacious (12 pockets), Terralinq™ registration service included.

Cons: Heavy, bulky and pricey.

Specs and pricing:
Boa 3M: US$215
Boa 3M [system] with sleeve and accessory pouch: US$245
Fits: 13-17" Mac, 13-15" PC

Laptop Compartment: 14.2" x 10.9" x 1.6" (361 x 277 x 41mm)

Exterior Dimensions: 17" x 15" x 5.5" (432 x 381 x 140mm)

Weight: 4.4 lb (2 kg)

5-year warranty

If you've tried a Booq bag in the past or located the perfect bag for your needs, let us know over in the comments or forums.