| Crumpler,
an Australian company, is renown for making tough yet trendy laptop
bags, specifically for Apple's line. They have a wide range of cases,
catering for everything from the iPod to the 17" PowerBook.
The Wee Bee is for the 12"
iBook or PowerBook. It has a simple, minimalist design with not
too many compartments. The bag is made from water resistant 1000D
Nylon on the outside and is lined with 420D Ripstop Nylon on the
inside. Its slightly unconventional shape makes it look something
like a saddle bag.
The bag has a detachable
thick shoulder strap/pad which is very comfortable but can unfortunately
be slippery because of the smoothness of the material resting on
your shoulder. There is also has a small but sturdy handle on the
back of the bag.
A Velcroed flap, which provides
quick and easy access to your 'Book, opens up to reveal a side pocket
and the main storage area. The inner side of the flap has a zipped
mesh pocket. A well-padded laptop compartment (with a small Velcro
flap) forms the back portion of the main area. Laptops are inserted
in the bag standing up instead of on its side.
Though my 12" PowerBook
fits nicely in this laptop compartment, it fits even more snuggly
if it's in a sleeve. The rest of the storage area, i.e. in front
of the laptop compartment, is surprisingly roomy. I have managed
to store my Canon G3 camera, a few CDs, magazine, extra battery
as well as an assortment of cables in it.
I really like this bag.
However, I do have one small complaint. Because every compartment
is Velcroed, it can get a little noisy trying to access your laptop
in a quiet place.
In conclusion, the Wee Bee
is a tough, well-padded and finely-crafted little bag and it's trendy
design means it doesn't look like your boring, conventional laptop
case. If you have a 12" 'Book and you only need to carry around
a few items, this simple but fun bag is your best bet. And you can
rest assured that your 'Book will be well-protected.
The Wee Bee comes in three
sets of colours: black/greenish grey, dark orange/orange and navy/silver.
Its outside dimensions are 27x34x10 cm.
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