I’d gotten my previous laptop bag from some chain store, Made in China, and of course the zipper broke just when I was traveling. I always bring my laptop with me, and it takes me around two connections to cross the Atlantic, with numerous safety screenings on the way. So there I was, with my broken bag, my stuff flowing out of my bag when I least wanted it. I swore that the next bag I’d get would be more durable.
Can you imagine anything more durable than safety belts and sails?
Last two months I’ve traveled with Globe Hope’s Saalinki messenger laptop bag, stitched out of old sails with a strap of safety belts. I’ve thrown it over my shoulder and rode my bike downtown to a cafe as well as flown to Finland, Florida and Texas through numerous airports. It’s big enough to fit long sleeves, noise-cancelling headphones, a couple books and cosmetics on the airplane, but small enough that it’s classified as a laptop bag that you can take in addition to your normal carry-on. When I flew Frontier and didn’t want to pay $35 for carry-on, it was small enough to classify as a free “personal item” that fits under the seat in front of you, and still left room for my feet.
The bag comes with both a zipper and a clip, which makes it well protected against pickpockets, but also means when I’m ina hurry or in a constant need to open it, I can just clip it without fear of losing anything. A small minus is that it’s got only three pockets besides the laptop compartment and large compartment in the bag: one inside, one outside, and one tiny one on the side. This means there’s no separate space to store my keys, tickets, passport and cell phone, but it’s more of a personal preference, and I think I’ll get used to it.
Besides being durable and handy, it’s also nice to know that my bag is ecological. Globe Hope’s production is Made in Finland and Estonia from beginning to end in small-scale seamstress shops, all of which are inspected for workplace safety and some of which are third sector organizations. The materials – seatbelts and sails – are something that would otherwise be thrown to the landfill and have now instead found a new usage, saving natural resources.
The ecological and socially responsible side of Globe Hope was why I contacted them to ask for the bag to test – and I’m very happy with the quality. Now as a reader of my blog, you also have a chance to win one of these bags. Just head over to Facebook to like my blog’s page and read how to take part!
Sponsored by Globe Hope
