Booq Mamba Shift L Review — Backpack Extraordinary

It’s no secret that I have a fetish for gear bags; my quest for the perfect bag has been ongoing for years. I had reached a happy place with the Booq Boa XS backpack that I picked up several years ago, so my quest slowed down quite a bit. But I recently finalized the kit I’m taking to cover CES, and came to grips with the realization that this gear would not fit in the Boa. That put me in the market for another backpack, preferably one just a little bigger than the Boa, as I like to keep my travel gear as small and light as possible. My search for a new bag started at the Booq web site, and I quickly settled on the Mamba Shift L backpack. The Mamba Shift looked like it would easily fit my gear, yet remain as small as possible. With the trip approaching, I was getting nervous that the Mamba wouldn’t arrive in time, but today the FedEx guy dropped one off.

The Mamba Shift L is made of the same indestructible nylon material used on the Boa. The Boa has hundreds of thousands of travel miles on it without any visible wear and tear, so I know the Mamba will stand up to the rigors of life on the road. The zippers are high quality, and the attention to detail shows the typical Booq design touches.

What I like most about Booq bags is their slim profile. This is especially important to me on backpacks, as I need one that fits all my stuff yet doesn’t add a lot of bulk on my back. The Mamba has a very thin profile, considering the ample storage space it has in the main compartment. Opening the compartment exposes a number of pockets to fit all kinds of gear, in an organized fashion. There are mesh pockets that expose the contents, pockets with flap closures, and room to fit all sorts of accessories.

The Mamba Shift comes with a small cable pouch that fits in a tapered pocket for transport. This provides a convenient way to carry a few cables while keeping them out of the way of other gear. This is a thoughtful touch for the road warrior.

There’s a zippered pocket on the front of the bag, the perfect place to carry boarding passes and other travel documents to keep them in easy reach. There are two pockets, one on each side of the bag that can be for things that are used a lot. The two shoulder straps have a pocket on them with a tab closure, perfect for iPods or mobile phones.

The laptop compartment is fully padded and made with a velour type of material for protection of the computer. It’s a separate zippered compartment, providing easy access to the notebook. This compartment is on the back of the bag, so the heaviest gear rides comfortably on the back while in the bag. It will fit up to a 17-inch laptop.

Booq bags carry the Terralinq service, which can come into play should the bag be lost. There is a Terralinq serial number on a metal tag in each bag, and once registered (free), should anyone find it they can contact the web site as instructed. The bag can be returned to the registered owner, a nice security feature.

The Mamba Shift L is $149.95 at Booq, and comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

 
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