MacCase Universal Backpack - Best Small Laptop Backpack

Whenever we develop a new model we try to make it the best of it's kind in it's class. When we developed the Universal Backpack and then later the MacBook Pro Backpack versions, we wanted nothing short of creating the best small laptop backpack available for the money.

Of course we can pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves what a wonderful job we did and how successful we were at achieving our goal. But you know were are wearing the myopia glasses so patting ourselves on the back is somewhat expected. And hey, we worked hard and we want you to like our work. It's a good sign when someone creates something they're proud of. The world could use with a bit more product quality to be proud of vs. being proud of a marketing campaign for a mediocre or weak product.

For years it has been accepted belief that BMW made the best small sport sedan, their venerable 3 series. I believe it's the longest running car on Car & Drivers 10 best list. It's the benchmark. If you're a car company and you want to make a small, sporty sedan and be taken seriously about it, you buy a 3 Series, tear it down, copy it if you can and put your logo on whatever it is you create.

When a car company launches a new small sporty sedan to the press they always reference how much better their new offering is than the 3 Series. "We have this, and this and this and this and they don't", the typical pitch goes. The whole press briefing is spent taking up the new car vs. the 3 series. Then they let the press drive their new car and go back and write their articles (or edit the video footage they've shot).

Then we read the pieces and the conclusions are almost always the same, "Yeah the new car is good but it's not a 3 Series". " Yeah this is nice and that is nice, but overall the 3 Series still reigns"… and so on. Did the car company that built the 3 Series fighter think they did a great job? Of course they did. It may be the best small sporty sedan in the company's history. But the journalists and more importantly, the customers have the last word.

 

Which brings us back to the best small laptop backpack. If you check the MacCase Universal Backpack page, there have been two reviews posted as of this writing. One for 4 stars and one for 5. And we'll take that. Here is the 5 star review -

"Great solution for a light weight, mid-sized bag for my new MacBook 12" and other toys. I needed a small to mid-sized bag for around town coffee shop runs and some light, casual travel. I was pleased to find the Universal Laptop Backpack! My first impression during unboxing was how light the bag is, second is how well padded the bag is.

Currently I have these items in the bag with a LOT of interior room to spare... MacBook 12", iPad Mini, Canon G7x camera, Think Tank Cable Mgt 10 small pouch full of cables/chargers/etc., a full size and a mid-size Moleskine notebook, two pens, Beats Studio headphones, iPod Nano and a microfiber cloth. The bag holds way more than you think it will, it's quite amazing despite the modest exterior size.

I prefer a subtle look for my bags, nothing flashy that screams "steal me, I'm full of electronics!". The Universal Laptop Backpack is stealthy and beautiful at the same time. My items are well protected and the bag doesn't weigh a ton. I love the padded handle on top of the bag, great for flying and in/out of the car. The best part about this bag is everything above, but for less than $60... simply awesome. A few more pockets would have been nice, but that is by no means a complaint. This bag balances minimal with functional very well. This is my first MacCase bag and I am already contemplating my second one!"

For Scott, our product was the best small laptop backpack. Everything this customer mentions above was in our brief for the new design. It's very rewarding to read such a review because, like the car company trying to make a 3 Series fighter, the sub $60 backpack market is very crowded and very competitive. But quoting happy customers on a company website is well, easy if you have a good product.

What about a third party website?

What about a third party website that specializes in only selling bags whose customer base is particularly knowledgeable and extremely critical about the bags they buy. This would be the equivalent of the launching the 3 Series fighter and seeing what the world thinks. If you had hopes of making the worlds best small laptop backpack, this would be the place to prove it.

Well the customers on ebags.com have spoken. 100% recommended, 4.8 stars out of 5 which is even higher score than the 4.5 on our own site. Some of the comments include, "The bag is very nice. I love the zippers which allows the bag to open wider than other backpacks. The cushion is also outstanding."

"This little pack from MacCase really spoke to my needs. It's light, compact, and kind of round in a way that doesn't say you're carrying a laptop. I have to walk at night a lot so the reflective strips on the sides are an extra safety bonus."

"There are a lot of clever details all over this bag. I think the thing that makes this pack so good is the way it puts all these things together. It seems very tough but also very refined. Overall I can see using this bag for a long time. So far it's been a great companion and a great value. Highly recommended!"

Does a little company like MacCase build the worlds best small laptop backpack? Well "best" is a very subject term and even when people try to objectify it, it still causes arguments. They key takeaway here is than we know our little Universal Backpack is not the best small laptop backpack for everybody, the only person it has to be the best solution for is you. If you're looking for a lightweight, compact day use pack, have a look at our Universal Backpack and the MacBook and MacBook Pro models. And let us know ( and the rest of the world too!) if you think it's the best small laptop backpack.

"It's not the best small laptop backpack for everybody, the only person it has to be the best solution for is you."