Laptop-Review.eu

We start off the last December week with another review, this time of a sleek bag from Umates, who has a reputation for high-quality bags. Today we look at the newest member of the Danish Umates family. Umates, who have their production in Karlslunde, are emerging as one of the leading manufacturers of bags and slipcases for laptops.  
The bag, dubbed Umates Protector 15B, seems very sturdy at first glance. The reviewed model has a crocodile finish, giving it a business-like feel that primarily caters to the office segment and business users. The bag is a so-called toploader model, in which the laptop is slid down into the top of the bag.

The product was kindly lent to us by Umates.dk

Specifications

Materials/Colour: Glossy black with a crocodile finish
Front pocket
Rear pocket
Inner dimensions: W38 x D30 x H5 cm
Weight: 1.9 kg
Display size: 16”
Recommended price: ca. Kr. 900,-

Construction & Design

Since this is my first review, I was pretty excited about receiving the product. After a bit of a run to catch the mailman, I managed to avoid having to retrieve the package at the post office and was thus able to get going right away. The bag arrived in a paper package with bubble wrap and plenty of tape, of course, so after giving a show of my skill in the art of the blade, I was left with what appeared to be a very well made laptop bag in a stylish and business-like design.
The bag has a crocodile finish everywhere on the exterior fabric, which almost looks like that black piano finish at first sight. One might fear the bag would smell bad due to the finish, but there were no chemical smells to speak of. The crocodile finish really draws attention and could easily be associated with the businessman in the Bertoni suit and patent leather shoes. But – for fear of going all Anne Wintour and talking about fashion – I decided to look closer and see if the good first impression also applied to the bag’s quality and functionality.   

Craftsmanship

Like earlier reviews of Umates bags here, this model deserves praise for its quality and sturdiness. The bag has endured rigorous stress-testing from this reviewer, including minor assaults on the bag’s stitches and pockets, as well attempts on the lives of the zippers. The bag passed with honours, and there is no doubt we are once again dealing with a quality product from Umates. You might fear the bag’s outer finish would be susceptible to scratches from sliding against a wall or over a table, but surprisingly none of these leave any visible marks on the bag.

Handle



The handle is obviously important to those who want to carry the bag without using the shoulder strap. Once again the quality is fantastic and the handle can easily support the many kilos that all the pockets can contain. The breadth of the handle is sufficiently large, a very welcome feature for those of us with large, clumsy hands, and it is also made in a material that feels soft as silk yet still allows you to get a sturdy grip.

Front pockets



At the front of the bag are two pockets: one at the top which is always visible, and another at the bottom which is hidden under the lock at the front. The upper pocket contains three inner compartments, one of which is fastened with a zipper. If you are one of those people who always has to check the 16 pockets in your jacket before finally finding your keys, help is here. The front pocket of the Umates bag has – along with space for pens – a place to hang your keys. The front pocket also features a bunch of smaller compartments for a PDA, calendar or any other junk you might want to bring with you.
One of the few things to criticise in my opinion is that the Umates logo is found on the nylon fabric in all the pockets. As a consumer you are well aware of which product you bought, and you certainly do not need to be reminded every time you use it.  

Rear pocket



The bag sports a rear pocket for documents and such. The pocket is not really suited for transporting larger items like books or folders, since it is attached fairly tightly to the rear of the bag. The inside is covered in the somewhat silky nylon fabric that is also found in the other pockets.

The laptop pocket





A really well thought-out feature is Umates’ patented TopProtector system that the laptop pocket is equipped with. The system works as follows: a long, elastic piece of nylon fabric is permanently attached to the inside of the front of the laptop pocket, while the other end can be attached to the front with Velcro. This effectively suspends the laptop a couple of cm above the bottom of the bag, which according to Umates protects the laptop against shocks and bumps.
To see if it actually worked, I closed the nylon pouch without putting in a laptop. That way you can just reach in and pull the fabric towards the bottom. Though the fabric is elastic, a surprising amount of force was required to pull the fabric anywhere close to the bottom. At the same time, the pouch means you can easily take the laptop out of the bag; as soon as you loosen the fabric from the Velcro, you can simply pull out the pouch with the laptop inside – very handy! The system works completely as intended, and is one of those things that makes one as a consumer feel that the manufacturer actually put a lot of thought into providing the all the solutions to optimize the experience and use of the product – fantastic!

Shoulder strap

The shoulder strap is made of nylon with a shoulder pad in the middle that once again features the crocodile-finish design and glossy black. The strap is fastened to the bag via a clicking system in which you fasten two plastic clamps down over a piece of metal on each side of the bag.



The fastening system is a fine features that allows you to easily and swiftly remove the shoulder strap. One might be concerned that the strap would cut into your shoulder when you carry around all those kilos, but the shoulder pad is filled with foam that makes it really comfortable to carry. At the same time it is just wide enough to give the perfect balance against the weight of the bag. So, the craftsmanship seems very sturdy and managed to handle a small run on the shoulder of yours truly with a spaceship of a 17 inch laptop in the bag.




Lock



Here Umates has gone all American and equipped the bag with a lock that could easily have been something out of an H2 Hummer. The lock is cast in a heavy metal and I can assure that it will not open and close randomly. Once closed, well, it will stay that way.

Zipper



On their website, Umates claim that the zipper at front of the bag is ”self-repairing”. The expression is unknown to me, but I was unable to break the zipper and gave up after several attempts. So, whether it really is self-repairing or not, I cannot say, but the quality is very high and it can easily handle day to day use.

Conclusion

It has been difficult to find points of critique when it comes to the quality and functionality of this bag. Though the bag by virtue of its design mostly caters to the office segment and business users, really anyone could use it, due to the sturdy and solid construction. Despite plenty of hardship and a long day at school on the shoulder of yours truly, along with the previously mentioned stress test, the bag has survived without a scratch or nick – which is what you would expect considering the price.
A nice feature is Umates’ TopProtector system, which ensures that your laptop is nice and safe inside the bag. Whether it is to be used for a prop at meetings or day-to-day bag on the shoulder, I give it my warmest recommendations with an easy mind. It probably gives you more value for money than any other similar product and has a healthy balance between price and what you actually get. For my part, I have found a new travelling companion and his name is Umates Protector 15B.

Construction:	5 / 5
Innovation:	4 / 5
Price:	4 / 5
Design:	4 / 5
Overall:	4,5 / 5