All laptops deserve to travel in luxury, according to Booq
I’ve reviewed Booq equipment before, so the real surprise in its Taipan Shock was the price, as it’s less than £100.
For those not familiar with Booq, it makes a selection of high-quality cases, sleeves, backpacks and bags, all designed to protect your precious IT hardware in transit.
It markets mostly to Apple users, so the Taipan Shock is made specifically to fit a Mac Book, though not exclusively. My Dell Ultrabook fit just as snugly into it, even if the backpack secretly felt abused at the drop in standards it was enduring.
Compared with other Booq backpack designs, the Taipan Shock is deceptively simple, having a single main zipped enclosure for the PC and two flanking zipped pockets for the power supply, maybe a drinks bottle and other larger accessories.
Inside there are additional narrow pockets, and there's also an additional zipped location on the back panel that looks perfect for personal items like your phone or small headphones.
The outer surfaces are all made of tough 1680D polyester that’s been treated with a water-repellent coating, making it both stylish and protective. Internally, Booq used 210D Nylon, which is less abrasive and therefore kinder to equipment.
Anyone who's been caught in a downpour will have worked out that often the zip is the weak point in a backpack for allowing water through. But the Taipan Shock uses a specially designed YKK zipper that resists water ingress.
As with all Booq bags these days, it's also included a Terrlinq tag that uniquely identifies the bag and could theoretically allow some remarkably nice person to return your property should you inadvertently misplace it. There’s a degree of optimism there that we should all be encouraged to adopt, even if experience tells us to be hopelessly realistic.
As laptop backpack go, this is one of the best I’ve tried, and the padding between the main pocket and the back wall makes it very comfortable to wear when travelling by public transport for long periods. There’s an additional strap you can engage across the chest that also makes it ideal for those who cycle.
If I’ve got a reservation, it’s the colour. The overwhelming noire motif seems destined to obscure anyone foolish enough to cycle or walk on unlit roads. Booq did add tiny reflective strips to the back and straps, but not enough for me to think that it couldn't try harder in making the owner even more visible.
That point aside, this is an exceptionally classy accessory that costs less than most other Booq options. You can buy cheaper backpacks made to transport laptops, but very few that come anywhere near the elegance and inherent quality of Taipan Shock. Mark Pickavance
Beautifully made backpack that isn’t just for Apple Mac owners
Clip specifications:
• SKU: TSH-BLK
• Fits: 13-15" Mac, 16.4" PC
• Exterior: 460 × 330 × 210 mm
• Interior: 440 × 330 × 25 mm
• Weight: 0.96 kg
• Lining: 210D nylon
• Exterior: 1680D Polyester