Why are these STM laptop bags the best laptop bags for every situation: Myth 28L, Myth Brief, Grace Pack
Best laptop bag? A bag is a bag is bag…right?
Nope!
I learned that lesson a long time when I lived in London, England, and had to commute to work using the Tube (the Subway for the US people). On one of those regular stunningly grey London days, I was bumped getting off the train in Charing Cross Station. It happens in the morning rush so I didn’t think much off it. Until I arrived at work and discovered that my laptop screen had a nice crack down the middle. It would have cost more to repair it than to buy a new one!
Since that day, I have been laptop-protection-obsessed so when a company called Smarter Than Most suggested I try a couple of their bags, my first question was: How is the laptop protection? I was told that it’s beyond just your typical laptop bag and they sent over three bags for me to try: The Myth Backpack 28L, the Myth Laptop Brief and the GRACE Pack
Myth 28L Backpack – talk about the best laptop bag protection!
The Myth 28L backpack has what they call SlingTech™ which essentially suspends your 15” or 16” laptop keeping it away from the edge of the pack. It doesn’t even touch the “floor” of the bag and so it is isolated from the typical bump zones. To avoid any scratches and offer further protection, the laptop section is fleece-lined.
It seems like the Myth 28L backpack was build with tech in mind.
The bag has a system where you can charge your devices and keep the charging cables out of sight inside the bag in between compartments. There are also loads of tiny pockets that are perfect for AirPods or earbuds; these are easily accessible.
The Myth has really comfortable harness features and straps which I look forward to really testing when we can start traveling again. Speaking of which, I am glad to see that it has the PassPort option so you can carry it on top of your rolling cabin baggage. A very underrated feature but oh so useful!
The bag also has a water repellent C6DWR coating so a bit of water isn’t going to damage anything and in Texas, where the weather 5 times a day, this is a GOOD thing!
The Myth comes in various colors. I have the Windsor Wine so that not only does it looks stunning, but no one will mistakingly pick up my bag.
Myth Brief – The Smarter Features:
While I appreciate a nice big bag when I travel, I don’t like carrying that around when it’s just day-to-day pop-in-pop-out meeting kinda day. For that, I want a slim laptop case that still gives me the protection my laptop needs and a million pockets for all my stuff.
The Myth Brief is that.
It also has that fleece-lined laptop section which protects the laptop from bumps as well as a removable should strap with a non-slip pad. If I carry it while riding on my electric skateboard, then I use the strap. If not, then I just use the handle.
The one I have holds up to 13″ screens but there is also a version for most 15″ screens and 16″ MacBook Pro.
The Myth Laptop Brief has that hidden CableReady™ system to keep my charging devices nice and secure – and out of the way.
I always worry about the power brick placing too much pressure on the laptop screen. Unlike other brief bags, this one has a separate pocket for the power cables so that is no longer a concern.
Finally, it has a water repellent C6DWR coating applied to fabric as well as quick zipped pockets that allow you quick access to whatever you have stored in the bag.
The Grace Pack – Best laptop bag for daily use
This is what I am calling the inbetweener bag. It is bigger than the Myth Brief but smaller than the Myth Backpack. In other words, this is perfect for those days when you are out of the office for the entire day or when you attend those all-day conferences. You need your basic equipment such as a laptop and charger, but you also need to have a place for lunch, maybe a change of shirts, business cards, a notepad, and a couple of power banks.
The Grace not only looks great, but it too has a lot of the features of the other STM bags. Faux fur lining keeps your laptop cozy and scratch-free and is suspended from the bottom of the bag. It has the out of the way, cable system to charge devices and holds up to 16” laptops.
I like the deep front pocket which is where I store items like my headphones or my Nintendo Switch for those long flights.
Since we are not traveling at the moment due to lockdown, I used the Grace Pack to transport my podcasting equipment when I recorded an interview. I kept my laptop inside as well as an audio mixer and two high-quality microphones and XLR cable. All fitted without a problem. My guest held his microphone from inside his home and with the long cable, I could conduct the interview from outside. It was fun and stressful at the same time…
So in summary:
What is the first purchase you make when your new cell phone arrives? Most people would agree that it’s a cell phone cover. A cover that is attractive but still offer protection to the phone. That makes sense. The phone is precious and is a tool that we use daily, so we need to protect it. And yet when it comes to purchasing a bag that will house our laptop, we tend to look for a nice-looking cheap bag that simply has a pouch for the laptop.
We don’t expect a $5 cell phone case to offer the same protection as a $30 case. The same applies to laptop bags. Which, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated equipment we purchase.
If you are a freelancer, or commute to work using public transportation, or you ride your bike to work, or travel frequently, then investing in a good bag is just smart. What seems like a simple innocent bump on the way to work, can result in catastrophic damage to your equipment.
And that’s not worth the risk.
To purchase the bags, or get more info, simply click on The Myth 28L backpack, The Myth Brief, The Grace
Note: these are Amazon affiliate links which means it will not cost you more, but if you purchase one, I get a small commission which helps pay for this site – so thank you.
