be.ez LA garde robe

The LA garde robe laptop bag from be.ez (be easy) achieves a rare trick of packing sufficient storage space for daily use in a design that is both compact and exceptionally lightweight. At just 375 grams and 38 by 28 by 4 cemtimeters, the LA garde adds little in the way of weight or bulk to your daily travels and is ideally suited for any 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Made from a durable 200D nylon material, the LA garde comes with a main pouch for storing your laptop, covered by a quick-release Velcro fixed flap. The bag adds a built in zipped padded pocket, which offers sufficient space for power supply, mobile, keys, travel card and the like. A slightly fiddly zipped pocket on the back just about accommodates a magazine or A4 paperwork.

A choice of colour schemes include black/light pink, black/pumpkin, and black/wasabi (green to you and me), all of which keeps the bright colors wisely under wraps as part of the bag’s lining. A fourth is available in what’s called Red Kiss with white lining. Two versions of the LA garde robe are available, one with and one without a MacBook sleeve, which offers additional protection and for an extra tenner seems like a good deal. Needless to say, it’s a perfect fit.

The attached shoulder strap, while adjustable, isn’t padded for additional comfort, although the bag feels well balanced and comfortable to carry on your travels. One note of caution: this isn’t the most protective bag we’ve seen, especially without the optional sleeve. The addition of a zip, alongside the Velcro, might also have been useful to help keep your MacBook and bag’s contents in place. Road warriors then, constantly on the move, might best look elsewhere.

Macworld’s buying advice

The LA garde robe is an excellent bag for those who like to travel light. The compact design won’t accommodate everything but the girl, but we were pleasantly surprised how much storage was available for daily essentials. If you’re a 13-inch MacBook Pro owner, the LA garde robe is well worth a look.