Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Shoulder bags are tricky beasts: Everyone has their own preferences about size, length, orientation (portrait or landscape), strap width, and color—it’s hard for one bag to check off every box. When vendors attempt to do just this, the bag often feels like a mishmash of too many different styles and features, and ends up being more clunky than functional.
In contrast, SGP’s $63 Klasden Neumann shoulder bag—available in charcoal, violet/yellow, red, navy, or grey/baby blue—looks spectacularly minimal. (Note that SGP’s website is currently being redesigned; in the meantime, the company redirects visitors to its Amazon.com storefront.) Outwardly, the bag looks like a simple, rugged-nylon courier pouch, with a recessed, zippered pocket on the front, and another on the back, for miscellaneous objects. The main compartment is similarly minimalist, offering a faux-fur-lined laptop sleeve that’s secured shut with a Velcro strap, along with two slim, Velcro pouches and three pen holders. According to SGP, the bag is designed to fit laptops up to a 13-inch MacBook Pro; when carrying a smaller computer (an 11-inch MacBook Air, for instance), the Velcro strap prevents the laptop from sliding around.
The bag’s main strap consists of a smooth polyester—similar to a high-end seatbelt—with an adjustable, Velcro-clasped shoulder pad for ergonomic support. While the bag is a bit too big, length-wise, for my 5-foot-6 frame, taller women and men may find it a very nice fit. The bag’s body is curved to sit nicely against your waist, so that even when packed full, it doesn’t stick out or bounce around.
The Klasden Neumann isn’t the fanciest bag on the market, but it does its job well. If you’re a student, tech worker, or anyone who needs a good, all-around shoulder bag, I recommend checking it out.