Shopping for the perfect briefcase
Apart from staying organized and functional, having the perfect briefcase for work can also go a long way in helping you stay motivated. Here are the top 3 most important features to look for in a briefcase that'll help you focus on your goals, whatever they may be:
- Durable exterior construction with enough room for all your work materials, plus extras - Water resistance so that water doesn't slosh around and damage everything inside - A reliable locking mechanism so you can leave your office with peace of mind not to worry about petty theft.
Of course, a briefcase with all these features is not something that will come cheap; it usually won't be available at an average local department store for less than a thousand bucks. If you're willing to spend more, you'll find some great options at the manufacturers' websites in the list below:
- Filson - Leather goods company with headquarters in Seattle, WA (United States) - Filson's briefcases are made from leather and are handcrafted. They are also water resistant (heavy construction) and offer a locking system. The 12-inch Tall Filson Huntsman Briefcase retails for around $450 - Osprey Packs - British Outdoor brand headquartered in Manchester, UK (United Kingdom). - Osprey Packs offers both rucksacks and briefcases, made from durable nylon material. Their Tempest range is a good option for the gentleman who doesn't want to look like he's carrying his bike around with him all day. The Tempest range includes a briefcase, laptop bag and travel bag in various sizes. It retails for around $150 - Tumi - American company specializing in luxury accessories, luggage and business products. They're best known for their attaché cases and travel bags, but they also offer a range of lockable briefcases. One of their most popular models is the 01613705 slim case with an interior laptop pocket; it retails for around $500
- Filson: http://www.filson.com/ - Osprey Packs: http://www.ospreypacks.com/ - Tumi: http://www.tumi.com/
• Zipping system for added security
• A small handle for carrying it on-the-go (i.e. shoulder strap)
• Locking system (either keyed lock or combination lock)
• Water resistant (heavy duty construction)
• Good handle grips
Aside from a briefcase that's big enough to carry all your work necessities, it should also have some extra features to make your life easier at the office and after you finally leave the double-decker cubicles for the day. Here are the top features that should be included in every briefcase:
- A locking system (either a combination lock or keyed lock) - Zippers that fully close so your stuff won't fall out - Hip pockets for easy access to your stuff - Double handles for better carrying options than just a single handle, especially if you're carrying it on your shoulder.
The most important part of any product, no matter how well-built it is, is its warranty. Even though you can get by without one, if the case breaks down or the zippers fail on you, you want to know that they'll stand behind and replace it with a similar item. These are some companies that offer good warranties:
- Filson - Lifetime warranty - Osprey Packs - Five years on materials, two years on workmanship - Tumi/Cubic - One year on materials and workmanship
• Triple carry handles for better handling options than the single handle • Zippered pockets for your electronics • Water resistant (heavy duty construction)
Top 3 Pockets for Every Briefcase
In addition to the standard pockets you'd normally find in a briefcase with a laptop compartment, you should also consider adding some of these additional pockets so you have more places to keep your important documents and other accessories:
- A secret pocket that's well hidden — ideal for st.george's garter or your lucky rabbit's foot, for example - A separate side pocket for important documents such as tax returns, ID cards or copies of your work contract • Triple carry handles for better handling options than the single handle
With a little bit of imagination and inspiration from this list of briefcase features and accessories, you can surely make one that will look good everytime you go to work. And if anyone asks, you can tell them that it's all made from recycled materials.
Posted by Luis at 11:51 AM
• A lot of compartments • Water resistant (heavy duty construction)
Be sure to check out the Vintage Briefcases and Paris Bags website since they have a lot of wonderful and well-designed briefcases from the older days.
• A lot of compartments • Water resistant (heavy duty construction)
Heritage Direct carries a nice range of accessories for your briefcase such as key fobs, pen cases, phone holders and more. You might also be interested in their leather accessories too.
• A lot of compartments • Water resistant (heavy duty construction)
Manufacturers don't offer briefcases at these prices out of the goodness of their hearts, that's for sure. The short answer is that it will cost a little bit more than a thousand dollars. Again, if you're willing to spend the money for a quality briefcase, try visiting the manufacturer websites below and see what's available:
- Filson - Leather goods company with headquarters in Seattle, WA (United States) - Filson's briefcases are made from leather and are handcrafted. They are also water resistant (heavy construction) and offer a locking system.
Conclusion
When picking a briefcase, you need to make sure that it meets your exact requirements. Maybe you just need something to carry around books and files to and from work. Maybe you want something with a lot of compartments for holding your various electronics (iPad, iPhone, iPod etc). Maybe you want something that's water resistant. Maybe you want a bag with lots of pockets for pens and pens and more pens. Or maybe all of these just aren't important to you or other factors are more important.
First, look through the list of features above and decide what's important to you and what isn't.