Booq Boa Flow XL – Accessory Review
Heavy duty must have been the train of thought of the designers of our next accessory review. The Booq Boa Flow XL, is a fairly pricey but in some ways the backpack version of the Boa Nerve, Graphite. Will it live up to its ‘one-strapped’ counterpart?
When looking at the appearance of the Boa Flow XL, it comes across as a fairly typical, expensive laptop bag. Lots of zippers are visible but it does not seem as if it’s too crowded at any given time. The simple black design will mask the bulkiness of the backpack with a rather elegant touch.
As with the Boa Nerve, Graphite – the Boa Flow XL has a lot of storage place divided in a lot of different compartments. As with the previous review, here’s a short summary:
- The first, very visible storage compartment finds itself on the front of the backpack. It is closed with a zipper, and when opened you will several smaller pockets. Two could be used for your smartphone, the other for a small tablet (seven inch or slightly bigger) and a few smaller ones for pens.
- Also on the front you’ll find another compartment at the bottom. This area is also closed off with a zipper, and when opened you’ll find enough storage to fit a camera, a set of cables (if flexible enough) or when I personally use the backpack, several deck boxes for card games.
- When opening the main compartment of the bag, you’ll find a pocket for some paperwork, two smaller pockets, which once again could fit a cell phone or some slightly bigger items, and the main storage area which will serve to carry the bulk of your items. In this main compartment you’ll have no problem with storing all the extra hardware for your laptop, cables or two thick binders, if you carry around a lot of paperwork (or trade binders for card games).
- The zipper, which is close to the back of the backpack will serve as the compartment where you store your laptop. Seeing the bag comes in a 15 (M version) and 17inch version you’ll be able to see which one suits your needs the best. The laptop compartment is protected with a hard plate, which makes it impossible to ‘bend’ the backpack by accident.
- On both sides you will find two zipper closed pockets that store a small bottle each, or a few pens and other small items.
You’ll be able to organize everything in the main storage area very easily, seeing the compartment opens all the way. Which means you can just lay the backpack on its back, open the main compartment and just organize everything as you’d like.
Filling this backpack proves to be a harder task than one would expect, especially if it’s used for everyday activities. When you are one that does not travel lightly, this bag will certainly have its use. The Boa Flow XL offers a lot more space than traditional backpacks and with all the extra high tech gear we tend to use each day, especially those who need extra equipment for work, the extra storage room will be no excessive luxury.
Comfort will always be an issue for bigger backpacks, especially seeing it will weigh more and all the extra stuff you can put in it, will in turn add even more weight to the equation. The Boa Flow XL will still offer enough padding to keep you comfortable but compared to the more simple Booq Mamba Daypack, there’s a lot less padding on the back as well as on both of the shoulder straps. Whilst the shoulder straps still have enough padding, the edges are quite rough/sharp, which might annoy some people.
The size of the Boa Flow XL will take some time getting used to, but when you’ve used it for a while it will feel like a delight. You’ll have the storage room you’ll need, everything is easy to reach and organize. Nonetheless, when you’re not used to bigger backpacks, it will take a few weeks getting used to it. That being said, you’ll find other bigger backpacks on the market, which prove to be a lot harder to use when it comes to organizing your items or basic comfort.
Conclusion
Even with the high price tag of Booq’s Boa Flow XL you will not make a bad investment if you have a lot of hardware you will have to drag around on a regular basis. You’ll be able to combine your casual luggage together with your hardware items, all in one pack instead of the basic formula of having to run around with a shoulder bag and a simple backpack. Be it hardcore gamers, people who are on the road a lot or those who just want to have some extra gear, just in case, should certainly take a closer look at the Booq Boa Flow XL.
For a list of all specs, click here.
Booq Boa Flow XL - Accessory Review,
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