Ogio Manipulator Laptop Bag Review (pics)

by Andrew Johnson, Alaska USA

Ogio is a manufacturer of high quality bags with cutting edge looks aimed at the younger generation. The Manipulator is the midsized model in their Work series of laptop bags. It should fit a large 15.4" notebook, but is not deep enough for a 17" notebook. The Manipulator surrounds the notebook with a thick protective pad which should do well in protecting against drops or other abuse. It's a big bag with room for lots of extra stuff.

Ogio Manipulator bag (view larger image)

Features and Specs (adapted from Ogio.com):

• Padded laptop pocket
• Fleece lined top drop-in MP3 player pocket with headphone exit port
• Front beaver tail storage area
• Dual side zippered pockets
• Compression straps
• Organizer panel
• Padded shoulder straps
• Airline ticket pouch
• Custom molded handle
• 2 file divider sleeves
• Dimensions:11 x 19.5 x 6 inches, with 1350 cubic inches of capacity

Design:

There are two main zipper pockets, each with several small compartments and pockets inside. There is more than enough space to carry a notebook along with plenty of accessories such as an extra battery, external drive, mouse, etc. In fact, you can fit two midsized notebooks inside the Manipulator.

Ogio Manipulator zipper compartments (view larger image)

Notebook sleeve:

The laptop sleeve rests in the middle of the bag, so the notebook top and bottom should be well protected, although there is no padding there. The extra layers of material and your belongings should be enough to protect the notebook. Ogio does a really fine job padding the bottom of the bag where a notebook could easily be harmed from setting down or dropping. There is a thick (almost an inch) pad that extends up the sides of the notebook sleeve as well.

One side of the handle nests inside the other to make a comfortable grip. Ogio also includes a comfortable detachable shoulder strap that connects to sturdy and neat looking metal rings. It has a rubbery non-slip finish so it won't slide off your shoulder.

Sturdy metal rings are used to hold the shoulder strap in place (view larger image)

The oversized zippers look like they can handle anything, and the overall build quality is high quality. The big zippers can get in the way when trying to fit a large notebook in the bag though.

Storage:

There are tons of pockets and pouches all over the Manipulator. There is even a special soft lined pocket for an mp3 player with a little hole for routing headphone wires. All this storage makes the Manipulator a good choice for a student or business person who needs to carry more than just a laptop. For those who want a minimalist design, or don't have a large notebook, the Manipulator is probably not the best choice.

A look at the compartments available in the Manipulator (view larger image)

All of the pockets, zippers, and capacity make the Manipulator somewhat heavy. At about 4.5 pounds, it might weigh as much as your notebook.

Looks:

Ogio does a good job making a bag that stands out while still being subtle enough, mostly due to its black/gray color scheme. The edgy design might be too much for some. It all comes down to a matter of preference.

Conclusion:

The Manipulator is a great notebook bag for someone who wants a versatile and modern design that will stand out. It's got tons of storage, and great build quality. It might be too heavy for lightweight travelers, and too "young" looking for some.

Pricing and Availability

The Ogio Manipulator is available from the following retailers:

• J&R.com
• Amazon.com
• eBags.com

Ogio Manipulator Product Page

• Ogio.com Product Page for the Manipulator
  

 

nice review, Ogio is quite prolific in the bags that it makes, and as Andrew indicates, they do tend to cater to those that like to be a bit edgy with their design and branding. They make everything from bags for snow boards, to laptop bags, to golf bags.

http://www.ogio.com/products/index.cfm

Their newest golf bag they're releasing is called the "Schling", which might make some blush to say...just don't insert the wrong vowel.

 

"Shlang" never made me blush...

 

LOL, so much for leaving it to the imagination to fill in the vowel there. nice review. foul mouth though. guess that one got by the potty word detector.