When you need more than a laptop sleeve but less than a laptop bag, where do you turn? Until now, I would just use the larger bag and deal with the extra bulk. But that’s not ideal.
Now, STM makes a sleeve/bag hybrid that will do nicely in such cases. The STM Grace Deluxe Sleeve is big enough for a small or medium-sized laptop, along with some extras. And there are handles! It’s a dual-color bag with the bottom half a soft canvas and the upper half a smooth, easy-to-clean material. The padded laptop portion has a magnetic closure with a very, very soft interior. There is a handy front zipper compartment with a key ring and several pockets inside, enough to hold a travel-sized mouse, your phone, some cords, pens, etc.
The collection’s name, “Grace,” is no random choice. From the STM website:
The collection name of “Grace” pays tribute to U.S. Navy Admiral “Amazing” Grace Hopper who helped to develop the first programming language that revolutionised the computer world. She was an innovator and a mentor. We were inspired.
The Grace Deluxe Sleeve comes in two different sizes: one to fit 13″ laptops (the model I am reviewing) and one to fit 15″ laptops. The space alotted to the laptop in the 13″ model measures 8.9 x 12.8 x 0.7 inches. It easily fits my Microsoft Surface 3 Pro with a bit of room to spare, even with pen attached, though these bags are designed to fit the current 13″ and 15″ MacBook dimensions.
The site claims that the straps can be used as shoulder straps, but I found them to work better in my hand or over my arm at my elbow. The front strap also can get in the way when zipping and unzipping the front pocket. But other than those minor complaints, I love this bag. It is completely perfect for my needs. I’ve found that I bring it everywhere with me. It’s perfect to take to the library to get some work done while my kids participate in activities. It’s also perfect for when I want to travel lightly, but not so lightly that I just use my iPad.
This durable and high-quality bag comes in four different colors: coral dove, dark purple, night sky, and teal dot. It’s intended to be a woman’s laptop bag, but regardless of who you are, if you’re looking for an extremely functional but not-bulky laptop bag, this will definitely fill the bill. It’s perfect for the small laptop-carrying consumer, for when you just want to bring your small laptop but don’t want to hold a regular sleeve in your hands.
The STM Grace Deluxe Laptop Sleeve retails for $59.95. If it doesn’t suit your needs or your budget, STM also carries a regular Grace Laptop Sleeve, minus extra pockets and straps, which comes in an 11″ model in addition to the other two sizes. STM also offers a Grace Clutch to match, with two useful zippered compartments for all of those extras that we inevitably carry.
Note: I received a sample for review purposes.
