Dear friends,
I was surfing and sighing on the JetPens site today, and I came across something that looks wonderful for a bag hound like me. It’s the Nomadic WR-08 Wise-Walker A4 Shoulder Bag, yours for a mere $73 at JetPens. It comes in black, gray, and navy blue , and it’s got pockets up to wazoo.
Nomadic is, I believe, a Japanese company, and I can only re-emphasize how awesome the Japanese are at making the best bags and satchels I’ve ever seen. My collection of Dr. Ion bags attests to my profound admiration of Japanese workmanship. This bag looks as good as any Dr. Ion bag. I am not in a position right now to afford this bag, but I can tell you that I would absolutely buy it if I could. It’s not too large, about 15″ across, 12″ tall and 5″ wide, and the description at JetPens says that it can accommodate a 13-inch laptop, which is pretty cool, along with all the gazillion other pockets it has for other things. I would use it to carry my pen collection, multiple journals, and even compact bottles of ink. In fact, J. Herbin makes a little sample-size set of scented ink that would go perfectly in this bag.
Although I do not own any Nomadic products, I have friends who do, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about the quality and general workmanship of their products. From what I’ve been able to see on the great pics at JetPens, the stitching and the traditional weak points of a bag, the places that get the most stress (like at the corners and along seams) look like they’re all sewn up, literally.
I think that the thing that attracts me the most to this bag is its capacity relative to its size. It’s not huge, but it just looks like it carries so much, and so neatly. The bright orange interior seems like it would make finding this or that small item very easy, and there are so many pockets within pockets and little nooks and safe places that you just can’t lose anything anyway; there’s a place for EVERYTHING.
I was reading some of the comments of the people who bought the bag, and one person said that s/he would change one thing: add a handle to the top so that you can switch from wearing it on your shoulder to carrying it with your hand. That might be a good idea, but I also know that adding a handle to the top flap changes the distribution of weight and the location of the tension, which might cause the bag to buckle in the middle and make things harder to find. I’ve found that sometimes the handle on the top actually makes it harder to carry some bags, so I can see why they left it off. If it doesn’t cause the bag to collapse in on itself, then I agree that the handle would be a great idea, but it might not work with that particular shape.
Just look how many pockets and how easy it is to see inside!
It is pricey, but one might consider it an investment because I would guess that it will last a long, long time. It looks really rugged, and Japanese workmanship is totally solid. I use my Dr. Ion bags daily (some of them), and nothing has come loose or ripped or anything.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this new (to me) bag with you. It seems like an ideal satchel for someone who likes to be organized and compartmentalized. If I ever do buy it or get it as a gift, I will be sure to do a thorough review of it. In the meantime, if someone who reads this has it and wants to share, I would welcome your comments and input.
Remember: it’s the Nomadic WR-08 Wise-Walker A4 Shoulder Bag , and you can get it at JetPens!
