A large and well-designed laptop bag the Pakuma Choroka K3L certainly cuts a dash with its bright blue water-resistant material (it's also available in black). Black straps and mesh abound, and the all-round feel is of a bag that is functional without lacking in style. The inside is light grey, which does help to pick out individual items when you are fishing around inside.
There are features a plenty, too. Most notable and important of these is what Pakuma refers to as the 'Cocoon'. This 380x36x257mm pouch is surround by memory foam. It's designed to provide, well, a cocoon for your laptop or tablet - indeed any device up to and including 15in laptops, with a healthy amount of space left over. (We found that we could just about squeeze in a 17in laptop, too. We're not sure what this would do for laptop or laptop bag over time, however.)
Indeed, sheer volume of space is one key point about the Choroka K3L. This is a 16-litre bag that when not packed full feels like a smart and slim record bag. And internal space is used well. There are myriad pockets and mesh sleeves, of varying sizes and with varying levels of accessability from the outside. Most have zips for security. There are specific spaces for cables and smartphones, and a headphone out socket. All within a lightweight bag that weighs only 919g.
That's all great, but there is a minor design flaw. While there are a couple of external pockets most of the various nooks and crannies can be accessed only by undoing the main zip, and peeling back the flap to reveal the interior of your bag. This does mean that prying eyes get a regular look at what your packing, and is mildly annoying over time. (It's also far from unique to the Choroka K3L.)
Using the Choroka laptop bag
We found carrying around the Choroka comfortable, and we were usually carrying a laptop, tablet, gym kit, sandwiches and multiple charges and cables. And the usual detritus of a poorly organised professional life. Our laptop remained unscathed despite the usual scrapes and bumps of a life commuting into London. The bag seemed to hold up similarly well. Build quality seems good, although it's impossible to judge this over the long term without using the bag for the long term.
At £49 from Amazon, the Pakuma Choroka K3L is a good buy. See also: What's the best laptop you can buy in 2013?
