Product Review: Waterfield VertiGo 2.0 Messenger Bag for Surface Pro 3

During the week of IT/Dev Connections 2014, I took along a second bag to test, the VertiGo 2.0 for the Surface Pro 3. My normal bag, the Kenneth Cole Backstreet DayBag has served me well, but I thought it would be nice to branch out a bit to see if I was missing something. The Kenneth Cole bag has been a road warrior, allowing me to severely minimize my travel gear. I enjoy traveling light. It means I can whip straight through security on one end and then outpace other passengers to the luggage-go-round on the other end.

I know that many of you are looking for good solutions for your Surface Pro 3's. Owning a Surface Pro 3 has the odd effect of making you want to deliberately curb your travel weight and the number of accessories you carry with you. The best way to do that is to find a bag that forces you to rethink your gadget and accessory strategy. Using the Kenneth Cole, I'm down to the Surface Pro 3, the Surface Pro 3 power supply, my smartphone, my wallet, and a few other miscellaneous items like actual paper and a pen (just in case).

So, did the VertiGo 2.0 replace my Kenneth Cole? No. And, it has nothing to do with the bag. The bag is fabulous. It just turned out that, based on my new travel strategy, the bag is too big. It's too much bag for my current needs. But, for some of you that need to carry more – who's travel needs aren't as minimal as mine – this is probably a great solution if you want to spend the money.

The VertiGo 2.0 version I chose to test is the black on waxed canvas, though each bag is made to order through a combination of two different sizes (small and medium), material, and accent colors. The bag comes in both brown waxed canvas and black ballistic materials, and your choice of Chocolate Leather and Black Leather accents.

The bag is definitely stylish. But, more than being fashionable (which, is not a huge thing for me by any means) the VertiGo 2.0 provides enough storage to carry your Surface Pro 3, the Surface Pro 3 charger, and a myriad of other things. The bag has a deep, inside pocket to house the Surface Pro 3 and a couple smaller pockets for accessories.

There's a pocket on the outside, too, good for additional accessories or storing travel documents for quick access. And, within the outside pocket another zippered pocket for protecting valuables.

The construction is solid. The bag will definitely take more punishment than the Surface Pro 3 contained inside. The shoulder strap is made from seatbelt material with sturdy stitching to go with it. The bag is something that will last a long, long time and survive many travel experiences.

Bottom line: If you want a high-grade, durable, luxury, roomy messenger bag that can carry your Surface Pro 3 and a lot of additional accessories – and have some money to spend – the VertiGo 2.0 is a quality solution. The bag is pricey at $129 for the small version and $139 for the medium size, but it's also not the most expensive. The quality and durability means you won't need to replace it anytime soon, and if you're a consistent traveler, the bag will pay for itself quickly.

You can purchase the bag from the Waterfield web site: VertiGo 2.0 for Surface Pro 3