The Taipan Steel is a prudent travelling knapsack with vast storage space, very good carrying comfort and an especially protected notebook compartment. In the following review, you can read how this notebook carrier performs in the test.

Notebook backpacks are actually the best possibility to carry also larger notebooks comfortably on longer trips. Only they allow for a fatigue-free and pleasant transport of notebooks, documents and more over a longer period of time.

The Taipan Pack Steel from Booq is a larger travelling bag with an own notebook compartment. It has room for 13 – 17" MacBook (Pro) and PC laptops up to 15.5x10.4x1.25" (394x264x32 mm). The knapsack is not a light weight with 1.48 kg (incl. fastening buckles), but allows the transport of more than only a notebook and accessories with its numerous partitions. The notebook is available at i.e. Booqbags.com in the colors black/grey/green and black/grey/red (called steel – and which we had in the test) for $129.95.

Booq has used a rather conservative design for the Taipan Pack Steel notebook backpack. Most of the outer surfaces are kept in black or grey. Only single stitches and parts of the back surface are manufactured in red to set optical highlights. Booq uses this red also for the interior pockets, which spices the knapsack up a bit. Generally, the design isn't particularly exciting and rather plain and unremarkable, in our opinion. The almost rectangular form also subordinates mainly to function.

The applied materials leave a high-quality impression. The outer surfaces are made of water-resistant (not waterproof!) 420D polyester. The bottom of the case is rubberized and therefore even a bit more unsusceptible for dirt and water. Booq uses resistant YKK metal zippers to close most compartments. These are slightly stiff and have a too small holding surface, but make a durable impression.

The Taipan Pack can definitely score in view of carrying comfort. Already the handle is cushioned excellently and permits a comfortable carrying of even heavy cargo.

Highlight is certainly the very secure transport of the notebook storage on the back. A very good padded back part gives the deemed solution, as it is cut out in the middle to prevent a strong transpiration. The tapered shoulder straps around the neck sit well in the test and were very pleasant to use. Some wearers found these a bit too thin. In order to distribute the weight from the shoulders on the torso, the backpack has the possibility of fixating straps in the chest area (detachable). Aside from this, you can also fasten a waist strap. Then the bag looks like a hiking backpack.

The fairly large notebook backpack from Booq has numerous compartments for the most varying purposes.

The most important compartment is certaintly the well cushioned notebook compartment. The content is well protected against scratches due to a velvety interior material. An especially astute feature for notebooks with high-gloss surfaces (such as the white MacBook). The padding also protects the notebook towards the bottom and therefore against a rigid placement.

A document partition for transporting A4 documents (German standard paper size) and small folders without damage is found directly before this.

The main compartment has turned out well-sized and bids room for the power adapter, accessories (such as an external hard disk), folders or even clothing for a weekend trip. There is also a headphone "hatch" to lead cables from i.e. MP3 players or even directly from the notebook to the outside. Unfortunately, there isn't a pocket partition for an MP3 player, and this would therefore roll about in the main compartment.

There are two large side pockets on the left and right side for cables or the power adapter.

Booq has arranged two, open towards the top, elastic pouches on the side pockets. These are simply perfect for 1.5 liter PET bottles.

On the front side, Booq has been quite exuberant with pouches and pockets. There is a main compartment with numerous partitions for small items like pens, USB sticks, etc. This can conveniently be opened to the bottom (one-sided) with a zipper. Behind that, there is a side pocket, which is protected with a zipper. And last but not least, there is a so-called "mesh" pocket for a quick tucking away of bottles, newspapers, etc. The center partition can also be removed for larger objects.

The Taipan Pack underwent a thorough "shower" of several minutes in our artificial rain test. A short but very strong downpour, or rather a longer rain period was to be simulated by this.

Generally, only the side and the front mesh aren't protected by the well-sealing YKK zippers. Therefore we will not examine these closer (they clearly won't be able to defy any rain).

The other compartments resisted the masses of water from above fine due to the YKK zippers. There was only a light water infiltration to be noted in the front and side compartments. The main compartment kept the content dry from above, but there was moisture ingress from the bottom. The compartments aren't protected against water among themselves. If the water penetrates to the bottom through the rubberized base or through the sides isn't distinguishable.

Therefore, a strong downpour could very well threaten the content, but only after a longer period and eventually when the backpack is placed on the ground. The bag, or rather the content is well-protected against light rain.

The Taipan Pack notebook backpack from Booq is a practical and large notebook knapsack with excellent carrying comfort. The design of the bag rather pursues the purpose, although the grey-black-red color combination is very attractive. Furthermore, the prudent storage possibilities and the good workmanship give reason for the purchase of the not exactly cheap Taipan Pack.

The water-resistant materials suffice in a light shower, but an additional protection cover is advisable in longer and stronger rainfalls.

The whole package is rounded off with the Terralinq solution and a 5-year warranty from Booq.