My iPad is cooler than I am - Review of the Platforma iPad Messenger Bag from Strotter

Platforma iPad Messenger Bag

I was hanging out at our local sports bar the other day with a few friends, as you do. I'd had a few pints and when a couple of biker enthusiasts came in, shrugging off their leather jackets, my inside voice became my outside voice and I exclaimed "I could totally be a bad ass biker gal!"

All my friends looked at me...they all know a Vespa Scooter is really more my speed.

"You mean like Pinky Tuscadero?"

"No. I was thinking more like .. what's her name? The GoDaddy girl?"

"You mean Danica Patrick? Well, she IS bad ass, but she's a race car driver not a motorcycle rider."

Aaaaand that's why I belong on a Vespa.

I may only be able to dream of being a bad ass…but at least now my iPad can live that dream, thanks to the Platforma iPad Messenger Bag from Strotter. Strotter is a new bag design company and they have got something really special going on for iPads. They sent me over a review copy of two of their cases. First, I checked out the Platforma.

The Platforma is a vertical messenger bag designed specifically for the iPad. You can wear it across the body or, with a little reconfiguring, across the shoulders like a backpack. Its exterior features a mix of sexy black pebbled leather and black nylon, solid seams, high end hardware and a sleek silhouette that can flatter any bad ass's figure. The bag fastens shut with magnets, which makes it fuss-free to get into - handy when you're on the road.

Of course, the truly unique aspect of the Platforma is that with a few quick manoeuvres, it can act like a portable desk, leaving both your hands free to actually type or play games on your iPad. The iPad doesn't just rest precariously on the bag - you put your iPad in the Platforma's special Apple Smart Case compatible case and then snap that onto the back of the bag, where it's held in place by very strong magnets. I think this is ingenious, really - you can use it standing up, sitting down, or leaning against your Harley outside the diner, waiting for Pinky to get off work. In the video below, Serge (the founder of Strotter and designer of the Platforma) demos its very cool functionality.

The Platforma's front flap features two slim zippered areas, for things you want to keep secure and get to quickly. Under the front flap, there are two more slim zippered areas, a good size for notebooks or perhaps a magazine. The bag's red interior section brings a welcome splash of colour, plus makes it easy to see what you're carrying. The interior of the bag is divided into two parts - a slot for your iPad and a wider slot for whatever else you're carrying. I try not to cram my bags too full and the Platforma's sleek design helps out in that area - there's room for your iPad and some essentials (wallet, phone, snacks, etc.) but you're not putting your gym shoes in there. Bikers know how to travel light.

The only thing I didn't find easy about the Platforma was reconfiguring the strap. At one point, I was simply trying to lengthen the strap and somehow managed to remove all the hardware from it instead - I didn't find it quite as intuitive as Serge does in the video. Note: there is a crazy sexy video of the Platforma on Strotter's homepage that you can check out as well - it might explain my Pinky Tuscadero association in addition to showcasing some great closeups of the bag and how the functionality works.

I may never actually hit the open road, wind in my hair, iPad strapped to my back - but now I could if I WANTED TO. The Platforma is compact, smart and stylish as hell - a must have for the bad ass geek in all of us.

Find out more about the Strotter Platforma on their website. The Platforma retails for $169 USD.

Photo Credit: All photos mine except for the lead image - that's sexy Serge  from the Platforma site! Yowza!