If you over trail off into teh internets looking for a bag for your notebook there are a few companies that you won’t ever hear bad things about, Brenthaven is one of those select few. Unfortunately for those of you that like change, this bag doesn’t represent anything different in terms of quality then the first thirty years of the companies history. However, it does represent change though in two of Brenthaven’s steps to make their bags better for both the user and the world around them. Oh yeah, today we are talking about the brand-spankin’ new, ProStyle BP-XF Laptop Backpack. (Discussion over whether Brenthaven had the US Air Force name the bag after the jump)

The History Book

Brenthaven was founded in 1980, which means Daniel was turning 73… Their name has been synonymous with quality ever since, or at least so we think. When we first heard of Brenthaven it was in a flood of raves about the quality bags that the company makes and the lifetime warranty that they give all their users. When we first heard of the ProStyle BP-XF it was because of our frustration with the TSA, but more on that later.

Out of the Box

It’s a fairly big box, but this is a fairly big bag. Nothing too special, just the bag, but then again there isn’t a whole lot more you could want. When we first picked up the bag we were a tad bit taken back by its weight, which is… well this isn’t a weltweight by any stretchof the imigination. That’s largely due to the constcution, which becomes apparent on first inspection: it’s built like a tank. It’s big, it’s bulky and nothing has been left to second guess. Unlike some other bags, we have no doubt that this could hold our 17″ notebook… and then some.

Design

It’s a basic two pocket design and a tad bit more. The black bag features little identification besides a small Brenthaven logo on the front and a zero impact logo on the left strap. It’s a relatively rigid square design with rounded edges. The reality is that there are five pockets, not two: a padded notebook pocket, the main storage compartment, a small pouch like pocket on top of an accessory pocket and a small horizontal pocket on the bottom. There is also that special feature for the TSA folk, more on that below.

Style

It’s odd, despite the bulk, the bag looks relatively thin from the side angles. Still, there is no denying the colossal size of the bag, particularly in height and width. As to whether it looks like a notebook bag? It definitely is not your run-of-the-mill Jansport, but then again the Brenthaven logo is a dead giveaway that this bag is serious about the digital lifestyle. Thick zippers and ample padding don’t help the stealth case either, but the lack of flamboyancy does make us question the stealth radar abilities of the bag, that’s assuming the Air Force did more then name the bag of course.

Storage

There’s a lot of it. The main storage pocket features a divider, three mesh pockets and a zippered pocket pretty much limited to cables or envelopes. To give you an idea of just how big the pocket is, you can fit two textbooks horizontally stacked on top of one another. (You could actually fit four, in terms of depth.) Given that it should come to no surprise that we easily fit everything that we wanted and still had an ample room and if you do run out of room, you should perhaps reconsider how much you should be carrying.

This trend of bigger is better extends to the accessories pocket. The height allows us to easily fit our Dell Mini 9 and then a bunch of pens and other goodies. Compartment wise there are a couple pockets, a zippered mesh compartment, a cellphone/iPod holder and two pen holders. The other two pockets are pretty limited to cables as far as we concerned, but storing our MagSafe adaptor seemed like a logical choice was what they were designed for. For the record we think one could fit the following: three 17″ MacBook Pros, four 15″ MacBook Pros and a netbook – all protected in neoprene sleeves. If anyone would like to donate machines to test our theory, we’ll gladly accept donations.

The Notebook Pocket

It’s one of the most padded we have seen. And for those of you that went the Alienware route, this might be the bag for you. Our 17″ MacBook Pro fit with plenty of extra room. Brenthaven is a company that is known for their notebook bags and the years of experience have clearly paid off. There are few bags that we would even put in the same category in terms of built-in protection, let alone place above. In addition to the standard padding there zippers allow for locks, which might be beneficial for international travelers depending on carry-on restrictions.

Say Hello to the TSA

Here comes the special feature… It’s pretty simple, just make sure you place only your laptop in the notebook pocket. Get to the TSA line, then pull on the zipper labeled XF, and undo the bag. Lay it out on the belt, let it go through the machine and then zip it back up and go about your business. (Don’t forget to put your shoes back on.) When not in use the zippers are barely detectable and hide nicely within in the bag, personally we think you could fit another notebook in there, but that’s debatable.

Protection

It’s Brenthaven. The bag is built like a tank and it functions like a tank. We walked through a couple of storms (yeah, it’s always raining) The point is there is nothing to worry about here. Brenthaven’s name is built around quality and there is not a single reason why we believe this should be doubted. If for some reason you aren’t willing to take our word for it, Brenthaven gives you a lifetime warranty. You know, just in case.

Comfort

It’s a fairly unique experience given the size of the bag. That being said, there is a lot of padding on the back and in the shoulders. The bag’s rigidness also adds to the unconventional nature of how it feels. That being said, it oddly feels more comfortable when filled up, but the tendency to go overboard is a risk given how big the bag is. Weight distribution is something that is handled incredibly well by the ProStyle BP-XF and helps to easy the weight on the back from the heavy bag.

In the End

There are quite a few that benefit from the ProStyle BP-XF and that includes the environment. Brenthaven has a “zero impact” commitment to the environment meaning they will offset any of the impacts of the bag. Every person requires a different bag and this is no different. There are a couple things that could be changed including the weight of nearly six pounds and the lack of bottle pockets, but in the end what you receive is what you expect. The bag doesn’t come in cheap at $149.95 directly from Brenthaven, but for all that’s offered it quite a bargain.