Finding the perfect laptop bag is hard—harder, even, than finding the perfect bowl of porridge. While your morning porridge can be too hot, too cold, or (this is my biggest pet peeve) too milky, your laptop bag can go wrong in so many more ways than that. The myLife Sak, at least for me, thankfully does not.
I’m of two minds when it comes to laptop bags. On one hand, I want something soft and lightweight, so that it’ll carry comfortably and hold a seemingly infinite amount of stuff. On the other, I want a briefcase-styled leather bag that’s stiff and structured, so that it’ll look sharp at all times and compliment even the most businesslike of outfits.
The myLife Sak 15.6″ 4-in-1 Laptop Bag, especially in blue, does not fulfill the latter requirement in the least. But it is everything in the first category. It holds more than I ever dreamed it would, and is more versatile than I ever could have hoped for.
How to carry your myLife Sak
The first thing that really jumped out at me about the myLife Sak is how phenomenally versatile it is. Despite being what looks like a regular fabric laptop bag, it actually comes with four ways to carry it.
You can carry your Sak as a backpack, by a top handle, by retractable side handles, or as a messenger bag. The brand describes it as “the only Sak you will ever need,” thanks to its many carrying functions. Not only is a briefcase and laptop bag, according to myLife, but it’s also a messenger bag, backpack, and overnight carrier.
And you know what? It actually is.
The Sak is really easy to transform from one bag to another. I don’t mean you can do it in minutes: I mean you can do it in seconds, without even needing to put your bag down on a table.
As a backpack, this bag pops out hidden, adjustable backpack straps that clip into place once you’ve pulled them out of their hiding place. They come with a top carry handle, just like any other backpack or vertical-style bag would.
As a laptop bag or briefcase, this bag slides up two handles on each side – which slide back into the bag when you’re not using them. You can carry this bag without either the backpack or messenger bag straps, and just use the padded inner laptop pocket and the bag’s permanent carry handles.
As a messenger bag, this bag comes with an adjustable nylon strap for shoulder carrying. It secures with circular hinged clips on nickel plated hooks hidden inside of the bag’s outer pockets. (I don’t usually use pockets without a definite closure, but there is room in these for things like pens, granola bars, or papers.)
Finally, as an overnight carrier, you can extend the messenger bag for a cross-body carry and unzip the extendable compartment of this bag. I put a lot into this bag, but if I was going on an overnight trip, I’d have been able to fit in quite a bit more. (The extendable compartment gives you a whopping extra 10 cm, which is more than enough for two extra outfits and a toiletry bag.)
What you can fit into a myLife Sak
I packed this bag to show what I’d carry during a regular, busy business day. In the laptop pocket, I have my 11″ MacBook Air, but the dual-pocket compartment can easily fit a laptop of up to 15″, a large tablet, and a clipboard or folder of papers.
Instead of sliding in additional tech, I tossed in a cosmetics bag for touch-ups between the office and dinner, a portable speaker, and a wool sweater. (Edmonton is currently undergoing a record-setting stretch of 0 or below-0 temperatures at least once every 24 hours. It’s been 166 days, and as far as I know, is ongoing.) The speaker you can see in this video is the Anker SoundCore Boost; you can get the original SoundCore at the Best Buy Marketplace here.
In the other large, zippered pocket of this bag I have my keys (in a pocket), a battery pack and charging cord (in another pocket), my bus pass (in a card slot), three pens (all in pen spots), my wallet, and my hand moisturizer, toothbrush, and toothpaste (all in one large pocket together). In a zippered pocket, I have an SD card and converter, so they won’t get lost.
The point that I’m making is: this is a big bag. But it comes packed to the brim with more little compartments, so you can carry everything you need to in an orderly fashion – and you won’t even need to buy an extra bag organizer to do it.
The compartmentalized section of this bag actually has a key chain holder (the little blue loop) and a padded mobile pouch. However, I chose not to use either because I’m a bit finicky! I prefer my keys in a pocket where they definitely can’t scratch anything, and my phone in my jacket pocket so I can access it more easily.
What makes the myLife Sak worth the price tag
The myLife Sak is a little pricey for a non-leather bag, but if it’s what you’re looking for, I fully think it’s a worthwhile investment. It really is four bags in one, which I love. I prefer to carry my light bags as messenger bags and my heavy ones as backpacks, and being able to switch from one to the other while on the go totally shook my entire world.
This level of versatility lets me carry a laptop bag into a meeting, a messenger bag on my commute, and a backpack full of groceries on my way home to make dinner. I personally would recommend this bag in a more subdued colour (the grey is particularly office-appropriate), and I would love to see a myLife Sak with a little bit more structure one day, but on the whole: I really enjoyed using this bag.
On top of that, the Sak is made from environmentally friendly fabric and recycled European leather. That, combined with its versatility and seemingly endless amounts of space, makes it a great investment bag for anyone with a casual wardrobe.
Shop the myLife Sak in a variety of colours in the Best Buy Marketplace. This bag ships for free across Canada, with free returns and a 12-month warranty.
