Buy a bag that uses velcro?
I am thinking of buying the STM small loft bag. Urban. Stylish (to me, I know others agree). Sturdy. Minimal. And hides the fact that I carry a laptop.
Everything is great, except it uses velcro to close two compartments. So that means no sneaking into class or meetings late. No falling into the comfortable silence in cafes.
Awhile ago, the Eddie Bauer backpacks were the rage in school. Middle to high school. I remember thinking about getting it…but. It had velcro for its pens and pencils. Back then, I was more nervous and anxious about being noticed. I went with a greatland backpack that lasted throughout undergrad.
Otherwise, I was thinking of the *gasp* timbuk2 Marina bag. The designer bags I found earlier are nice, but still!
My requirements: the ability to carry my laptop (discreetly) with sufficient padding, a place for a water bottle, room to carry at least a binder, wallet, ipod, keys, phone, digicam, pens/pencils, padded shoulder strap (enough that I walk with this at least an hour without hurting myself) and finally a bag that doesn\’t look like anybody\’s bag!