CODi UltraLite Top Load Laptop Case

Looking for lightweight but basic laptop bag? Something not too stylish, but not too buttoned-up either? The CODi UltraLite Top Load Laptop Case, which fits laptops with up to a 15.6-inch screen, will suit you just fine. This black and gray briefcase won't draw any attention whatsoever both at the office and after hours at the bar. It's as lightweight as its name suggests, and aside from a few red accents, it's entirely basic and frills-free.

What it isn't: versatile. I toted the CODi UltraLite case around for a few days and quickly realized that it's good for carrying a small laptop, netbook, or tablet, but not much else. The moment I needed to also pack a lunch, stow a change of clothes for the gym, or return a handful of library books, I found myself reaching for another bag.

Expansion just isn't in this bag's feature list. Sure, it weighs a scant 1.68 pounds and measures 11.3 by 16.5 by 5.0 inches (HWD), but those last five inches are a stretch. The CODi UltraLite holds one or two flat objects just fine, with secure zippers, a padded interior, and a durable nylon and polyester lining, but it doesn't open up to hold anything more.

The CODi UltraLite has compartments galore: a horizontal pouch in the front, a vertical one in the back, three separately zippered interior spaces that each have additional slots, nooks, and crannies for business cards, pens, and small gadgets. But again, you'll only be able to fit a limited number of items into this bag unless they're all supremely slim.

Two briefcase handles let you swing the bag at your side, which is how I mostly carried it, but you can opt to wear it by a single adjustable shoulder strap if you prefer. It's comfortable enough as long as the bag doesn't bounce off your butt when you walk, as it did mine (an ongoing issue for me, and not by any means limited to this particular bag). Travelers might want to know that there's also a trolley strap for attaching the CODi UltraLite to the bars of a roller-board suitcase.

The CODi UltraLite Top Load Laptop Case is a fine and reasonably priced option if you don't carry much more than a laptop, netbook, or tablet and specifically don't want anything too stylized. But having it by my side for a few days really made me miss the Editors' Choice Arnold Heist bag by Crumpler? ($105, direct,?4.5 stars), which is just as lightweight and despite its tiny size is much more expansive and versatile?though it's too tiny for full-sized laptops (it fits tablets and netbooks with 11-inch screens and smaller). On that front, I'd prefer to be seen wearing the edgy Chrome Citadel ?backpack ($190, direct, 4 stars) or the slightly more sophisticated Crumpler Nhill Heist bag ($175, direct, 4 stars). Of course, those options cost more than twice as much, but they're bags for life in both quality and style. The CODi UltraLite case is fine if its limitations are in line with your needs, and you'll be ready to replace it in two to three years.

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kim zolciak travis pastrana quinton coples a.j. jenkins riley reiff david decastro aj jenkins