The first thing you notice is the briefcase’s weight. At over 1kg, it’s reassuringly heavy and sturdy. The sides are covered with high-density foam in a hexagonal pattern which adds a bit of military style and interest. The bag has two main compartments. In one – which stores laptops up to around 13in – you’ll also find dividers and zip pockets for documents and other thin items, including pens. We found we could just about fit a 15.6in laptop into the padded pocket, but it was a very tight squeeze to close the flap and zip up the compartment, so consider a 15in screen the absolute maximum you can get away with, and only if your laptop is very thin. Foam protects your laptop front and back, but there’s not much side protection. We’ve seen laptop bags with better protection, but the BC_01 should still ensure your laptop survives the odd knock or low drop. In the other main compartment there are three pockets, two of which are held shut with magnetic fasteners and the other a meshed zip pocket. There’s plenty of space for your charger and – when you unzip the central pair of zips to extend the bag – enough room for a change of clothes. There’s also an exterior zip pocket for papers and other documentation. A nice touch is that the zipper can slide into a retainer so it’s not so easy for someone else to unzip it and make off with, say, your passport. On the bottom are plastic corner protectors and there’s a detachable carry strap which is padded and appears to be made from the same material as car seatbelts. Again, reassuringly tough. All zippers have the Lat_56 logo and zips are covered by a water resistant material. The briefcase itself is made from a tough nylon which is also water resistant. We’d have no issues carrying delicate electronics around in a downpour in the BC 01. Lat_56 clearly stands by its creations, as it backs the briefcase with a long five-year warranty. Obviously, this doesn’t cover damage caused by wear and tear (or airlines) but it does cover zips, handles and any other defects in materials or workmanship. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
