Pakuma is a word taken from an indigenous tribe in Venezuela and means 'to carry', it is also intended to signify durability and simplicity. The result is the Choroka K2, a laptop bag cable of holding up to 15.4” notebooks and imbued with a lot of heavy duty plastic buckles and webbed straps. Inside there a whole series of individual sections to keep your various gadgetry separate - or you can zip it up and just stuff all your stuff in together into its 18 litre capacity. You also get a lifetime guarantee that says these bags are built to last.

What's good?

Even if you don't swallow all the stuff about Venezuelan tribes, it is very apparent that the Choroka is built to be tough and it looks good too. I received the red and green version for review and though the colours aren't quite the same as they appear in the pic, they aren't garish and will go pretty well with any autumnal colours in you wardrobe. Oh and the Pakuma logo is pretty sweet too.

Two special design features are used to keep your laptop safe from the possibility of spilling out. First of all there's the so called 'cycle strap' which fits around you waist and stops the bag flapping about too much when you're riding or walking fast. Perhaps it isn't the most comfortable of solutions but it has a handy quick release and can be completely removed if you don't need it. The front flap is secured by a combination of Velcro and Duraflex buckles. The main strap also has a quick-release adjustment.

What's bad?

The 'Cocoon' padding surrounding the laptop when it is inside is good - better than you would expect from many laptop manufacturer's efforts. However, compared to some of the hardcore efforts we've seen from the likes of Tech Air, I just wouldn't trust it quite as much in a really extreme drop.

Another incredibly minor quibble is that I don't think these bags will go down very well in a business setting. In fact one of the main reasons I personally like the bag so much is that it has a very casual air and also one that doesn't give away that there might be thousands of pounds worth of machinery inside; the only drawback with that is that it might not look as good when you're wearing a suit or attending a formal meeting. Yes, I admit it's a pretty weak complaint.

Do you need it?

Before you go and splash out on an overpriced, officially branded bag for your notebook PC, it is seriously worth checking out bags from companies like Pakuma. More often than not, they cost less and, as is certainly true with Pakuma, a lot more thought has been put into their design.

If you want a fashionable, casual carrier for your laptop, you can pick up the Choroka K2 in 3 different colour combinations and for the pretty reasonable price of £49.99 - there are also backpack models and sizes to fit larger notebooks available too.

Overview

Useful Links: Laptops/Notebook PCs, www.pakuma.com, Zoodex Features: Dimensions: 37 x 18 x 28cm Internal Volume: 18 Litres Fits notebooks up to 15.4" YKK Zips and pullers Duraflex buckles Large heavy duty adjustable buckle Verdict: